Monday, September 19, 2022

Frustrations on puerarchy- unpublished original from 2019




There is no magical mommy in the sky who will do your self-care for you, you are responsible for your mind, your body, and your spirit, period.

Let's get back to reality boys and girls. 1. You are born and you grow up, if you are lucky you are homeschooled, if not, hopefully, your parents were at least aware enough to supplement your education with some real information. If not either, then you are on your own and once you turn 18 the responsibility of self-education falls squarely on your shoulders. NO ONE ELSE


When you are of an age where you need to self-sustain... there are a number of options open for you... the reality is you have to eat.

A. You can follow in your ancestors' footsteps and forage for food in the forest, depending on the climate and your abilities that may be a good option.... lots of work but working in the fresh air is rewarding.

B. You can come up with an idea for which you can collect money from individuals or companies - find a need for a product or a service and work to create a working company with your skills or abilities. In this case, you have to do all of your own marketing and spread the word about your awesome product or service. This way other people give you money and you can exchange that money for food. This is something we cannot change because the whole society is based on this premise so if you don't like it, back to option A.

C. You can mooch off your parents and use their hard work to continue to feed and clothe yourself like the mistletoe does to its host.

D. You can utilize someone else's marketing and sales team to sell some other product that you did not create yourself - this way you become part of a team or work as a cog in a larger enterprise - again they do the hard work of disseminating the info about their product or service to people or businesses, they get money for the product or service and because you are one of their cogs you receive a percentage of this money. How large a percentage depends on your abilities of negotiation and positioning yourself in the employees market.

When reaching out to someone who might be willing to install you as a cog in their larger machine since you are unwilling or unable to create your own, you have to convince that entrepreneur or enterprise that you will fit in their machine, that when they install you, you will not clog up the machine with useless nonsense.

So two things here - you have to convince them that you fit in their machine and then you actually have to fit in a way that makes the machine work well, hopefully better than it worked without you.

E. If you are lucky enough to be born in a family that is wealthy enough that money self perpetuates and you do not have to suck the life out of anyone else working hard to eek a living in order to freely eat and sustain yourself, that is when it would be wonderful if you set out to make the world a better place with your own unique skills and talents, in this case you still have to do all of your own marketing or share some of your money with people who would do marketing for you.


There are no other options, no one will give you bread for nothing.... well actually they will, it's called a soup kitchen, as long as you are sober you can get some soup.
This video, so much drivel, makes it sound like the people running their businesses owe you a job... like there should be a mommy or a teacher assigning homework to you in exchange for food and where you may or may not have to submit your homework and magically you will still get fed. This is not so!

It is up to you which option above you choose... E. chooses you but the others are there for the taking. If you want food then you have to choose one of the above options, if you choose for someone else to do the marketing for product or service for you and to do some tasks for them in exchange for some money you still have the responsibility to convince them that you are the right choice, with whatever means available. Why would you whine like a little child because you have to market and sell yourself? if you are not into marketing a service or a product on a daily basis, market yourself once, get someone to give you money twice a month and be happy with your choice. It is always a choice. There has never been a magical fairy with a silver tray distributing food.

Remember your humanity.

 


Why isn't it OK to be emotional in our society? Let me tell you about a couple of recent experiences that gave me food for thought. Emotions. Expressing emotions is so difficult. Embarrassing. Uncomfortable. Why?

Anger... well anger is complex and can be scary... but what about fear, apprehension, shock? 

It's ok to feel strong emotions while meeting a baby, smelling a rose, or eating a cookie. That is fine. 

The other day, I exclaimed in fear because of an earthquake while I was on a call.  The other person quickly got off the call and it left me feeling embarrassed. I mean, it wasn't a small earthquake... 5 point something. Should I have kept my mouth shut? Did I just lose an opportunity because of an earthquake?

Why does the startled person feel embarrassed? Why does the other person seem to be uncomfortable with the outburst? Why are we not comfortable expressing in our society?

Another time, a giant bug landed on me. Normally I am not afraid of bugs but I did have a bad bite recently. Also, it was dusk and the bug was half the size of my hand. I exclaimed in surprise and yes, fear. I didn't cry or run off. I exclaimed and stood up, I shook the bug off and sat back down. Startled, I exclaimed loudly. Everyone at the table seemed uncomfortable... No one at the table asked me if I was ok. Why?

Our job as humans is to care. Wouldn't we naturally want to elevate the other humans?  If someone is scared, for any reason, why not reach out a supporting hand? (Yes, even if it is only their imagination.)  Just a couple of words, a small gesture, can bring you so much closer to your own humanity. 

An earthquake? why not ask: are you feeling ok? Was it scary? Do you want to talk later? Don't worry, I can relate. It can be so scary when the weather is unpredictable. I can relate. 

A bug or even a phantom startles a person? Why not express care? why pretend it is embarrassing to be startled? Wow, that was a big one. You ok? I get it, I probably would have jumped too if something that big landed on me. 

------

What happened to our society ? Why has expressing the 'soft' side has become unacceptable or even offensive? Does it even make sense to pretend that you are not scared, startled or shocked. Why would you need to? 


Let's remember our humanity people.  

Sunday, July 3, 2022

Perypetie wycieczki nad morze w Meksyku

 




W ubiegły weekend kupiliśmy auto. Jeep Liberty. Wspaniałe auto na jeżdżenie po Meksyku... bo tutaj nigdy bez przygód się nie obejdzie. Nawet prosta wycieczka do sklepu wymaga unikania dziur w szosie, zwalnianie na progi zwalniające... których jest tu od gromu bo każde domostwo może sobie taki postawić jak chce, czasami są trzy pod rząd. A i zazwyczaj są tez  inne atrakcje...

Zachód słońca nad morzem... wycieczka 10 minutowa... co mogłoby się zdarzyć na tak krótkim odcinku... no morze w Kanadzie jakiś dom na kolkach by przejechał bo oni czasami tak robią... ale tam zazwyczaj wszystko jest porządne i zapięte na ostatni guzik a nawet linie namalowane tam gdzie trzeba. 

W Meksyku jest inaczej. Bardziej dziko... bardziej średniowiecznie (ze wszelakimi nowoczesnymi wygodami jak w każdym innym kraju). 

Jedziemy na plażę. Najpierw jest normalna ulica która bliżej plaży zmienia się na drogę ubitą jak na zdjęciu. To wszystko jest normalne. 

Co nie jest normalne to te wszystkie inne ewenementy które dzisiaj na tej drodze uświadczyłam:

3 niemowlęta na motocyklach* 
15 dzieci poniżej 8 roku życia na motocyklach bez kasków
27 dzieci w otwartych ciężarówkach (niektóre miały kierowcę po piwku)
W jednej ciężarowce było z 20 osób z tylu
3 motocykle  bez żadnych świateł po ciemku
3  nieoświetlone rowery, jeden jechał pod prąd prosto na mnie... musiałam ustąpić, tzn wjechać pod prąd. 

Poza tym:
15 krów
7 koni i 1 źrebię 
12 kur
1 tłusta świnia
37 psów
1 szop meksykański
1 koza

Większość z tych zwierząt grzecznie zeszła z drogi oprócz psów które pewnie nadal leżą na środku drogi i NIE rusza się nawet wojsko musi objeżdżać je w około. 

Po 1.5 roku, już mnie to nie przeraza, ale teraz jak to wszystko widzę zza kierownicy jednak jest inaczej. Zachód był piękny... nie mieliśmy elektroniki wiec zdjęć brak ale uwierzcie mi na słowo. Było CHŁODNO! rześko i czysto, a ludzi brak na tamtym odcinku plaży. Luna pobiegała za krabami, ale są of niej szybsze i pod piasek się chowają. My popatrzyliśmy na widoczki, trochę chmurno ale naprawdę fajnie i uziemiająco. 



* Niemowlęta nie prowadziły pojazdów. Były trzymane przez kogoś na reku w normalnym kostiumie ochronnym typu: podkoszulka i pielucha. Najlepsza była pani co z niemowlakiem na rekach przyjechała do sklepiku SAMA po szosie... ale to było wcześniej... 
 




Saturday, July 11, 2020

The miraculous superpowers of Baking Soda

When To Use Baking Soda And When To Use Baking Powder - Simplemost

Sodium Bicarbonate aka Bicarb aka Baking Soda (NaHCO₃).... depending on where in the English speaking world you live in, it goes by different names. 

This magical powder has literally hundreds of uses both personal and industrial. 

First, let's talk about his bully of a cousin, Washing Soda. Make sure you don't ever confuse Baking Soda with Washing Soda... while related they do not have the same applications. Much the same as Michael Angelo and Bob's Painters do not have the same applications. 

Washing Soda is more powerful and a lot more caustic. 

Washing Soda aka Soda Ash aka Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3) is very basic... as opposed to acidic that is (look in the PS down below for a detailed explanation of acids vs bases). 

It is able to burn, destroy and damage organic tissue. It is NOT edible and can damage eyes and skin. It is made simply by baking Baking Soda at a specific temperature for a specific time. This process turns simple, healthy Baking Soda into a mad abrasive cleaner that can actually scratch surfaces.

Usually, it is best to use bases to clean acid stains and most household stains are acidic. Baking Soda has the pH of 8 and Washing Soda is all the way up to 11 pH.

Washing soda is better at dissolving grease, but also at dissolving your skin, so be careful. It is also an honored member of many laundry powder recipes... but not too much, because it's a bully of a cleaner and can damage delicate fabrics. 

The whole cleaning game hinges on the pH of the water. You want to raise the pH a little but not too much because then things just slide around and you are left with a grimy film on everything you are trying to wash. 

Use Washing Soda for sturdy surfaces that need deep cleaning and will not be damaged (also, are not absorbent). Use Baking Soda for cleaning around children and natural surfaces. Baking Soda is a great all-around cleaner, I have a shaker filled with it near my sink in case a frying pan or the counter need extra scrubbing action (when I want the action to be antibacterial I add a few dashes of rubbing alcohol on my cloth).

There is more.... You can use Baking Soda as:

A carpet deodorizer - when you mix some baking soda with a few drops of essential oils and sprinkle it all over the carpet a few minutes before vacuuming. 

A deep body or teeth scrub - mix baking soda with some salt and oil to make a paste - it can be liquid coconut oil, olive oil or any other oil that is edible - use as a whitening scrub on your toothbrush or use it on your skin in the bath. (Why edible? Because your skin is your biggest organ and you should try not to put things on there that are not edible... with soap being an exception for some people. All soaps are not created equal either, find one that is non-toxic to protect your body from long term damage.) 

*** WARNING *** 

Every time you use oil in the bath make sure to wash the bathtub as it can make your tub ultra slippery and that can be like a trap to your housemates.

***

 A baking additive to add volume to cakes, pancakes, and waffles - use in conjunction with an acid to activate (ie. Add lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, etc to activate the bubble forming magic of Baking Soda).

 pH adjuster and effervescent - in some industrial food applications, it is used as a  pH adjuster or effervescent for products like instant noodles, soft drinks and energy drinks. Even some crackers and potato chips have it added as a balancer of acidity. 

According to IHS Markit, it is used in the following industries:
  • Animal feed
  • Food
  • Hemodialysis
  • Chemicals
  • Cleaning products
  • Flue gas desulfurization
  • Water treatment
  • Pharmaceuticals and personal care
  • Blast media
  • Fire extinguishers
 Heartburn remedy... yes! Acid reflux is a pain, but put down your aluminum filled tablets. Baking Soda is a one ingredient solution that has no side effects. 

 We mentioned the tooth scrub, which is what I use for my teeth, but for deeper cleaning, you may also want to mix up your own alcohol-free mouthwash using salt and baking soda for their antibacterial action.

This mouthwash will also assist in getting rid of canker sores and other mouth infections. 

 Air freshener - yes! Baking Soda absorbs odours... odours in your fridge, odours in your shoes and odours in your car. It is a safe and effective alternative to scary commercial air fresheners and it can always be mixed with essential oils for an extra boost of scent at the right time. 

 A fruit wash. Some people use vinegar but you can also use baking soda to wash your fruits and veggies and remove any nasty residue that might be left on the skins of your favourites. 

One study found that soaking fruit in a solution of Baking Soda for 12-15 min removed nearly all traces of pesticide. 

There are hundreds more uses but I will leave you with these most common ones... maybe if you find something else that you do with Baking Soda that is amazingly life changing do drop me a comment or send me an email so that I can also improve my life with your invention. 

Agnieszka 





PS. Let's talk for a minute about the concept of bases vs acids. 

One of the source articles from Bren I used for this report has this explained perfectly well, so I will just copy her explanation here while linking the original article here



PH LEVELS AND CLEANING

We have to step back to high school chemistry class to continue examining the difference between baking soda and washing soda. Remember the pH scale?

The pH scale is used to determine if a liquid is acidic, basic, or neutral. 

The scale runs from 0 to 14, the center of the scale is neutral (number 7).

Solutions from 0-6 on the scale are acidic.

Solutions from 8-14 are basic.

The further away from 7 you move on the scale, the more intense the acid or base.

Substances at the ends of the scale are caustic (able to destroy organic materials/cause chemical burns). For example, battery acid has a pH of 0 and drain cleaner has a pH of 14.
Each whole pH value is ten times more powerful than the next whole value. For example, pH 10 is ten times more alkaline than pH 9 and 100 times more alkaline than pH 8.
When a base is added to an acid (or an acid added to a base), the solution moves toward the middle of the pH scale as it is partially or fully neutralized.

Monday, March 11, 2019

Captain Franklin Chronicles 8 - Bosom Mate Evenson Log



Day 91

After only a few days aboard of the Autonomous Schooner it seems we have been here forever. It is astonishing how quickly does a person get used to having a full belly and a warm cot to sleep upon. 

Captain Franklin Chronicles 7 - Captain's Log


Captain's Log

Day 87



The Palermo long gone, dreams of sandy beaches in the last remaining western colony vanished. This, is what Bosom Mate Evenson and I have to contend with.


Household Alchemy - Cutting corners and eliminating chemicals in your household


Here in North America we live in a "nanny society." Everything we do and everything we use must be vetted by the appropriate governmental body and approved by the correct board.

It wasn't always this way.