the revolutionary gardener.
March 25, 2013 | Filed Under Great ideas, Health, Inspiring, Plain cool, Spotlight, monday motivation | Leave a Comment
Immediately upon viewing this, it was clear this would be one of my favorite TED Talks because it’s one of my favorite ideas: grow your own food!
- Ron Finley
Mr. Finley is an urban gardener. A renegade gardener with a message we all need to hear. Our food system is a disaster and intricately tied to the medical system. Food can be medicine or poison. Your diet determines whether health or disease awaits you. One of the best way to choose health is to grow your own food.
The right to grow movement requires and deserves our attention and energy. One of my most sincere beliefs is that we will return to being stewards of the land, by choice or necessity. The earlier you choose, the better off you’ll be.
move your body.
February 17, 2013 | Filed Under Challenge, Consider this, Health, Inspiring | Leave a Comment
This generation of children growing up today are expected to die five years younger than their parents. Why? Because of inactivity. The benefits of exercise are so many that it seems silly not to. Yet, so many of us still don’t. I haven’t been to the gym since October.
Don’t judge me.
Still, movement is fundamental. An organization called Designed To Move has created “a physical action agenda”. Check it out here. We have to model healthy behavior for the youngsters to pick it up.
While I’ve fallen off my beloved fitness game for a while, I’m committed to getting back on track, not just for myself but because I want to be in the population of people that’s a part of the solution. Growing up, my mother used to say, “if you aren’t a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.” It annoyed me when she said it then, but it’s true.
The children are the future. Let’s teach them well.
learning to love curly hair
February 2, 2013 | Filed Under Health, Inspiring, Learn something, Plain cool, Read this | Leave a Comment
A long-time friend of mine, Nikki Walton of CurlyNikki has finally released her long-awaited treatise on curly and kinky coils with Better Than Good Hair. For the past five years, she’s been sharing her knowledge and building a community for those embracing the path of self-love by accepting their hair as it is and learning how to work with it as opposed to against it. Better Than Good Hair is best suited for those new or relatively new to the world of natural hair care, but also serves as a handy reference guide for those like me, who have been natural for a while but never fully went down the rabbit’s hole and could use a refresher every now and then.
I’m pretty psyched to be connected to the project, as a short essay of mine is featured. (I’m published!) My favorite thing about Nikki and her movement is how genuine and bright she is and how passionate she is about positively impacting people’s mental and emotional health as it relates to hair. She is, after all, a certified therapist.
If you know anyone who could use a more information about naturally curly hair, Better Than Good Hair is a handy reference, and especially helpful to sift through all the online information. Get your copy today.
how to get high for free
August 2, 2012 | Filed Under #notetoself, Consider this, Health, Inspiring, My life changed when..., Plain cool, Rewritable words | Leave a Comment
This was originally posted on January 28, 2011. Lately, it’s been calling out to me. I needed it and wanted to share it again.
We’re all looking for pure bliss and resounding ecstasy. We want to drop our worries and feel alive, feel connected to the magic of this world. All too often, though, this desire results in the abuse of alcohol, drugs and other legal or illegal substances. In using or abusing these substances, the user often does more harm than good.
But alcohol and drugs are completely unnecessary and actually quite costly to both your body and your wallet. There’s another way.
It’s natural. It’s safe. It’s free. It’s legal and always available to you.
the beauty of bald.
July 20, 2011 | Filed Under Health, My life changed when..., Thoughts | 6 Comments
Approximately six years ago, I relaxed my hair for the last time. It was the day before my graduation and wearing my hair natural had been on my mind for several months, as I could no longer justify putting a dangerous chemical directly on my head to straighten my hair for aesthetic purposes while actively seeking to eat organic foods; it was a silly contradiction and I immediately understood it as such.
Almost a year later, I cut off the relaxed ends and wound up wearing a teeny weeny afro that I initially hated. Nothing was wrong with it per se, I just thought my curls would be looser, bigger, more flowing. I wanted my hair to be longer than it was. There were times I’d look in the mirror and cry: what had I done? Why did I do this? Yet, there was such a strong knowing that I was at the point of no return; my last relaxer was the last relaxer. “I’m undergoing a paradigm shift,” I’d tell myself when I needed comforting.
When you begin to wear your hair the way it grows out of your head after years of manipulating it to specifically do otherwise, you’re suddenly confronted with your ideas about beauty in general, your individual beauty, and your people’s beauty.
Many women consider it to be a quasi spiritual experience, and, honestly, that’s no exaggeration. It’s a reawakening. To yourself. To your beauty. To your ancestry. To healthy self-esteem.
#notetoself move my body.
June 10, 2011 | Filed Under #notetoself, Health, Inspiring, Plain cool, Watch this | Leave a Comment
i happened upon this video today, initially appreciating it for the music, and as soon as i paid attention to the visuals, it put me in awe of the human body.
this is the importance of practice.
discipline.
flexibility.
strength.
Apparently this is the Fraggle Rock Crew from Seattle.
smiles lead to happiness
June 8, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Health, Inspiring, Watch this | 3 Comments
Source: The Science of Happiness
Goodness in the blogosphere
May 4, 2010 | Filed Under Goodness in the blogosphere, Great ideas, Health, Read this | 3 Comments
I haven’t done this in a while. Spreading the goodness!
- Map It or Scrap It: The Real Secret to Success
- Obesity is contagious?
- Find inner peace and gain world peace
- The Daily Love
- Set an intention
- Your resurrection begins with you
- 8 ways to join the local food movement
- How to fall in love with life again
Food, Inc.
April 22, 2010 | Filed Under Consider this, Do your research!, Health, Inspiring, Learn something, Moment of Truth, Pay attention, Rewritable words, Watch this, Website | 1 Comment
I was all over Twitter with it, but everyone doesn’t use Twitter, so I decided to share some of the information, reminders and thoughts I had while watching Food, Inc., on PBS. Food, Inc. is an incredibly eye-opening film everyone who eats should see. PBS believes this so strongly that it’s airing the film on national television and streaming it in its entirety online from April 22 – April 29. Check your local listings for television viewing.
- Even if you don’t eat at a fast food restaurant, you’re still eating food made for/within that system. [If you haven't already, read Fast Food Nation.]
- “Chickens never see sunlight. They’re pretty much in the dark all the time.”
- “This isn’t farming, this is just mass production.”
- “It doesn’t matter if the chickens get sick, all of the chickens will be sent for processing.”
- Learn about the industrial food system.
- 30% of the land in the US is used to produce corn.
- Farm-raised fish is eating corn.
- Average American eats over 200 lbs. of meat a year. Ugh. Do you know how long it takes for meat to leave your body??
- Reminder: there’s manure in your meat! Bon appetit!
30-day fitness challenge
March 19, 2010 | Filed Under Challenge, Health | 2 Comments
As summer was ending last year, I was in the best shape of my life. My stamina was high, I was flexible, I felt great. Then I moved and my routine didn’t just change–it flat-lined. I’ve been exercising here and there but not as often as I like to. For me working out is so really enjoyable…when you’re already fit. :-/ There’s such a difference between pushing yourself harder and just trying to keep pace.
I attempted suicides with my fifteen year old brother today. We were supposed to do two rounds. He quit before the first ended and I stopped after completing the first. The verdict: I need to get back in shape.
Am I alone?
Didn’t think so. I’m proposing a thirty day do-something-everyday fitness challenge to help everyone who’s fallen off get back on course. By the end of 30 days, that “I have to move” feeling should be well and active. Sometimes, we all need a little accountability, so if you’d like to join me, let me know. Shoot me a message here letting me know what you’re committing to. Me? Forty-five minutes of daily activity. You don’t necessarily need a gym or equipment., although it’s helpful. Â It’s almost spring, the weather’s not so bad, and there’s always lots you can do indoors.
I’m starting Sunday, the 21st (equinox!). Perhaps you’ll join me. 
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