HAPPINESS IS A WARM CORN BREAD

Blogging is not the easiest thing in the world. Sometimes you just don't have anything exciting to say. I figure why bore others when I'm boring myself.

Given that admission, and Keely getting ready to ask me to haul the laundry from the 2nd floor to the basement (When did they stop putting clothes chutes in homes? Drop the clothes down the chute, and they'd land right by the washer!), I'm going to take a "get out of jail free" card, and point you to another blog.

I've discovered "Twitter" and have been "twittering away" lately. Twitter's this neat little site where you get 140 characters to vent. You can watch what other people are doing like Sarma Melngailis of One Lucky Duck, Heidi and Justin Ohlander of Raw Food, Right Now, and Tanja Andrews of Freshtopia! (Hey, they're not all women. Justin's hiding in there!)

Then there's a new person I discovered on Twitter. She calls herself Rubyvroom. Rubyvroom's real name is Penni Shelton, and her blog is Real Food in Tulsa. Now why do I find her so exciting? Isn't it obvious? WARM CORN BREAD! Oh, man, this one almost didn't make it to the dehydrator! It has the right amount of heat and sweetness, along with that grainy consistency that you find in "cooked" corn bread.

OK, I guess that the "blog block" wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. But if it wasn't for "Twitter" I wouldn't have found Penni and her wonderful corn bread recipe. I can't wait for it to be finished! Its going to make a great addition to my snack bag for my overnight business trip on Monday to Youngstown, Ohio. (I'll go anyplace these days where I'm not stuck in a cubicle in a converted airplane hanger!)

So stop reading me and get over to Real Food in Tulsa! That Corn Bread is really smelling great! (One piece just got eaten, and its only half done!) Go make your own! I have no plans on sharing.

Thanks to Ace Cuervo, a photoprapher with the Tulsa World, who took this great picture of Penni back in 2006.

Don't forget that you'll find all of my favorite links, including Penni's blog, at More Than Anatevka, my blog about blogs!

More than Anatevka

For those of you who are unfamiliar with "Anatevka" this was the name of the Russian village in the play "Fiddler on the Roof" (I say play, because Zero Mostel was the only Tevaye in my book!) It was a place that people scratched for a living, but always seemed to find their way with each other's help. They were a community.

I've started a new blog called "More than Anatevka". You won't find my usual posts there. I just loved Connie's idea of a separate blog with all of the great links that she'd found! Check her out at Banana Island.

So, as the list grows, so will this blog. I'll still have a few that will change on the main site, and I'll make a post when something really exciting peaks my interest.

So check "More Than Anatevka" every now and then, and see what new wonderful places I've discovered in my journey through life. You'll probably find a few non-raw blogs of interest too!

Please feel free to email me with something exciting (of a raw, self-help, or Buddhist nature please) that you think I'd enjoy. If I like it I'll make sure to give you a nod, and add it to the list!

Of course, Keely's blogs will always be at the top of this list. Hey, I've been with her for over 25 years, you expect otherwise? (Thank you dear for catching my typo!)

Don't forget to "Twitter", and to check out the Raw Divas too! RAW DIVAS ROCK AND RULE!!

WHAT AM I THANKFUL FOR THIS THANKSGIVING?

Its Thanksgiving. What am I thankful for this year? Myself!

Oh, I can just hear you now! That's an attorney for you, always thinking about himself. I'm supposed to be thankful for my family, my friends, the blessings of my God. I should be thankful for the roof over my head, my job, the car in the driveway, my nation, the men and women fighting around the world, etc., etc., etc. Oh, yeah, sorry. I just heard someone say on TV, "my boss". (I'm not even touching that one!)

But the one person we always leave out is ourselves. We race around the house working our proverbial asses off (sorry to you purists, but sometimes a little profanity is needed) to make our family and friends happy. We race from grocery to grocery to make sure everyone has exactly what they want to eat. We work ourselves sick, and on the Friday after Thanksgiving, we race from store to store, fighting for that toy, or best price so that no one is disappointed on Christmas morning. Then, sometime during the next forty-five days (can't forget making sure everyone is happy for New Year's Day!), the proverbial ass will spend several days in bed because we've totally forgotten about the most important person in this whole crazy time of the year: ourselves.

I bet everyone has someone in their life who is always worried about other people. Do you really think that you can make others happy, if you don't look out for number one first? Its impossible. Sooner or later, you'll crash. You'll blow up, get sick, or even die. Do you really think that those people you love will be happy when you're sick or dead? Unless they're a selfish bottom feeding reprobate, I doubt it.

You can only make those you care about happy, by being happy yourself. When you're miserable, you make others miserable. So take a moment this Thanksgiving, and give thanks for yourself. Let others do things for you. Work together, and share in your choices today. Make something for yourself and share with those around you.

Remember, unless you take care of yourself, you can't take care of others.

Let them eat fruit, not turkey. You'll feel better, and the turkey will be a lot healthier!

I'm rather proud of this Thanksgiving meal! BURP! ('scuse me!)

Rain Drops on Roses, and Whiskers on Kittens

I thought I'd take time out to highlight a few of my favorite sites on the Internet. I was driven to this because a person that I admire left such a wonderful comment on one of my posts. So as a way of thanking her I'll start with her site.

Have you been to Freshtopia? Tanja Andrews, the host of this great site, is, well, FANTASTIC! Freshtopia has a series of videos that you can download, or just watch, showing you how to make a number of raw recipes. These aren't your usual videos that someone with a 20 year old camcorder has posted on some site. These are professionally produced, crammed with information you can use, laugh your butt off, videos that anyone interested in their health should have in their library. Tanja has a great screen presence that has you smiling within the first few seconds, and heading off to the grocery as soon as she's done. (Thank you Tanja, you've taught me so much, while letting me have fun, and laugh with you too!)

Jumping several thousand miles across the big pond, there's The Raw Food Coach, Karen Knowler. Karen lives in England and used to be the Managing Director of The Fresh Network. She is the author of several great books that you can download and start using today!

Speaking of downloading books, take a moment and jump to Raw Food, Right Now! Heidi and Justin Ohlander have you covered for Thanksgiving. Their little Thanksgiving ebook is on sale, and just can't be passed up. Justin had it right when he said that Heidi's raw egg salad recipe is used as money around the world. If you're looking for something to shock your cannibalistic friends, this is the recipe. Add a little green onion, and some raw pickles from Bubbies, and your friends will be amazed! Just one warning about the recipe. Double it or you'll be sorry!

I've written several times about Kristen's Raw. Well, Kristen Suzanne has put out some wonderful recipe books. She's added two more ebooks in the last few weeks. There's now a dehydrating and a holiday recipe book. All books are ebooks, and just wonderful! I just had some of her "maple syrup" on some raw French toast this morning. I'm purring! Oh, she's so good.

Do you like to make challenging recipes? Well, then Russel James is your man! This Raw Chef is a real challenging Chef. If you're familiar with, and liked Charlie Trotter and Roxanne Klein's book "Raw", then you'll just love Russel's site. (I figured I better include at least one man in this blog.)

Speaking of recipes, Teri, will you adopt me? I want to be one of your test subjects just like your children! OK, I'll just keep using all those wonderful recipes you keep posting on your site The Daily Raw Cafe. Now excuse me, but I have to make another batch of Basil Limeade. I've got to use up some lemons, so I'll tell you how it works. Man are you great!

There's one site out there that really isn't connected to anyone but those interested in raw foods. The site "Gone Raw" is a recipe sharing site. There are more than 2300 members, and more than 1300 recipes. Membership is free, and you even get a recipe box so that you can store your favorite recipes! I don't know who these people are who have developed this site, but their generosity and support of the raw community is to be applauded!

It was Heidi Ohlander who helped me discover The Raw Divas! These ladies have already been the subject of many posts. What can I say about Tera's bubbly infectious ultra supportive personality, and Amy's awesome work as a graphic artist in addition to her unending work building a fantastic program! Oh, these two women wear me out!

Tera and Amy are two truly life changing people. They have developed programs to help people seek their maximum health. I shy away from dictatorial, preachy people. I like people who listen and provide me with information and options so that I can make my own decisions as to how I plan to live out my life. If you want a fun, supportive, informational program, where you can learn about others, and yourself, while having a great time, then the Raw Divas are for you!

The Divas have just published their new program in dealing with cravings. I've just started to delve into the program, but what little I've read shows that not only have they done their homework, and they've got another winner!

What are my most favorite sites of all? My wife's of course. Would you expect any less of me? (At least until I buy a softer and newer couch to sleep on at night.) Keely's got two great blogs. One blog deals with her raw diva travels, and the second is what she describes as her "happy little corner on the web". You'll find some of her arts and crafts there. Both sites are not to be missed!

I know that there are several sites listed under my favorites. I don't mean to slight anyone. Sunny Raw Kitchen is wonderful, as is Melissa Gilbert's "Love Raw Life". I can highly recommend all of these sites.

But do yourself a favor and go to Raw Food, Right Now! Heidi and Justin have compiled a list of Raw Blogs. Make your own list and share it today!

"Eat my pickles. Wear clean underwear. Marry a doctor."

-Bubbies' Slogan

CRAZY DRIVERS!

I don't really yell "Crazy Driver!" at someone who makes me mad as I'm driving down the road. What I really yell (which might include some hand movements) might get my blog canceled, and most definitely gets Keely upset if she happens to be riding with me. There are some things that people do that really torks me off.

I can't stand people who like to slow down just to watch. Its like they're thanking their gods that it wasn't them. Yesterday I got stuck in a slowdown while driving the interstate. When I finally got to the cause of the problem it was a man changing a tire along the side of the road. What was even more ludicrous about this incident was that the lane on the other side of the 30 foot median strip was backed up two miles. Maybe it was because the man was driving a gas hog of an SUV.

Then there are the speeders. I'll usually set my cruise control four or five miles over the speed limit. Yes, I admit that I'm breaking the law. That makes me a criminal just like everyone else. Its a generally accepted practice, but doesn't make it right. Of course, there are people that like to drive even faster, and yell "crazy driver" or worse, at me for not breaking the law enough for their liking.

The thing that really ticks me off about the speeders is that when they do come upon the police looking for speeders, they have the insane idea that slowing down below the speed limit is going to save them from getting in trouble. So the person who passed me because I was going 70 miles per hour in a 65 zone, when they wanted to drive 80 miles per hour, holds me up because they're now driving 55 miles per hour in an attempt to save their sorry butts! ARRRGGGHHHH!!!

OK, I'll explain what this has to do with raw foods. Like so many people I'll jump into something with all my heart. I've got my Vita-Mix, my Champion, my Excalibur. I've got who knows how many recipe books.! I've gone 100% raw at least three times, adding cooked foods back into my system after a period of time.

Yes, like many of you I'm a "crazy raw foodist driver"! I'll stomp the pedal to the floor and go all out ignoring years, and years, of cooked foods. Then one day that seed that has been planted over the years sprouts in my system, and I've just got to eat those french fries, covered with ketchup. This leads to the cup of coffee loaded with chocolate (and the band plays on).

One day I'll wake up and decide that my body has been assaulted enough, and I'll dump all the cooked foods. Things will be fine until that next "cooked cop" sitting along the side of the road.

See the connection?

How much do we help ourselves by jumping in feet first, and going 100% raw? We do great for a while, then we start adding things back into our diets that really aren't raw. First we might use maple syrup, a cooked food. An how about that dried herb for seasoning? Do you really think that the herb is "raw"?

Do what I'm struggling to do. Try a steady, constant, and reasonable speed in your diet. Some of you might be able to speed through life and never get caught (my money is that you've really gotten a "food citation" for eating something cooked, but just won't admit it or will rationalize your minor indiscretion).

Don't ignore what you do, or rationalize it. Just accept what you've done. If you eat a candy bar, accept it, then go on with life.

Instead of going 100% raw, take a moment and take stock of where you are. You might keep a food journal for a couple of weeks and see what you eat. Make notes as to what was happening when you ate the food. You might begin to see that you eat certain foods when you're happy, or stressed.

Once you really know where you stand, slowly start making changes in your diet. Don't shock your system with a liver/kidney flush, or a three week water fast. Pick one thing in your life that you want to do differently, and concentrate on that issue. Once you're happy with what you've done, embrace the change and move on to the next issue.

Remember the old fable about the tortoise and the hare? That rabbit ran like hell toward the finish line, while the tortoise just put one foot in front of the other, keeping a constant pace. It was the tortoise who won the race, and left the rabbit sitting along the side of the road.

BRAS and GIRDLES

Bras and girdles? What's with the title? Is my deviancy finally showing through? No, sorry, I'm not admitting to anything other than the title really pertains to raw foods.

No, I'm not commenting on the fact that it seems like more women than men are interested in maintaining their health,either. I've been going to the Youngstown, Ohio area now for twenty-five years. Keely was born and raised in the area. For as long as I can remember there's been a store near the mall called "Elmo's Intimates: Bras and Girdles".

I'm sorry, but I couldn't have thought of a worse name for a shop. When I hear the name "Elmo" I think of a Muppet. Now I'm not about to go into any store and buy underwear for my wife unless she's got it pre-ordered and all I have to do is walk in and pay for it. I'm not embarrassed or anything, I just hate shopping. But really, what woman would want to go buy underwear from a puppet? Whoops, I'm not supposed to call it underwear am I? Men wear underwear, women wear lingerie. Harrumph! Happy?

So, on Friday Keely and I finally stopped to take the picture for this post, and I noticed the smaller sign that read "100 SIZES". OH, MY, GOD! I freaked! Let's be honest. Ever since the bra was created, prepubescent males have been scared to death of the things, and this fear doesn't fade with age. But do you really need 100 sizes sold by somebody named "Elmo"?

Am I being fair? Of course not. But how different am I than any of you reading this blog?

Ever heard of the Broadway musical "Avenue Q"? Its an adult version of the Muppets (and works well with the Elmo tie in.) One of my favorite songs is "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist". In the song the puppets face their own racism.

Everyone's a little bit racist
It's true.
But everyone is just about
As racist as you!
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
And everyone stopped being
So PC
Maybe we could live in -
Harmony!

Can we really address racism by arguing that people be more tolerant? I believe that we can't. I believe that problems of racism are more closely tied to the "ego". It is an inherent belief that we must be better than those around us, and as a result, they aren't as good as we are.

This feeling isn't limited to race, culture, sexual orientation. It is ingrained in our religious beliefs, in the way we look at sports, and even our eating habits! We rush to judgment, just like I did with Elmo.

How many of you remember the "Beef" commercials. The ads that made it seem unAmerican to eat something other than beef?

We are assailed on all sides by commercials making us feel that we are bad parents if we don't buy the right frozen dinner for our "hungry man".

Then there's the world of raw foods. There's dozens of gurus, doctors, nuts, and well meaning people. THERE'S REALLY 100 SIZES! There's a theory and strategy to fit every body (or everybody). Sometimes you feel like you've found the right fit, and sometimes you might attend an event and come away feeling like nothing but a boob. (Sorry, but I just couldn't let that one pass.)

Whatever you do, never believe that you know the answer! But doesn't that mean that you'll always be searching? Yes!

That's what ties us together. We're all in the same search for perfection. We're all striving to be happy. It matters not what our race, culture, religion, or sexual orientation might be. We're all looking for the answer to the eternal question to the meaning of life.

So let your ego sit in the corner. Look to your fellow human being in a new light. That person has a piece to the puzzle. There are no right answers, or wrong answers, and once we all realize that we're looking for the same answer, it might be a little bit easier to share.

I had the opportunity to listen to Tera Warner of "The Raw Divas" interview Steve "The Sproutman" Meyerowitz. This guy is intense! The neat thing about Steve is that he isn't afraid to question authority. He searches, and asks the hard questions. He's always looking for more information, and appears to be energized by the world around him. I highly recommend that you check out Steve at http://www.sproutman.com today!

Whatever your path, what ever you choices, just don't forget, there really isn't one size to fit all....

I'm not Kidding!

I tried an experiment with a separate blog called "You've Got to be Kidding". It just didn't work.

One of the basic reasons for me eating raw is that I believe that it makes me feel better. The second blog brought out the weights that I'd been hanging around my neck, and didn't feel good.

So, as of today, that other blog has disappeared. You can still expect a "zinger" every now and then here, but I'll leave the complaining to others. I'd rather focus on the positive. The negatives will still be there, but the more I look to finding the positive things around me, the less the negatives will want to stay and play.

Its time to give energy to that which is good and empowering, and let the negative go, and wither away....

Jacob Marley will always be rattling his chains, but there's no reason that I can't find the music in them.

Come One, Come All, To Kristen's Raw!

So when was the last time you checked out Kristen's Raw? You haven't? Well, after you're done reading me, jump over to her site! No, forget that football game. I think that your spouse, friend, whatevah, can fend for themselves for a little bit longer. Tell them that they are more than capable of getting their fat butts up out of their chairs and getting their own glass of water. Besides, a game is a game. I think that my life is a little more important than who wins the NCAA national championship (as is most everything else more important that I can think of in the world around me, especially Keely! Can I please have an 'AWWW' for that?)

Why am I so excited about Kristen? She's got two new recipe e-books out! (Thought I was going somewhere else with this one didn't you!)

Its the easiest things in life that impress me even more and more, and when I see a recipe for "raw maple syrup" I lunge!

Her two new recipe books are Kristen Suzanne's EASY Raw Dehydrating, and Kristen Suzanne's EASY Raw Holidays. Who can resist "Oktoberfest Raw German Chocolate Brownies", or a "Holiday Not-Meatloaf" which are just two of the recipes in her Raw Holidays e-book.

Oh, and of course to keep my Excalibur happy in her dehydrating recipe book there's "Green Beans with Garlic Sauce", "Sunny Italian Patties" and "Savory Crispy Zucchini Noodles". (I'd say "YUMO" but Rachel Ray just grates on my nerves! I don't like "baby talk"!)

So please, jump over to Kristen's site and check out all of her recipe e-books. She's made it really easy to buy, and download them directly to your computer. I'm sure you'll be as happy as I've been with her books. I've got them all!

On a personal note, make sure to flood Keely's websites on Thursday, November 8TH. ITS HER BIRTHDAY! (Send money and I'll tell you that she's going to be...... No, I won't tell you that she was born in 19....)