Friday, January 27th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
Humor and Warmth
To quote Maya Angelou:”we must have humor in our lives, and warmth and giving.” How do you see warmth and giving in your life? Is it visually pretty? Do vibrant colors come to your mind eye? Does a warm feeling take over your breath and body like the ebb and flow of a beautiful ocean wave? Do healing thoughts come to your being?
Miss Maya, as I affectingly call her to myself, is one of my most favorite poets and authors. I find myself in contemplation from her words; thinking and meditation, digesting and absorbing what these words actually mean. One by one I swallow and suck up the out-reach hand these words have to offer.
Do you reach out in the same way as I? Grabbing hold of the good these words have to give us. Do you spread light and joy from these words? Or, do you react in the opposite? Do you tense up? Do you get anxious when these words are spoken? Why, then, do these words turn into a hot flame of anger? Why do they upset you?
I have thought about the meaning of words and how they affect me and others. Why they take on the shape they do, and why words that are positive to one person can be so negative, daunting and upsetting to another. What is it for you? Have you found the warmth, humor, and giving within your life, today?
Tags: attitudes
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Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
What is Your Voice Saying
What does your voice sound like? Is it calm and inviting like Pavarotti the opera singer? Does it engage people? Does it work in your favor by having a positive energy force? Do you bring this positive nature forward to carry out the work you wish to do? Do you work well with others? Are you a team leader, have innovative ideas and do well under pressure? Is your attitude uplifting, cooperative, and willing to compromise?
Or does it irritate, offend, and insult like a hawk and its warlike aggressive behavior? Would you say you come across whining, blaming others, and always having to be right? Additionally, do you come across in a doom or gloomful kind of manner? Can you handle corrective citizen by just listening- Can you take what others have to say? Are you willing to take the necessary steps and action to grow from your lessons just learnt? What is your energy level like? Are you tired before you even get started in the morning? Did you stay up all night listening to your voice in your head? Did it keep going on and on complaining about what this person said and didn’t say?
Does your voice work for you? Is it a useful tool to help you get ahead? Or, does it extinguish your light and what you stand for? Do you fight to forge forward in your life’s’ endeavors? Or are you wasting your precious time and others’? Does it affect your productivity and the way you move forward in the universe? Is it an effective tool or one that hinders? Better yet, does it drain peoples’ energy?
If your voice does any of the above, you are not alone. You have a chance every day to work on yourself to become a better person. To gain the qualities you truly posses-
No one said it was going to be easy. But if you work on it a day at a time, and take the necessary steps one must to change, you will be so happy. You will feel so content within. You will have mastered the yin and yang of your true self.
Tags: attitudes
Posted in Life Skills | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
How Do I Navigate My Life
In your life, do you sit passively on the sidelines? Do you sit back and watch the world go by? Do you often look out into the oceans water wondering how you are going to master the obstacles in your life? Do you ask yourself how you are going to make your life happen? And when! Do you reach out to others in the things you are interested in so that you can move forward?
Do you see people taking on jobs or positions you wished you could have, or are capable of handling?
What’s holding you back? What can you do to change your circumstances? How can you rise above?
Are the people around you telling you that you cannot succeed? What happens inside your being? Do you fight and stand up for your rights, or do you plop down onto the couch and wither away in sadness and depression? Do you let those thoughts win?
It’s worth believing in you. For one, you build your own self-confidence and self-esteem. You take on new ideas, inviting challenges, and by engaging yourself with new people and activity you hear your own voice. You start to like what you see. You have experienced something new. You are making choices on your own. You are not frittering your life away. And, you are not listening to those who once told you, you couldn’t.
Is it worth stepping outside the box? Is it worth trying? Is it worth feeling good about youself?
Tags: Challenges, dare to invite, to engage, to stimulate, to test one's ability, deal with
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Friday, January 13th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
Blueberry Bread
This gluten free bread is VERY yummy in the tummy. I took a muffin recipe and developed a master piece.
2 cups gluten free buckwheat flour and an (extra 1/4 cup for the blueberries )
1 cup frozen blueberries rinsed and drained
¼ cup canola oil
¼ cup honey
1 egg = 1 tablespoon flax seed and ¼ cup water with a smidgen more
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup arrow root
1. Mix ¼ extra cup of buckwheat flour with the blueberries and let stand for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 425 F. Cream the oil and honey together. Beat until light and fluffy.
3. Cook the flax seed with water till it has the consistency of eggs. About 5 minutes on a low to medium flame stirring constantly not to burn. Add the flax mixture to the oil and honey. Then sift together the remaining flour, arrow root, salt, baking powder, as you add it to the oil and flaxseed mixture alternately with the milk, starting and finishing with the flour. Fold in the floured berries last.
4. Pour into a greased loaf pan of Canola Non-stick spray oil and sprinkled buckwheat flour.
5. Bake about 60 minutes
Tags: Recipes
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Thursday, January 12th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
Apricot Nut Bread
Here is another delicious recipe for you
½ cup dried apricots
2 cups gluten free flour (buckwheat, oat, brown rice)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg= 1 tablespoon flaxseed and ¼ c water plus a smidgen over, lightly beaten
½ honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
¾ teaspoon salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup Brazil nuts (chopped)
½ tablespoon Cinnamon or (to taste)
½ tablespoon Coriander or (to taste)
½ teaspoon Orange flavoring
2 teaspoons Orange Peel
- Preheat oven to 350F. Soak apricots for ½ hour, and then chop. Beat eggs or stir in flax mixture with the honey and oil. Stir well. Next,
- Sift flower with dry ingredients. Baking powder, soda, and salt. Add Brazil nuts and apricots. Then, mix well
- Pour into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with a non stick cooking oil spray and a TBS of your gluten flour. Bake until toothpick comes clean when pierced in the center, about 1 hour.
- A. Remember honey can be substituted for all natural 100% fruit jams.
B. And, a pure unsweetened applesauce or apple butter can be use to moisten the consistency even more. Add to taste. Its optional.
Tags: Recipes
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Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 by Karen Lynn
Home Made Prune, Raisin Bread
Now that I have explained the basics in my other two posts, let’s get started! Remember this is for you- so, to life!
1 cup whole prunes and 1 cup raisins ½ cup honey
1 cup gluten free buckwheat flour 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup gluten free oat flour 4 teaspoons Hains gluten free baking powder
½ cup gluten free brown rice flour 1 cup almond milk, or, unsweetened hemp-
Add some gluten free oat flakes milk or unsweetened coconut milk
1/3 cup arrowroot 1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons gur gur 1 tablespoon canola oil
3 eggs = 9 tablespoons water and 3 tablespoons flaxseeds
- Soak prunes and raisins in cold water for about a half hour to an hour. Drain and remove prune pits, and chop.
- Mix all dry ingredients together and wet with wet. Then blend together and mix well.
- Add the prunes and raisins to the melted canola oil and honey.
- Bring Mix water and flax seed in sauce pan to boil. About 3 to 5 minutes omit if using real eggs.
- Put in greased loaf pan, let stand 25 minutes in warm place.
- Preheat over 350 F. and bake about one hour
- If you want a bigger loaf double recipe
Tags: Recipes
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Monday, October 25th, 2010 by Karen Lynn
How many of you reading these articles of mine, have had difficulty picking up trash from a dust pan after cleaning your floor? It’s easy, one would think. Right? Wrong! Actually not! Think about it. For many years, decades to be exact, I have avoided all attempts using a dust pan; because the dirt that I swept up would only gather underneath, instead of where it really belonged. Frustrating yes- So frustrating and aggravating that I would give up after 5 endeavors of trying to get this dirt where it was meant to go.
And this is not like me, I’ll have you know. Yet, this act of trying to accomplish this feat and undertaking caused much annoyance and exasperation. So, that I found new alternatives and choices for many years. Thus, to be totally independent of anyone, I selected a vacuum in its place.
However, now, I must change my routine because I am restoring and adding new hardwood floors in my house. Beautiful, yes! Although it will require; and demand me to alter my independent ways. As the old way, definitely is turning out to be a hindrance. Without a doubt, outmoded and outdated.
Who, then, in their right mind is going to drag a vacuum across a newly shined and finished hardwood floor? Not Me!!! Because, I am not going to ruin them! Hence, I am going to have to find a new adaptive way. A way that will work for me- and me alone! A way which will allow me to clean my floors independently- And, a way that will help prevent me from scratching them.
So, guess who went to Lowe’s? I did. And guess who bought a new dust pan with a handle and broom? Um hum! And guess what didn’t work? You got it! And, why? Because the rubber on the bottom of the dust pan; was tweaked. Bent and lifting from the floor where it should be smooth and aligned. So as maddening, irritating, and infuriating as it was, I had to deal with it. I had to suck it up, gain my composure, and take the one I had from the garage, which we used for the garden, and use it for the use in the house. What alternative did I have when the older one worked better than the new one I just bought? So as clever as I am I gave me my own freedom.
Tags: Life Skills
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Monday, June 22nd, 2009 by Karen Lynn
In my last article, I wrote about people bullying others. Well today, my dear readers, I am going to take this topic a step further. I am going to expand and give more detail about how this thinking applies in other parts of our lives. The hardest part of our existences; whether disabled or not, is learning to get along with everybody. It is in the learning to maneuver, in staying neutral, and the ability to adapt, and adjust, that we find our greatest challenges and joys. Many in our community must be very smart in finding a way to alter outworn concepts about what we are capable of. When a person has to spends three and a half decades trying to make the degree they won pay off, in terms of the job they deserve without much luck, something is defiantly and undeniably wrong. Still, when doctorial candidates’ will travel the world wide, prove they are capable of making and taking the journey, and come home only to be told by a group of experts that they are better off in a workshop; something unmistakably is wrong. Why is it that when a person such as myself wants to achieve and go forth with their degrees or desires they are subtly blocked and artfully discredited. What is it that has damaged the thinking of our countries leadership? I can not understand why genuine leaders are ignored while people get degrees in phone sex, and jobs based on a false concept of sympathy rather on ability. What makes our drive unnoticed? What make our situation so different. And what makes people so reluctant to help us and hire us? That is the hardest thing to deal with, the awareness that we are tolerated not included. And we come off to these experts as “non included, separated; after thoughts.” Thus, the people in our community are an untapped resource. All of our problem solving, all of our flexibility, and all of our talents are going to sheer waste. Decade, after decade, after decade!
Never in the United States history, has our country been in grater need of a group of individuals, skilled in problem-solving, time management, flexibility, and a strong will. Never in its history have they looked beyond book documentation to free and let our people have the chances, the opportunities, and the favorable time or set circumstance to do a job they so deserve. Every one of you reading this article has accomplished many great challenges, I’m sure. We are conquering everyday problems which the rest of the world, I’m sure, couldn’t handle. If faced with our level of difficulty, most people would collapse at the onset. So, I ask you, what would be then, so terrible, awful, or extremely bad, about turning us all loose to over-come and take control of our own lives and problems. Thus, I ask you again, candidly, What would be so dreadful if we were finally given a change. What would be so horrific if we were able to sit down at the table, equally, amongst our peers, and leaders? What would be so shocking, if all of us; not just the select few of our excepted leaders, in our community, could actively influence policy. What would be so earth-shattering if people were willing to analyze and inculcate our views about the contribution we are making to society.
How could this be possible? It is definitely simpler than it looks. We only have to abandon the comfortable idea that experts will make all our decisions and supply all our wants. I ask you , again. What is wrong with that picture? The frame does not fit, nor, is the color correct. So, we must make a new picture. We must take back the right to determine our own path.
Tags: contributions to society, act of giving, every day problems, Getting along with others
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Saturday, June 6th, 2009 by Karen Lynn
Isn’t it interesting, that still, in today’s society, we find indentations and grooves chiseled out in our expansive society which tries to prevent and stop our disabled population, our seniors, our financially limited person, and the less affluent from truly surviving, staying a float, or earning a decent living of their own.
How many times have you seen in the lower economic areas prices being hiked up, and increased? You would think it would be just the opposite, wouldn’t you? Well, that is not the case at all. Prices seem to soar and swell in the location and locality that need to hang on to it the most. Even though our funds are limited, and we want to use our cash wisely, we cannot. We are looked at differently, talked to differently, and come across with a different social and economic regard. We are in an unlike economic community that has been lock in, dead bolted, and padlocked for life.
The money in which we receive from one’s supplemental income aught not be frittered away by the interested parties which specifically aim, and aspire to zero in and target. Where is the social justice and the true moral concern? Where is the moral competence of big business or government to rein in and stop these unfairness’? When will big brother take responsibility and be accountable for their acts of immoral travesties? And, when will they stop taking advantage of, and stop gouging the weakest link.
If you look carefully you will find your friendly neighborhood markets, gas stations, medical facilities, employers, prescription drug companies, independent living facilities, transportation services; all giving us the least amount of respect, supply, and conveniences, for the most buck! They smile at us sweetly while they score and gouge us royally. We pay more out of pocket expenses while the pharmaceutical drug companies profit and get rich.
We as a community are sadly being faced with the realities of price discrimination while being charged retail prices. We are penalized economically, by being strictly limited by a basic welfare wage. First because we are a less net cost to society; and second, because we are disabled. We are exploited. It cost the government more to train us, teach us, coach us; and get equipment for us, thus, as a result, we are denied and deterred employment. We are subjugated in the unjust way that we are because the disabled are so called “in a depended role,” we daily, are not to be taken seriously. Nor, can we be represented because of this. They are not meeting our needs at all- we live well below poverty level, yet what positive actions do we see the government and all it constituents to make a difference in our lives? Do they do anything to help those who what to do something about there own circumstances? Do they reach there hand out to help us climb out and move up the ladder?
We also are charged double the price for prescription drugs, while drug makers are giving favor to their most valued customers. Because of our enormous collective buying power, we, the Medicare beneficiary practice price discrimination. Moreover, how many of us in the last three or four years pay for a Medicare prescription drug plan monthly, but don’t use it at all because we can’t take drugs due to allergies or allergic reactions towards them? It seems as though our monthly checks don’t even get us through the month. The more we try to rise out of the trenches of the system, the more stumbling blocks, obstructions, and blockades we have to scale. We are not treated with a social justice or a moral competence. We as the disable community pay extra coast out of pocket which we really don’t have. There are laws which have been put together to pray on the weakest in society.
So what will you say or do to help to change this desperately needed basis?
Now is your time to speak out. Take a risk. Stand up for yourself and for your life, and what you rightfully deserve. Let your voice be heard. Pay it forward. While you help yourself, you will be standing up, and positioning yourself to form an ever lasting link. Let your voice be that moral voice to be reckoned with. Don’t be afraid of your politician, your friends, or family and what they may say or think. I’m sure they will respect you if not now, later! Speak out for what you believe in! Reach out to make your thoughts and feelings known! If you don’t share them, these politicians will never know! That is the only way change will ever happen. That is the only way we will be taking action to make this a kinder gentler place for all of us. We will become partners in the disabled community, and our voices will be heard. That is the only way we will be recognized. The only way we will be taken seriously, And, the only way we will be listen to!
Let us unite. Let us come together. We must join forces. We must bridge the gap, more now than ever before. We must share our stories with people in power and office. We must make a difference in our community and society. It all starts with us- We must speak out with everything we’ve got- In this way; we will form a bond, a friendship, an attachment, and a connection that can never be broken. We will form a more perfect union to pass on to other generations to come. We must speak out and make that difference to change laws and regulations that prey on the weakest person in society. We must engage ourselves in what ever way we can to make our voices, our word, our influence, our right-to-be-heard, our vote, or even our own say so to bring equality and justice for disabled people nation wide to enact equality for all.
We must not think twice of judging or condemning. We must not look down upon ourselves or our name as disabled human beings. We need to work together, as a team to vindicate and restore our sweet name as disabled men and woman who did not choose to be handicap at all or be paralyzed with special needs. And, most importantly, we must put a stop towards this inhumane, immoral, unsocial way of life. We must fill up every hole and crack, and have each of our priceless penny’s begin to count.
Tags: Opinions
Posted in Life Skills, Published Articles | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 by Karen Lynn
The other day, I wrote an article that mentioned some tools that I use personally to maneuver through life. One of the tools I use is to focus. I think about something of interest. Something I want to put my full attention to. Something that I feel real passionate about. And something that brings me much pleasure and joy in doing. Something that is gratifying and constructive and make me feel happy and content within.
Then I do two or three different things. The first of which is to decide what it is I want to take action on. This could be a mental thought, or a physical action. Then, I would make a list if I had to. I would write down all the things I had to do to attain and accomplish this goal. Checking them off as I reach my aim, desired results, or wishes.
Next, I would proceed clearly and carefully. Taking one baby step at a time. Putting one foot in front of the other, until I reach my attainable goal. Gradually and consistently, over a period of time, unchanging my course of thinking; I would keep my faith, and endue with all the endurance I inside myself to muster, to keep on keeping on. I would remain focused. I would visualize myself reaching these intents in my mind.
Third, I would say affirmations. I would believe in myself more than any other human being on this earth. I would believe with all my heart and soul. I would continue to believe no matter how long it took me to attain my hope. Plus, I would not allow anyone to sway me or tell me that I COULD NOT succeed or achieve! I would hold firm to my thoughts, and ground myself by being mindful and steadfast.
Forth, I would be aware. I would be conscious of all things happening in and around me. I would be sensible, alert, antiquated, and heedful. I would also practice being wise and hip, and very attentive to areas that would be beneficial to my growth.
Finally, I would read, learn, do anything I could to educate myself more on my intent and desire, and focus, focus, focus.
Tags: concentration
Posted in Life Skills | 1 Comment »
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