goodbye 2006
Sunday, December 31, 2006

Although the past two months of 2006 have been hard, there have also been good moments, so here is to 2006, thank you and goodbye! A few 'highlights' (no 'Sunday paper' glossies avail, so please imagine in vivid colour:)

  • Birthday Tea at The Lanesborough
  • Holiday in Dominican Republic
  • Studying essential oils in Les Labradours, France
  • Playing Julie Jordan in Carousel
  • Herbalism weekend with Christopher Headley (Gandalf) in Dorset
  • Moving into our lovely garden flat and having friends around for dinner on the patio
  • A perfect, hot day at the beach in Vessegeburo, Sweden
  • Hiking in the Swiss Alps
  • Taking Carcinocin after the hell month of too much work and suddenly making more friends and arranging party evenings
  • Starting Kung Fu
  • Simon leaving the apartment and separation
  • Everyone at work and friends being amazingly supportive
  • Reaching out and reaching in
  • Walking on the beach at Slapton Ley, Devon, on Boxing Day
  • Synergy New Years Eve Party...

Posted byKarma at Sunday, December 31, 2006 0 comments  

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day by day
Sunday, December 3, 2006

The last post turned out to be a big, big turning point. I have spent a lot of time lately feeling alternatively extremely challenged and inspired,and wanted to post some of the web sites which I have found. I have not had a TV for nearly 6 months now, and do miss the amazing BBC nature programmes, but there is so much amazing TV on the web, and the best bit is that I choose what I'd like to watch! I am finding it a great way to begin to pick up on the vast amount of information on 'green issues' such as ethical (and safe!)consumerism. I decided to check out Sam Suds cartoon at pvcfree.org for a start!

Posted byKarma at Sunday, December 03, 2006 0 comments  

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mrowrumph
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

this is how I feel today. I got it from mycathatesyou.

Posted byKarma at Tuesday, November 28, 2006 0 comments  

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blah blah
Thursday, November 16, 2006

Alcohol is evil. For me, that is... Wish I could just get lightly pissed (or even totally drunk) like normal people and enjoy it. But no, I get all stressed out and feel ill and hate everyone and am all criticalness.

Mind, I started the day in a shitty mood. I blame the potatoes. They are evil too (not as evil as alcohol, but nearly). Had a bunch of potatoes with dinner Tuesday eve and then had a million dreams Tuesday eve and woke up feeling like I'd been run over several times by a huge sofa. Work was a bit of a blur, those days where you feel like you have a million things to do, so you go and get coffee from the supermarket and rice milk from the health food store and by the time you've made it and drunk it, it's lunchtime, and hardly anything's gotten done.

I had an appointment after work with a 'laser-cosmetic surgery nurse' at some posh spa in Elmer's End to ask about having my legs done (preferably bikini line down). Yah, its for vanity, but also because if I don't shave (my calves, I hardly bother with my thighs) with a new razor or do it too quickly the hairs ingrow and itch like hell a couple of days later. Well, at 6min treatments for £500 a pop, its out of my league. At some point I will probably be able to afford it, but by that time I will probably be too old to care. Wish sometimes I'd gone for the money option over the love option.

But that's probably the evil, critical wine and dark chocolate dessert hangover talking. Best to get off to sleep before I do too much mental damage.

Posted byKarma at Thursday, November 16, 2006 0 comments  

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catbus
Thursday, November 2, 2006

I recently watched My Neighbour Totoro again. I just love the concept of the catbus. Did you know that in Japan, if cats are old and wizened, they are thought to possess magical, shape-shifting powers. So this cat decided to become a bus! Wouldn't this be a great way to encourage using public transport?!

Posted byKarma at Thursday, November 02, 2006 0 comments  

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peeps
Saturday, October 28, 2006

Remember Peeps? This entry at Chocolate Obsession is hilarious...

Posted byKarma at Saturday, October 28, 2006 0 comments  

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an auspicious day
Tuesday, October 17, 2006

As of today, I have been in the UK for 7 years. Strange, I would never have guessed I would be living here this long. I am still very undecided about this place. When I first arrived, I was shocked at the difference in the standard of living between here and the US. There are many things that I miss:

  • My lovely friends in the US
  • Taquerias for fantastic, healthy, cheap take-away
  • Jamba Juice, or other smoothie places
  • Cafes that are open late and NOT Starbucks
  • The beach and the sea on my doorstep
  • The sun - although global warming has favoured south east England’s climate this summer and autumn
  • The openness and friendliness and easiness of making new friends in California
  • Cheap gas (this has changed), cheap rent (this also)
But then there are things that I only first experienced here in the UK:
  • Warm days in the summer with lush greenness everywhere
  • Letting go of the need to identify myself with an ‘ache/pain’ or a daily ‘drama’ and just being present in the moment
  • Not feeling that I need to be beautiful or look put together all the time (still working on this)
  • News media that is much more free speech than in the US (although I hardly follow news, it is still mostly alarmist and depressing here)
  • Meeting people who are really into issues such as organics and sustainability, although I work in a different industry than I did in the US
  • Actually, perhaps these things were always present around me in the US and I wasn’t ready/able to notice them before?
Things I worry about returning, and/or don’t want to be influenced by:
  • Obsession with money and identification by what car you drive, what your career is, your house, etc (my american friends weren’t like this, but the general overall energy affected me and I would obsess on wanting more ‘stuff’ - I still ‘daydream/shop’ but much, much less)
  • George W Bush - why do I hate him so? I dont know him personally, but he has done so many hurtful, careless, selfish things and so many have suffered/died because of his administration
  • I worry I will be drawn into my parents ‘script’ if I live closer to them, yet in so many ways I love and understand them and celebrate who they choose to be without trying to fix them (tho sometimes I cant help but try to suggest my ideas)
  • What if I cant find a job and suffer financially? Although this has never been a problem. I just want the same job or similar to what I do now, but for a slightly better standard of living (one more bedroom, and a cat or two
  • I think if I really look at what I’ve written, it seems that I would rather live in the US. There is a chance of possibly moving with my company, but the date is uncertain, possibly the next year or two. I guess it would be better to come post Bush anyway...

Posted byKarma at Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1 comments  

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musical exploration
Friday, September 29, 2006

Bought my first Carpenters CD today! She has such a fantastic voice, so rich and such amazing legato and breath control! They had real singers back then. I was just a kid in the 70s but remember quite a few of the songs, and they are all so positive and 'feel good'. What is your favourite Carpenter's song?

Posted byKarma at Friday, September 29, 2006 3 comments  

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whirr... whirr
Friday, September 8, 2006

I bought a sewing machine today! It is still in the box. I am a bit scared of it. One of my colleagues at work says she will show me how to thread it. I havent tried to thread a machine in over 25 years - I think I knew how to, once. I have wanted to do something creative that is not singing for a few years now and I keep looking at sewing classes each autumn and spring and now that I am fed up with my job (working too damn much lately and it finally wore me down) I really need something to 'switch off' with (that doesn't damage my liver or blood sugar levels ;) ). I have been trying to get through to Morley college, in hopes of signing up for a Monday class, which starts week after next. Must get some scrap fabric to play with...

Posted byKarma at Friday, September 08, 2006 0 comments  

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Posted byKarma at Saturday, September 02, 2006  

the hills were alive
Monday, August 21, 2006

I can now play Maria in Sound of Music because I have been there. We had a lovely holiday in Switzerland, hiking in the mountains and breathing the fresh clear air!

Posted byKarma at Monday, August 21, 2006 0 comments  

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more stuff on my cat
Monday, July 31, 2006

I must link this website onto my blog. I just love stuffonmycat.com

Posted byKarma at Monday, July 31, 2006 0 comments  

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lazy sunday
Sunday, July 16, 2006

Hurrah! The first Sunday we have had off together since probably Easter. I love lazy Sundays. The weather is gorgeous, Ive just sent my hubby off to get some eggs and the paper and I am looking forward to brunch in the garden.

My life the past month (I am one of these lazy 'monthly' bloggers) has been blissfully domestic. After over 5 years in the South of England living as a lodger and being a student, I have a 5 day a week job with people I enjoy working with and products I passionately believe in, and a sweet little apartment with a garden and a kitchen all my own...

The only thing missing is a little thing to raise and nurture (aside from my spoiled husband).

Hmmmm, what shall it be, a kitten, or a child?

Posted byKarma at Sunday, July 16, 2006 1 comments  

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help with rose songs
Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I am doing a presentation on roses in a few weeks and have been all over the web trying to find a few classical songs or early musical theatre/parlour songs about roses. I am not too fond of 'The Last Rose of Summer', I like the few Quilter songs I have found but am not sure if they fit. I know a couple of Schumann songs (Meine Rose), I wish I could find more in English, or an American folk song or musical song! Any ideas?

Posted byKarma at Wednesday, June 21, 2006 1 comments  

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help with rose songs

I am doing a presentation on roses in a few weeks and have been all over the web trying to find a few classical songs or early musical theatre/parlour songs about roses. I am not too fond of 'The Last Rose of Summer', I like the few Quilter songs I have found but am not sure if they fit. I know a couple of Schumann songs (Meine Rose), I wish I could find more in English, or an American folk song or musical song! Any ideas?

Posted byKarma at Wednesday, June 21, 2006 0 comments  

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moving!
Wednesday, May 17, 2006

We are moving to a lovely little conversion flat with a patio and garden on June 1st. The garden is shared with the other 3 tenants but the patio is ours, and I have been obsessing about pot plants. I have never had my own garden/patio and this is my first experience (aside from a token house plant) to grow things. I checked about 6 books out of the library and so far, my favourite combination is a spiky red australian palm contrasted with the soft silver leaves of lemon liquorice and bright pink african daisies.

I will also grow some herbs, just trying to find out which are the most hardy for the english climate!

Posted byKarma at Wednesday, May 17, 2006 1 comments  

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who thinks of these things
Friday, April 21, 2006

You must check out this site. Hilarious.

Posted byKarma at Friday, April 21, 2006 0 comments  

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easter naturally
Sunday, April 16, 2006

Today we had pre-dyed easter eggs at my in-laws. How lazy is that? To not even take the time to dye the eggs, which is most of the fun (aside from the hiding, we just hid the chocolate eggs instead). But surfing around this evening, I have made plans for next easter and how to dye my eggs properly. Did you know the pre-bought dyes are carcinogenic? No surprise, really. But you do have a choice.

Check this great site out.

Posted byKarma at Sunday, April 16, 2006 0 comments  

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Mozartballs
Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Imagine my surprise and excitement to find a DVD of Mozartballs when I got home last evening! My partner and I watched it straight away, and I rode a few emotional roller coasters seeing Steph and Lynette in the film, especially in the light of having visited them and spoken about the filming experience just after finishing shooting in Vienna last Autumn. Wow. My only wish was to have had the film be entirely about them! (although the other 3 people had interesting perspectives). I have only watched it once (so far...)

Posted byKarma at Wednesday, March 22, 2006 2 comments  

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movin' on up
Thursday, March 2, 2006

Yay, just got a sweet new car! Our first car (see Monday entry below) was damaged while parked, which turned out to be a blessing, because it was just too big for me to drive on the tiny UK neighborhood roads. The insurance company was thankfully completely disorganised and took ages to sort out having the Monday looked at and finally written off, but during all this time we had a free new rental car for well over a month. The rental car was a Vauxhall Corsa and I loved it, and felt much more secure driving it as it was smaller. So I found this sweet girl (it is definitely a girl) on Autotrader. She is a Sport version too, and has a spunky little growl...

Posted byKarma at Thursday, March 02, 2006 3 comments  

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eyebright update
Sunday, February 19, 2006

I have been putting drops of eyebright tea into my eyes for 3 days now, plus drinking a bit of the tea, and I wore my contact lenses for the first time today. When I first put them in this morning I felt a bit sick, like the lenses were too strong for my eyes! I have heard that eyebright can improve your vision, but in 3 days?? I seemed to get used to it after a while, and my contact lenses did not hurt at all, and have felt fine all day!

Posted byKarma at Sunday, February 19, 2006 2 comments  

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blintz heaven

Sometimes you just cook such an amazing dish that you have to brag about it. Well, there is a new organic bio live yogurt flavour - coconut, and it is greek style too, so really thick and creamy (but not full of sugar like fruit yogurts!) and I don't digest cheese and ice cream well but live yogurt is fine, so.... this morning I made blintzes. They were my favourite sweet breakfast as a child and my health conscious, moderately sweet-toothed adult palate loved my grown-up version:

  • make a dozen or so french crepes (using 200g flour, 2 eggs, rice milk, 100g melted butter and a bit of sugar)
  • fill the hot crepe with a generous dollop of coconut yogurt, st dalfour blueberry preserves (no sugar and NO evil aspartame/sugar substitute), sliced blackberries and/or sliced bananas)
  • roll/fold into your preferred shape and enjoy!

Posted byKarma at Sunday, February 19, 2006 0 comments  

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eyebright
Wednesday, February 15, 2006

My eyes have really been hurting lately. I know that I wear my contact lenses too much but they don't usually irritate this much. After about a week of real discomfort in the afternoons, it dawned on me that I could of course treat my eyes with eyebright (euphrasia) herb, as I sell it nearly every other day in the shop!

I made some weak tea with dried eyebright herb and washed my eyes with it. They felt much better straight away, and I plan to use it for a few days (and try to wear my glasses) and let you know how it goes. The dried herb looks like little black sticks, nothing like the pretty flowers in the picture! Here is some blurb on what eyebright does:

Eyebright tightens the mucous membranes of the eye and appears to relieve the inflammation of conjunctivitis and blepharitis. Its ability to counter catarrh means that it is often used for infectious and allergic conditions affecting the eyes, middle ear, sinuses and nasal passages.

The whole plant is anti-inflammatory, astringent, digestive, ophthalmic and slightly tonic. It is taken internally in the treatment of catarrh, sinusitis, hay fever, upper respiratory tract infections etc. As an ophthalmic, an infusion of the plant can be taken internally or used as an eye wash.

Posted byKarma at Wednesday, February 15, 2006 0 comments  

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plant friends
Friday, February 10, 2006

Went to Kew Gardens today with my Natural Medicine Course. It was great. I've been there two or three times and usually wander around aimlessly smelling and enjoying the colours of plants but today I really felt more connected. It is winter, so we looked at the pine and cedar trees (I have always loved pine and cedar trees), and then our guide pointed out a witch hazel tree - who would have known that witch hazel has beautiful bright yellow flowers! It was lovely to make a connection between a live tree and a product that I sell in my shop (witch haze is a skin toner, also you can put some on cotton wool and it is very cooling and soothing, try placing it over tired eyes!). I have never had an interest before in growing anything aside from a house plant but the idea of growing herbs in the garden really is starting to appeal to me. I am going to start with chamomile very soon, as I have chosen it is my plant study for this course. I absolutely love chamomile - it has such a cheeky, happy spirit!

Posted byKarma at Friday, February 10, 2006 1 comments  

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new show
Thursday, January 26, 2006

Great News! I just got the role of Julie Jordan in Carousel. My first American musical - funny, I've always done G&S or opera (or Brecht/Weil). Have a look at the West Wickham Operatic Society website. Very exciting...

Posted byKarma at Thursday, January 26, 2006 2 comments  

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happy birthday
Monday, January 2, 2006

Today for my birthday we went to tea at The Lanesborough. We had been there once before, for our first anniversary, and it was lovely as always. I much prefer it to the Ritz, because at the Ritz they only allow you one hour and here you can linger as long as you like, and the service and tea are delicious! We then went to Foyle's bookstore in Charing Cross road. I have really been struggling to find a good page turner fiction book, but could not find something I wanted! I don't really want a romance, or a book where one describes some great strife... I want something like Life of Pi, or Phillip Pullman's trilogy, or Harry Potter.... basically good prose style, a positive/uplifting story, with a positive ending... Any suggestions?

Posted byKarma at Monday, January 02, 2006 2 comments  

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