8 Manifestos for Facebook

 

Ugh! I spend a lot of time on social media due to work, writing, and the nature of the projects I’m involved in. Everyone has differing reasons for using it, but here are my new manifestos for using Facebook:

1.) Stop over-analyzing your friends’ posts. Maybe it IS just an inspirational quote and you DON’T know exactly what they are going through.  Maybe what they are writing has nothing to do with wanting you to identify with them in some way and they just thought others would appreciate it as much as they did.

2.) For you cryptic posters:  Stop This.  Might I suggest a support group of some kind or growing up?  This negative attention getting is not healthy in either scenario.

3.) Google, many other search engines, many websites, email and phones are still active.  If you’ve exhausted your search, asking a question on Facebook could be an option. Not looking it up yourself and waiting for others to answer doesn’t really save time or guarantee accurate answers.

4.) Unfriend anyone who isn’t being a real friend to you in real life. Reading snippets about one’s life, then coming to a harsh conclusion about them without all of the facts, is not a friendship in any world.  This is not a situation where hurting their feelings in real life should be an issue. So, feel free to protect yourself from the dramatics.

5.) Facebook has many privacy settings!  For example, your pictures can be set to only be viewed by your friends and not friends of friends. Your posts can also be set up this way, even better, you can also update your status and posts in a custom setting where you can exclude certain people (like your boss or your mother-in-law)from viewing your photos.

6.) Don’t assume everyone has read (or chosen to read) what you have read on Facebook.  Facebook is not meant as an exclusive means to communicate something, but it is a nice supplement. 

7.) In-real-life relationships cannot be solely maintained by using Facebook.  You still have to do that part on your own, in, um, real life. Granted, it’s an easy way to make announcements, share photos, get in touch and reconnect, but don’t rely on it because everyone’s newsfeed is different, set differently or people may not simply see it because they were busy.

8.) If you catch yourself stalking someone, stop.  Then realize how some people may not possess that inner barometer to be mortified. I’m talking about the Facebook stalking everyone jokes about: How all of a sudden based on one picture posted, you’ve looked through every album of someone’s.  Eww. Don’t rationalize that.

Are you a trusting person?

 

It’s so interesting to me that I find themes continually bringing themselves up in my life.  And when they do, I’ve learned to contemplate them and how they affect me.

For example, last week, on several separate occasions I found the theme of trust recurring.  Lacking trust, trust being an insecurity in people’s lives, whether or not people should trust certain situations or other people and how to trust. 

It led me to think about what this word, Trust, meant to me in my own life.  It kept coming up or I kept noticing it for a reason, right?

I have come to believe there is no such thing as coincidences.

I wouldn’t say I’m UN-trusting.  I believe in the inherent good in people, when I can see it in their eyes, the windows to our souls.  While I have trusted in situations and my own instincts in the past, I wouldn’t say I’ve been too trusting either. 

But, I have been burned, too, trusting in someone or something.  Usually against my own instincts or at the urging of others to “have faith,” when, perhaps, my gut told me otherwise.

I hope, in turn, that I have done things to earn people’s trust.  I know that I am a friend whom others can turn to and know what they say, stays with me.  I know that my children feel they can confide in me.  I know in relationships, I’ve never felt checked up on.  I know that when given a task or duty, people have the peace of mind to know it will be done and done to the best of my abilities.

And I also know, that some people are so damaged, they may never trust again.  And there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it, they have to come through it on their own.

Trust is built over time.  Trust is destroyed in an instant. 

Trust is a privilege.  Trust is to be cherished.

Keystone XL Pipeline Corruption Investigation

Nebraska, I urge you to get on your state senators – write, call, email them.  We deserve better than accepting Keystone’s cold hard cash to make the proposal for the special legislative session “go away.” 

No amount of money will replace our land and water once it’s destroyed by tarsands oil.

20 of the nation's top scientists have written to the president to say it's a terrible idea -- and the planet's leading climatologist says burning the tar sands would be "game over for the climate." And nine recent winners of the Nobel Peace Prize have condemned the plan.

(And Robert Redford has just made a video explaining why the plan is an attack on the nation's heartland.)
 
Why is the KXL issue important?  Because it’s not about jobs and the environment, at least not to these people:

Connecting Young Nebraskans Summit is Next Week!

Ord Nebraska » Blog Archive » Connecting Young Nebraskans Summit is Next Week!

(West Point, NE) – The 2011 Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN) Summit will get Young Nebraskans talking about how they can play a role in their communities and connect them to resources and people who can help. The CYN Summit is scheduled for Friday, October 28 with an evening social kicking off the summit at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 27.



The 2011 CYN Summit will be held at West Point’s state-of-the-art facility, the Nielsen Community Center. Tina Biteghe Bi NDong of the West Point Chamber of Commerce states, “West Point is excited to host this year’s event that will bring together the talent and creative minds of the next generation of Nebraska’s leaders.” Attendance for this year’s Summit is projected to be over 150, and the event will be full of exciting interactive speakers and great conversations.

CYN is a statewide network designed to connect, empower and retain young Nebraskans. CYN strives to enhance opportunities for individuals to impact their communities through networking and learning experiences. The network is a dynamic and diverse group of peers with a passion for making a difference, a willingness to learn and the desire to build important relationships to help shape the future of Nebraska.

Last year’s summit was held in Grand Island and attracted over 120 young Nebraskans from across the state, drawn from many different organizations and workplaces.

“CYN is gaining momentum and the summit provides an opportunity for energetic and passionate individuals to gather new ideas and network,” said CYN Coordinator Kayla Schnuelle of the University of Nebraska Rural Initiative.

Featured at the 2011 CYN Summit will be keynote speakers Jeff Slobotski and Dusty Davidson, founders of Silicon Prairie News. Slobotski and Davidson are two dynamic Nebraska entrepreneurs who will inform and energize participants about the future of Nebraska with their keynote address, “A Sense of Place.”

During the 2011 CYN Summit, participants will also get to choose from a variety of breakout sessions covering topics such as: creating a personal brand, engaging legislators, attracting and retaining young Nebraskans, tools to help with fundraising and more. The summit will also provide an extensive networking platform through a Thursday night social gathering, as well as coffee shop and roundtable discussions on Friday.

Registration for the 2011 CYN Summit closes on October 21. For more information about CYN and the upcoming Summit, visit: cyn.nebraska.edu, find us on Facebook (facebook.com/youngnebraskans), or follow us on Twitter (@youngnebraskans).

Joe Bageant: Redneck Writer

I'm sorry to just be learning about Joe Bageant today. His work was (and still is) so significant and important to the backbone of our country. It resonates so deeply within me as a 5th generation redneck, myself.

This article so articulately written by Lisa Pruitt, a professor of law from UC-Davis, and shared by the Daily Yonder.

If you struggle with the urban/rural or working class/white collar divide in this country (or even in Nebraska), this is a great article.

From the article:

Bageant—consistent with his rural roots—expressed this distinction between the settled and the hard living as that between rednecks and white trash, explaining:
Life is about work for the American redneck. … [T]he work ethic is burned into their genetic code. (Incidentally, I am not talking about white trash here. I am talking about rednecks, the difference being that rednecks work themselves to death and will never accept a handout. White trash folks do not have the same hang-up). In the redneck mind, lazy is the worst thing a person can be—worse than dumb, drunk or mean, worse than being a liar and a jailbird or crazy. The absolute worst thing that a redneck can say about anyone is: “He doesn’t want to work.”
Joe Bageant: Redneck Writer

Occupy the Polls–Register to Vote and then, Do IT!

It’s Autumn up in here! Why I love Nebraska in the fall.

 

Autumn is a very picturesque time of year here in Nebraska for a few different reasons. 

The obvious changing of the seasons with all of the colors it brings. (We have all four seasons here and sometimes in one day!  For reals.)

^{See that tree in the back just starting to turn colors?}

But, also harvest time with all of the wonderful opportunities to see our state’s number 1 industry, Agriculture, in full swing.  The event all farmers work toward all year long. 

^{This field will be barren the next time I drive by.}

It’s impressive to see how family farms and their crews bring in their crop every year.  These farmers work non-stop for weeks on end, sometimes all night long.  I meant to take more of those pictures this fall of all of the machinery & people out in the fields.  Hopefully, I will have time to do this again, so that I can share it here with you before it’s all over.

I always get an extra burst of energy during Autumn.  Perhaps it’s that extra “umph” to get things done before we are all snowed in and hibernating.  I still recall all of the fun fall school events like home football games, marching band, traveling to games (with the band), bonfires and Homecoming. 

I still like to be out and about in Autumn.  Looking at beautiful things and exploring and I love taking my kids along, when I can, for that discovery, too.

Free Coconut Recipes: Healthy Grain Free Zucchini Crackers

I've got a huge zucchini that I'm going to put to use making these and perhaps even tripling the recipe to put some up, too!

Free Coconut Recipes: Healthy Grain Free Zucchini Crackers

Free Coconut Recipes: Coconut Flour Cheese Crackers

Really excited to try these! It's becoming more and more apparent that my youngest has food allergies. We miss crackers!

Free Coconut Recipes: Coconut Flour Cheese Crackers

Go Big Red…Wine, that is!

 

So, we’re Huskers and agriculture, this much you know about Nebraska, even you if you don’t know anything. 

What you might not know is that Nebraska is home to nearly 30 wineries.  Before the Prohibition, there was a booming industry with over 5,000 acres of vineyards in the 19th century. It was only during the 1980s, when the Nebraska farm bill passed allowing farm wineries to operate, did another surge occur.

Recently, Nebraska has started developing French-American hybrids adopted from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New York. These are Edelweiss, Vignoles, St. Croix, and de Chaunac, all of which are used to make award-winning wines that can compete with California wines.

Wine growers have found that Nebraska has an excellent climate for grapes. The winters are harsh, but the summers are hot and, recently, dry — the way grapes love to have it.

According to Nebraska Vintage, the state’s winery and grape growers association, here’s what makes Nebraska wines unique:

Nebraska has the advantage of diverse geologic,
physiographic and climatic characteristics, which enable
the production of unique, handcrafted wines that are
“site-specific.” Nebraska wine makers have worked to
fully maximize the relationship that exists between the
soil, the microclimate, and the particular grape cultivar to
produce outstanding wines.

I decided to take advantage of Regional Wine Week, and the celebration of my mother’s birthday, to take my first visit to Big Cottonwood Winery in Tekamah, NE (about 30 miles away). 

Proprietor Deb Barnett shared with me that in Nebraska, wines don’t have sugar level issues in this climate because the grapes can’t get overripe.  What a delicious side affect of our weather. 

Big Cottonwood was established in 2001 and is located between Omaha and Sioux City in the Loess Hills of eastern Nebraska.  They currently have 2000 vines on 4 acres, producing about 1000 cases per year. 

They offer both cork and screw caps, of which, among purists, is up for debate which has a better seal.  Barnett says many prefer the cork seal for ceremonial reasons, but the screw cap is actually a better seal.

She was gracious enough to offer us a wonderful tour of the winery and their back room where all of the magic happens.  Deb walked us through the process and how they go about harvesting in their growing operation. 

Harvest had already been completed at the time of our visit, which usually occurs the 2nd or 3rd week in August in Nebraska.  Big Cottonwood usually plays host to what they call Harvest Mania Parties.  In exchange for helping with harvest, workers receive food, drink and a discount on wines for the year.  Sounds pretty tempting!

This winery offers a wonderful wine list, of which we sampled very willingly.  I’m a red connoisseur myself, and brought along my white wine compadre and photographer (Mom).  I brought home a 2009 Frontenac priced at $15. It’s a heavier bodied red table wine with tart cherry aromas and flavor.  It went well with their Nebraska produced dill-infused white cheddar!  But, their de Chaunac (also $15) came in at a close 2nd for me.  Big Cottonwood’s Seyval, which my tasting partner brought home, was an interesting crisp white, almost with a lemony character. It sells for $13.  They also sell a Wine-A-Rita mix if you don’t care for it plain!  The combination tasted pretty amazing.

Deb shared that she and her husband had both been working full-time jobs and commuting until just this past year.  She is going to devote more of her time to the marketing of the winery this year.  So, I hope to see more of their wine distributed here locally and get an opportunity to visit them again very soon.

We picked a lovely, sunny Autumn day to visit and it was beautiful from the outdoor tasting area.  I was pleased to see cars from varying counties near and far in and out of their parking lot during our visit. Our beautiful, quiet day in the country couldn’t have been better!

Visit their website for tasting room hours and directions.

Another well-known, longer established winery, Silver Hills is just a few miles away with a very similar wine list, but definitely their own style of wine.

You can learn more about Nebraska wines via Vintage Nebraska.  They also offer a yearly wine tour passport, so you can experience all 29 participating wineries and, as they say, experience the unexpected!

Wondering where to Drink Local in your state? See other posts from around the country here.

Making It Easy to Eat Right

 

I was super excited to receive a package from Precise Portions a couple of weeks ago! 

If you’re not familiar with this company and you’re a busy mom struggling to eat right, then let this be your introduction to a really cool concept that makes it easy to eat right!

I was pleasantly surprised to open the box and find such a high quality product.  These are quality porcelain dishes and glass!  Not the gimmicky plastic ware that is typical to health/diet related eating ware. 

Here is a little bit more about this company’s products and how they work:

I received the 9” Focus Plate, which is imprinted with reminders of which food groups go where and examples of foods from those groups:

Two servings of non-starchy veggies go at the top, two servings of starchy veggies or grains to the left and 1 serving of meats or substitutes to the right.  Pretty easy, huh?

You can also purchase from the Lifestyle line, which includes a non-imprinted 10” version of this plate without the reminders, which are excellent for using with company. 

I also received the glass and bowl featured in the video.  You fill the glass to the bottom set of leaves for fruit juices and to the top set of leaves for veggie juices, milk or water. The bowl you fill to the first leaf for 1/2 c fruit or cooked cereal, the second leaf for 1 c low fat milk (for cereal) or raw veggies or and the third leaf for 1 1/2 c servings.

 

And as a bonus, I also got a 4 oz metal serving ladle, a quick-starter guide and some cool placements with reminders like these:

What I like:

These are easy to use and incorporate into your life.  It’s a natural way to eat well, lose weight and enjoy a healthy lifestyle by “staying within the lines.”  As with any habit, it’s the little lifestyle changes that make a lasting impact.

You can visit www.PrecisePortions.com to view health information such as an interactive tool how to use the Plate Method, videos and articles. 

You can also visit www.TypeFreeDiabetes.com their Diabetes Supplies Super Store.

Connect:

On Facebook

On Twitter and also follow #eatprecise for chats and other tweets!

^{Disclaimer:  I was sent a review package from Precise Portions for the purposes of this review. The opinions and thought expressed here are my own.}

Pure Indian Foods Review

 

The folks over at Pure Indian Foods were kind enough to send me this variety pack of their Organic Ghee from Grass-fed & Pasture-raised Cow’s Milk.  (You know, REAL milk.)  I received 6 jars of Ghee infused with herbs and spices.  I KNOW, right?

I’m not going to split hairs here, my ONLY complaint is that the jars were an ounce in size.  I really had to get creative in thinking of everyday ideas to use these in recipes since I had such a small amount.

Yes, small amounts of pure, buttery, gold. I really cannot complain.

I love this product and have used the plain variety in the past. It was fun to add the herb-infused flavors to my cooking. I will purchase it again and again.

So…what is Ghee? 

In short, it is clarified butter.  From their site:

Golden colored Ghee (pronounce it with hard G as in Go and a long E as in Glee) is prepared by melting and simmering unsalted butter until all the water evaporates and the milk solids settle at the bottom. The remaining butter oil is very stable, giving it a high smoke point which makes it an excellent choice to use for frying and sautéing and it can be stored without refrigeration for several months. Ghee is also known as Indian Clarified Butter, Seafood Butter, Drawn Butter, Butter Oil, Ghee Butter or Anhydrous Milk Fat (AMF). In India and other South Asian countries, it is also known as Desi Ghee, Pure Ghee, Asli Ghee or Ghritam. Ghee is a dairy product and as such it is gluten-free.

Ghee has a very long and rich history. It has been used in Indian cooking for thousands of years. According to an article published in the journal Nature, traces of ghee and cheese were found in pottery from 6,500 BC. The following quote from the ancient text "Charvak Darshan" by an Indian philosopher Charvak (3000 BCE) shows the importance of ghee:

In Sanskrit (click here to see this text in Sanskrit):
Yaavat Jeevet, Sukham Jeevet
    Rinam Kritva, Ghritam Pibet
which means:
    As long as you live, live happily
    Beg, borrow or steal, but relish ghee

I also thought this Ghee vs. Butter section was extremely informative. During the clarification process, milk solids, lactose and caseins are removed, so it’s great for those who want that rich taste in cooking, but are concerned with allergies.

How I used it:

Digestive Ghee

Contains Organic Cardamom, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Ginger. The flavor has a similar hint of spices used in Chai Tea; it is subtle but definitely adds depth.

I put a small amount in Baby Girl’s Oatmeal Bowl and in my coffee. We both have tummy troubles, so I thought this would be a great way to start the day!

Garlic Ghee

Contains Organic Garlic. Perfect garlic tone – not too overpowering, but definitely mouth-watering.

I fried up some bacon for sautéing some frozen fresh garden Green Beans, but it was a little lean, so I added this ghee to the mix. Fantastic!

Herbes de Provence Ghee

Contains Organic Savory, Organic Thyme, Organic Rosemary, Organic Basil, Organic Tarragon, Organic Lavender Flowers. The flavor is similar to the fragrance of fresh herbs you find in the French countryside – Fresh thyme and lavender.

I used this ghee to mix into a quick shrimp and broccoli stir-fry for Baby Girl & I’s daily lunch.  Added a bit of salt and lemon & pepper seasoning.  We were good to go!

Indian Dessert Ghee

Contains Organic Fennel, Organic Cardamom, Organic Saffron. Flavor has a slight hint of fennel and is subtly reminiscent of licorice with just a touch of cardamom and saffron.

I used this entire jar to create a quick, healthy, homemade chocolate by combining it with a cup of melted semi-dark chocolate chips and 1/2 c. shredded coconut.  Pour into molds (or in my case, mini-muffin tin) and freeze for a couple of hours.  These are the perfect size for satisfying a craving.  Honestly…I still have about 1/2 of the batch left and that is pretty amazing!  You can add dried fruit and nuts to this recipe, too.

Italian Ghee

Contains Organic Oregano, Organic Rosemary, Organic Thyme. The flavor is reminiscent of sautéing fresh Italian herbs from garden.

I used this ghee to fry up some potatoes. Very tasty!

Niter Kebbeh

Contains Organic Cardamom, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Coriander, Organic Cumin, Organic Turmeric & Organic Nutmeg. Subtle curry flavor and aroma with just a hint of cumin.

This went into a spaghetti squash bake.  I also added additional Turmeric spice, salt and pepper over it. Baked for an hour at 350 F.

More info:

Ideas for using Ghee

Connect on Facebook

Follow on Twitter

Ghee & Grass-fed Articles & Recipes

^{Disclaimer:  I was sent a review package from Pure Indian Foods for the purposes of this review. The opinions and thought expressed here are my own.}

The Girl Effect 2011

 

I went through a lot of things that I felt were unfair when I was young.  But, imagine that the fate of your entire life was set for you at 13 and your parents didn’t think life included hopes, dreams and abilities. 

I’m struggling to imagine a world where I would value cattle over my daughter’s future.

Please watch Kidan’s story

Her mother’s response to school: “There is no time for rest.”

Girls are at a Crossroads.

Girls living in poverty are uniquely capable of creating a better future. But when a girl reaches adolescence, she comes to a crossroads.

Things can go one of two ways for her and for everyone around her.

FACT: Today, more than 600 million girls live in the developing world. The total global population of girls ages 10 to 24 — already the largest in history — is expected to peak in the next decade.

FACT: One girl in seven in developing countries marries before age 15. 38 percent marry before age 18.

FACT: Pregnancy is the world’s leading cause of death for girls 15 to 19 years old.

More sobering facts available here.

You can watch Anita’s story in my previous post – the domino effect that happens in a village when a girl does go to school.

What can you do to help?

Watch the videos here and find out more about the girl effect.

Write a blog post to educate your friends and family about it.

Donate at Global Giving for Girl Effect in general or a special project that touches your heart.