Day 146 of 365 and a flower series February 9, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Food 365, Photo 365.Tags: flower photography, orchid, Photography
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Here’s a series of photos from a new orchid we bought. I’m posting the “best” of this series on SMAK.
This last one is today’s food photo. Soup, celery and cucumber. I always put an egg in a cream of mushroom soup ^_^ for fun.
Day 144 of 365 February 7, 2010
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The newest plan is to go to sleep by 10/10:30 every day, which means getting off the computer/TV at 9:30 every day. Wow! The big benefit of this plan is that I have more morning time, which means better lighted pictures ^_^ yay.
Lazy morning toes
Day 143 of 365, Bright Star and Metabolic Typing February 6, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Food 365, Photo 365, Randoms.Tags: Bright Star, Chek system, metabolic typing, movie review, Paul Chek
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I watched a movie called Bright Star today, about John Keats. It’s a period love story and is just so very true and real and charming. There are moments of pure joy and pure misery; it was poetry on the screen. The textures, the costumes, the lighting.. all scream Romantic Era… but it wasn’t sentimental. The film drew out all the emotions and intricacies of being alive – no matter where or when you live. If you like period pieces or biographical pieces, this would be for you. Great great great film.
“I still do not know how to work out a poem.”
“A poem needs understanding through the senses. The point of diving in a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore, but to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of the water. You do not work the lake out. It is an experience beyond thought. Poetry soothes and emboldens the soul to accept mystery.”
“I love mystery.”
I met up with my Chek Lifestyle Coach today and we were talking about eating and things like that. I find eating healthily and with great joy very difficult. I never have both. It’s always either healthy or it’s fun… which is awful, don’t you think? So I’ve decided to try a little experiment: have a bit of fun with my protein aspect of my meals, draw a visual line on my plate, and take a picture of it.
Meatballs and a yummy salad. I find the fat of the avocado is all the dressing I need.
This is because my metabolic type is mixed, which means I should eat approximately equal amounts of protein and carbs. I wrote about it for the first time 2 weeks ago (Link). I had a friend questioning the idea of metabolic typing the other day. The basis of metabolic typing is that everyone eats differently and what fuels and charges one person drags down another. This makes sense to me because I’ve struggled with eating what other people think I should be eating my entire adult life, so being told I’m not crazy and that maybe those people don’t really know me as well as I do is a big relief. If you have more questions, you can look up Paul Chek, the originator of this system. Here’s a video.
Day 142 of 365 February 6, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Food 365, Photo 365, Randoms.Tags: Photography
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There’s something macabre about today’s photos: the balloon-like head of a half-finished animal and a butchered tomato.
I like being macabre because it doesn’t really suit my personality. Don’t you think it’s important to surprise people sometimes?
“Love withers with predictability; its very essence is surprise and amazement. To make love a prisoner of the mundane is to take its passion and lose it forever.”
- Leo F. Buscaglia
Day 141 of 365 February 4, 2010
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If I was a man I would definitely grow a beard because I am way too lazy to maintain a clean-shaven face. That’s what I think. Although I’m Chinese so that might have been irrelevant.
I was playing with Photoshop Elements today. ^_^ ‘Sfun.
Day 140 of 365 February 3, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Food 365, Photo 365, Photography, Randoms.Tags: community, inspiration, Photography, winter, writing
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The drab and gorgeous fall of snow on the cars in an outdoor mall, the coos and rustlings of pigeons on the roof of the grocery store, the illuminated edge of a twilight cloud… some things can’t be captured with the camera’s eye. Only with the mind’s eye. Or with words. This morning I woke up and there was ice on my car. The scrape scrape nudge of the ice scraper over the windshield, prying up the ice in nice little chips, is satisfying and comfortable manual labour. As I was scraping happily away, a cardinal began to chirrup in the pine tree overhead, the sky became a hazy bubblegum pink and I felt my cares lifting away. But then work started and it was all madness ^_^ but at least mornings can be good!
Do you see what I see?
Today I was frustrated by the limitations of my camera’s eye, and I thought how much better to be a wordsmith to express myself clearly and without question. To reach other people’s hearts with my true message would be wonderful. But even with words there are so many misunderstandings. It’s a miracle that anyone can see and understand another person at all, really. The problem of communication as communion is probably one of the driving forces behind my photography, my writing… my crafting.. my anything ^_^ To understand and to be understood is truly heavenly.
Sorry for the less than sublime food photo... actually quite a delicious turkey and prosciutto on naan
Day 139 of 365 February 2, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Uncategorized.add a comment
Sorry, but I was occupied today.
The Yorkdale Chapters Starbucks is the most organized one I've ever been in. Is that a weird reason to be a fan?
A chip. Bad me.
Day 138 of 365 and Monkey Amigurumi pattern February 1, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in Food 365, Photo 365, crafts.Tags: Amigurumi, monkey, pattern
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The sky was blown-out and pale, like the desert or the Arctic.
It felt so good to be outside, but in the end I spent a lot of time reading and making amigurumi. Here’s the one I made today, though unfinished. He will have a fez and vest later ^_^. Cute!
Since I adjusted some patterns, here it is:
Monkey Amigurumi
What you need
- Brown wool
- Tan and pink felt
- Tapestry needle and regular needle
- Crochet hook (G/6)
- Pink and black thread/embroidery thread
- Stuffing
- Eyes (I used two black beads)
Pattern
HEAD
R1: Ch 2, 6sc in the 2nd ch from the hook
R2: Sc 2 in each sc around (12 sts)
R3: *Sc 1, 2sc in next sc* 6 times (18 sts)
R4: *Sc2, 2sc in next sc* 6 times (24 sts)
R5: *Sc3, 2sc in next sc* 6 times (30 sts)
R6-R13: Work even (30 sc per row)
R14: *Sc3, dec 1* 6 times (24 sts)
R15: *Sc2, dec 1* 6 times (18 sts)
Work on face: One big oval for the mouth area, 2 pink circles for cheeks and 2 smaller tan circles for eyes. Blanket stitch felt onto the face, with oval over the rows 6-11. Sew in beads.
Stuff the head
R16: *Sc1, dec 1* 6 times (12 sts)
R17: *Skip 1, sc1* 6 times (6 sts)
Fasten off and weave the end in with tapestry needle.
BODY
R1: Ch 2, 6sc in the 2nd ch from the hook
R2: Sc 2 in each sc around (12 sts)
R3: *Sc 1, 2sc in next sc* 6 times (18 sts)
R4-R9: Work even (18 sc per row)
Stuff the body. Fasten off with a nice long tail and sew onto head.
ARMS (Make two)
R1: Ch 2, 6sc in the 2nd ch from the hook
R2-R5: Work even (6 sc)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew right between the head and the body.
LEGS (Make two)
R1: Ch 2, 6sc in the 2nd ch from the hook
R2-R7: Work even (6 sc)
Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew a few rows above the bottom of the body.
TAIL
Attach yarn to middle bottom of body. Ch 20.
EARS (Make two)
Make a magic ring and ch 2, 5 dc then fasten off with a long tail. Sew onto the head towards the bottom.
O sorry this is random food picture... it's sea salt on mayonnaise lol
Crafting Returns February 1, 2010
Posted by pikapika20 in crafts.Tags: Amigurumi
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My friend inspired me to try making Amigurumi, which are little crocheted animals (and fruit… fungi… etc). They’re really adorable, and fun and easy to make. Not quite as quick to make as a little handsewn doll, but equally fun ^_^ Wikipedia says that the “pervading aesthetic of amigurumi is cuteness” which it is. If you’re not into cuteness, then you’ve probably abandoned my blog some time ago. But be prepared for the future!
Here’s a fun pattern for a Jellyfish Amigurumi, my first attempt.
If you don’t know how to crochet, btw, then you should learn! It’s easy and fun ^_^
