SheSue Experience

Live the Life You Want

How are Fireworks Made?

Posted by SheSue on July 4, 2009 under Awesome Events

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The 4th of July is here. In the United States we celebrate our nations independence. It is a day when we gather for family BBQ’s and camping trips. And then as dusk falls, we watch huge displays of pyrotechnics. Sometimes patriotic music plays in the background. We oooh and ahhhh. So where do these fireworks come from you ask.

Fireworks are said to have originated in China around 2,000 years ago on accident when a cook mixed charcoal, sulfur and saltpeter in a bamboo tube. Yeah, it exploded. China is also the birth place for firecrackers. They were invented to scare off evil spirits. They are still used today at births, deaths and birthdays for this purpose in China.

Black powder was brought to Europe in the 13th century. At the time it was used for military purposes. It was the Italians who first used black powder to make fireworks. Today many of the American companies responsible for big fireworks displays are owned by Italian families.

Fireworks consist of:
1. a container – usually a stiff paper and string formed into a cylinder
2. stars – small cubes or spheres filled with sparkler like material that give the color and sparkle
3. charge – firecracker like charge. The main charge is in the center of the container. The stars and black powder are around the charge
4. fuse – provides a time delay

If you don’t get out tomorrow night, here is a display for your viewing pleasure.

Ayurveda Breathing - What’s it Like?

Posted by SheSue on July 3, 2009 under Healthy livin

Ayurveda is India’s natural health system that has been around for 5,000 years. Through ayurveda, you will learn to prevent disease, bring your body into balance and live a long life. It seems simple, but it is really very complex.
monk
According to vedic science, everything is a living balanced being. We all are based on five elements: earth, wind, fire, air, water and ether. Each of these elements represents a part of our bodies:
Earth – a solid state of matter.

Water – change and the liquid state.

Fire – In our bodies, fire equals energy.

Air – is a gaseous form necessary for energy to work

Ether - is the space where things happen.

These elements are affected by our five senses: hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell. And each of these senses are affected by our six tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent. All of these elements and tastes are divided into three dosha: vata, pitta, kapha.

When any of these are out of balance, our bodies respond negatively. If we increase or decrease the tastes within our doshas, we can bring back the balance. Like I said, very complicated. Sort of like a computer program. You find an ailment, then follow the diagram to discover what is out of balance and how to fix it.

I started with breathing. The rule of threes states that you can live without food for 3 weeks, water for 3 days and air for 3 minutes. And yet, we typically only use about 20% of the air we have in our lungs. Learning to really breathe will help you gain energy and clarity.

Breathing can be done anywhere and for any period of time, but if you do it for longer than 10 or 15 minutes, you may begin to feel light headed. All this air it going straight to your brain. The therapist who led my class said that’s why all the monk’s look so happy all the time. Because they are high on oxygen.

Breathing is commonly done in conjunction with meditation. Sit in a comfortable place. If you can, close your eye. Breath only through your nose. Now take a big breath. Then breath in a little more. Let it out completely, using your stomach muscles to push all the air out. You should breath deep enough to make a noise. Another member of the group said it was his darth vader breath. I make little whistling sounds.

The hardest part is clearing your mind of all thoughts. You concentrate on your breathing. But soon, your mind wanders. You force yourself back to your breathing. This takes time. When I am really into “the breath”, I feel relaxed and filled with energy. It doesn’t take a lot of time. Ten minutes at a time is good.

For a great site on ayurveda, check out Holistic Online’s page.

Sternwheeler Days

Posted by SheSue on July 2, 2009 under On the Road

campEvery year in the tiny town of Cascade Locks, Oregon they hold Sternwheeler Days. Based right in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge, summers turn Cascade Locks into a haven for tourists. In the center of town is the Bride of the Gods. Millions of years ago, the bridge was a land mass that crossed the Columbia River. There are Native American legends behind the development and destruction of the bridge. Scientists think it eventually washed away. Today stands a toll bridge linking Oregon to Washington.
tentarrows
Sternwheeler Days had a small carnival with a few kiddie rides, ponies to ride and 20 or so crafters booths and food booths. On Thunder Island, a small island just off the mainland, the “Mountain Men” gathered and set up camp. The Mountain Men are a group of people who love history. They all dress up in period costume, set up tents much like there would be in history and perform their various crafts such as blacksmithing, leather work, woodworking, quilting etc. canonYou can wander among the tents and visit with the people, many working their crafts. On the river, they had a small canon set up which they demonstrated setting off and let you light it.
band
On a small stage a band played. A bingo game was in constant play. On Saturday morning a parade wound it’s way through town. Along the main street, you could find fresh fish for purchase.
locksgorge
A channel between the mainland and Thunder Island is the site of the original Cascade Locks where ships would pass. Today, about 5 miles west is Bonneville Dam with modern locks. Just outside the locks you can see the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler with the Bridge of the Gods in the background. Did I mention that you can ride on the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler? Isn’t that what the fair is all about. The Sternwheeler offers sightseeing, brunch and dinner cruises on the Columbia River every day from May through October. It is a beautiful way to see the Columbia River Gorge from the river.

6 Foods that Fight Fatigue

Posted by SheSue on June 30, 2009 under Healthy livin

Another day of work brings another day of feeling tired. Does fatigue get you down? It could be lack of sleep, it could be the demands of your daily life. Or, it could be the foods you eat. Experts recommend the following foods to help give you a boost of energy:
strawberries
1. Orange Juice - Not only is orange juice high in vitamin C, it also helps iron to absorb more quickly into the blood. In studies, 1 in 3 people showed low levels of vitamin C. From 2-300 mg per day is enough to fight fatigue. You can easily obtain this much with orange juice plus foods like broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, peppers and strawberries.

2. Oatmeal - High in fiber, oatmeal is the perfect choice for breakfast or a snack. The fiber in oatmeal is soluble which slows down carbohydrate absorption keeping your blood sugar levels constant. Rolled oats and oat bran are both high in soluble fiber, so if oatmeal is not possible, try an oat bran muffin.

3. Coffee - Be sure to pick up on the Moderation part of this suggestion. Coffee can create a quick pick me up. It makes energy stores more available giving muscles easy access which makes them work better. But the energy boost never lasts, so never replace coffee for food. And drink in moderation.

4. Beans - Another source of fiber, beans also contain iron the most important mineral for fighting fatigue. Iron plays a big role in creating red blood cells which carry oxygen to where it’s needed. Other foods rich in iron are dark leafy greens such as spinach or kale, tofu, steamed clams and red meat.

5. Water - Okay, not really a food, but water is vital to your body. When you are dehydrated, your cells borrow water from your blood stream. Cumulative dehydration occurs when you drink too little water over a course of time which creates fatigue.

6. Apples - A day keeps the doctor and fatigue away. Apples have simple sugar for energy and fiber to spread out the energy. Apples have also been studied for the prevention of colon cancer.

If these foods don’t help and you are getting plenty of sleep, a more serious illness may be present. You should seek professional help.

Law of Attraction

Posted by SheSue on June 29, 2009 under Bodacious Books

The idea of the Law of Attraction has been around for quite some time. In this book, Abraham, described as a collection of evolved non-physical entities, is channeled through Esther Hicks. The philosophy is pretty simple, but is hard to put into play. The teachings are pretty straight forward without any fancy stuff. It is meant for those interested in self improvement. Those who doubt the actions they take or the actions that happen to them. It is emphasized over and over that it is important to feel good because how we feel attracts more of what we have. If we feel good, good things will come, if we feel bad, bad things will come.

Some may thing this is a bunch of new age stuff. Another fad. But the teachings of Abraham has been around for 20 years. You may ask, what if I think about wanting to grow as tall as a giant. This is physically impossible, right. There you go with negative thoughts. The majority of us were brought up to believe that the average person was incapable of doing something huge. But take a look back in history at some great people. They had huge dreams, didn’t give up and finally realized their dreams. And they were just average joes.

The latter part of the book has homework for you. When you are feeling especially down, there is a written homework assignment to help you pick yourself back up. Not a reader, the book also comes in CD form. I enjoy this version more Since I have listened, I have noticed times when my thoughts carried out to reality. So far little stuff. Now it’s time to work on the big dreams.

Portland’s Japanese Gardens

Posted by SheSue on June 27, 2009 under Out and About

If you need a break from the craziness, the Japanese Gardens is just the place to go. Located high in the West hills on over 5 acres, you will find 5 separate garden styles. There is also an authentic Japanese tea house where they offer demonstrations of tea parties; spectacular views, meandering streams, a pavilion where they have events and exhibitions and of course, the gift store.
conference-housecherry-tree
I went with my sister. We took the guided tour. My sister has recently been to Japan and was impressed at how like Japan the gardens were. In fact, His Excellency Nobuo Matsunago, the former Ambassador of Japan to the Unites States said of the gardens, “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.”
flat-garden
The tour started with the pavilion where we attended the Iris Folding demonstration at a different time. The building has shoji (translucent paper panels) and verandas that denote the integration of house and garden. The Flat Garden is intricately raked sand with 2 island that are supposed to represent a sake cup and a gourd bottle. This signifies pleasure and a wish for your happiness.
tea-houseinside-tea-house
The Strolling pond garden is just like it sounds. 2 ponds separated by a Moon Bridge. The lower pond has statues of a tortoise and a crane which are symbols of longevity. The design of this garden told of the wealth of the owner.
craneswater-feature
The Tea Garden surrounds the tea house. There are actually 2 gardens. The inner garden next to the house and the outer garden where guests wait before entering the tea house. The gardens are meant to be simple just as the inside of the tea house. When you enter the house, you are meant to forget all about the material world around you. This way you will focus on the ceremony. The ceremonies are like a ballet, highly choreographed.
creekwaterfall
After the tea house, along the path, you come to the Zig Zag Bridge which leads through a pond filled with koi. Above the pond you will find Heavenly Falls, one of several falls through out the gardens. Water falls are a metaphor for the life cycle. The top is birth, the falls are your teenage years, the pond is adulthood and the trickle of water leaving the pond represents your senior years.
pagoda
The other water falls are part of the Natural Garden. This is my favorite garden. You pass by ponds, waterfalls, bridges, trees, shrubs and rock pathways. From early spring to late in the fall, there is always something in bloom in these well tended, yet natural gardens. The last garden is the Sand and Stone Garden. These type of gardens are always found in front of Buddhist temples. They are attended and appreciated for their simplicity.
stone
There are 5 gardens as Buddhists believe this number to be lucky. You will find no symmetry in the gardens. Each garden is designed with many enclosures. This allows you to focus only on the beauty that currently surrounds you. The trees are kept low as a human element. In each garden you will find stones which are considered the bones or structure of the garden. Plants form a seasonal tapestry and water represents life. The simple materials used represent the physical world.
sand-garden
For more information check out the Japanese Gardens website.

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