The Janet Lee

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The time is now, we can’t watch and continue to do nothing

Published on 28 May, 2020 by thejanetgreen2 Comments

I have had a hard time updating my blog since my friend’s passing.

I am hoping this is a new beginning. I have traveled and cooked and gardened to my heart’s content, but today I saw an article from 2017 that caught my attention, “75 things white people can do to for racial justice” by Corinne Shutack .

I think it’s long past time that white folks that know better (or want to), myself included do more than just “see” the inequality and agree that it sucks. I think we are moving from passive support to active demonstration. I have been inspired by a lot lately but mostly I’m tired of seeing more of the same ole violence against people of color (POC) get worse and wonder what can I do about it. I am quite sure some of my friends are thinking “welcome to the club”, but I refuse to accept that we can’t demand change.

To be clear, I do not believe it is the “job” or “responsibility” or even the right of the white folks to tell the POC what they need or how to get it. However, we can put our voice and our money where are values are. In the article, (see link below) there are many not so hard options to begin to take a stand. We can move past being an uninformed ally and put some skin in the game.

As I have heard said, all lives matter. We will stop speaking about BlackLives, WomensRight, LGBTQ and the Environment when all people have the ability to walk the street without the fear of mortal danger. It is time the masses stand up and demand better from the Power Elite.

https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234

#JustSaying

Photo credit: Jon Tyson

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“Swimming is simply moving meditation.” ― Cesar Nikko Caharian

Published on 17 May, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreen1 Comment

“Water was something he loved, something he respected. He understood its beauty and its dangers. He talked about swimming as if it were a way of life.”
― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

We moved to Woodland Hills, CA when I was 2 or 3 I suppose. It was a corner house, with a pool. I have no memory of the house in Santa Barbara, save a few old photos. The house on Sylvan still owns a big chunk of my heart, and I still drive by once in a while to check in on her. My parents got me swimming lessons when I was about 2, at a pool that no longer exists on Topanga Canyon Blvd. How fortuitous that the man who taught me to swim, would later become my swim coach. Alan Weiss changed my life is so many ways.

I have three siblings. We are all at least five years apart. My older brother, Tom, always was a bit of a rebel. I’ll save that for another story. My parents decided to place me in Catholic school. So, from 1st Grade through 12th Grade, I attended first Saint Bernardine’s of Sienna, then Louisville High School. I wish my parents were still alive, I could ask more questions about the decision, however, at the time, the topic was not up for discussion.

To this day, I remember my first grade teacher, Sister Mary Virgina . My best friend in first grade and for many years to come was Kathleen Koper. If my memory serves me correctly, this was a direct result of our mothers signing us up for the swim team. It’s one of those odd memories that stuck in my head, I can still remember that day. I eventually signed up for a swim team with at the same pool on Topanga where I learned to swim. Dave Adair was the coach then, and the team was Woodland Hills Swim Club. (I’m quite sure if my memory fails, one of my former team members will advise me of the correct name). Time passed and WHSC merged with Alan Weiss’ team and we became Aquarius. I always loved that name, since I am born in February.

Swimming taught me so many different things. Perseverance. Dedication. Commitment. Meditation. I swam into late high school. My best events were the mile, the 500 free and the 200 butterfly. The truth was that I either never had the talent, or just didn’t have the competitive edge to really excel. All too often, my times in workout were not far off of those in the swim meet. Swimming was my life, but I once missed an event while chatting to someone in the rest room at the old Belmont pool in Long Beach. I had friends go to the Olympics, regulars at the NCAAs. I had friends become coaches. I have friends who I have been proud to see their children go onto the Olympics. I, on the other had didn’t believe I had what it took. I will never forget the day I went in to tell Coach Weiss that I was quitting. The agony.

Even after I quit competing, I never lost my love for swimming. I taught my children to swim as babies. I periodically swam for pleasure and sport, but recently I decided to get back into the pool. I had been marinating on it for a long time. I had actually joined a YMCA based on it’s pool and hours that met my basic needs. However, it was the passing of a long-time friend and swim mate, Brian Roney, along with finding a podcast by an ultra-athlete Rich Roll that made me buy a new suit and goggles and take it a bit more seriously. To be clear, by seriously I mean actually get off my arse and go swim, to do a minimum of a mile before throwing in the towel and waddling back to my desk.

I can say I am impressed by the new goggles. I bought myself a pair of Speedo Vanquisher goggles, they actually have bridge adjusters to ensure a better fit. Key fact for me, they are comfortable and only periodically need to be emptied. I also found what I consider to be my not-so-secret weapon, a waterproof iPod. The damn thing is genius. I sometimes put music on, but lately it’s been all about the podcasts.

I know I’m late to this game. Hey, I’m fifty-four, but I only just started listening to podcasts. I found Rich Roll via my listening to “Book of Joy” by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu. Rich interviewed Douglas on RRP 274 • DOUGLAS ABRAMS . I subscribed and I have been hooked ever since. I don’t know if anyone else tries to go back to the beginning and listen to all the podcasts in a series, but that is what I have been doing. Apart from being an ultra-athlete, the exact definition of which is unclear other than batshit crazy. In running, ultra-endurance events are defined as longer than the 26-mile marathon. In cycling, longer than the 100-mile century. There’s no set definition in swimming, so far as we can tell, but Australia’s 19.7 kilometer, open-ocean Rottnest Channel Swim, has to qualify. The race had 173 solo entrants in 2011, up from 100 in 2001. Rich interviews all kinds of interesting people. For the last couple workouts I have been listening to Rich and Garret Weber-Gale speak on swimming, health and a tendency for athletes to NOT be aware of “food as fuel”. To check out the podcast, which is not only available on Itunes, but also Google play and SoundCloud RRP 10 • OLYMPIAN GARRETT WEBER-GALE.

I confess, I bounce between a slacker and an overachiever. I make lists of things I need to do, and rarely get the whole list completed. I can procrastinate with the best of them, although I’m working on this. I find the iPod a great addition to my workout, in that it alleviates the boredom factor for me. One of the things I love about swimming is the solitary component of it. Yet, when I’m squeezing a work out in at lunch, I can tend toward fretting about what I need to do next or later in the day. The iPod allows me to focus my attention. This again, is why I’m liking the podcast at this time. With music, if the tempo is off, it becomes frustrating.

I am also using fins during my workout. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I have always sucked at investing enough energy in my legs. I was always upper-body focused, and leg lazy. When I was in high school, I was in a serious car accident and suffered a very broken ankle. I continue to have limited mobility, and muscle atrophy. A physical therapist suggested the fins to work my calves and feet more. Is it wrong to admit that I also prefer the speed added by use of the fins? When doing pure leg work, I semi-submerge the kick board, arms extended. I have also started turning the board perpendicular to the body, and using downward dog hands. This means that my fingers are spread, with a focus on engaging the knuckle of the pointer finger, keeping arms straight, and engaged. This creates a drag and therefore a core workout of it’s own. My shoulders are extremely tight and I’ve been trying to work on my wrists. Long story short? No laying on the kick board and snoring my way across the pool.

For anyone that has NOT stayed in the pool, I encourage to you jump back it. It feel very odd at first. My cellular memory thought I should be going faster, but my out of shape body was not able to deliver. Time and continued effort is helping with that.

To this day, I think that swimming changed my life for the better. I always wonder what would have become of me if I had swam in college. I am pretty sure that many things would have been different. I try to live without regret and embrace the path that I have walked. I love all my old pals from swimming. I’m so happy to be in touch with many of them, and look forward to another BBQ reunion one fine day.

I just couldn’t post this without a few photos. If anyone objects, let me know. I have been forever changed my Aquarius, Alan, and the entire team of PHENOMENAL folks. I am far from perfect, but much of my goodness, heart and character result from lap upon lap spent with these folks.

Aquarius REunion Aug 2013

Brian, Tina, Michael

Sharon, Tina, Alan

Becky, Brian, Lyn

Richard, Brian, Michael, Mario, Joe

Opps name forgotten, Richard, Brian

Lyn, Kelly, Becky

#SwimOn #RichRollRocks #GarretWeberGale #FoodAsFuell #YouAreWhatYouEat #GetOffTheCouch #MiddleAgeChallenge

A few of the toys that I like are:

Waterproof Ipod Water-proof Earphones Googles

Book of Joy Finding Ultra

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What the Health? Yes, Virginia, there are vegan athletes and meals that are great!

Published on 28 March, 201728 March, 2017 by thejanetgreen4 Comments

Please try to be patient with me. This is my first review of a movie.

I had an aha moment this weekend. I don’t have to eat meat.

I have a bit of a thing for Documentaries. Depending on my mood, the topics might vary from health to history, plants to politics, or science to technology. A few weeks back, I saw a post on Facebook for a new movie coming out. It’s called “What the Health”. This is the latest film by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, makers of “Cowspiracy”. Viewers watch as they have discussions with doctors and others about the impact of the meat based diet on people, the animals, and the planet.

Watching this documentary I was reminded that there is more to living a plant based life than just what meat does to you and your body. The movie covers impact on the animals, and the communities near the large processing plants. One of the aha moments for me came during discussions about contributions made by various parties to popular organizations.

I have been moving towards plant based diets for some time. If and when I consume animal products, I try to source humanely raised animal products. Yet, again I feel the need to take a step back. I am not trying to tell anyone what they must do, but if you are reading this, I hope you would at least consider the concepts as presented. Perhaps you will consider consuming less meat, or at least become more aware.

I was impressed greatly by the film.

All of this brings me to the recipe for the day; Szechuan Eggplant and Tofu over Quinoa pilaf, with raw veggies on the side.

It was Sunday afternoon, I had worked a half day, and I was trying to get comfortable and watch the movie. I could not cook fish or meat while watching the movie. I decided to take a shot at a great tasting vegan meal.

I try to use as many organic products as possible, but even there, I’m not perfect, so here goes.

I get an idea or a feeling when I’m about to cook. So I knew I wanted brown rice mixed with red quinoa. That turned into ½ Organic brown basmati, ¼ red quinoa and ¼ mixed mung bean pilaf. What can I say? I live to mix it up. Pretty straight forward. I used a rice cooker. In this case it was about 2 cups of dry with 5 or so cups of water, salt, pepper, a drizzle of sesame oil and a shake of hot pepper flakes.

I love Szechuan eggplant, yet, I wanted to keep it as healthy as possible. I did some googling and mix matching of recipes. (from Spice Ame Cooks and connoisseurusveg) The first suggested cubing and baking the eggplant first. I loved this idea, as eggplant has a tendancy to absorb oil, water, or basically everything. Preheat 425 F/220C. Dice to smallish cubes, drizzle with some good olive oil, salt, pepper and pop into the oven for about 17 – 20 minutes, until brown on the edges, soft in the middle. I must say, this was brilliant. Should out to

Next, I mixed up the sauce and put it down to set. I loosely used the sauce recipe from Spice Ame Cooks but I threw in a bit of hot and sweet jam and sweet chili sauce as I didn’t get the hot/sweet/tart thing going correctly the first try. In short, I skipped the fish sauce, used Tamari for Soy, Rice Vinegar, bean sauce, sesame oil, stevia, and the above mentioned sweet jam and sweet chili.

I chose a sprouted organic spicy tofu, which I then pan fried on my comal in cubes, browned on each side, per connoisseurusveg

Once the eggplant was done cooking, I threw some garlic in my skillet with the sauce, added the eggplant and crispy tofu and cooked it down a bit.

Now for the assembly. Scoop of quinoa mix. Scoop of eggplant. I used one of my trusty magic mandolins to julienne carrots. I sliced a quarter avo and added a few sliced grape tomatoes.

Heavenly. Just heavenly and not too terribly labor intensive either.

By the time it was ready, I was only about 30 minutes into the movie. I was able to enjoy my dinner and the movie.

If you want to learn more about the movie, check out What the Health

I also highly recommend a newly favored blog and podcast by Rich Roll, and I can’t wait until Julia’s new book on This Cheese is Nuts! comes out.

Don’t believe the myth about needing to eat meat. Don’t be afraid of the veggies, they’re not going to hurt you, and will make feel great!

#EatToLive

#WTHfilm

#WhatTheHealthFile

#MakeNewChoices

Mid December 2022 – How quickly goes time

Published on 15 December, 2022 by thejanetgreenLeave a comment

Here I go again.

If you don’t like Rich Roll or Mel Robbins, scroll on.
Podcasts are not for everyone. I prefer an interesting podcast over the “bad news” or a lame TV show. I can in some cases multi-task while listening.
I’m listening to this episode (not completed as of posting) and it’s a very interesting discussion on feelings, thoughts and change.
“If you have a bad day, you are human, don’t beat yourself up.”

#RichRollPodcast
#TheMelRobbinsPodcast

The year is quickly coming to a close. I have tried to stay in a circumspective mode most of this year, I’m digging further into what makes me tick, happy, brings me joy, creates or causing suffering etc.

My meditation for today was around Radical Self Love as an antidote to self-criticism. Some how it all ties together.

My summary from Ten Percent Happier, La Sarmiento wonderful

I’m also digging into love, all the aspects and trying to love without a reciprocal expression, not that I don’t want it, but that I can’t expect or control it. Happiness is an inside job.

At what cost and what if? Questions I have been asking myself.

Published on 5 June, 2020 by thejanetgreenLeave a comment

What if we do the work to understand how systemic racism is present around us? What if we practiced what we preach? What if the Minneapolis Police had charged the four officers right away? What if all children were treated as if they matter? What if people of color didn’t have just reasons for fearing the Police and the justice system? WHAT IF EVERYONE REGISTERS TO VOTE AND SHOWS UP?

Right off the back let’s get this straight.

Explaining What ‘Black Lives Matter’ Means

John J. Sygielski, president of Harrisburg Area Community College, has been using the #blacklivesmatter hashtag on social media, where he is active in commenting on community college and social justice issues.He noted on Facebook that some have questioned why he is using the hashtag when he is so closely associated with the community college. He answered by posting the image at right to his Twitter feed and Facebook page. Via email, Sygielski said that those who have complained were not affiliated with the college, and that students and faculty and staff members at the college have supported his efforts. (Exerpt from: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/07/11/students-colleges-and-academic-groups-respond-week-tragedies)

2020 has been a crazy year so far and we are just crawling into June. Not even half over. Makes me shake my head. Wow does not seem to say what I am feeling.In February I took a trip to Seattle for a new position at my company. It was very exciting. Seattle is or at least seemed to be a great city. While I was preparing to return to Los Angeles, they had just announced the first death from Covid 19 in King County (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/one-king-county-patient-has-died-due-to-covid-19-infection/). I was pretty sure that was just the beginning.

The next three months are blur already. Stay In Place (SIP) or Stay at Home (SAH) orders. No toilet paper. Stocking up on regular groceries. The news coverage was frustrating, fluctuating and polarizing. Those that could work from home seem like the lucky ones. New York was hit hard. Hospitals were not prepared. Unemployment rose. People got more angry in part due to what felt to me like an unclear path forward.

I still wonder how are we going to recover? How will everyone be fed and cared for? Why are some people so cavalier about this situation? Conspiracy theories. Party Politics.

And then. On May 25th, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis by a group of four Police Officers, video taped by on lookers and many of us were sent into a mix of rage and grief. (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-investigation.html)

We could hear this grown man call out for him mother. The pain was real. I felt that call as if it was one of my three grown children. My daughter posted an image stating “All Mothers were summoned when George Floyd called out for him Momma”.I can’t credit the photo as the author is unknown, if you know who’s photo it is, let me know I’ll add.

The history of America is built on the blood of others. Some people came here to gain refuge. Some were here before us and were treated as less than human. Some were brought here as slaves and are still not treated equally in the face of the law or the system at this time, 400 + years later.

The protests started after the videos of George Floyd’s death surfaced, showing a complete lack of empathy, not to mention the harsh response to an alleged “$20 counterfeit bill”. To many of our shock and despair, the officers were not immediately arrested and charged. All four have since been charged. It has come out that two of the officers were very new to the Police force. Why does it seem that the Police are so afraid of men of color?

Many of the riots have been peaceful, others have turned to looting.

In the same way that some people complained about not being able to go out to dinner or get a haircut during the lock down, some people can’t understand how or why so many young people, many black would be pushed to protests. What would it have cost to implement Police and Justice reform before the death of another black man? What are we willing to invest to make life better for all who live here? Why does it seem that the needs of the affluent are more important than the needs of the less affluent?

In 2016, when Collin Kaepernick took a knee during the singing of the National Anthem. (https://theundefeated.com/features/a-timeline-of-events-since-colin-kaepernicks-national-anthem-protest/) People didn’t feel that peaceful protest was “right”. When Martin Luther King walked with others, people didn’t like that. Very few listened to what was at the heart of the problem that we, here in America, have an unfair system that treats Persons of Color (POC) especially Black people differently from other races, from Police profiling to much harsher sentences in court, from unequal funding of schools in less affluent neighborhoods, to unfair lending in financial institutions.

I have always believed that we as individuals must constantly monitor our behavior and ask how can we change to become our better self. I am asking myself what can I do to ensure that I face racism when I see it internally or externally with courage and change. I am trying to share what I learn with the people with whom I am in contact, so we are all MORE aware of the various injustices that our brothers and sisters of color experience daily. I am compiling or collecting a growing list of books, articles, podcasts, movies and more that I have found as a result of following people that know more than I.

The first step we can all take is to accept that we don’t know it all. Empathy is not always easy but it provides a bit of a bridge between what we can feel and experience and what we see others experience. So much time has passed, so many people believe we should be “past this” already. However, Jane Elliott demonstrates, that sorting people by color is no better than using the color of one’s eyes https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/late-night-on-nbc/tonight-jane-elliott-on-blue-eyes-brown-eyes-exercise/2442839/

The first book on my list is “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi. https://www.ibramxkendi.com/how-to-be-an-antiracist-1The first podcast I added is 1619 (https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html), and the second is Seeing White (https://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/).

I want to add that I think reform is going to take time and commitment. I advocate that we must not forget the ballot box. We need to not just vote for the president every four years, we need to be present at the local town halls and vote for local officials and make our values known.

I hope you can find some value or at least something to think about. I will continue to try to share info I find interesting or valuable.

The Power of Forgiveness

Published on 20 April, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreen1 Comment

It’s not always easy to forgive, but in my experience it is always the best choice. Why, you might ask? Forgiveness is not as much for the “forgiven” as the “forgiver”.

It took me a long time to truly embrace this concept. I didn’t have any problem with the idea when it related to a simple offense, like a toe stub or even a basic offense.

It was much more difficult for me with the “Ex”. Can you hear the drum roll? I have suffered from an inability to really forgive him and let it all go. Oh, I have thought I was over it, and thought that I had let go, yet there would always be something that would set me off, or ignite that flame of anger again.

I don’t always respond well to stress. I like to think that I do, but considering the fact that my own children used to describe me as a volcano, not so much. I tend to be a “camel and the last straw” kind of girl. I go along, bearing whatever comes my way, and then collapse under the weight of it all. Maybe the house of cards analogy would work?

Last week, I had one of my melt downs. In the midst of a trying refinance my house, I hit a stumbling block. It should have been avoidable. I should have seen it coming. The details were much less important than the fact that I was angry at myself for not fixing/resolving a long standing issue with the “EX”. Lucky for me, I had a call scheduled with my ‘accountability partner’, Susan Palmer Wood. While she kindly listened to me vent, she suggested that I consider “Ho’oponopono”. Huh? What is Ho’oponopono?

It took her a few minutes to explain it to me, and then a few more to walk me through it. Much to my amazement, it not only had a calming short term effect, but it has stayed with me. Most importantly, I find myself using it whenever I run the risk of hitting the proverbial wall of residual anger.

The concept may seem simple; Repentence, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Love.

Repentance – I’m Sorry.
Ask Forgiveness – Please forgive me
Gratitude – Thank you
Love – I love you.

According to the research I have done, the origin of the practice comes from the Hawaiian tradition of Huna. Ho’oponopono means to make right.

This was the second time that I had heard someone say that failing to forgive is equivalent to remaining tethered to a person or place. In my case, this was my ex. Susan had me envision him, talk through the steps and see myself cutting the cord between us. This is of course an over-simplification. I am not an expert, thus I don’t want to muddy the water.

I can say that I had never succeeded is letting the anger go, and feeling like it was the true beneficiary all at once.

If you would like to know more about Ho’oponopono, you may consider reading:

If you would like to contact Susan, she is a great life coach and nutritional advisor, she can be reached at: Susan Palmer Wood, susanpalmerwood@gmail.com for contact. And instagram.com/mymightyadventures .

I also enjoyed the free audio class Experience a 7 minute forgiveness process by Dr. Matt James.

When you find yourself in a situation that you just can’t let the anger or pain of a past relationship go, consider Ho’oponopono. You might gain more from letting the anchor go than remaining bound to it.

#ForgivenessIsDivine #Ho’oponopono #SinkOrSwim #JustLetItGo #AskYourSelfDoesItServeYou? #BreakTheChains

If you are bound to me due to a our mutual past, I’m Sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you.

Note: I am not Hawaiian. I am not an expert on Ho’oponopono. By sharing my experience, my intention is full of respect and love, not cultural misappropriation. I do believe that wisdom is best when shared.

Oh She Glowed Alright

Published on 19 April, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreen4 Comments

I’m so excited. It finally came. I ordered “The Oh She Glows Cookbook” by Angela Liddon from Amazon. I have been trying to increase by plant based recipe repertoire without turning to cardboard boring pre-packaged science experiments. I follow Angela on Facebook and Instagram. I have tried recipes off the blog and finally decided to express my appreciation by purchasing the book. I was not disappointed, as a matter of fact, I am enthusiastic about the tasty plant based recipes.

I have quite a collection of cookbooks. Some might say that I have too damn many already. I even confess to using the internet more than all but my favorite cookbooks. Google is my best friend for many reasons. After watching “What the Health”, I found myself actually needing to find some vegan recipes that would not just feed me but would also bring me joy and satisfy my cells.

This weekend, I grabbed a stack of the small post-its, and thumbed through the book, picking out recipes to try as soon as possible. I am not the strongest menu planner. Or more accurately, I plan a lot, I just don’t always stick to the plan. Since it’s only me at the moment, I tried to pick out three or four main course type recipes, a couple side salads or dressings and a couple breakfast items. If I’m not careful, I will make a list of twenty meals for the week, which only results in wasted food. Not only am I trying to increase my plant based food consumption, I am trying to reduce my food waste. I hope that by mid-Summer I will be able to gather and share fresh veggies from the garden.

Back to the recipe reviews.

The first recipe I tried from this book was actually a salad dressing. Lemon Tahini Dressing (LTD) to be correct. Suffice it to say, that my youngest son, Nate was in town for Spring break and he loved it. He is always my most honest critic, usually advises me if it’s a “keeper” or “edible but do not repeat”. Such sensitivity, I know. I made a Kale salad with cranberries and spicy pecans and dressed it with the LTD. First attempt, success. This is a good sign. He did mention that I forgot to add any cheese to the salad, but that just made me laugh.

The second recipe I tried was the Chick pea sandwich. I really like chick peas, and the picture in the book was so great that I had to try it. I was working Sunday, so I liked the idea of chopping and no cooking. I am a gadget lover. I used the food processor to chop the chick peas, the celery and mix it all up. It was quick and is definitely a keeper.

On the left, the open faced sandwich, on the right the constructed sandwich, with fresh dill pickle, cucumber slices and humus

The third recipe I tired was the Mushroom Tart. I had never considered using Phyllo instead of pizza dough as the base. Brilliant, I tell you! I had the Phyllo in the fridge from a previous experiment. I’m glad I hadn’t thrown them away. The thing with Phyllo is that once opened it can dry out. This was a perfect use for the remaining sheets. I have a healthy love of mushrooms, so I was happy to give this one a try. I substituted sweet onions for red, added some oven roasted tomatoes from my stash and some Aleppo pepper flake from last summer. I also mixed cashews and walnuts, instead of just walnuts.

The fourth recipe I tried is the roasted beet salad (served with the chick pea salad in butter leaf lettuce).

In short, I can’t wait to try more recipes from this book and Angela in general. You don’t have to be a committed vegan to enjoy your veggies. Long gone are the days of frozen or canned mush. I recommend the book and the contained recipes. You can follow Angela on her blog Oh She Glows ,on her Facebook Page or on Instagram.

Please consider purchasing her book.

#EatClean #EatLikeYouGiveAShit #VeggiesAreNotTheEnemy #OhSheGlows
#YourBodyIsATemple #TakeAChance #MakeAChange

Experiments with the “5 Second Rule”

Published on 11 April, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreen3 Comments

I consider myself an “early to bed, early to rise” person. This was not always the case. When I was younger, I would stay up until dawn if it meant finishing a good book, often just started that preceding night. There was also a time during my marriage, that I would stay up late watching “Honeymooners” reruns with the now ex. Of course, I was working, and had to get up early, but did not yet suffer the aftermath of lack of sleep.

One thing that I have noticed as I have matured, I not only like sleep, but I need to sleep at least six hours to be at peak performance. Sure, I can pull an “all-nighter” now and again, but I feel terrible, and get cranky quickly. As time passed, I also learned that staying up really late on Friday and Saturday and then trying to recover on Sunday, was not the best of plans. After raising three teenagers (now adults), I developed a pattern of light sleep, where I could hear them come home, glance at the clock, and fall back asleep without too much trouble. I rarely nap, unless ill, as I can’t seem to sleep when it’s daylight.

All this has resulted in my current pattern, during the week, my alarm had been going off around 6:15 AM, and I’m usually turning off the TV, closing the podcast, or putting down the book or knitting around 11 PM. I can generally fall asleep in minutes. Weekends, I give myself an hour to stay up later or get up later. I have found the consistency of getting up at nearly the same time all the while reduces grogginess and fatigue.

Daylight Savings hit me hard this year. With the Spring forward, it was still dark or near dark when my alarm went off. Snooze button. Wake up late. Rush around. Not a great plan. Add to this, for two weeks at work I had daily 6 AM conference calls. This meant I had to actually get up at 5:30 AM to make coffee and try to be completely sensible by 6 AM. I couldn’t help but notice, that the mere fact that I HAD to get up for the call made it easier to do, in opposition to wanting to go to the gym at 5:30 AM. This got me thinking.

A while back someone that I knew had recommended the “5 second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work and Confidence With Everyday Courage” by Mel Robbins. I often listen to books while driving or gardening on Audible. I had downloaded the book, and figured it was time to give it a listen.

The concept is simple enough. It is based on counting backwards, she uses 5,4,3,2,1 but admits that it could be from 10 etc. However, the count down is relevant in that it is intended to come to a distinct end, at which point, you ACT. The first example is to get out of bed without hitting the alarm clock. Mel actually suggesting setting the new time for at least 30 minutes earlier than normal and putting the alarm in the other room, or far enough away that you have to count down and then get out of bed to turn off the alarm. It’s supposed to be hard.

I admit, it sounded a bit silly and yet so simple. The more I listen the more I like the idea. As I write this I have not finished the book, but I have used the rule to get up at 5:45 AM as targeted. I absolutely love the discussion on how caught up we all are with our FEELINGS. Feelings cripple change and progress. It’s not the counting that rang so true for me, it was the fact that it does not matter how I feel, what matters is that I get up and do whatever it is that I’m trying to do. She provides several very funny examples of letters people wrote in confirming how much they hate getting up early, but how much better it felt once they were up and moving.

The possibilities are endless. Mel provides many different examples, personal and those of her readers. I am actually sitting here now, resulting from a “count down to do it dammit”. I have long suffered from procrastination. I often get it partially under control, only to have it rear it’s ugly head again. I can and do perform the tasks that are absolutely imperative, like work, but I want to finally and once and for all get rid of all clutter and junk.

I want to get up earlier, get more done, change my outlook, stop making excuses. Let’s see how well it works.

Stay tuned. I will update the blog as I experiment more with the “rule” . So far, it’s a keeper. If you think you might be interested, you can order or download the The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage from Amazon. I should add, that Mel is not a sweet prissy type, her language can be colorful, and she can be “enthusiastic”, if you enjoy Ted Talks, you can also watch her at: How to stop screwing yourself over | Mel Robbins | TEDxSF .

#5SecondRule #BeTheChangeYouWantToSee #ActivationEnergy #YouCanChangeYourBehavior #ItsSimpleNotEasy #YourFeelingsDontMatterHere #YouWillNeverFeelLikeIt #ParentYourself

Seedlings and Sun Tea

Published on 5 April, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreen2 Comments

I can see a possible pattern growing if I’m not careful. I might start with “True Confessions” for the week: I admit to being behind on almost everything this week.

I had a crazy busy week at work, and then was blessed with not one but four different social events. I don’t want to make excuses, but I say all that to say, I did not get my intended blogs out in a timely manner.

Sending out a special shout out to Raphael Thomas and Christine Dunbar, from Zoot Suit and Dirty Me Divine. I attended both events and I must say I was absolutely gobsmacked by how awesome and creative both of these lovely people are. I had the additional pleasure of a mini reunion with Raphael’s parents, Sherman and Denise, who I have not seen in 25+/- years. Much love and continued blessings. After Dirty Me Divine, I had the pleasure of indulging in “Dinner with the Girls” with Lisa Steadman, Deborah Kagan, Angela Price , Melissa Cassera, and Kristina Italic, each one a “Phenomenal Woman” to quote Maya Angelou’s poem.

Awesome Thank you post card sent by the Fonda after the play

I was so excited to drive downtown and see the skyline filled with Zoot Suit

Christine Dunbar ROCKED it and touched my heart and soul

The play is at the Fonda, until 2nd weekend of April – 2017

Back on the 11^th of March I attempted to start a bunch of seeds. I started with flowers as the pollinators this year as I fell behind last time. I have thing for sunflowers, but they take quite a while to get to full bloom. Last year, I missed the window completely. I also started some Zinnias, Cleome, Sweet Peas, Artemesia, some tropical seeds that I failed to label, and lastly Cantelope. Cantelope failed miserably last year also, so I decided to get an early start.

I will post the photos of the latest and greatest. You will notice that some have been transplanted, others are just starting to sprout. It’s important to note the date of planting and the expected germination date. There are many factors that will impact the seed success rate, not all of which are under our control, but include temperature, humidity, dampness, soil etc.

Beginning of Scarlet Limas

After all this time, the Cantalope finally sprouted

Zinnias have been transplanted although not going crazy yet.

Fennel has been happy so far

One of my favs, if you look close there is one tiny sprout, supposedly Artemesia aka Worm Wood

Tagless flowers

More tagless flowers

I believe this is the Cleome

Baby Borage

Giant Sunflowers

Dark Red/Black Sunflowers

I put beans and peppers onto wet paper towels rather than the soil pellets or directly in the ground. I’m excited to see some of the beans I put on paper towel toward the end of March just starting to send out sprouts.

I do recommend tips and tricks for some seeds. For example, hot peppers they suggest that they are soaked for 24 hours to soften the shell. I have had no luck at all starting moringa.

The tomatoes have been transplanted and seem relatively happy at the moment. I am trying something new by burying a plastic bottle upside-down, with the bottom cut off, and small holes at the other end. I am experimenting with this for both water conservation and root strength. So far, I have been able to skip a day between watering, which helps with my schedule. I do not intend to expand my drip system to the container plants.

I’ve just put some red Okra in seed pellets and next I need to get some Roselle aka Hibiscus started.

Since I’m already late for this week, maybe I’ll just make this a twofer, and include the recipe here.

I made sun tea with some of my dried Roselle and fresh mint. Pretty simple really. I took a large glass Ball jar, but roughly ½ cup dried roselle aka hibiscus, and a good solid handful of peppermint mixed with spearmint. Fill with water, and seal. Set in the sun. In this case I let it set for 24 hours. Strain off, and put in the fridge. Pour over ice, and my special add is a few drops of Cinnamon or Peppermint Essential Oil (or both). Please use quality Essential Oils. (If you would like more information, send me an email)

My latest and greatest on the Winter survivors includes lots of flowers on the Gungoo Pea aka Gandules plants and lots of little baby Satsuma plum babies. Both of which did not bear anything last year.

Baby Plums

Gandules Flowers

Tree Collards going to flower

What do you gain from your garden? What are your fears about gardening? I’m very interested in feedback.

#UrbanGardenLove #FindingMyBliss #DreamBuilding #EatWhatYouGrow

#ArtInLosAngeles #PhenomenalWomen #PowerOfCommunity

Seedlings are almost as cute as puppies

Published on 24 March, 201717 May, 2017 by thejanetgreenLeave a comment

I do love to plant seeds. I get really sad when they fail, but there is always a percentage that fail. There are lots of seeds that I start indoors, or more accurately on my patio. I confess, this is due more to laziness and access than necessity. Yet, for those that are in frost prone areas, many folks start seeds indoors two weeks before the last frost. Some plants transplant better than others, and I’m prone to dropping or not being gentle enough. I received a few of the soil pellets that you see used here along with Seeds Saver order last year. I love them. While they are not recommended for all plants, they allow me to get things going in a limited space and still have a great success rate.

I am not a quick riser. I use an alarm. I had to train myself to gradually move from someone who would stay up all night to finish a book, to someone who rises with the sun. It is amazing how maturity, kids and jobs can change our personal habits. Daylight savings this year has been torture. My mind still tells me that if the sun is not over the ridge directly east of my bedroom window, then it’s not time to get up. My alarm, which starts it’s dance at 6:10 am begs to differ. I actually resent hitting the snooze button. I want to be able to rise like the sun, with gratitude and a smile. My daily routine includes my gratitude affirmation, letting the dogs out of their crates, starting my espresso brewing, throwing the bean bag heating pad in the microwave, and at this time of year, wandering outside to my patio check on my babies.

I know that almost everyone, including me, oh! and ah! over puppies and kittens, or rescue animals on Social Media. I haven’t figured out yet why there is not yet the same viral following for seedlings. Often, in less than one week, the seed bursts forth stretching for the sun and then changes every day in noticeable ways. I reuse all types of containers to hold the my soil pellets, and then there is my less than stellar or scientific labeling. Note to self: Stickies don’t stick long term. I’m excited to have a few ideas how to improve that situation, but I’ll save that for another day.

In case it’s not clear in the photos, the soil pellet is contained in thin netting. For some seeds that grow very fast, I cut the bottom before promoting to the final destination, whether container or bed.

Let me say it again, soil pellets are not mandatory. If you prefer to start your seeds in containers, egg shells or sew directly in the ground, great! Go for it! If you have limited space, or if you want to see if the seeds are “good”, this method works great for me. When I transplant depends on the plant. The first leaves that appear are called “cotyledon” or seeds leaves. They form from the embryo/seed. You will see the true leaves form later. I don’t bother to pinch the seed leaves, but some people do. If you would like to find out more about it click: True Leaf vs. Cotyledon

While there are many companies that sell seed pellets or seed starting soil, I ordered mine from Seed Savers you can also order their catalog online. They are one of my favored seed sources.

At first, you can barely tell the different baby plants apart. I can say, almost two weeks in, several of my labels have blown off once again, which means I’ll be doing some guessing. I did intentionally start flowers and have a list of the plants, even if there might be some question as to which ones are which. Last year I missed planting my sunflowers in time. Some plants take a good solid 90 days or more to grow to maturity. Two years ago I had a full fence/hedge of the most gorgeous sunflowers, I’m shooting for that again.

I try to select plants for purpose, consumption or pleasure. I try not to grow interesting food that I won’t eat. I have added flowers to encourage pollinators. I have seen a noticeable increase of bees and butterflies from the practice last year. I also like to grow plants with a variety of benefits, for example, I have several plants growing that are intended to deter mosquitoes or for tonics.

My recommendation is to plant what you love, whether flowers, veggies or trees.