mermaidcamp
Keeping current in wellness, in and out of the water
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Going Prime Full Time
December 9, 2013
Since I joined Amazon Prime I admit to having gone on a free delivery shopping spree. I have also been streaming more television than we normally watch in order to compare and conclude if we want to keep Hulu Plus and or Amazon Prime. They are both good deals if you have time to use them fully. Although Hulu Plus has some very good content not available anywhere else, there are still commercials in the Hulu shows. I have been enjoying watching several episodes in a row of the shows I like on both venues. There are great advantages to using these services:
- Original content
- On demand streaming of everything on your schedule
- They recommend shows based on your taste for exploration
- Amazon Prime has no commercials
- Amazon Prime has a full time digital lending library for Kindle
- Amazon Prime has two day free delivery of many items you buy
- Price—- all this streaming media is almost free compared to cable
Since I love reading and other activities I can’t imagine making good use of two streaming video services. After this month of samples I am going to give up the membership at Hulu Plus. I had also, years ago, resigned from Netflix because we did not watch it. All you can watch is like all you can eat; It is probably not a good idea to do it very often. I like the all you can read option in which you can leave home with a zillion books in your Kindle and have a long battery life and fabulous screen on which to read. After a year on the Three Book Diet, I would rather go on a reading binge than a television marathon. If you are paying for cable and wonder if you can lower your entertainment bill, now is a good time to try the 30 day free Amazon Prime membership. The only down side I can think of is that I am not shopping local when I get my items delivered. I am supporting Amazon instead of a local merchant. For now, we still support our local cable company. We may be able to cut the cord once we learn to use our streaming situation to the best advantage.
Defining Waste
December 8, 2013
During this December of deletion it has become abundantly clear to me that waste of all kinds can be nipped in the bud by simply defining it. I, for instance, have not been willing to admit that owning 5 times more clothing than can be worn in a year is wasteful. Hoarding and waste are the exactly same thing, but hoarding is waste without boundaries . This shocking realization has deep meaning in my closet, in my office, in my kitchen, my garden, my barn, and even in my social life. The most notable waste that can be eliminated is time spent seeking more acquisitions. If you don’t need anything, is it not a waste of your time to go around trying to mindlessly acquire something, just to be consuming? Even more devastating to my health and happiness is allotting my space to extra junk. I pay taxes, insurance, and utility bills to basically own the space in which I keep all my gear. Although I am not approaching the level of the hoarding crazy people on reality television, I see no reason to continue owning extra stuff I never use. I now define that as a waste of my time, energy, and space. As the hoarder in the video explains, the junk is like a barrier or a wall created to hide himself from the world. All possessions can be treated as self-limiting boundaries, from your Mercedes to your expensive signature haircut. Marketing is the process of changing the desires of the people to match what is available in the marketplace. In itself, it is not evil. Something has changed our attitudes about consuming to the detriment of our society and economy. We are building a landfill to heaven.
When I was a child we never thought of wasting energy, or carbon footprints, or even about world peace. I grew up in an industrial era during which producing goods and shipping them around the world was exciting and considered to be the highest and best use of time and resources. Owning things was very important to my parents. Pride of ownership was a distinct value they impressed upon me. They were both very seriously into wardrobe, theirs and mine. They had super high standards for tidiness and order that would not allow them to acquire more stuff than they could store. The material world was in balance because they did not mistake quantity for quality. I rejected their materialistic version of reality, but ended up with plenty of material goods anyhow. It is time to examine, eliminate, and most importantly be vigilant about portions. Time, interest, talent, and resources need to be spent in the right proportion. As we head into the darkest time of the year it is my goal to emerge with a highly organized and clear space. There is much to do.
Poet Archetype
December 8, 2013
The poet archetype is insightful and artistic. Symbolic language captures the spirit of a person, place or time to place it in the timeline of history. Painters paint and dancers dance to express wonder. Joy, sorrow, and the deepest amazement can be brought to the surface through art. The audience, the reader, or the viewer is symbolically imprinted by the artists’ insight and ability. Poetic styles change with language as it evolves over time. Essence is the poet’s product. Language is capable of painting subtle watercolors, and leaving haunting images with the reader. Poetic language does not always need to appear in published poems. Poetry and motion have similar qualities. There is style, strength, and expression in everything we do. If we were to become conscious of a story that is ours to tell, and begin to tell it, we will be poetic.
Maker House in Tucson
December 5, 2013
I have been hearing a lot about the Maker House downtown, so today I dropped off some of my old Christmas decorations and took a tour of the space with Lisa. What a fabulous space!!!! I plan to go back over the weekend for the tree trimming party. I want to learn how to use the programmed sewing machines and the 3D printers. This is exactly the kind of development that will make downtown vibrant and economically sustainable. I enjoyed a very tasty cappuccino before I left, then came right home and joined on line. I think this is just what the fun doctor ordered. I always like old and well designed buildings. It is great that this one has opened to the public.
Sugar Plums
December 4, 2013
Dancing in our heads in December are sugar plums, even if we don’t know what they are. I started making them years ago after I looked them up in a cookbook. I mix and match any dried fruits and nuts for the desired texture. I am not a fan of fennel or anise, so I never use those spices. You can choose the ones you prefer. I like the drunk ladies’ addition of the orange peel, and I plan to incorporate it this year. I am also stalking an exotic date found only in Scottsdale, the Black Sphinx. I am going up soon on a visit and will bring these delicate beauties home for an extra special batch of sugar plums. Dates are extra sticky and sweet, and lend themselves well to this treat. If you have not tried to make this, it is almost impossible to fail, so give it a whirl. They are universally liked by all ages.
Aguinaldos for Christmas
December 4, 2013
In the tropical part of the world Christmas is celebrated differently. Aguinaldos are songs that people sing during the season. The man above is playing an instrument I have not seen, the Puerto Rican cuatro ( which seems to have 8 strings and be pretty big). The traditions differ, but where I lived in Venezuela, the parranda, or band of musical merry makers, went from house to house singing, drinking and then taking the family with them along to the next house. Unlike Christmas caroling, this parranda gets bigger and more spirited as the night continues. They usually came to my house last because my dad was their boss (everyone who lived in the petroleum camp) and it was fitting that he supply the alcohol for the majority of the evening. They came with harps and cuatros, guitars and furucos, cramming into our large central courtyard and rushing the bar. They made up improvisational songs about our house and our family, a la calypso (which comes from neighbor Trinidad). Many of the songs were funny and had nothing to do with Jesus. Some people think of Christmas and snow, and that is fine, but there is more to December than sleighs and gluttony. Here are some religious Venezuelan aguinaldos. I do like to hear the Mormans ripping a Hallelujah Chorus or two, but I am also very nostalgic about the memory of my tropical Christmas fun. Feliz Navidad!
Trickster Timeline for December
December 3, 2013
When our parents told us about Santa they may have introduced the trickster archetype. They meant to transcend stuffy conventional behavior by using a character who rides in a reindeer sleigh. They created a fairy tale about being good little girls and boys in order to influence us. They fooled us, some more, some less. I remember finding the matching Ginny doll ( she was before Barbie, and younger with flat feet) dress my mother was sewing hidden in a drawer before Christmas. I knew it was going to become a surprise from Santa, and I instantly activated my own trickster archetype in order to make my parents keep up the heavy duty gifting. The double tricking, which was probably known to all, lasted until I felt the need to tell them I had busted them and was no longer in need of a Santa Claus.
Kids in other cultures are taught different stories about Christmas. Traditional celebrations frequently predate Christianity, but have blended now with church practices. Krampus, aka Shmutzli, is the dark, scary-hairy dude who travels with St. Nicholas on Dec 6. They have the job of scaring all the children into good behavior for the following three weeks. Only the well behaved kids will be gifted by the baby Jesus on the night before Christmas when he flies around and enters their windows with presents. Advent is typically a big deal in Europe, as is Three Kings Day. They spread it out over a longer period, not so much focus on 25 Dec and buying all the goods in the world. December 6th is officially Krampus Day in Austria, which they enjoy with much costuming and scary monster gear, like torches. I was once in Vienna on Krampus Day and came upon one in the night..they jump out and shock the bejezuz out of you. Krampus is much more popular in Austria than Santa, I think because he is more exciting. He is often seen hanging from rear view mirrors in December in Austria.
Henry Ewer of Sandwich MA
December 1, 2013
— 3 Comments
Ewer Coat of Arms
Henry Ewer moved his family from Plymouth to Sandwich, MA on Cape Cod to settle. The Pilgrims of Plymouth, right up the road, were religious nuts who banished and harassed those with whom they differed. The London contract that governor Brewster undertook allowed him to sell and or release lands to new settlers. He allowed the settlements on Cape Cod, but the church in Plymouth was in charge. The new towns on Cape Cod were subject to laws of the colony, and were treated harshly because of religious differences. The Cape Cod colonists, for instance, were to enforce observance of the Sabbath on the local native population, and make sure all the pigs had rings in their noses. They could be called up to Plymouth for infractions, and frequently were. In 1638 Henry and his wife were deemed unfit and told to leave the town, but their infractions were settled in an unknown way. Generations of Ewers continued to live in Sandwich and the surrounding area.
Henry Ewer (1570 – 1638)
is my 12th great grandfather
son of Henry Ewer
daughter of Thomas Ewer
daughter of Mary Ewer
son of Mehitable Jenkins
son of Isaac Hamblin
daughter of Eleazer Hamblin
daughter of Sarah Hamblin
daughter of Mercy Hazen
son of Martha Mead
son of Abner Morse
son of Daniel Rowland Morse
son of Jason A Morse
son of Ernest Abner Morse
I am the daughter of Richard Arden Morse
The Pilgrims were harsh on anyone they suspected of being Quakers, and made life hard on that group. Any religious (which included behavioral issues ) deviance was treated as criminal. Henry’s son Thomas seems to have been persecuted, then later converted to the Quaker faith. I visited Sandwich in May to see the town and glass museum. I loved the place. I have since found several Sandwich people in my tree. It is a very interesting place to visit for such a tiny town.
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- Sandwich downtown
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- Sandwich, MA
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- Sandwich, MA
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- Sandwich truck
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- glass museum
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- preserved history
December Delete
November 30, 2013
— 10 Comments
My physical space is crowded as much as my digital space. I plan to use the month of December to remove all kinds of paper records, clothing, household items, and energy in general that I am not using. My closet is in dire straights because I have not taken my summer clothing to the barn for the winter. I have twice ( at least ) the amount of clothing than I can fit in my closet, just bursting and dripping off the shelves. I am sure that I can donate at least half of the summer clothes to a thrift store and never miss them. All real and digital items that are not in use must go. The clutter will not go away by itself in my computer, barn, or office files. In December I will:
- unsubscribe from almost all my e mail subscriptions
- donate all extra decorative items hidden in closets and in the barn
- eliminate desk clutter, as often as needed
- burn old paper records no longer needed
- go through the freezer and eat or remove everything from the past
- sell the antique gas stove I know I will never use
- trim my peach tree
- trade in some old books at the used book store
- change my daily routine my adding one desirable activity per week
- juice fast every Monday and Thursday
The month of cleansing will make my office, my home, and my body cleaner and more spacious. The mind works best in beautifully designed spaces, and although I love my home I have allowed it to become too crowded. I feel that restoration follows a good purge of unwanted goods and energy. I purposely have a desk with a glass top. When it is clear and all clean I adore my desk. I know in my heart I am happiest when I feel order, clarity, and well organized space. I have no desire to acquire. I want to feel more like a zen monk and less like a consumer of objects. The darkest days are ahead, and this is the perfect time to make way for an abundant spring, by clearing space and time. I am into it, and I am sure all those things would rather go be used than spend another year in the back of my closet.
NaBloPoMo Ends
November 29, 2013
— 5 Comments
All good things must come to an end. My month of blogging daily has been a good practice. NaBloPoMo, the challenge, officially ends today. I had not participated in any blogging events before this one, and have found many new blogs I enjoy reading during the month. BlogHer is very well organized and vast. Now that I have been there for a month, I think I will look around more and learn how the whole site really works. The blogging conference they hold each year is popular and well attended. In 2014 it will be in San Jose, CA. I am not too excited about conferences in general, and big ones like this are even less appealing. I do believe I can enjoy meeting and reading other bloggers who participate without getting on a plane and seeing them in person. I appreciate the opportunity to join in the fun from my own office. Next November I think I will prepare by making an editorial calendar. The best part of reading new blogs is the variety. I am constantly amazed by the creative and imaginative work I find in blogs. Finding new work I like to read is like finding buried treasure. The discipline of producing a post every day was good, but even better was the fantastic artistic energy of the entire group of participants. I expect it gets bigger each year. Next November, instead of growing a mustache, consider blogging daily…(They are not mutually exclusive, and many blog about their mustaches).
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