Just a quick tip for my fellow recyclers!   I've been a member of these swapping sites for a while now and never been disappointed yet!   I receive books, movies, and cd's of my choosing and when I'm finished....I swap them out again for more!    Just gather up your old DVD movies, paper and hardback books and books on tape, cd's....and you'll be in business in no time!   Here's the sites:  

www.paperbackswap.com

www.swapadvd.com   

www.swapacd.com    

        

I'll start this catagory with the following disclaimers:  I am NOT a total 100% naturalist, NOR am I an anti-drug advocate.   I am not a Doctor, nurse, cna, dentist, pharmacist, p/t, o/t, or any other health care professional.  On the other hand, I'm not an herbalist, a naturopath, a shaman, medicine woman, or any other role of alternative health care expert.  No, I'm just a woman who seeks truth and logic.  That's it....humble and simple!

On a good night, my husband and I manage to find humor in the bombardment of drug advertising during prime time TV.  If you listen to every word of these commercials,  its fairly entertaining that the side effects are far worse than the initial problem.   Our personal favorite is the classic  "if you have an erection lasting more than 4 hours" spiel....that one's always good for some mental imagery and its become a contest between us to see who can produce the newest wisecrack in response.    But on a bad night, we hit the mute button. We can't bear the illogical notion that its necessary to convince people that they're are sick for the financial gain of  pharmaceutical companies.  
 
When I was a kid, our adversing consisted of the Marlboro man enjoying his cigarette followed by the "SITZZZZ" of a cold can of Pabst Blue Ribbon!   (I still smoke and am in recovery 7 years, by the way!)    Our government ultimately disallowed this type of addictive-unhealthy type of advertising so WHY in the name of the "sacred script pad" are we now coerced into unnecessary drug use when DRUG ADDICTION is at an all time high?????   Never mind prime time!  Watch daytime television!    Afternoon television, previously coined "The SOAPS,"  (because laundry soaps were the supporting advertisers)  should be re-named, "The DRUGS!"   Preschool children are subjected to this pharmaceutical brainwashing day in; day out.   Is it any wonder our youth rebel by using drugs?  I'm not even convinced it is rebellion anymore.  Could it be because drug use has been normalized by the pharmaceutical industry?

Welcoming solutions and thoughts from all my customers and other readers.....

        

Genius does not spring from conformity. It is the product of courageous minds who dare to act out their most creative dreams regardless of what others think or say.

        

I'm going to keep the science short, but in a nutshell, the use of plastics in our lives is more of a problem than just filling landfills.   Scientific research has suggested that the leaching of BPA in plastics have shown profound effects in lab animals, and may well be directly related to the increase of breast cancer, prostrate cancer, Type 2 diabetes,  neuro-behavioral problems like attention deficit and hyperactivity.   For me, it is a NO-BRAINER to take a stance against plastics, if not for the environment, then for my own health.   I encourage readers to perform their own research on this issue, but in the meantime, here's some practical (and relatively easy) alternatives you can put to use immediately.   Be well!

Use a metal or glass water bottle

Limit your use of canned goods or choose canned foods from makers who don't use it, such as Eden Foods

Learn how to cook your own foods that you typically buy in cans -- like beans or chickpeas

Choose soups, milk and soy milk packaged in cardboard "brick" cartons, by Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc, with safer layers of aluminum and polyethylene (#2) that can also be recycled

Use glass food storage containers instead of plastic

Use glass baby bottles or plastic bag inserts made of polyethyelene, or switch to non-clear polypropylene bottles that are labeled #5. Don't buy canned infant formula.

Eat fresh foods in season to reduce your consumption of canned goods

Buy or can your own foods in safe glass jars

Stop using plastic wrap and plastic containers to heat food in microwaves. Ceramic and glass are better. (This author has eliminated the microwave altogether)

Throw out any old and scratched plastic bottles or plastic containers

Buy organic wine since many commercial wines can have up to six times the amount of BPA than canned goods

Let your grocer store know you want BPA free cans and are boycotting those products with BPA in them.

 

        

I'll start this thread with my own personal definition.  Please join me and post your defs through the comment feature!  Looking forward to some participation from our readers!

• Bliss= A fundamentally natural state of human being; ironically challenging to achieve in our modern day existance.  Absence of bliss is an unnatural state.

        

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The BLISS LIST is the catagory where I'll be posting photos and thoughts which contribute to my bliss.  Little things and big things that make me grateful to be alive.  The moments, the people, the places, and the nature of all living things that break the monotony of all consciousness and allow me a glimpse of spiritual serenity.

The moose is my spiritual totem, and I treasure their visits.  Its been a long, snowy winter in Maine, and early yesterday morning was the first time that this pair showed up in my front field.  They look a bit worse for wear, but now that they're out of the yards, they'll fatten up and grow new coats in no time.  This appeared to be a cow with yearling calf.   I speak to them in a soft voice as I photograph them, thanking them for their patience and assuring them of their safety.  They seem to enjoy posing; and they hang around longer than one would expect.  The sun was just rising through the trees; what a glorious start to my day.  If you like these pics; rest assured there will be many more to come from now until late fall.

        

Did you know that the KEDS company is introducing a new sneak this spring that's made of recycled and organic materiels?  They're pretty cute; decorated by artists to portray the impact of bottled water on our environment!  (see photo below)

I found this information on a resourceful new green called www.everybodygreen.com .  Cutting edge stuff over there from the newest green products to the latest news on the green front.  Games and articles for kids and adults alike.   Seems like a logical time of year for the whole family to get green together, and this website is the textbook to get everyone onboard.  They have a glossary to get you up to speed on the lingo and support if you have questions.   They also sell some sweet GreenBead bracelets that are made of cornstarch based resins (NOT petroleum based) and they have a little charm that says "GREEN" on each one.   A portion of every bracelet sale is donated to non-profit environmental orgs. 

In case you haven't tried the green routine yet, let me tell you, its fun and it usually saves you money.  In this economy, who wouldn't like that?   Plus, going green is a valuable family activity that everyone can participate in toward the common goal.   Its a win-win.  

www.everybodygreen.com   (and you can find the sneaks there too!) 

        

I know, the title sounds like a no-brainer, right?   Who wouldn't want bliss in their lives?   The truth is, the decision to seek and follow bliss is not as easy as it sounds.  It requires hard work, an evolutional change in perception, and self-love.  Supportive family, friends, and an occasional spiritual intervention are all bonuses!  

If we'd lived thousands of years ago, I'm guessing the concept of bliss must have been a natural way of life.  Cavemen and women awakened when they were rested, ate when they were hungry, harvested sustenance from their natural habitat, played soulfully, nursed themselves with nature's medicine, and died with dignity when it was their time.   Sadly, today's culture is so totally countered from this model, that wanting bliss is an unobtainable indulgence for most.  Or so we think.....

The meandering path to bliss and serenity begins with the awareness that we "want it".  To ponder the possibilities for yourself, try making 3 lists.  The first should be the facts of your present reality; what is healthy and what isn't; what feels good and what doesn't.  Make the second your wishlist of all unmet goals, secret passions, desires, dreams and aspirations.  The third list should be the bridge of solutions and strategies between the first and second lists; i.e. your plan to make it all happen.  Be brutally honest with your listmaking; don't rush it, and make sure the first and second lists are complete before you begin the third.  The result of the third list is profound and empowering. 

So now you have the third list in hand.  A laundry list to all your dreams and passions.  Does it seem attainable?  Are you willing to sacrifice in the short-term for long-term gain?    Do you care what people will say or think?  Can you make yourself the #1 top priority this time?  Can you do it?   Bliss---do you want it?




 

        

     Would you like to have your eco-friendly website or business featured here?  Or a unique method for keeping our Earth green and healthy?  Perhaps your own recipe for your personal "bliss?"  Or maybe  just a great recipe for your Mom's apple pie?   We're providing a venue for our eco-conscious and global conscious audience, and we need material!  Tell me all about it:  info@followyourblissstore.com