14Mar 2011 by CJ

When you learn what you’re really eating it’s eye opening

Information & Education, Life & Living
As children we naively believe that what you're really eating comes from the shelves of our local supermarket, not from farms or dairies or factories, which crank out the morsels our taste buds crave in massive quantities. But did you ever stop and ask yourself is what we’re eating tainted by the way in which it’s being produced? Has the quality and benefits of the food we’re consuming on a daily basis been diluted in order to meet the high demands of the buying public? At my sister in law’s suggestion, my wife and I tuned in to a recently produced documentary entitled, “Food, Inc.” - all about what we're really eating. In short, filmmaker Robert Kenner uncovers a startling reality about the way in which food in the United…
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10Mar 2011 by CJ

Cell phone use seems to no longer have any boundaries in public

Life & Living, Youth
Today, the cell phone has become like another appendage dangling from our bodies. Whether its walking down the street, shopping or even sitting at work, it seems these tiny electronic devices have become as essential to our lives as breathing. People always harass me that my cell phone is almost always off, but truthfully I’m not interested in being accessible every minute of every day. For centuries, society was able to successfully survive without a cell phone glued to their ear, so it is possible to live quite happily without one. But I realize I’m in the minority here. What I think bothers me most about cell phone use is how often we’re included in other people’s conversations whether we want to be or not. Walking through the grocery store,…
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09Mar 2011 by CJ

Watching something old can suddenly become something new again

Generosity & Kindness, Life & Living
One thing I remember about my late grandmother was her love of classic films from the 1940’s and 50’s. For me, they always seemed like something old. She never was a baker or a gardener and found no satisfaction in just sitting around the house crocheting lap blankets out of yarn. No, her enjoyment came from an era in Hollywood filled with glamorous productions and legendary talent. Having been born in 1975 however, I was never interested in movies before that time – especially if they were black and white. But meeting different people and sharing in new relationships often opens your eyes to a world of enjoyment you hadn’t experienced before. Maybe it’s in the foods you eat or the places you visit, or even the movies you choose…
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07Mar 2011 by CJ

Yoga – Helping With “Who you are being” at the moment

Life & Living
“Who you are being” – now there’s a question we rarely ask ourselves during the chaos of our lives. My yoga practice is forcing me to ask that of myself. Life coach Ros Bott once said, “I, too, have goals in life that have not happened yet. Life would be dull without having something to aim for! Self-development and setting goals is an ongoing process, and I too need coaching and support in achieving the next steps in my life. Success is nothing to do with reaching those goals, it is to do with who you are being while you are working towards them, and living a life of integrity and passion and joy.” Believe me, there’s no greater challenge in life than looking inside yourself and admitting your faults.…
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04Mar 2011 by CJ

Westboro Baptist Church – Show Some Respect

Information & Education, Life & Living
I used to be a devout Catholic who regularly attended religious services on any given Sunday. But once I became a freethinking adult, I found that many of my beliefs about religion stemmed more from my parent’s views than from my own. I see religion as a very private matter, up to the individual, and something that shouldn’t be forced upon anyone by radical groups looking for allies. I’ve also discovered there’s a lot of hypocrites out there - who preach the word of their God of choice, but do little to practice its beliefs in their every day lives. I’m not sure if that makes them any more religious than I am, but I’m sure in their own minds it does. As I understand it, the purpose of religion…
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