Keep the patient happy and comfortable – especially at a dentist’s office.

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Dentist chairs need to be way more comfortable. This is a time of extreme discomfort. Whatever they can do to make you feel at ease is a good idea.

How about a support for my knees? How about a wider chair? Basically, how about a recliner, but in a cleanable fabric. Because sometimes dental work can get messy, and stains don’t inspire confidence. I’m pretty sure a dentist would hate to have to get a whole new chair because of slobber. So there has to be some balance between comfort and cleanability.

Having a small beanbag for a pillow is nice, as well as a blanket. Arm supports that cradle your arms are essential. Well, I had one of those, but a girl can dream. Making sure your patient is comfortable will ensure that your patient is easy to work on. My chiropractor seems to be the only person who understands this. Very few doctors seem to get how important it is to put their patients at ease by using soft colors and lights, and nice furnishings.

I dislike going to the dentist for fillings. I don’t know anybody who does like it to be honest. It is really an invasion of space. The majority of your sense organs are right there where they are working, and what they are doing isn’t that awesome.

For somebody with sensory processing disorder it can be a bit overwhelming.

Feeling the pinch in my gums and the tugging on my cheek when he gives me the shot. Hearing the sound of the drill. Seeing the spray of powder from my tooth when he drills. Smelling the burning from said tooth being drilled. All senses are being engaged, and none of them are getting good signals to work with.

I see and hear and smell things very deeply. This is part of why I am an artist. But it is also why it is hard to deal with really intense experiences like going to the dentist.

I’ve brought my phone. I can write in between bits. I can listen to a podcast during. I know a bit about meditation. Maybe some yoga practice will help.

I had a dentist when I was growing up who didn’t use anesthesia. He thought he didn’t need to. He thought he was gentle and careful. For the most part he was. But just being tense, worrying about the possibility of being hurt, was pretty bad. That alone made me never want to go back to the dentist, until not going really wasn’t an option anymore. My first trip back involved a root canal.

But at least that dentist had something interesting to look at. He had a mural on the wall that I was facing that had a huge scene. All these people doing all these things. It was kind of like the blue and white Chinese pottery called “Blue Willow”. I could get lost in it. I did. I had to. It was there that I learned to dissociate, to just not be there when something bad was going on.

My current dentist is very gentle and he uses anesthesia, but his rooms are really boring. There’s nothing to stare at or to fall in to with my mind. Today I found a spot of light shining through the blinds. It was something. The assistant kept asking me if I was OK. Yeah – until you had to bring me back to thinking about what is going on…

I’ve learned that bringing my iPhone helps. I listen to a podcast while it is all going on and that not only does that cut out the noise of the drill, my mind is occupied with something educational. I’ve also learned to consciously relax a lot. I mean a lot because I have to keep reminding myself to do it. I keep tensing up so I have to keep relaxing. Normally I’d work on my breathing, but that isn’t easy there. Too many bad smells.

In the meantime, I’ll keep brushing three times a day. The cavity that developed was around an old filling. It had lasted a long time. It was an old mercury filling so I was glad to see it go anyway. For a long time I was an old pro at getting fillings. It was so normal to me. Every time I’d go to the dentist I’d have to get a filling. Fortunately I’ve learned how to eat better and take better care of myself, so fillings aren’t my norm anymore. But I still think that the whole experience could be made better.

Maybe I need to get my chiropractor to talk to my dentist. Mood lighting is a good start. And no news or tabloid junk on the TV in the waiting room. And a nice welcoming paint job on the walls…or a mural. Yeah, that. Something to get lost in. I kind of miss that mural. I sure don’t miss that dentist.

What’s in a name?

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God always has been. There is no beginning and no ending with God. God says “I am the Alpha and the Omega” as a way of illustrating that, but a better illustration is simply God’s name when Moses asked on Mt Sinai who he was talking to, and God said “I am”. The abbreviation for God, YHWH (or YHVH) has within it the letters for these Hebrew words – “is”, “was”, and “shall be”. How awesome is that?

Our human brains can’t really understand this. We can’t understand how something could exist before the Big Bang. We want beginnings. We can’t comprehend eternity. But just because we can’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t so.

Then again, “Jesus” isn’t Jesus’ name. That is the English version. The closest way of saying his name as it was pronounced is Yashua. There are several variants, including Yeshua and Yahshua. Why it got changed to Jesus when there is a perfectly acceptable English equivalent of Joshua is beyond me.

When I was very young we had a dog that I got to name. I was three. I don’t remember the dog at all, but I do remember the name. I named him “Joshuma,” and I can only assume that name came to me from God. I can only assume that was a three year old’s interpretation of “Yashua”. Or perhaps I did say “Yashua” to my parents and “Joshuma” is what they understood. It was pronounced JOSH-you-muh.

This is a perfect name for a dog for a child. Dogs are best friends. Dogs are protectors. Dogs teach unconditional love. These are all the same qualities of Yashua, also known as Jesus.

Here’s the funny part. Sometimes when I’m typing quickly on my Kindle, it will autocomplete. Very often when I try to type “Jesus”, my Kindle supplies “He is”.

Make of this what you will. These were my thoughts early this morning.

“Successful” vs. “Starving” artist.

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Notice how unusual it is to say that someone is a “successful” artist. Usually they are a “starving” artist. You never have to say that someone is a successful doctor or successful engineer or a successful plumber. It is assumed that they are successful. But artist? It is assumed that an artist isn’t successful. It is assumed that they are scraping by, just barely making it.
Why don’t we put more value on art? I mean real art. Art that is one of a kind, not mass produced. Art that is so amazing that it doesn’t match your sofa and you don’t even care. Art that is so amazing that maybe you even buy a new sofa to match it instead of the other way around.
Real art is one of a kind, just like the artists. It takes time to make and it takes love. That is worth supporting.
When you buy original art, you aren’t just buying the materials. You are buying the artist’s time and dedication to her craft. In the same way an Olympic athlete has to train many hours to get good at what she does, an artist has to work many long hours to get good at her craft. Good artists, like good athletes just make it look easy. It isn’t.
Notice that very few people get art scholarships, and many people get athletic scholarships. What do we need more of, arts or sports? What lifts our spirits and helps us see beyond ourselves? What shows us how we are all connected? I’m not saying to get rid of sports. I’m saying that arts need to be equally supported.
So go buy some art today. Or better yet – go make some. Art is for everyone, and it makes us better people.

Go get a library card…

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Having a library card is like having a gym membership. It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t use it.

There are plenty of people who come in every four years to vote in the Presidential election and they feel that they have to get a library card. Our library is an early voting site, and we have people come in that normally never go to a library. They feel that it is part of being an American to have a library card, so they sign up. Four years later, when they come in to vote again, they ask if their card is still valid. It isn’t. If you don’t use it in a couple of years it expires. So then they sign up again. Every now and then I’ll ask them if they want to go and find a book first, to see if they NEED to sign up for a card. Nope. They want to get a card. They just don’t want to use it.

Libraries are the most amazing thing ever about America. They present a free exchange of information. With a library card you can unlock any door. You can learn how to do anything. Going to the library is the best way to improve your mind and your life. It is the way out of a bad situation. It levels the playing field.

There are books at the library for everybody. Every now and then they get challenged but they usually get to stay. A book is “challenged” when someone tries to get it removed from the library. It is very hard to remove a book from the library. People don’t understand that just because they don’t like a book doesn’t mean they have the right to prevent another person from reading it. Thus, libraries have a huge variety of books to accommodate the varying needs of the community.

Yet this means nothing if they don’t use their card. What is the point of getting a library card if you don’t use it? There are plenty of countries around the world that don’t have libraries. Just being able to read is something you shouldn’t take for granted.

Plenty of people take the amazing resource that is the library for granted. If they use it at all, they will fill up on movies and fiction. That is just the icing on the cake. There is so much more to the library than this. The most amazing thing about the library is that if you want to improve your life or your community or the world, you can learn how to do it at the library. It is free to everyone.

I feel that Americans take the library and free public education for granted.

I know a lady from India who was a patron here and then went back home to India. She told me about how there were no free public libraries in India, or at least where she was. There were libraries, but you had to pay to be a member, and there weren’t that many books. Thus, people don’t really read very much.

A community that doesn’t read is a dead community.

Having a card isn’t enough. You have to use it.

If you are poor, education is the way out. Plenty of people will say that the schools are bad in their area, but this means nothing. You can have your education spoon-fed to you, or you can go hunt it down yourself. It also doesn’t matter what your local library is like. No matter what library you use, you have access to the inter-library loan system. Whatever you want, if it isn’t at your library, they can get it for you from another one. So if you don’t get a good education, the only person you have to blame is yourself.

Go get a library card. And use it. The mind you save will be your own.

Beads and writing and worker bees

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Back when I was making jewelry in college, I’d have periods of extreme creativity. I’d create a whole bunch of earrings, but just one of each. I mean, I wouldn’t make the pair.

The creative juices were flowing and the last thing I wanted to do was to slow down. I knew that spurt of connection to the creative center was short so I needed to ride that wave for as long as I could. When I stopped seeing interesting combinations, I’d make the other half to the pair.

I’m learning I do the same thing with writing. I have a lot of half finished pieces. Yet the waves keep coming, and I keep getting things started. Going back and finishing pieces is the last thing I want to do.

For many of my crafts I’d love to have worker bees. I designed sweaters when I was in high school and my Mom would knit them. I designed a quilt and while I pieced it together, I had it machine finished. While my jewelry is one of a kind, after I work out the pattern I’m bored and I want someone else to finish it.

I can’t do this with writing. I have no idea where I’m going until I get there. I write to find myself. I write to learn the answers to my questions. I write to stay sane.

Writing is like going to another planet and not taking a map yet you still find yourself.

This is all stuff that can’t be done for me. It is like going to the gym. If I want to get stronger, I have to do the work.

2 Timothy 2:14-21

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I don’t often refer to the words of Paul because they aren’t the Gospel. It is like watching the movie instead of reading the book. I’d rather go to the source than get a translation. But today’s reading had a lot of useful stuff in it, so here we go.

The words of Paul are letters written to churches far away. He writes to them to encourage them sometimes and to chastise them other times. Here he’s doing a bit of both.

2 Timothy 2:14-21 (NRSV)
14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth. 16 Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some. 19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.” 20 In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. 21 All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.

Now, let’s look at it more carefully.

14 Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening.

This is the same idea as the Jewish concept of “lashon hora” – don’t speak ill of people. It is also the same as the Buddhist concept of “right speech”. It is important to not lie about people, but it is also important to not spread truths that are harmful and unnecessary. For example, if a lady you know is going to go play golf with a man who has been divorced four times, you don’t need to tell her that. But if she is going to go on a date with him that might lead to marriage, she might need to know that. Just because it is true doesn’t mean it needs to be shared.

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

This applies to everyone. Here, Paul is making no distinctions (as we too should make no distinctions) between lay and ordained. We are all called to present ourselves as one approved by God, because we are. The fact that we are called by God means we are approved by God.

16 Avoid profane chatter, for it will lead people into more and more impiety,

This is totally true, and just as relevant today. Have you ever noticed that if you agree with someone’s gossip, they’ll just give you more? If you share some, then they’ll think that is all you want to hear. However, if you hold yourself to a higher standard then they will come to talk differently around you. If you go for the lowest common denominator in conversation, that is all you will get.

17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,

I feel like Paul is being really rude here. So much for talking kindly about others. His own rule was that if someone was out of line, you should talk to them in private first to try to resolve it. This is a good rule for life. Calling someone out in public will only put them on the defensive. These letters of Paul’s were meant to be read out loud in the midst of the church members, as if he himself were talking to them. To call these two out is really weird and goes against the first line here.

18… who have swerved from the truth by claiming that the resurrection has already taken place. They are upsetting the faith of some.

Plenty of the disciples “swerved from the faith” of the Jews by claiming that the Messiah had come. They got in trouble for it. Is the Christian faith entirely dependent on waiting for the Messiah to come again? Will it crumble and fall when that happens? How are they upsetting everyone? Perhaps they know something that the others don’t.

What if the “second coming” isn’t going to happen as everyone expects, just like the first coming didn’t happen the way anyone expected? Even though it was prophesied, it happened quietly and surprisingly.

19 But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.”

This reminds me of the story from the Gospels about how sometimes the seed is sown on rocks, sometimes in sand, and sometimes in good soil. Only the seed that is in good soil will grow well. Likewise, it reminds me of the idea that not everybody is called. If you are, act like it.

20 In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. 21 All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work.

This is a great image. It isn’t quite as useful as Paul’s image of the body parts and the Body of Christ. We are all different, and all useful in the Body metaphor. In this, only some are useful. Still though, in this metaphor, it isn’t the called that are useful, but those who make themselves spiritually clean. There is a way to become a “special utensil” and it is open to everybody.

Paper or Plastic?

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If you want to be really mindful, go to the grocery store with cash.

I’ve started using cash for everything. I’ve created an allowance for myself. Every week I go to the bank to get cash. It is really weird.

I grew up this way of course. I’m old enough that credit cards weren’t a part of life during my formative years. When I first got a credit card it was just for emergencies. Then somehow it became a way of life. Somehow the credit card became the norm and cash became the thing I used for emergencies.

So many of us reach for plastic over paper these days.

I know a young guy who bought a wallet. It took him two weeks to realize that it didn’t have a place for cash. He didn’t even think to look for a place for cash when he was buying the wallet. He was constantly scoffing at me for carrying cash at all.

There are so many advantages to using a card. You can see online what you are spending your money on. Many companies give you money back or rebates for using their cards. If you pay your card off every month, you can actually make money doing this. I did, for many years.

But it is all a trick. I spend way more money when I use my credit cards. I don’t think about what I’m buying. I need it, so I get it. Or, I think I need it. Well, sometimes I just want it.

And then I have to make a place for it. Whether it is a new dress from Goodwill or a pint of ice cream, it has to go somewhere. With the ice cream the somewhere is my butt.

Shopping with cash at the grocery store means I have to really think about what I’m getting. Do I need it? I can’t justify buying snacks and other non-food items. I’ve not bought sodas in a while, but chips and cookies are still appealing. The more money I spend on those, the less money I have for actual food that I need. You know, food with vitamins and minerals. Actual nutrition is going to win in this debate. Having limited resources makes me mindful. Thus, it means I’m eating better.

Even with a bargain dress from Goodwill, I have to be mindful. I’ve got other dresses. I’m fine. It isn’t like I don’t have clothes that fit me and look acceptable. I justify buying the dress because it is a great price. But even then I’m not being mindful of my money. Ten dollars spent is still ten dollars spent, and it adds up. Too many trips to Goodwill means I’ve spent $100 before I even know it.

A bargain isn’t a bargain if you don’t need it.

I’ve always carried at least $40 in my wallet. I rarely used it, but when I needed it I was reminded of how useful that practice is. Sometimes the credit card machine isn’t working. Sometimes your card doesn’t work. Then how are you going to buy your gas or your meal? Cash always works, and cards don’t.

Some places don’t even take credit cards. We went on a trip to North Carolina and ate at a restaurant. It was a nice meal, but what happened at the end wasn’t very nice. We found out they only took cash or checks. There was no message about this on the door or on the menu. Fortunately I always kept a spare check in my wallet and used that. Otherwise we might have had to wash dishes to pay our bill. Or one of us would have to leave to find an ATM.

These days I’m turning this around. I’m carrying the credit card as the backup and carrying cash as the main thing. I’ve done this for a week and already I’ve noticed I’ve spent $200 less than normal, and I’m eating better. Instead of eating out as often, I’m making food at home.

It is interesting how this is dovetailing into my New Year’s resolution to cook more. I’ve wanted to get better at cooking for years, and the only way to get better at cooking is simply to cook. I’ve wanted to go to the store and get fresh vegetables and cook from scratch, and now I’m doing it. I’m feeling really empowered by learning how to feed myself well. But then I started deciding to use only cash, and that is going nicely with it. Both practices are keeping me mindful of how I spend my money, which ultimately represents my time and my energy.

I’m sometimes resentful of having to spend forty hours a week at work. I’m grateful for a job, but I’d like to have more time away from it to live my life. Thirty hours would be better but it isn’t an option. But how smart is it for me to waste that money on expensive, unhealthy food and trinkets and baubles? Using my money wisely will mean I have more money saved up for bigger things, like a trip overseas, or improvements to my house. In the meantime, I’m learning how to take better care of myself, and that is the best investment of all.

Vegan Banana Bread

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banana bread

Prep time – 30 minutes. Cook time 55 minutes.

Ingredients –
(dry)

2 ½ cups all purpose flour. (Or 1 ¼ all purpose flour and 1 ¼ cups brown rice flour)

I tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

pinch of salt

(wet)
4 ripe bananas

¼ cup honey

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions –
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan (5 x 9) or use a non-stick one.

2. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Whisk in the rest of the wet ingredients.

4. Add half of dry mixture to wet mixture, stir. Then add the other half. Do not overmix, but make sure that there are no pockets of dry flour.

5. Put batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.

6. Bake for 40 minutes, pull out and gently slice open the top of the bread, making a line in the center. Spread open the two sides a bit. The top middle is the last to cook, and this helps it along. Cover the loaf with some aluminum foil and put it back in for 15 minutes.

7. It is done when it is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Let cool in pan on wire rack at least 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool completely on rack.

Notes-

I had a pretty awesome recipe for banana bread that I’d put together nearly twenty years ago. This isn’t quite it, but it isn’t far off.

For some unknown reason, I didn’t make banana bread at all for nearly 15 years. For some other unknown reason, I decided to make it this Monday. I tried to find the recipe and found something like what I remember, but it wasn’t in my handwriting. I looked up banana bread in a few other cookbooks and online and cobbled this together from all of that. It works pretty well. It is pretty dense. I use not-overripe bananas because my husband doesn’t like really mushy and over sweet bananas.

This tastes pretty amazing warmed up and served with ice cream. It also makes for a pretty nice breakfast on the go.

Cut up your cards.

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There is plenty of paranoia these days about the government getting all of our information. Let’s go over some of it. Some of the precautions actually are worthwhile, but for other reasons.

If you are afraid of the NSA tracking your every move, then delete your Facebook and email address. Keep in touch the old fashioned way – by phone and by mail. Oh, and as for mail, get a P.O. Box, that way nobody can steal your mail. It is always safe and clean and dry.

Don’t use any “loyalty” cards either. All those keychain cards are worse than the NSA. You don’t have to worry about “them” getting into your information. Those deals and savings you get are the rewards for giving your information away. You are letting them track you. It may not be the government, but it certainly is a bunch of strangers knowing your business.

Remember Santa Claus – “He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake”? With loyalty cards it is more that they know when you are buying cat food and they know how often you eat out and where. With Facebook and email and it is the same – strangers know more about you than your friends. They can see the big picture.

How about this too? Dump your smart phone with the GPS. They know where you are that way too. Every picture you take is geotagged. Every time you look up an address they know what you are doing and where you are going.

But this alone will call attention to you. Suddenly stopping doing all these things will create a sort of information void around you and that will look odd.

Then what about this – there are a lot of credit card scams these days. Target, Nordstrom’s and Michael’s just got hit by hackers. Thousands of credit cards essentially got stolen from their owners. All the information was quietly taken electronically.

The answer? Cut up your credit cards. Go back to using cash. Even checks can be tracked. Now, you can’t go in debt with not using credit cards. You can’t spend what you don’t have. So there is a legitimate reason for not using credit cards. It is a great way to stay on budget and be mindful of what you are buying. It also severely minimizes your exposure to identity theft.

So sure, you can live your life paranoid. Plenty of people do. But there are some really good reasons to stop using some of the modern conveniences we take for granted. Most of the reasons involve being mindful about what you spend and who you give your information to.

What is the point of having a security system on your house if you leave the front door wide open?

Alphabet Shrimp

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shrimp

Ingredients –

1 beefsteak tomato, rough chopped, no seeds (you want just the “meat” of the tomato)

Half a bunch of fresh cilantro, leaves intact, no stems.

¼ of a fresh white onion, chopped into small pieces.

Half a pound of medium sized shrimp, peeled, deveined, no tails.

8 oz. of “Alphabet” pasta (Any small pasta will do, but “alphabet” shapes are fun.)

A handful of organic baby carrots, chopped into bite-sized bits.

A handful of organic green beans, chopped into bite-sized bits.

Half a glass of wine (I use white zinfandel.)

A knob of butter

Olive oil

Turmeric

Sea salt

Powdered Galingale (or galangal) (This is an Asian ginger)

Ground Sumac (a tart Persian spice made from dried berries.)

Serves four. Prep time, about half an hour. Cook time, about 15 minutes. It all cooks pretty fast, but it can be tricky to juggle all the different parts at once. You may want to do it in sections.

Some observations –
This involves three different pieces of cookware – a large stock pot, a steamer, and a sauté pan with a glass lid. They are all needed to ensure that everything has the right texture. It is important that the carrots are cooked enough to be tender, the green beans and onions are crisp, the shrimp is tender but not tough, and the tomato and cilantro are not mushy.

Look in an international market for the Galingale and Sumac. Their delicate flavors are worth it. Barring that, you can substitute regular powdered ginger and some fresh lemon juice.

Get organic whenever possible. It is worth it.

Instructions –
Steam the carrots and green beans, with the carrots on the bottom because they take longer. Take them off the heat when the carrots are fork tender. Set aside in the pot with the cover on to keep them warm.

Put a knob of butter in a large sauté pan that you have a glass lid for. Have the heat at medium-low (About at 4 if 10 is “high”.) When the butter has melted, add the onions. Let them cook just a little bit, but not enough to go translucent. You want them crisp, not caramelized. Add the shrimp, the wine, and the turmeric, galingale, salt, and sumac. Three shakes of each, maybe? You can be generous with these spices. Put the glass lid on and let it steam. Stir frequently. It is done when the shrimp go opaque. Lower the heat.

Cook the pasta per the package instructions (usually 5-6 minutes) in a large stock pot. Drain but do not rinse. Return to the pot and move it off the heat. Add the cooked carrots and green beans, and then add the only the shrimp from the sauté pan. Put a lid on it to keep it warm.

To what is left in the sauté pan, add the tomatoes and the cilantro. Stir them frequently until the cilantro has wilted. Then pour all of that into the stock pot with the pasta, carrots, green beans, and shrimp.

Pour in a few generous glugs of olive oil and some more sea salt into the mixture. Stir it all together and add more olive oil and salt to taste.

Serve immediately. Fresh crispy bread goes well with this.

Created by me on 2-7-14.