How American Homeschoolers Measure Up InfoGraphic

Source: TopMastersInEducation.com

Sacramento Food Film Festival 2014

Sacramento Food Film Festival 2014: The Sacramento Food Film Festival was created in 2012 as a way to showcase food themed documentaries. This year we grow to 10 days worth...

In cooperation and support of

March 20-30, 2014

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

SCHEDULE

Premier Night!
Thursday, March 20 - 6-9pm

Enjoy appetizers from
Ten22! while watching the award winning Spinning Plates!

Saturday, March 22 - 4-6pm

Film: Beer Wars

Venue: Tuli Bistro beer tastings and apps

Tuesday, March 25 - 7pm

Film: Bottle Shock

4 course dinner and wine pairings based on film. Lucca

Wednesday, March 26

FREE! Documentary Film: Cafeteria Man: on school meals

Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op

Family spaghetti dinner with Sellands 

Friday, March 28

Film: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs at Clunie Center at McKinley Park
FREE! Film Saturday, March 29 - 5pm

The Slow Food Story at the Guild Theater
Documentary Sunday, March 30 - 4-6pm

Film: Sweet, Sexy Ocean: on sea urchin harvesting

Sunh Fish-19th & V Streets Sushi and Uni tasting with Bill Ngo from Kru

TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

FACEBOOK: Sacfoodfilmfest

Contact:  sacpchef@gmail.com

Why Do I Write

I write.

I write because writing is powerful and there is almost a static electricity that doing it well produces. It zaps whoever comes in contact with it.

This post has been a long time in coming. 

Jeff Goins' query came through my Twitter feed weeks ago. I went to read his post on Why He Writes.

When he posed the question back to us his readers it hooked me and would not let go. I thought I should have an answer at the ready but I kept coming up with responses that felt half baked.

They question has been, as they say, 'stuck in my craw' ever since.

I started writing because I was a reader. I remember trying to copy down the little kid books I was reading word for word as a child.

That never happened. Maybe I was priming the pump.

Next came the class newspaper that a couple of friends and I put together in the 5^th grade. We were excited about our project although I remember it being more about art than stories.

Not that we did not tell stories, just that the art was well you know, the visual draw to it all.

After that came more reading. From that came the idea of keeping a diary. This too failed, like the book copying, because I had this idea that I had to write down EVERYTHING that transpired each day.

This takes forever when you stay up with it. You can imagine what happens when you get behind.

Finally, along came class assignments that did not completely suck.

These were rare although not nonexistent. Somewhere amidst these projects joy emerged. 

I loved experimenting with the power of the written words in its many forms. 

I wonder why I have never written a full song. 

I have a verse all made up in my head, with music but I have not fleshed out the rest of the tune and tale.

I have shared things that have come of my writing. I thought they were the reason I write. 

Those things have been by products.

The written word has the power to empower and inspire. I have shared on the blog a little of how I began to learn that.

When I started getting involved in online communities connected to things I am passionate about my voice finally fully emerged. It is a powerful voice.

People respond to what I have to say. In my youth I would laugh to myself and think I should be a headline writer or a newspaper reporter. 

I knew even as a young person that my words had the power to at least provoke attention and reaction.

It is only in raising my voice, again towards issues that I am passionate about via the written word that I see the greater potential to not just get people’s attention but move them, through writing. 

I write because I can. If no one ever responded to my writings, if I did not feel the surge of energy that happens when I get my point across, then I might still keep a diary but nothing more.

I don’t write to make myself feel better or clear my head. I don’t write for myself. I write to share because I have things to say and people are nosy. They want to hear, listen, react and respond.

I started writing because I was a reader. I remember trying to copy down the little kid books I was reading word for word as a child.

That never happened. Maybe I was priming the pump.

Next came the class newspaper that a couple of friends and I put together in the 5^th grade. We were excited about our project although I remember it being more about art than stories. Not that we did not tell stories just that the art was well you know the visual draw to it all.

After that came more reading. From that came the idea of keeping a diary. This too failed like the book copying because I had this idea that I had to write down EVERYTHING that had happened. This takes forever when you stay up with it. You can imagine what happens when you get behind?

Finally, along came class assignments that did not completely suck.

Rare although not nonexistent. It was somewhere in these projects a joy and a voice started to emerge. I loved experimenting with the power of the written words in its many forms. I wonder why I never wrote a full song.

I have a lyric in my head with music but I never flushed out the rest of the tune and story.

I have shared things that have come of my writing. I thought that was reason enough. It is not why I wrote. Those things have been by products.

Writing for me is just another outlet for my perspectives and feelings that I want to share with the world. I love to talk but people are not always around.

They may not have the time that it would take for a conversation when I am ready. Instead they can read what I have written at their leisure and respond as they see fit.

The written word has the power to empower and inspire I have learned most recently. I have shared a little of that story here on the blog. When I started getting involved in online communities connected to things I am passionate about my voice finally fully emerged. It is a powerful voice.

People respond to what I have to say. I used to laugh to myself and think I should be a headline writer or a newspaper reporter. I knew even as a young person that my words had the power to at least provoke attention and reaction.

It is only in raising my voice again towards issues that I am passionate about via the written word that I see the greater potential to not just get people’s attention but move them, through writing.

I write because I can. If no one ever responded to my writings, if I did not feel the surge of energy that happens when I get my point across, then I might still keep a diary but nothing more.

I don’t write to make myself feel better or clear my head. I don’t write for myself. I write to share because I have things to say and people are nosy. They want to hear, listen, react and respond.

I write.

I write because it is powerful and electric.

This post has been a long time in coming. Seth Godin’s query came through my Twitter feed weeks ago. I went to read his post on why he writes. When he posed the question back to us his readers it hooked me and would not let go. I thought I should have an answer at the ready but I kept coming up with responses that felt half baked.

I Write because…

Is that a complete sentence?

Some how I feel like it is.

The man who wrote the book You are a Writer has now dared to ask us: Why do we write?

Ugh I read that question and the post he shared to go with it and it has stuck with me now all this time.

I almost can’t answer.

A Few Words for the Year

It is January of 2014. Are you excited? Have you planned out the way you want things to go? That might be a little over zealous for me. I do however like the idea of giving the year a word or few.

 

In 2012 my word was Random. Last year did not get a word and if I had to go back and label it I might have to wash my mouth out with soap. In 2011 I bought a car.

This year however I am Hopeful and Optimistic even while I am Waiting for things to happen.

I was working on a word puzzle that had to do with animals and the word nest as a verb came up. Something about it resonated with me. The idea of preparing and making ready for future events just spoke to my soul. It is what the idea of hope is based on.

There are times in our lives when circumstances seem dire or hopeless. Maintaining proper perspective to get through these days starts with knowing tough times don’t last but tough people do.

We have other sayings like “taking life’s lemons and making them into lemonade”. Sometimes things we are dealing with change and other times we make changes in our actions reactions and perspective to neutralize the pain we are experiencing.

“Necessity is the mother of invention” is another quote that feeds the hopefulness of every day. As I mentioned in a post about thanks giving  this past November I try to appreciate the good and what I have even in moments of stress and lack.

The year ended with me looking for a job and a new place to live. I spent the holiday season with family and now the searches continue. New, new, new I have a lot of expectation for the coming months.

I have some business ideas and book prompts stewing. My daughter will be turning 18 and it is the last year for me to enjoy being 30something. Next year I want to spend planning an awesome 40^th birthday celebration. 

I do not do resolutions they are just not me. 

People start off the year with all kinds of intentions to do things they have been putting off for months or years.

Lose weight

Get more organized

Read more

Clean up some toxic friendships

Ditch Smoking

My question would be what would make the first of the year a better time for any of these things? If something is a great idea I usually want to get right on to doing it.

I tackled weight one summer. I never started smoking. My relationships all start off healthy and die natural deaths as needed.

I used to be an avid reader. Now I masquerade as an internet junkie. 

I am not addicted however. 

I am an extrovert who appreciates that internet never sleeps, touches the whole world and is only as expensive as my laptop and WIFI services. 

How could I not be drawn in?

Staying Slim Holiday Edition

The holiday season can be filled with events centered around food. Traditionally these foods can be filled with carbs, calories and sugars. It is what makes us love them and why the recipes have been passed down from generation to generation.

I write on eating from time to time. To recap I am maintaining a weight of about 120lbs on a five foot two frame. Now don't be a hater. I hit a snag years ago that probably put me on this path. I started gaining weight.

Instead of just ignoring it and letting out my waist lines I asked the internet what I could eat without gaining weight.

The answer is fiber.

Up your fiber intake and you can take control of your weight, is my theory. It has worked for me. I prefer it much better than counting calories or food restrictions.

It forces me to think about what I am eating and read ingredients lists. It means I can still have ice cream and chips.

Increasing one's fiber intake means also increasing the amount of water on board each day. 

Do Not forget this step please and for your own...comfort.

I did things like started eating high fiber breads. They do not all taste the same. Just because they say whole wheat does not mean they are high fiber. 

Foods high in fiber fill the stomach and give the full sensation. The last thing I wanted to do was feel hungry and miserable while trying to lose weight.

Making these every day changes to my eating plan for life paid off after a long while. It took longer because I did not start moving more.

If all you want to do is lose some weight you can go on a diet. If you want to change your life and avoid the need to go on diets you need to do something else. 

Not Another Diet the Facebook page for additional support.

Older posts on food and eating for weight loss and maintenance. 

Eat Well For Life

Honor Your Beauty Now

Finally lose that weight

Healthy Fall Eating

Fancy Eggs no Mayo

A few posts about fitness and fun

Equipment Check

Roller Derby

Skating

My Holiday Treats

On a recent shopping trip to Trader Joe’s I discovered they had some lovely chocolate cookies on sale. I savored each one a day at a time until they were gone. Happy Christmas season for me!

It is officially winter of 2013. Christmas is so close we can already taste it I am betting. In our house is a real tree with no edible ornaments but I know those are popular.

One year I made cinnamon applesauce ornaments. That was fun. That year or in another one we strung popcorn and dried fruit. I grew up with none of these traditions.

My parents had a fake tree that lived in its box fifty or so weeks a year. There were boxes of ornaments and lights but never any personalized ones. I do not remember trimming the tree much or ever buying any.

Christmas was small with my tiny nueclear family so far from the grandparents and other kin in Oklahoma or on the east coast. We would eat a nice festive dinner and have some holiday dessert but that was about it.

The fun of the season came in every day simple things.
 

I spent one night this week helping a minor cousin bake cupcakes for her holiday party. 

She topped them with crushed candy canes so they were festive to look upon but of course I did not try them. I prefer my mint in candy isolated from other flavors and sensations.

Another favorite delight of ours for this season are giant candy sticks.