Month: June 2011

ready to confront your own racism?

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In Sunday Life this week I confront my racism

publicis conseil licra ready to confront your own racism?

If you’re not born of a racial minority, are comfortably middle-class and you catch taxis then you might identify with this scenario. On Monday I climbed into a Melbourne taxi. “Airport please.” The Sudanese driver was playing Middle Eastern music and spoke basic English. He grunted in reply.

Now, you might class me a small-L liberal (latte-sipping, bike-lane hogging, broadsheet-toting) multiculturalist. Which means I probably wouldn’t admit to having a particular “take” on this gentleman. Or his culture. Of course not.

Which is why at the lights when he unwinds his window and yells excitedly in Arabic with his African mate in the next taxi I’m only mildly put out. I ask him what they were discussing. “Football!” he says with a massive grin. “I’m Western Bulldogs, my little sons Western Bulldogs fans. He’s Hawthorn.” He punches the air and cackles happily.

Immediately my heart swelled. And I was flooded with all kinds of sappy jingoism – isn’t Australia incredible! He can barely speak English, but he’s adopted one of our passions. How wonderful! A reaction that served to blatantly expose the – ughhh! – prejudiced, threatened “take” I’d had when I first jumped in his taxi.

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more bike funs for a Friday

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Bikes are rad. Here are some more rad bike things…

Picture 26 more bike funs for a Fridayvia pinterest.com

I recently found this Brooklyn wedding on ‘A Cup of Jo’. The happy couple didn’t have a huge budget – so they got married in a park and then rode bikes to a bar for their reception (Pam wore cute denim shorts under her wedding dress so that she could hitch up her dress and ride).

bicycle wedding more bike funs for a Friday

bicycle wedding brooklyn 10 more bike funs for a Friday

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the best toxin-free cosmetics: a listicle (part ll)

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OK. Everyone loved the list of toxin-free cosmetics I posted recently. Since then, I’ve come across more experts with tried and tested suggestions and some of you guys have shared, too. So, a listicle Part ll. And just a shower thought I had: I really want to emphasise that making the switch to safer and cleaner shouldn’t be about getting draconian and consumerist. That is, getting pious and buying more stuff. It’s about making a slow, gradual, informed switch as products run out. That’s just my thoughts…now enjoy these generous suggestions from others…

Picture 31 the best toxin-free cosmetics: a listicle (part ll)photo via pinterest.com

Stacy Malkan is the author of the award-winning “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry” , Communications Director for Health Care Without Harm, and is part of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. A legend in this field. She emailed to share these:

  • Dr. Bronner’s Soap – I love the soaps and love that the company supports strong organic standards and is willing to fight for what’s right.
  • Weleda lotions – Excellent biodynamic products and they also support and train organic rose farmers around the world!
  • Jane Iredale make-up – Great colors and excellent performance without the toxins.
  • Grateful Body face cream – A local company in my community (Berkeley) that makes products with the utmost love and care.

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Depression or mood issues? It could be sugar…

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As you read this I’m en route to Brisbane to present at the Happiness & It’s Causes conference…and to interview His Holiness The Dalai Lama for Channel Seven. As fate would have it, I’m chairing the presentation and panel discussion at the conference on Friday that sugar expert David Gillespie is doing – Eating Your Way to Health and Happiness. Any of you coming?

Picture 18 Depression or mood issues? It could be sugar...photo via pinterest.com

If you’re not going to be there… you might enjoy this. David shares why fructose makes us unhappy. I can personally vouch for the connection. I’ve been so very very much more stable since I quit sugar. Every now and then I’ve “tested” things by eating a bit of chocolate or having some honey in my chai. The effect is IMMEDIATE. I’m buzzy-grumpy. And I get ulcers. And I bloat. And it takes 24 hours for things to settle. It’s no big deal. Our bodies do detox the stuff out overnight. But I get the lesson clearly: not worth the pain.

Anyway…David’s thoughts (annotated a little by me):

Even seeing food improves our mood. This is because the anticipation of a feed, fires up the hormones responsible for how we feel. The sight (or smell) of food gives us a squirt of the pleasure hormone, dopamine.

  • Dopamine focuses our attention, makes us think more clearly and helps us move faster and more effectively. It’s an important signal to our body that we are in for something good and we need to pay attention. And that was probably pretty handy in times gone by (when dinner was on the hoof rather than in the burger box)

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Tuesday eats: some gluten-free basics

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Here’s two things about going gluten-free. You have to, at some point, abandon the idea of eating exactly like you used to. It does mean eating less carbs, partly out of necessity (cos you can’t eat the muesli or the toast options on a breakfast menu, for instance). But in the meantime (point two), there are ways…

Here, a post of some of the basics that you’ve always loved. So you don’t feel like you’re missing out. For more check out this slide show with more than two dozen great gluten-free recipes.

Picture 24 Tuesday eats: some gluten-free basicsphoto by Andrew Scrivani

gluten-free pizza (by Shauna Ahern)

Time: 1 hour plus rising. Yield: 4 servings.

  • 7 grams flaxseed meal (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 500 grams gluten-free flour blend (about 4 cups), purchased or homemade (see recipe)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 15 grams active-dry yeast (about 4 teaspoons)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
  • Cornmeal for dusting
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced paper-thin
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
  • 1/3 cup roughly chopped olives
  • 250 grams regular or buffalo mozzarella, sliced
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • Crushed red chile flakes to taste
  • Flaky sea salt, optional.

Pour 2 tablespoons boiling-hot water over flaxseed. Whisk quickly until you have a thick paste. Cool.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour and salt.

In a separate small bowl, gently stir together the yeast and olive oil with 1/2 cup warm water. Let it rest a few minutes to activate the yeast.

Add the flaxseed to the dry ingredients and mix for 10 seconds. Pour the yeast-oil-water mixture into the dry ingredients. With the mixer on medium, mix for a few moments, until the dough comes together into a soft ball around the paddle and feels soft and pliable. If the dough feels too dry, add a little more warm water in small amounts until the dough feels soft and pliable. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

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loud chewers, dripping taps: coping with what drives us bananas

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This week in Sunday Life I make peace with annoyances

110218 3 600 loud chewers, dripping taps: coping with what drives us bananas
by Neil Stewart

I’m a very annoy-able person.  A lot of things annoy me. Here’s a small sample: sniffing, loud chewing (the type Americans do in sitcoms when in heated discussions at diners), mid-90s ozonic perfumes, when the person sitting next to me on the plane keeps brushing my elbow, people who don’t reuse their paper cup at water fountains and slow walkers on narrow paths.

And that’s just the scab on the wound. I have a deep gash worth of stuff that gives me the irits.

Actually, the word “irits” gives me the irits. In the same way “I’ll do it in a mini” does.

But the most annoying thing of all is that I’m so annoy-able. Such things really shouldn’t annoy me. And this annoys me further. And so down the spiral we tumble.

During the week I chatted with Flora Lichtman, coauthor of the new book Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us. Her pet annoyance is people clipping their nails on the subway (who knew!?). Indeed, having a guy next to her do so one morning prompted the book.

Lichtman identifies three factors that make something annoying. It’s unpleasant. It’s also unpredictable.

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how to see signs

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I’ve been getting a few “signs” lately. I don’t know what you make of signs…

2869069e3752f2ab26619e264d8a45be 3 how to see signs
by Asja Binno (via The Beast)

Me, I think that patterns emerge as we go about life and they bank up – get blocked or layer up. A bit like stuff swirling down a drain; the stuff forms a bit of clump and we need to twirl it with a stick – give it our attention – so it can loosen and continue down the drain.

Everything is a sign, some are just louder than others. Some patterns bank up and they tell us we need to pay attention. Turn a different way, gently move along a different path.

I find signs come in threes for me.

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Gala Darling: “radical self love…it’s a soul salve”

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Continuing with the One Thing series… From time to time I come across humans who just astound me with their whimsy. They do something a bit you’re-not-meant-to-do-that. I’ve noticed there’s usually One Thing that prompted them, or motivates them, or keeps them happy and therefore whimsical. I’m always busting to tap them on the shoulder and ask, “What’s your One Thing”.

Gala Darling: my one thing is ‘radical self love’

 

5107593220 6da8139824 Gala Darling: "radical self love...it's a soul salve"I first met Gala when I was editing Cosmo. I’d seen her blog and loved her writing style and gave her a column in the mag. She then moved to New York, I moved on, but we’ve stayed in touch. She now earns an income from her blog and the related projects she’s involved in via her following.  She’s a very special, quirky!!  person. Who has remained true to her soul. And the world has come to her. When she shares a tip for how she keeps it real, you want to listen up!

Sarah: So, what’s your One Thing?

Gala: Radical self love. It’s my mission, my message, my raison d’être.

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