Discover Your Bliss

Homemade mosquito repellant

I found a pretty easy-to-make mosquito repellent. 

If you're like me and need to have some protection if those little suckers are around and don't like inhaling chemicals, then this might be a good alternative.

 

Combine the following in a glass spray bottle:

• 40 percent rubbing alcohol and 60 percent water (.8 ounces of alcohol and 1.2 ounces of water)

• 20 to 40 drops of citronella essential oil

• 10 to 20 drops each of lavender, eucalyptus, rose and geranium essential oil

Spray the mixture on clothing sparingly; on your skin apply one spritz if used daily, two if used only once or twice a week.  Don't reapply continuously as essential oils and rubbing alcohol can be toxic if used in large quantities.

I've recently discovered Mountain Rose Herbs - great essential oils.

How do you protect yourself from harm?  If you could create a spray to repel anything, what would it be?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries.

Healthy tools for a healthy lifestyle

If you're looking for a few tools to support you in creating a healthier lifestyle, then look no further.

Weight View helps you to achieve your weight loss goals through hands-on visualization. 

One of their more cutting edge tools is the visualization piece.  You send them a photo and they will give you an image of what you will look like when you lose the weight.  If you've ever heard of - if I can see, I can be it - then this is the tool for you.  It literally lets you see your goal so you can have a better chance of achieving it. 

The Calorie Counter allows you to search the calorie content of thousands of foods.  What's cool about this site is it allows you to search both simple and brand name foods.

The Daily Plate has several cool tools including a food diary and fitness log. 

You never know where you will find support for your healthy lifestyle and the internet can play a huge part in matching a person with the best tool for support. 

What are your most important support tools?  What would it look like to have support for your healthy lifestyle?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries.  

Free online video courses

Ready to learn from prestigious instructors from the comfort of your home for free?

Academic Earth does just that - you can choose to view a lecture or take a course complete with a syllabus, exams and lectures. 

Choose from 17 subjects and let your imagination be your guide. 

While I was browsing through the site, I found myself getting sucked into watching lectures and reading course descriptions.  There's quite a bit to learn here and it's from some of the finest universities in the country.

Don't think you can afford a high-class education?  Think again.  The internet makes the impossible, possible.  What bliss. 

How do you benefit from learning something new?  What does exploring the unknown do for you? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Rules of thumb for cooking rice

The following comes from Rules of Thumb:  A Life Manual -- Brilliant Guestimates, Shortcuts, and a Few Shots in the Dark by Tom Parker:

To measure water for cooking rice, rest the tip of your index finger on top of the rice and add enough water to reach the first visible joint.  This works for any size pot. 

What's your "rule of thumb" when cooking for yourself?  How do you know what will support your overall health?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Wisecracks from the wise

"I was asked at a lecture, 'Why can't I clone myself and keep the copies as spare parts?'  And my answer was, 'Be careful--one of the copies might keep you for spare parts.' "  Sydney Brenner, Nobel Prize in Medicine, 2002

Award-winning cell phone film

This film was made on a cell phone and cost next to nothing to produce. 

What feelings come up for you regarding this film?  How does this film shape your thinking?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Want something new? Do something different

This morning when I went out for my bike ride, I did something different. 

Instead of turning right on the bike path and heading for the ocean, I turned left.  Why?  Because I'd never turned left before and wanted to find out where that bike path led. 

By heading east, I saw a completely different terrain and fewer people (which I enjoy on my morning ride).

I also discovered something else - the bike path heading east is closed for construction and won't be open until 2011.  The chain link fence had been removed from its frame where the signed warned not to go.  I had a brief moment of "ah, what the heck" then turned my bike around to head back to the main road.

I also explored a path that I cross on my way to my usual bike trail - I always wanted to find out where it led - straight to a "end of bike path" sign. 

You might think I felt discouraged after these encounters, yet I didn't.  What I did feel was a sense of adventure having had a few of my questions answered. 

How can you view any challenges as adventure?  What would it look like to embrace the day with a sense of adventure? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Los Angeles Film Festival: Summer Breaks

What's interesting about this particular Australian short is that is loosely based on an actual event.

Here's how the Los Angeles Film Festival describes the short, Summer Breaks:

Summer Breaks is a highly visual portrait of teenage kids hanging out in the burbs. The film is a glimpse into the lives of two 15 year old boys, Benny and Sam. Loosely set somewhere in the late 80s, the story follows two friends as they wander the neighbourhood streets on a sweltering summer’s day.
An unexpected encounter with two of the neighbourhood’s most sort after girls and a local teen thug
leads them to a trip to the local oval and a late night swim. Their day turns to night and becomes a little more interesting than they expected.

It's amazing what a person can do with 12 minutes of film time.  One scene merits an "ouch" award - this award is given when something in the film looks so real that I actually feel the pain while watching.  Without giving too much away, it involves a platform and spring board at a swimming pool.  Ouch. 

I love getting an insider's look into the lives of non-American teens.  It's amazing how nothing is all that different with the Australian teens - just a little slang and location. 

If you'd like to see the trailer, click here. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts and discoveries.

Michael Jackson Memorial

In honor of Michael Jackson's memorial today, I thought I'd share my Michael Jackson doll with his other two outfits.

Michael Jackson's award outfit

Michael Jackson's Beat It outfit

Probably one of my favorite things I loved about Michael Jackson was his sense of humor.  He allowed Weird Al Yankovic to spoof his songs - all in the name of fun. 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries...and Michael Jackson memories.

Los Angeles Film Festival: Top Girl

Oh how I love a story where the ridiculed girl has the last laugh.

Here's how the Los Angeles Film Festival describes the short film, Top Girl: 

Truthful, tender and punctuated by ill advised sexual encounters, TOP GIRL is a coming-of-age story about girls growing up in a man's world.

Set in Brixton South London, and shot using a cast of new and non-actors, TOP GIRL is a raw, truthful and tender coming of age tale. Fearless fifteen year old Donna and her best mate Felicia set off on a mission to find Legz, a supercool 20 year old with a recording studio in the bedroom of his mum's flat. The idea is for Donna to MC on a track but events don't go according to plan. Starved of attention, Donna impulsively lunges at Legz and ends up in an abrupt sexual encounter in the toilet. Afterwards she's thrilled and bursting to tell Felicia but at school the next day, word has got out and suddenly Donna finds herself a playground pariah. Unable to handle the humiliation in front of her friend, she lashes out at Felicia. Now totally alone and reduced to hiding from the world any way she can, Donna is at rock bottom. Will she manage to salvage her TOP GIRL status and win back her best friend? With irrepressible moxie, TOP GIRL captures the intensity of youth and the reality of growing up as a teenage girl in a man's world.

The short runs 18 minutes, yet there's so much story and emotion packed into this short amount of time which makes Top Girl shine as a must-see short.

Here's the trailer for Top Girl: 

How important is your reputation?  How does your reputation shape your view of yourself?  Or does it matter?

I'd love to hear your thoughts and discoveries.