Update on Soylent

I blogged some months ago about the creation of a new
food replacement system named "Soylent" which was invented by Rob Rhinehart.
I'm still intrigued, but must admit I haven't yet tried it out.
Perhaps I'm waiting for it's big release into Canada.
That's the big new update. Soylent is going to soon be available in Canada according to the latest gossip.

So that's good.
There's something so wonderfully geeky and straight forward, to be able to cut out at least one meal a day and replace it with something chemically designed to replace all the major food groups.

Now, since I am a natural girl and prefer earthy whole foods, one might be thinking....why on earth would someone like me be attracted to a powdery chemically blended product such as Soylent?
Well, as much as I am a gluten free granola, organic, wild berry picking cotton wearing earth loving gal, I also happen to be a bit of science geek,and proudly so.

What is equally as interesting as the product Soylent, is the story of it's development by a twenty something start up who raised much of his over million bucks via crowdfunding online and started mixing it up
in a nondescript warehouse straight from the bags of supplies he ordered online. It is truly synonymous with every other geeky breakthrough in that the creator, Rob Rhinehart, just went ahead and did it, without waiting for permission and without asking everyone and their cousin for their approval of his grand idea.

Perhaps there's a wee bit of computer nerd in all of us, that prefers to chill infront of our laptops and sip a meal in a bottle instead of cooking up yet another uninspiring meal.

Well, nuff about me. What do y'all think about Soylent?
To glean more data straight from the horse's mouth click here straight to Soylent's website: http://www.soylent.me


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Living Gluten Free in Canada

Just wanted to chat today about what it's like to try to live gluten free in Canada. I'd appreciate it if you add your feedback. It is a national discussion....one whose parameters are expanding across many nation's lines and into mainstream culinary logistics.

All the best chefs are now very much aware that if they prepare some of their specialty dishes, that their guests may very well insist upon being served a gluten free rendition of their specialty. For all those in the culinary arts, it will pay off to be prepared in advance to serve your gluten-avoiding customers. Some customers will fall into the "gluten intolerant" category, which for me, means that consuming foods or beverages that contain gluten can cause digestive pain and discomfort but is not life threatening. But then there are the official "Celiacs" for whom the issue is a lot more crucial and can be life threatening.

If you are forming a restaurant of any kind or even a coffee shop, it will be in your best interests to have something completely sealed off and separate from your regular gluten containing menu items. Speaking from experience, I would rather eat something gluten free that has been commercially sealed in plastic and
is guaranteed to be gluten free, than something that folks "hope" is gluten free.

So what is it like to chase down a gluten free lifestyle in your home country? do you find it difficult....or inconvenient or embarrassing or too expensive?
I have found it to be all those things and more. But it is something that I have to deal with, and has become a part of my daily routine.

I do with that more fast food outlets had more gluten free menu items, as I am often on the go and don't want to have to sift through hundreds of choices before finally finding something that is gluten free. In Canada, Tim Hortons sells a great bowl of chili, that is gluten free. But sadly, Tim Hortons has discontinued selling the coconut macaroons that were their "claim to fame" in the gluten free world. Alas, not everyone likes coconut I presume.

I'm still waiting for KFC to produce a gluten free fried chicken option. Do you think my wish will come true?
Do tell!

Talk to you soon.
Carla

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Disclaimer: This blog post is intended for conversational purposes only. The blog's author and publisher does not accept any liability for any of the ideas discussed in this post or any other post on this blog. Always obtain medical advice from a licensed medical practitioner.

Mindfulness? I Think It Depends on What is On Your Mind

Yes, yes I know it's trendy.... everyone and their cousins are preaching some "gospel" of mindfulness.
But hey it's supposed to be uncool to ask actually "What" we are supposed to be mindful of.

But let's get real ok? Mindfulness is a little bit sketchy. Some folks talk about mindfulness as the next great teaching tool. But I want to say it again....just WHAT are we supposed to be mindful of?

As a Christian, I find this mindfulness idea to be rather grievous to a Christian's mindset.
We are taught to have the mind of Christ....not to just simply be "mindful".

If your mind is full, what really is it full of?

If you want to renew your mind, it's time to get in deep up to your elbows into the good ole bible, not some new age wonky unclear mystical teaching.

If you can find "mindfulness" in the bible, then please send me the verse from scriptures into the comment section below. I'm all ears.....

Peace.



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There's Never Been A Better Time to Be a Writer.....

It used to be an exclusive club....something for college professors in corduroy blazers with fashionable patches on the elbows....to be able to say that they are an "author".

But the inner self of Indie Artists of today won't stay for that obligatory purgatory any more. They simply must write, in any form and fashion they want to....and write they will.

It's not that suddenly it has become ultra lucrative to be a writer, more so than before, it's just that the
opportunity to be heard in a multitude of different platforms has exploded.

Yes, after reading Stephen Baker's book "The Numerati" I realize that many of the content farms of the net, are simply being used by bigger forces to gather data, precious consumer and personal data that will be shaped and molded into something that can be sold to a bank or an ISP or credit card company.

But after all the worries about Big Brother fade away, there still remains my joyful conclusion
that it's simply the very best time in humanity to be a writer. Write on!

Choose any platform and choose your focus.... blog with Wordpress or Blogger, make elaborate Facebooks pages for your field, and carve out a niche with your Twitter account. If you are really obsessive about it, you might even start writing socially for Hub Pages, Helium or Bubblews.

The world is your oyster folks. Be discerning. Be discriminating. Let your platform reflect a part of what you want to say. But please don't ever be silent again. The human race is awakening..... awakening to the power of their own words .....and I for one, couldn't be happier.

Write on, dear friends....write on.




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Thank you for Your Patience...

Tis a time of changes, not huge changes, just little tweaks and nips and tucks so that my blog can better reflect what I'm celebrating. So, I appreciate your patience, dear readers, who have surfed the blog over the past couple weeks to find it arranged in a multitude of different formats and configurations.
By the way, if you have some suggestions as to your favorites, I'm all ears.
I'm trying to format the blog in such a way as to not only please the appearance on PC's but also on Mobile.
Wish me luck!

Carla



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Oh Lord, You're beautiful lyrics - Keith Green

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If any of you like Karaoke and you feel like worshipping...there's nothing that beats singing with the original Keith Green. Be blessed.

Carla

I Still Believe

I still believe in dreams. I hope when I am over 90 years young that I will still be toting that party line.
It isn't just a romantic notion for me, it is a part of who I am.

If folks give up on their dreams, they become a shell of who they were meant to be.
Sometimes church folk get too spooky about life and act like we have to lay down our dreams to God and just give them all up. But I don't agree with that philosophy.

I believe that God works through our dreams and then nips and tucks us so that we stay on track to serve Him. We don't have to throw out our ambitions just because we have received salvation in Jesus.

I not only want to achieve my own dreams and to bring them step by step into reality, but I also want to be that one who will be able to teach others how to do the same. The goals can be very very different, but that foundational structure of setting goals and then putting steps into place to achieve one's ultimate goals are universal and can be achieved by anyone. Same playbook....different goal.

I am grateful for the examples of many brilliant men and women who have shown through the example of their lives, that yes indeedy, dreams can still come true. I am not sure why there seems to be so few
female role models in the field of success and motivation. There are oodles of successful women....why do so few teach other women how to do so?

I have found that  most of my mentors have to be male, just because I can not find the ferocious few women who are capable of leading and teaching others to do what they have done.....except of course for Barbara Corcoran , the real estate tycoon/author.

How about you?
Looking forward to reading your comments in the section below.
Peace.





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Obtaining Funding For Your New Business

I was reading in Nov 10ths, 2014 edition of the Globe and Mail, about how Robert Rhinehart, the creator
of the "instant" meal powder named "Soylent"......how he raised up the capital to launch his venture.
One of his sources of capital came from using a site called.Tilt  .
I was amazed that he raised over a million dollars just through that site.

The new age of funding is certainly developing. From sites like Patreon for artists like me, and Tilt for business people, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly ambitious folks are bring their dreams to reality.

Would you consider using a crowdfunding site to launch your next creative venture? Or would you only consider it if the banks turn you down?
Looking forward to your input  in the comment section below.

Peace.

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Supporting Artists

Crowd funding seems to be one of the greater inventions of my generation.
It helped support the campaign that got President Obama elected and has also been the vehicle by which folks raise thousands and sometimes millions of dollars for other humans who have experienced a tragedy.

The whole paradigm shift in securing funding from a multitude of smaller donors at modest sums instead of
seeking out large chunks of cash from a few select and wealthy individuals is turning the industry of fund raising on it's head.

It is a welcome relief. When push comes to shove we really do want personal choices when it comes to who and what we support with our hard earned dollars. We want to support people and causes that we can relate to, and those that touch our hearts.

It's amazing what a click here and a link there can bring about in changing someone's life. Support for
quirky artists via the site Patreon is bringing much needed financial support to struggling artists around the globe.

Then of course, there are the folks who wind up gaining a windfall of cash for epically absurd adventures (such as making a potato salad) but hey a person can do whatever they want with their own money,.

I am thrilled that sites like Patreon exist, because it makes artists like me believe again in our dreams and hopes and ambitions.

Remember when that middle aged lady, Susan Boyle was discovered on Britain's Got Talent in 2009? Her voice turned her world upside down in one brief performance. That is the same concept that brings speedy rescue to struggling artists who post quick blurbs about their creative adventures on the crowd funding site called Patreon. If you are at all curious as what Patreon is all about, it's definitely worth a gander.

Be blessed and say creative.

Peace.

Patreon






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Marketing Your Products as an Artisan

So truth be told, I'm back on the market selling stuff I have made from earthy materials and up-cycling.

What are earthy materials? What is up-cycling.

Earthy materials are as raw as possible, and preferably not dyed or painted with any kind of toxic substance.
They are raw materials such as jute, cotton yard, soy bean based yarns, hemp string, fabric made from bamboo etc. They are usually bio-degradable. They blend in well with any kind of
"Back to Nature" theme.


So perhaps you are still wondering what up-cycling is.....Well, in my humble opinion, up-cycling is when you take a product that already exists that might be ready for recycling or the landfill, and you fashion it and rework it until it becomes something totally new, more valuable and precious. It is recycling with a moneyed twist.

For example, I have a fondness for gathering those ole wooden skids/pallets and hacking them up and using them for firewood. But I've noticed that some creative folks have taken to making incredible
household furniture out of these very same wooden skids/pallets. I've seen whole walls make out of them, along with every conceivable style of coffee table, bookshelf and even chairs. That is genuine up-cycling.

Have you ever up-cycled something? By the way, if you want to see how I've up-cycled some ole blue jeans
check out my Etsy page at  http://etsy.me/1xDNiWV
Carla's Etsy

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Lifestyle Hacker Ex·tra·or·di·naire

My heroes are bootstrappers in all their uncut glory. The more gritty and awkward their experience as they clawed their way from obscurity to success, the more I am compelled to read anything they've written or said.

To me, the most compelling part of an artist's life is the time before they rose to fame, how they survived and how they made a way through all the struggle and the folks who told them to give it up and get a real job.

Once folks reach that "slick" time when their shoes are now shiny and they don't worry about getting the electricity turned off...I kind of lose interest.

Success is kind of boring...it's too easy. It's that journey from invisibility to prominence that beguiles me and appears worthy of my study time. Once someone has become a best seller and they don't answer their own phones anymore, I am really not that interested.

Ok, so who are those folks who have fought their way to the top with sheer will power and a touch from God's grace? Folks like Tim Ferris...folks like Tony Robbins, folks like Alan Corey and Alanis Morissette and Annie Jean Brewer (aka Annienygma).
Nobody handed them their fame on a sweet silver platter. They dodged and weaved until their success was the only thing left chasing them.

So maybe some of you are gettin' tired of the chase. I want you to remember, that this is the best part. The rest is just boring smooth sailing. This rough and rugged terrain is going to be the most interesting part of your life story, the gravy that makes the mashed potatoes. You will look back on this time with great pride some day, knowing that you gave it your all, and in doing so....overcame the world.

Hang tight sisters. Keep the faith brothers.








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Ten for Ten-- Top 10 Tips to Make Cash

Tis sweet to be able to make a short and sweet announcement. I've published a new Kindle Book!
Woot woot. Way to get things done, Carla.

So if you're interested just type in Carla O in the search box of your local Amazon site and it'll lead you right to where the book is selling for your own country's Amazon site.
It's is published by Kindle. You can also download a free Kindle reader from the same site.
Enjoy and please do leave your review of the book on Amazon to spread the good news.
Peace.

Ten for Ten --Top 10 Tips to Make Cash



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Time to Nudge Ya

I know I know.....it isn't polite to nudge someone....hey I'm Canadian after all....The last thing I want to do is offend anyone or make them feel like I'm putting them on the spot.

But it's my blog and I'll nudge if I want to ")

I'm just going to come right out with it. Where is your written list of goals?
If you can answer that in three seconds, you have failed the test.

I can not overemphasize how important it is for you to make written goals and to have them in a handy place that you can review them daily or several times daily if necessary.

Human nature dictates that we are so easily distracted...by minutia, by news, by fashion, by bills, by drama, and gossip and the list goes on.  But if you won't stick to your goals who is going to get you back on track?
It is up to you. If you can't find a pen, use a crayon from your child's coloring box. If you can't find anything to write with, then type it into your cell phone as a new contact on your list of stored contacts.

You might be rolling your eyes right now....is it really that important to clutter up my slick cell phone with
a motley bunch of written goals that might not come true? Hey there, I caught ya...you already have given up on your goals even before writing them down. That is the real reason you don't want to write them down. The fear of failure is preventing you from setting any goals at all.

Well, mister or missy, it's time to get over yourself and how your emotions might be screaming for more coffee this Monday morning. I am just going to tell you nice and quietly but firmly......you still HAVE to write down those goals, even if your confidence in yourself has wavered. Emotions come and go, but your goals can remain. Confidence can be fickle. Winning comes when you ignore your feelings and take steps towards your goals anyway!

That is all I am asking from you this cloudy quiet Monday morning. Take that step today and write down those goals. And when you do, send me a quick comment in the section below to let me know you did it! You DID IT!
We are here to cheer you on. Now go find that pencil.

Peaceful productivity.

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