Of Tea and Turtles

New Beginnings

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:17:00 +0000

As a result of some person issues I've been unable to write for a while. I've also put on some weight and lost muscle. Not working out, and eating quick meals will do that to you ;-)
I've been really dreading starting to work out again. It's been on mind for days, yet I just couldn't seem to find the motivation to start.

This afternoon I figured, I'll just start small. I went for a 30 min walk, then started riding the exercise bike for 10 minutes. The 10 minutes soon turned to 20, I was feeling really good. In the end I managed to do a short weight routine, and a bit of work on the fit ball.

I feel more energized than I have for months, it's awesome. I love how working out can make you feel so alive, even though your tired and sore. I'm so glad that I've started again, I'm not going to rush things though, the last thing I want is to hurt myself and have to stop again. I just want to feel fit and healthy once more.

The hardest thing is finding the motivation to start. This is the same for most things in life, just finding the strength in yourself to start, no matter what it is you want to do. Once you start it's easy, once you start it's hard to stop.

Protein and You

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:13:00 +0000

When I first started lifting weights, my fiancé and I talked about taking protein supplements, and we decided to try it out for a while. Although I'd never had the need to try supplements before my partner had and he had noticed a benefit. So after a bit of research, and experimentation we found a supplement that suited our needs.

We tried it out for a few months, it was very expensive and although I noticed results at first, things dramatically changed when our diet did. At first I noticed that my muscles weren't as achy after a workout and I felt much more energised and active.

Over these few months our diet dramatically changed, we added many more protein rich foods, and cut out a lot of carbohydrates, and fats. All of a sudden the energised feeling I was getting from the protein developed into a more tired, bloated feeling.

Once we stopped the supplements and concentrated on getting enough protein from out diet this feeling subsided. Not only do I feel better now, but my fiancé and I have noticed a dramatic difference in fat loss and muscle gain. I'm sure that now that we are getting the needed protein from our diet we are much better off.

I've just finished reading an excellent article called: Do You Need To Take Protein Supplements? This article explains the importance of protein and when you need to consume supplements. This is a wonderful read if your interested in getting the most out of your diet and therefore your body.

Growing Sprouts In 6 Easy Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 04:56:00 +0000

A high source of protein and energy, beans are an important part of a healthy diet, especially if you're trying to loose weight. I like to grow sprouts from my beans, they are easy to grow, and make a healthy addition to any salad.

You can sprout many beans including; alfalfa, barley, broccoli, buckwheat, cabbage, fenugreek, garbanzo, green peas, lentils, mung beans, radishes, red clover, wheat, soy beans, sunflowers and more. Make sure that you always purchase beans, which have been packaged for sprouting, no other type will do.

Growing sprouts in a jar
The easiest method is to grow sprouts in a glass jar, any size will do. To provide plenty of fresh air, cover the top of the jar with muslin, cheese cloth or nylon mesh screen and secure with a rubber band. You can also buy specially sprouting lids designed for this purpose.

Step One: Soaking
In a litre jar, put 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of small seeds, and up to 1 cup of larger seeds, like green peas or garbanzor. Cover top of jar with cloth or sprouting lid and rinse the seeds in warm (not hot) water. Drain and refill so that water is about an inch above the seeds. Let the seeds soak 8-12 hours (overnight). Protect from light by covering with a dish towel or placing in a cupboard.

Step Two: Rinsing
Rinse 2 to 3 times per day for 3 to 4 days (depending on the temperature). After thoroughly draining the rinse water, lay the jar on its side to spread out the seeds. Do not expose to light. After 3 to 4 days the sprouts should be filling up the jar. Sometimes I keep doing this for 5 days, it depends on how you like your sprouts, experiment and see what you like.

Step Three: Removing Hulls
After 3 to 4 days the sprouts will have thrown off their hulls. To remove the hulls, place the sprouts in a bowl and run cool water over them. Most of the hulls will either float to the top or sink to the bottom making them easy to remove. (Note: not all seeds have hulls.)

Step Four: Harvesting
Rinse sprouts in cool water and remove any remaining hulls. Drain in a colander, but do not allow the sprouts to dry out. Place in an air-tight bag leaving room for air circulation.

If your sprouts need to develop chlorophyll or carotene there is one final step. (The seed package directions should tell you whether greening is necessary.)

Step Five: Greening
Once the hulls are removed, place the sprouts back into the sprouting jar or into a clear plastic airtight bag. Put the sprouts in indirect sunlight. It takes about a day for the chlorophyll and carotenes to develop. Once the sprouts are ready rinse, drain, and eat, or refrigerate.

Storing:
Sprouts will keep for about a week in the refrigerator if you rinse them once every day or two. Be sure to keep the sprouts from freezing as they are frost sensitive.

6 Sprouting Tips:
If you stick to these tips you'll never go wrong:

Rinse often (2-3 times/day).
Keep them moist, not wet.
Keep them at room temperature.
Give them air to breathe.
Don’t grow too many in one container.
Keep them in a dark place.

Happy Sprouting :-)

Cleaner Than Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:16:00 +0000

I just got a new vacuum cleaner and washing machine, and I can't get over how much difference it has made. My vacuum cleaner died a while ago, and there was no saving it, so I've been making do. However the new vacuum was worth the wait, it is so awesome, it's 2450 Watts so it's pretty powerful, yet it's really tiny and light. It's no effort to use at all, and it's called a Purple Heart, so it suits me to a tea. :-)

The washing machine is amazing, the old one was still working but it had a number of problems. I didn't realise that having a better washing machine would actually clean the cloths better. This is the first nearly new machine I've ever had, so I had no idea. The washing is cleaner, fluffier, and softer than ever, I'm stunned.

I'm so much happier when I'm cleaning now, I feel like I can do the job properly, Woohoo...

Are You An Aspiring Artist?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:58:00 +0000

If you've ever wanted to expand your artistic skills and develop your ideas in an helpful and learning environment perhaps you should cheek out ConceptArt.org.
ConceptArt, are a web based community of artists, whom have created an arena to showcase there work, learn, and meet other artists.

What amazed me was the atmosphere, I felt welcome, and like I could really learn from these people. There are all sorts of artists there, from 15-16 year olds trying to learn there craft to seasoned artists showing there work and helping others.

I like the way they have utilised the forum system in this community, most of the user input is in through the forums. There are different threads for different types of work, e.g. there are Artwork threads like; It's finally Finished, Sketchbooks, Critique Corner, Sketches and works in progress. Then there are activities like, the Challenge Arena, the DSG (Daily Sketch Group), and heaps of education and learning threads. As well as a lounge and information for artists in many different areas, including job listings.

It is amazing to look through the sketchbooks, and witness the progression of learning in some of the work. There are some truly talented people in this world.

If you are interested take your time to look around the site as there is a lot to take in. This is certainly a wonderful place to get some feedback, and learn more about your artistic side. Have fun ;-)

Flowering Fly Traps

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:53:00 +0000

Earlier this month I got a surprise when three green bulbs started growing from stems on my Venus Flytrap. I had no idea what these bony hand like shoots were.
I had no idea that Flytraps flowered, yet as the days went on the bony fingers began to open, and I could see the beginnings of delicate white flowers.

I just skimmed through the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Flytrap, and it turns out that healthy Flytraps flower in spring. It seems that many Flytrap growers trim the flower stems early as flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant. However if flowering occurs, successful pollination will produce dozens of small, shiny black seeds.

Flowering has certainly taken a lot out of my little trappy. The flower steams are around three times as tall as the plant. Each one is thick and fleshy, and dominate the entire plant.
In order to flower, my trappy has gone through about 3 times his normal amount of water, and nearly all of his traps have died off. However the flowers look stunning, and the plant in general looks strong and healthy.

I have really enjoyed watching as my Flytrap has produced these stunning delicate flowers. I'm amazed by the results, and hope he can produce more next year. I can't wait to see the seeds appear, I'm wondering if I plant them would they grow?
I guess there is only one way to find out ;-)

Happy Unbirthday

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 23:29:00 +0000

I've decided once and for all that Unbirthdays are way better than birthdays. It was my birthday yesterday, and it wasn't fun, at all! So I'm all for unbirthdays :-)
At least on unbirthdays I get to celebrate with heaps of other people, rather than alone.
So to everyone who's birthday isn't the 28th November:
A Very Merry Unbirthday to You :-)

Alice in Wonderland (Disney) - Unbirthday Party.

9 Nuts For Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:14:00 +0000

While in the vegetable shop this morning, I brought some roasted nuts. All the way home, I wondered if there were any health benefits to all the nuts and seeds we eat. So I've done a little bit of research and I thought I would share my results with you.

Firstly a nut is a dried fruit with one (sometimes two) seeds, and there are many different types. Nuts can be high in calories and fat, yet they have many health benefits. Eating nuts is believed to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, plus nuts generally have a very low glycemic index (GI), therefore are helpful for patients with insulin resistance problems such as diabetes mellitus type 2.

I wanted to look at the Health benefits of 9 most common Nuts/Seeds, we have here at home:

1. Almonds:

Are believed to induce high intellectual level and longevity.
Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
Are believed to have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.
Contain the amino acid arginine, which inhibits tumour growth and boosts immunity.
Elevate the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.
Lower your risk of heart attack and improve your bone strength.
Per ounce (28.41g) provides: 7.5 milligrams (mg) vitamin E, 75 mg calcium, 81 mg magnesium, 211 mg potassium.

2. Peanuts:

Are also one of the few foods naturally containing Coenzyme Q10, which is present in all human cells and responsible for the production of the body’s own energy.
Are also one of the highest sources of vitamin B3, also called niacin and thus contributes to brain health, brain circulation and blood flow.
Are a rich source of protein: roughly 30 grams per cup after roasting.
Are a significant source of resveratrol, a chemical studied for potential anti-aging effects and also associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and reduced cancer risk.
Are high in antioxidants.
Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.

3. Pecans:

Are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects.
Are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats.
Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
Can lower the risk of gallstones in women.
Contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability.

4. Pine Nuts:

Are a good source of dietary fibre.
Contain (depending on species) between 10–34% of protein, with Stone Pine having the highest content.
Pine nuts can be pressed to extract pine nut oil
Pine Nut Oil:
Boosts appetite suppressors up to 60% for four hours, as well as acting as an appetite suppressant itself.
Can reduce LDLs, yielding further health benefits.
Contains a high concentration of free radical scavengers, which help reduce oxidative damage that can lead to peptic ulcers or gastritis.

5. Walnuts:

Are high in antioxidants and ALA, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Can reduce the damaging effects of unhealthy fats on blood vessels.
Contain ellagic acid: the cancer-fighting polyphenol antioxidant
Help the arteries maintain their elasticity and flexibility
May reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by maintaining amyloid beta protein in the soluble form.

6. Flax or Linseed Seeds:

Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Contain high levels of lignans, which may benefit the heart, possess anti-cancer properties and reduced growth in specific types of tumours.
May benefit individuals with certain types of breast cancer.
May lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.

7. Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas:

Are a good source of iron, zinc, essential fatty acids, potassium, and magnesium.
Are a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, copper, protein, and zinc.
Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Contain high levels of phytosterols, which are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.
One gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk.
Promote prostate health, as components in pumpkin seed oil interrupt the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.

8. Sesame seeds:

Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
Are rich in manganese, copper, and calcium, and contain Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and Vitamin E (tocopherol).
Contain phytosterols, which block cholesterol production.
Contain powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic.
Contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin, which are lignans.
Have been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.
Nutrients are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverised before consumption.

9. Sunflower Seeds:

Additionally, they are rich in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
Are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
Has a Calming affect on your nerves, muscles and blood vessels from the Magnesium.
Has Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Vitamin E.
Selenium helps improved detoxification and cancer prevention.

Remember to eat all foods in moderation, items like nuts are no exception. I find having a mix of different nuts and seeds are handy, they're certainly better than a packet of chips, or a biscuit. There are some health concerns when eating nuts, if you would like to know more about these please see: Health Benefits and Concerns for Nuts and Seeds.

Serving Suggestions:
You can add your nuts to many dishes, here are a few serving suggestions for you:

Add chopped nuts and seeds to your favourite hot or cold cereal.
Add nuts and seeds to your favourite tuna, chicken or turkey salad recipe.
Add your nuts and seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables.
Add your nuts and seeds to your oatmeal raisin cookie, bread or granola recipe.
Grind your nuts and seeds with fresh garlic, parsley and cilantro leaves. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice for a tasty salad dressing.
Next time you make burgers, whether it be from vegetables, turkey or beef, add some ground nuts and seeds.
Sprinkle your nuts and seeds on top of mixed green salads.

Have Fun, Stay Healthy :-)

It's Important to Stretch

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 07:35:00 +0000

I talked last night about the importance of warming up and cooling down when working out, strength training.

Stretching is not the only type of warm up, cool down activity that you can do. You can ride a bike, walk, jog, or jump rope. Personally I like to jump rope, and use a fitness ball.
However it is important that you stretch as well as one or more of these other exercises. Stretching can help prevent an injury, and post-exercise muscle soreness, as well as improve your range of motion (ROM).

I do the same stretching set before and after a work out. I like to do the set backwards in cool down, to keep me concentrating, and I prefer to go from Lying to Standing before then, Standing to Lying afterwards. Each stretch I do is held for a count of 30, and it's really important to focus on the area your stretching while your stretching it. This seems to intensify the stretch.

My stretching routing looks like this: (If your unsure of any of the stretches follow the links)

Position	Stretch
Lying Down	Groin Stretch
	Lying Tuck
Sitting	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Iliotibial Band Stretch
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 2
	Tennis Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Tennis Elbow Stretch level 2
Keeling	Chest Stretch
	Lat Stretch
	Cat Stretch
Standing	Calf Stretch
	Soleus Stretch
	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Quadriceps Stretch

Then the same but backwards for after my weight lifting routine.

If your would like to know more about stretching this is a nice document: Stretching and Flexibility - How to Stretch.
I love how fit, and healthy I'm feeling now. I have so much more energy and I feel great. Good luck, have fun, and stay healthy :-)

6 Week Workout Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:47:00 +0000

I started a new workout routine yesterday. It's a nice little routine, working all of the major muscle areas. I'm going to use this workout for 6 weeks then I'm going to up the sets to three instead of two.
My new routine is split over two days, Day 1: Upper Body, Day 2: Lower Body, and Day 3: Off. Always remember how important it is to have a day off, this is when your muscles grow.

This is my new routine for anyone interested.

Day 1
Muscle Group	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Chest	Bench Press	2	12-15
	Incline Press	2	12-15
Upper Back	Lat Pull Down	2	12-15
	One-arm Dumbbell Row	2	12-15
	Heavy Shrugs	2	12-15
Shoulders	Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	12-15
	Upright Row	2	12-15
	Dumbbell Lying Raise	2	12-15
Biceps	Barbell Curl	2	12-15
Triceps	Tricep Extension	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15
Day 2
Legs/Glutes	Squat	2	12-15
Quadriceps/Glutes	Front Lunge	2	12-15
Quadriceps	Leg Extension	2	12-15
Ham Strings	Lying Leg Curl	2	12-15
Lower Back	Back Extension	2	12-15
Calves	Calf Raise	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15

If you would like more information on strength training, or these exercises these sites have some awesome information:
Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology
Muscle Exercise Encyclopedia Instructions
Have fun and stay safe when exercising, and always warm-up and cool down before and after lifting weights ;-)

Imagining the Tenth Dimension

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:38:00 +0000

The following Youtube video is a thought provoking look at the way the dimensional layers work. I think it is very well explained and although not the accepted explanation of string theory is certain very interesting and well worth a watch.

Sunlight Around The World

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:32:00 +0000

I love this web page, it displays a world map showing current sunlight and cloud cover. It is updated hourly and I think it looks amazing.
You can find it here: Sun Light - hemispherical projection.

Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 04:11:00 +0000

Finding motivation from day to day can be very difficult. Recently I've been very unwell, my partner and I caught a nasty bug that's been going around. Illness quickly saps your energy and working-out (especially weight training) becomes impossible. When I started to feel better I really found it hard to get back into my routine, I didn't want to start working out again. I'm not sure why, I love the feeling, I just really struggled.

I'm back in the saddle now, and doing a split routine, 2 days on, 1 day off, upper body and abs one day and lower body and abs the second day. I just didn't think that it would take so much to start again. I really had to push to find that motivation. When you have a regular routine it just becomes something that you do, you don't really think about it, you just do it.

I remember when I first started, I was very unfit and fat, it took a lot to get me going. I just focused on how much I wanted it. How much I wanted to be able to run to the end of the street and not be worn out. To be able to play and mess around with my partner and not need to stop and have a breather. How I wanted to remove the fat from my body and be fit and healthy. How much I want to start my marriage feeling good about me, and my life.

I wouldn't give-up working-out, the energy that I have now is incredible. It seems strange that working-out would give you more energy but it does. It makes you feel fit and strong, your memory and concentration improve as well.

So even though the motivation can be hard to find at times it is very much worth the effort. I'm glad that I take 20 minutes to and hour out of my day to exercise. After a while it just becomes something that you crave, that you miss when you don't get to do it. That gives you so much more than you ever expected. Give it a go, find your motivation today.

Words for Boobs

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:13:00 +0000

My Finance played me this song today, it's so funny, I thought it was worth a mention. The artist Robert Lund has written a parody of the 1980's song "99 Luftballons" called "99 Words for Boobs". It's very well done, and very humorous, but probably not safe for work ;-)

Adding a Touch of Life to your Home

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 07:51:00 +0000

I have two new plants in my collection, one is of the Kalanchoe variety, and the other is a Scwarzkopf, or Black Tree.

The Kalanchoe is a flowering succulent, there where many different colours and types, yet I picked one which has flowers the same colour as the tips of it's leaves it looks so cool.
Kalanchoe pictured below:The Scwarzkopf is the most interesting plant I've ever owned, it moves and twists all day. It changes shape, moving so quickly that within ten minutes it can look like a completely different plant. It has the most wonderful rich purple leaves, I really Love it.
Scwarzkopf pictured at the top and below:

I'm starting to get a massive collection of succulents, I've got heaps on new cuttings in the garden which are doing really well too. I think it's amazing how something as simple as a few plants can brighten up a home so much.

Meat Eaters

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 05:38:00 +0000

The flies have only just started to annoy us again here in Launceston, as the weather is slowly starting to warm up. Yesterday I went into the back room, where all of my plants are, and one of the big traps where closed on my fly trap. On closer inspection I realised there was a massive fly in there, it's the biggest my trappy has ever caught. He has grow heaps since last year, and now he has caught the first fly of this season, woot!

I love carnivorous plants, I would love to acquire a Pitfall trap like a pitcher plant. Or a Flypaper Trap like a Sundew or a butterwort. They seem so much more sinister than the fly trap which hides it's prey while it eats it.

I'm certainly a weird one, that for sure ;-) So can anyone spot the leg of the fly in my trap?

Rice, What's the Difference?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 09:18:00 +0000

At the supermarket yesterday I noticed a packet of brown rice, I wondered if there was any truth to how much healthier it claimed to be, so I decided to do some research, this is what I discovered.
Brown rice, also known as "hulled rice", is not milled or only partly milled rice. It is chewier than white rice and has a slightly nutty flavor. It has more nutritional value than white rice but by comparison decomposes more quickly.
White rice is rice which has been milled, having it's husk, bran and germ removed. This is done to extend the life of the grain, so that it can be shipped further and stored for longer.

The Milling process
The main difference between brown rice and white rice is the milling process, which affects the nutritional content. Milling is often referred to as "whitening" because the variety of rice may be identical, but milling removes the husk and the bran from the grain turning it from brown to white. After milling, white rice is polished, to give it a bright, white, shiny appearance.

Take a Grain of rice --> remove the outer layer (the husk) = Brown rice (bran layer) --> remove bran layer = White rice.

So what's lost in the milling process?

The process of removing the husk and the bran from the rice takes away some of the nutritional benefits of rice. For more information on the nutritional information please see the table below.

During the milling and polishing process many vitamins and dietary minerals are lost. In "enriched" white rice some of these nutrients are added back in a chemical form, such as vitamins B1, B3, and iron, but the majority are lost.
In removing the bran layer the oil is also removed, a recent study has shown that rice bran oil may help lower LDL cholesterol.
Fiber and fatty acids are also lost in the process, one cup of brown rice has over three grams of fiber, while the equivalent white rice has less than one gram.
Brown rice is reputedly easier to digest, because it contains more bran than it's white rice counterpart.

There is also a chemical difference between the two for more information please compare: White rice and Brown rice.

Table of Nutritional differences between Brown and White rice:

	Brown Rice (one cup)	White Rice (one cup)
Calories	232	223
Protein	4.88 g	4.10 g
Carbohydrate	49.7 g	49.6 g
Fat	1.17 g	0.205 g
Dietary Fiber	3.32 g	0.74 g
Thiamin (B1)	0.176 g	0.223 g
Riboflavin (B2)	0.039 mg	0.021 mg
Niacin (B3)	2.730 mg	2.050 mg
Vitamin B6	0.294 mg	0.103 mg
Folacin	10 mcg	4.1 mcg
Vitamin E	1.4 mg	0.462 mg
Magnesium	72.2 mg	22.6 mg
Phosphorus	142 mg	57.4 mg
Potassium	137 mg	57.4 mg
Selenium	26 mg	19 mg
Zinc	1.05 mg	0.841 mg

Cooking Brown Rice
Brown rice takes longer than white rice to cook, so you need to increase the amount of water slightly.

To prepare brown rice, use 2 cups of water for each cup of brown rice, and salt to taste.
Bring salted water to a boil, and stir in rice.
Reduce heat to a minimal simmer, and cook tightly covered for 30-45 minutes or until all water has been absorbed into rice.

Note: Use slightly more water for sticky rice. Use slightly less water for fluffy.
Adding a couple tablespoons of yogurt helps to give brown rice the texture of white rice.

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_rice
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_rice
http://www.drlam.com/opinion/brown_rice_vs_white_rice.cfm
http://nutrition.about.com/od/healthyshopping/f/brown_white_ric.htm

Cleaning out the Cobwebs

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 13:49:00 +0000

Today I've been moving the non computer related posts from GeekyBits³ to here at Of Tea and Turtles (TnT). My apologies for any inconvenience that my cleaning may cause. I need to keep that blog purely for computer and technology related subjects, so I moved the other posts here.

I tried to keep the dates and comments on the posts as best I could, although there where a few posts that didn't play fair, most are in the original format. I have gone though them looking for broken links and I think I managed to get them all, yet if anyone spots one I would really appreciate it if you could let me know,
Thank You!!!

Life is pretty simple

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 12:51:00 +0000

"Life is pretty simple:
You do some stuff. Most fails. Some works.
You do more of what works.
If it works big, others quickly copy it.
Then you do something else.
The trick is the doing something else."

Leonardo da Vinci

Animé is safe

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:22:00 +0000

The happenings over the past week have once again reinforced to me that Animé is safe.

In Japan animé refers to all animation, elsewhere it refers to a subset of animation originating in Japan. A lot of animé is based on manga. Manga is the Japanese word for comics and print cartoons.

What I mean by animé being safe is that the characters never let you down, they will never disappoint you or make human mistakes. It's safe to look up to the main protagonist in a comic book, or an animation. It's safe to treat these heroes as heroes.

Real life heroes turn out to be human. They make mistakes, they disappoint, they let you down.

For as long as I live Goku (The main protagonist in the DragonBall series) will never do something untoward. I will never question the way I think of him. I will never feel disappointment, nor sadness, nor fear from his actions. Humans frequently mess up, they are human after all.

It is safe for children to look up to cartoon heroes. They are less likely to be hurt or do hurtful things to others copying a cartoon hero. Yet real life heroes (especially bad ones) can really badly affect children, even later on in their lives.

Hero worship is a need that most humans seem to have. A need to believe in something greater than ourselves. A need to draw inspiration and faith from someone who's already achieved. A need to compare ourselves, and lives to others.
Yet at least if your hero is an animé hero it is much safer.

Fresh Glass of Water?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:12:00 +0000

The other day I recieved a graphic example of how well my water filter works. I've had many people ask me why I filter my water, and there are many good reasons to do it. If I could afford to I would filter all of the water that comes into my home!

I have a Brita water jug, and all of our drinking water, including water for our plants, and the kettle goes through the jug. At the Brita (Australia) website there is a really good explanation as to why you would want to filter your water? if you would like more information.

A few days ago the council was working on our water pipes, and they turned off the water for about seven hours, when it came back on, it was not pretty. Pictured right, is how it looked after the tap had been running for about 10 minutes. I didn't want to wash my hands under that, let alone drink it. It has since slightly improved, although still a little orange, (I'm shuddering right now!)

I thought this was a perfect time to test the water filter, I should note: the filter needed changing, so it was on it's last legs at this stage.
Pictured Right the water before and Pictured Left the water afterwards. I was so impressed, this really made me see why my partner said that it was so important to have a water filter.
I get to have a fresh glass of water without all those chemicals and crap woohoo!!!

You can clearly see in this picture below the water at the top, out of the tap, and the water below, after being through the filter. I honestly don't know what I would do without my filter, it is amazing!

Slice Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 03:53:00 +0000

We have a new kitchen appliance in our home, and it's wonderful. It has taken me a little while to get used to the way that it works, however now I can have fresh bread, pizza dough, cake mix or anything else I can imagine to mix, or cook in a Bread Maker.

Making your own bread, without a bread maker, can be a bit of a trial, it takes a long time, and the things that can go wrong are numerous, but it does save you a lot of money.

Now that we have a bread machine I don't have to worry, we can make a loaf of bread for between $0.75 and $1.25, (Considering the average loaf of bread is around $3 AUD I'm not whining) and it's really easy to use. It took me a bit of experimentation to discover what was the right mix of ingredients for my machine (each one varies), but now that I've worked it out it's really simple.

I certainly think that it is worth the money, and I wouldn't take it back. Not only is it easy and fun to make but the smell of fresh bread is amazing. The other big bonus is that I know Exactly what's in my bread, no preservatives or nasties just what I put in. I love it, and the birds seem to appreciate the leftovers too ;)

Below is my first ever loaf of bread from our bread maker...

The Newest Member of Our Cacti Family

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 10:40:00 +0000

I've been incredibly spoiled today, my partner brought another Cacti to go with out little family of plants. This is him in the picture.

I love him, he is very fluffy, and deceptively dangerous. He is an "Old Man Cactus" called "Cousin It", I think I'll call him "IT"!

The fine hair is to protect "IT" from sunburn. The stronger the the sunlight the better the hair will grow.

If he develops like my other cactus, the hair will get longer when he is happy as well.

He needs water when he is dry and once a month in winter. He also needs a slow release plant food, or liquid feed over 2 months (except in winter).

Everything is relative

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 10:25:00 +0000

I've been a little out of it lately, a lot has happened I guess. I felt the need to remind myself of how much human society matters in life's scheme, so I decided to look at the Powers of Ten website.

"Powers of Ten explores the relative size of things from the microscopic to the cosmic. The 1977 film travels from an aerial view of a man in a Chicago park to the outer limits of the universe directly above him and back down into the microscopic world contained in the man's hand. Powers of Ten illustrates the universe as an arena of both continuity and change, of everyday picnics and cosmic mystery. The film also demonstrates the Eameses' ability to make science both fascinating and accessible."

The following YouTube videos further explain the Powers of Ten:

This first video is a short film by Charles and Ray Eames for IBM: 'dealing with the relative size of things in the universe, and the effect of adding another zero'.

This video is a clip from the Imax film "Cosmic Voyage" with commentary by Morgan Freeman. It's not very good on the small screen, but you'll get the idea. Also it repeats, yet I didn't mind watching it twice ;)

And lastly the Simpson's opening sequence, a homage to IBM's Powers of Ten.

An Amazing Magic Trick

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:18:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a talented magician, so I thought I would share another amazing magic trick with you, by Kevin James: