Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Everything's amazing, nobody's happy...
A friend posted this on Facebook the other day... a comedian who makes you think! For some reason I can't embed it but check out this great video here.
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Easiest Mac N' Cheese Recipe
This recipe is currently in my oven. It's one of our favourites. The best part is that you don't have to pre-cook the macaroni so it's really easy to make, but tastes delicious. I'm all about fast and simple so thought I'd share it.
My variations:
- I don't add salt because I use salted butter instead of maragine
- I use cheddar and mozzarella
- I mix lots of cheese in with the macaroni, not just on top (I don't think it would be cheesy enough just on top....I just eyeball it)
- at about the 40 minute mark I take it out quickly and add breadcrumbs to the top
Enjoy!
My variations:
- I don't add salt because I use salted butter instead of maragine
- I use cheddar and mozzarella
- I mix lots of cheese in with the macaroni, not just on top (I don't think it would be cheesy enough just on top....I just eyeball it)
- at about the 40 minute mark I take it out quickly and add breadcrumbs to the top
Enjoy!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Winter Song
I love discovering new talented people. I heard this for the first time yesterday... a sweet song for a cold winter's day!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Zambia Bound
Jamie & Arja with Danisa & Trezia Ndlovu at Mtshabezi - November 2007Tomorrow our friends Jamie and Arja and their girls Kanah and Talya will be moving to Zambia to start a new adventure. They are going with MCC to keep our church, The Meeting House, connected with what is happening on that side of the world as we partner together. I have to admit I'm a little jealous. Zambia was my first exposure to Africa as I worked at Sakeji School for 3 months. Joel and I also really enjoyed the few days we spent at Macha, where they will be living. Although I'm happy where I am now, I hope to someday have the opportunity for my family to live in Africa again for an extended period of time. I would love for my kids to be able to explore barefoot, learn a new language and understand that most of the world doesn't live like we do. Perhaps someday! But mostly, I just really excited for them as they begin their new life in Africa. We had the opportunity to travel with them to Zimbabwe in November of 2007 and it was amazing to see how easily they adapted and how much people loved them. Add two cute girls in the mix and they'll do just fine! :)
Sanfilippo family, I'm excited to follow your journey and learn from you. Thanks for being willing to uproot your lives to represent us on that side of the world. It will quickly become your home and we hope to connect on that side of the world!
(If you want to follow their journey in Africa, you can check in at their blog once they're there)
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
100 Workouts in 6 months!
I started a new program on January 1st. I've committed to doing 100 workouts in 6 months. I saw the idea on a website, but am making up my own criteria. For me a workout consists of 20 minutes or more of heart rate raising activity. So if you walk for 20 minutes, it has to be brisk! Also, you can't count more than one workout for each day. So if I do cardio and weights at the gym on one day I only count that as one.
I'm hoping this works for me. I've been keep track of my workouts since September and have definitely had times of doing well, and times of no activity. I'm hoping this longer-term goal will help keep me motivated to stay more consistent. I like visuals and little rewards for myself so I created a ticker (see above) of my progress. If you want to join me, let me know! You can make up your own rules of what works for you, and just pick a date 6 months from today. So far I have 2 other people on board with me. Want to make it 3?
I'm hoping this works for me. I've been keep track of my workouts since September and have definitely had times of doing well, and times of no activity. I'm hoping this longer-term goal will help keep me motivated to stay more consistent. I like visuals and little rewards for myself so I created a ticker (see above) of my progress. If you want to join me, let me know! You can make up your own rules of what works for you, and just pick a date 6 months from today. So far I have 2 other people on board with me. Want to make it 3?
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Send a Message to the People of Zimbabwe
Hi,
I just signed a message to the people of Zimbabwe letting them know we stand defiantly with their quest for democracy, security and justice and I thought you would want to join this global campaign. If we join voices as citizens around the world and stand with them in their struggle - they will know that they are not alone and remain strong in the belief that change is still possible. Click here to sign the message:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/tf.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Thanks!
------------------------
Dear friends,
As we approach the holiday season, the people of Zimbabwe need our solidarity and support. For many, this will be their tenth New Year's Eve living in fear, their third without clean water, and their first amidst the spiralling cholera epidemic. So many have died that it is no longer clear what is the population of the country.
Ultimately, it is the people of Zimbabwe who will bring change. Right now, our friends on the ground say that crushing hardship and isolation are the greatest threat -- that the most powerful contribution we can make is to cry out our solidarity with their struggle, and let them know that they are not alone.
While Mugabe and his generals might control the borders and the newspapers, the airwaves are still free. Sign our global message of solidarity now -- it will be turned into a radio advertisement and broadcast across Zimbabwe in the new year--and then if you choose, write or record your own ad for broadcast using our online tools:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
Zimbabwe's people are wracked by a cholera crisis which has already killed over 1000 people. Three months after Robert Mugabe and the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai signed a power-sharing agreement, Mugabe's still clings to power, even denying there is an epidemic. And as the regime cracks down, with increasing numbers of journalists, human rights defenders and ordinary people being abducted this week, the prospect of a unity government seems more remote than ever. The Zimbabweans who risked their lives to vote against Mugabe in March this year are exhausted, hungry and terrorised by violence.
We have campaigned throughout the year on different levels with a range of targets, tactics and strategies, but Zimbabwe will only change if, amongst the dread and fear, Zimbabweans themselves believe they have the power to overcome hopelessness and lawlessness.
With our radio-broadcast messages of international solidarity, let's let them know our eyes are on Zimbabwe and send them hope and strength to carry on strong into 2009. Our voices aim to uplift Zimbabwean people who have lost their hope or loved ones, helping a people who are desperate for democracy and ravaged by hunger and disease. These messages will be heard by hundreds of thousands across Zimbabwe and the region: sign our collective message here, then leave your personal message:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
It is up to us to get our messages of support to the people of Zimbabwe. As citizens of the world, our only interest in ending the Mugabe era is that which led us to struggle in our own lands for political freedoms, and which brought many of us to stand with the South African people in the anti-apartheid struggle: a common humanity, a duty to fight repression and a commitment to the universality of rights. Let the Zimbabwean people know we stand with them:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
In hope and solidarity,
Ben, Ricken, Alice, Brett, Pascal, Paul, Graziela, Paula, Luis, Iain and the whole Avaaz team
P.S. For a report on Avaaz's campaigning so far, see: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2
I just signed a message to the people of Zimbabwe letting them know we stand defiantly with their quest for democracy, security and justice and I thought you would want to join this global campaign. If we join voices as citizens around the world and stand with them in their struggle - they will know that they are not alone and remain strong in the belief that change is still possible. Click here to sign the message:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/tf.php?CLICK_TF_TRACK
Thanks!
------------------------
Dear friends,
As we approach the holiday season, the people of Zimbabwe need our solidarity and support. For many, this will be their tenth New Year's Eve living in fear, their third without clean water, and their first amidst the spiralling cholera epidemic. So many have died that it is no longer clear what is the population of the country.
Ultimately, it is the people of Zimbabwe who will bring change. Right now, our friends on the ground say that crushing hardship and isolation are the greatest threat -- that the most powerful contribution we can make is to cry out our solidarity with their struggle, and let them know that they are not alone.
While Mugabe and his generals might control the borders and the newspapers, the airwaves are still free. Sign our global message of solidarity now -- it will be turned into a radio advertisement and broadcast across Zimbabwe in the new year--and then if you choose, write or record your own ad for broadcast using our online tools:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
Zimbabwe's people are wracked by a cholera crisis which has already killed over 1000 people. Three months after Robert Mugabe and the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangarai signed a power-sharing agreement, Mugabe's still clings to power, even denying there is an epidemic. And as the regime cracks down, with increasing numbers of journalists, human rights defenders and ordinary people being abducted this week, the prospect of a unity government seems more remote than ever. The Zimbabweans who risked their lives to vote against Mugabe in March this year are exhausted, hungry and terrorised by violence.
We have campaigned throughout the year on different levels with a range of targets, tactics and strategies, but Zimbabwe will only change if, amongst the dread and fear, Zimbabweans themselves believe they have the power to overcome hopelessness and lawlessness.
With our radio-broadcast messages of international solidarity, let's let them know our eyes are on Zimbabwe and send them hope and strength to carry on strong into 2009. Our voices aim to uplift Zimbabwean people who have lost their hope or loved ones, helping a people who are desperate for democracy and ravaged by hunger and disease. These messages will be heard by hundreds of thousands across Zimbabwe and the region: sign our collective message here, then leave your personal message:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
It is up to us to get our messages of support to the people of Zimbabwe. As citizens of the world, our only interest in ending the Mugabe era is that which led us to struggle in our own lands for political freedoms, and which brought many of us to stand with the South African people in the anti-apartheid struggle: a common humanity, a duty to fight repression and a commitment to the universality of rights. Let the Zimbabwean people know we stand with them:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_citizens_for_zimbabwe/?CLICKTRACK
In hope and solidarity,
Ben, Ricken, Alice, Brett, Pascal, Paul, Graziela, Paula, Luis, Iain and the whole Avaaz team
P.S. For a report on Avaaz's campaigning so far, see: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2
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