Andrea Mondine

Hi Cassie!

Why not just ask her?
You say that your friends 'don't care' that you don't shave...but are you sure about that? They may absolutely love you, and absolutely hate your body hair...but they 'tolerate' it because you are such an awesome person.

I can share a 'family story' that was passed on for decades about hairy female pits that may show the level of discomfort for some (given that this was in the 50's)...
My uncle was set to marry a younger gal...white conventional dress and all. In this case, somehow, family and friends weren't aware of the armpit kittens until the actual wedding day, when my mother is said to have been following my aunt-to-be with a pair of kitchen shears asking if 'she could just trim them up a little bit'. The story goes that it was not a pretty picture...and at that time, I'm not sure if she was making a statement, was not raised to mow, or just didn't care! Be it known that there is a chance you may be 'discussed' for several years if the bride (or any family member or friend) doesn't approve.

On the other hand, good for you for even considering the appropriate course of action. We shouldn't have to change who we are to please anyone else. It's great that you are comfortable in your natural state and have shunned the nonsensical societal requirement to be bald from the eyelashes down. It would be a loving gesture, on your part, to have a lighthearted chat with the gals getting married, and ask them to honestly decide for you. It is hair, it does grow back, but it is still a part of you and I don't think willy-nilly trimming without good reason is in order either.

If it's really only the photo remembrance that is the issue: depending on the style of the dress, perhaps you could have a little capelet or short lacy overjacket that yo could wear for photos? (Or go the photoshop option already mentioned in other posts)

Everyone should have the freedom to shave or not to shave any part of themselves....but I understand it's not as accepted in mainstream as we would all like. For such a small patch of growth, it sure does generate some debate. For the sake of both you and your family/friends...a tender compromise may need to occur.

I think you should let us know what you decide. I'm sure you will be beautiful either way.

~Andrea

Hi again, Amit!
Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better.

You say in your post that you tried apple cider vinegar in the past but I’m not clear if you stuck with it long enough to get results, or if you were saying you didn’t tolerate it well like the tomatoes and oranges and stopped using it.

Apple cider vinegar increases the alkalinity of the body, but it is in an ‘acid’ state right out of the bottle, and you can feel that unpleasant, too strong feeling if you aren’t diluting it. I’d recommend that you start with a half teaspoon in a cup of water and increase the amount of vinegar you add until you are having about a tablespoon full of vinegar in a cup of water three times a day.  It’s best on an empty stomach.

Just to be clear, you must use Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for this purpose.
‘Regular’ or refined vinegars of any kind, and non-organic apple cider vinegar are not the same on a molecular level and will NOT help you heal. Organic ACV is cloudy and has a residue that collects at the bottom of the bottle that is slippery/slimy and a bit gritty sometimes. This is referred to as ‘the mother’ and is actually chains of protein enzyme molecules. That is the component that heals your gut.

Eating to clean and support your liver would be a great idea for you. If you have a system that is unstable for some reason, like illness, stress, insomnia, or exposure to ugly things like pesticides, chemicals or toxins, your liver will thank you for some support. The easiest way to do this is with a supplement of milk thistle (can be purchased in capsules at any health food store), drinking dandelion tea or eating dandelion root, and (dare I say it), avoidance or elimination of dairy from your diet.

Some people have a really hard time digesting animal proteins in general, but especially dairy can contribute to a congested liver, pancreas, gall bladder and bile duct.
If your diet is heavy on meats as you describe, you may want to consider some basic changes in your diet as well. I’ve seen clients improve greatly by doing an ‘upside-down’ version of the standard American diet, which is traditionally meat, a starchy food, and some veggies.

If you convert to meals primarily made with vegetables, with some starch, and a small amount of meat as a seasoning /condiment, you may find that you feel better right away. As I mentioned before, animal proteins are really problematic for some. Meat takes a longer time to move through your system, and your body has to work harder to process it to utilize the nutritional benefit. It takes more pancreatic enzymes to digest meats and your stomach actually has to work harder to produce MORE acid to dissolve the fat and protein in meat. It may be worth your while to greatly reduce (or even eliminate for 7 days) the meat in your diet.

While I am a proponent for a plant based diet, I know that isn’t for everyone. What I am saying, however, is that if your diet is causing your body to use more enzymes and produce more acid just to break down the food you are eating, and then you are taking enzymatic supplements to make up the deficit and taking acid reducers or proton pump inhibitors to lower the production of gastric acids, it may be more prudent to simply remove some of the offending or irritating foods from your diet temporarily. You can always reintroduce foods later, when you are healthy and your gut is healed.

Kombucha—May I ask what kind you tried? The alcohol content in kombucha is minimal and a byproduct of fermentation. You would have to drink a half case of light beer to get the same amount of alcohol in one bottle of kombucha. Some home-brewed kombucha is manipulated for a slightly higher alcohol content by leaving the finished product unrefrigerated for a few days, but all commercially sold kombucha is under .05% alcohol. The benefits of kombucha are amazing, and it would be a shame if you were turned off from it due to one bad experience. I’d suggest experimenting with different manufacturers and flavors, as there are some great ones out there. Alternatively, if you know someone who home brews it, then that would be the best option.

You are correct, bentonite clay, or more specifically montmorillonite clay, is great for supporting your liver and in removing toxins from your body. It is equally effective in removing contaminants from every organ in your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. There is a video out there on YouTube somewhere that provides a great visual of the adsorption qualities of clay...I will look for it and post it here if I find it. It basically shows how the addition of clay ‘de-colorizes’ a red kool-aid type mix and only pure water is left.

Lastly, you ask about studies or proof of result. I don’t have anything at my fingertips, but I’m sure that there are many first-hand accounts on the internet. Mainstream medical will denounce most alternative practices, simply due to the fact that if you aren’t taking pharmaceuticals, you aren’t making money for them and their financial enterprises.

I have treated clients personally and trained in an alternative medicine clinic where what I describe in my prior post was the basic protocol for any gastrointestinal or digestive problem. Some things work better for some individuals than for others, but generally, every item listed, either together or as a stand-alone, will offer you some benefit. The key is to strengthen your entire system so you can fight off any little bugs (bacteria) or infections you might come into contact with.

I can offer you that I have self-treated for severe gastro issues with this regimen after being told by traditional gastro MD’s that if I didn’t submit to their RX protocol, I’d be sorry. I declined their prescriptions and opted to ‘go natural’ instead as a first line of treatment with full recovery.

**Of course, I’m not suggesting in any way that anyone reading this follow my footsteps in declining medical treatment/medications. It was a personal choice for me, and I have the support of a large alternative practice network. I suggest that anyone needing support see their physician or holistic practitioner, or whatever healer they are comfortable with. **

Wishing you all the best!
~Andrea

Jocelyn,

My attempt turned out great! The smell of the cookies baking coincided with our first real snowfall of the year. What a nice combination.  
My husband had never heard of these cookies before, and he loves them. He decided he's calling them 'Pepper Nubs' instead of Pfefferneuse. haha

I have black beans in the pot now....those brownies posted above sound amazing.

Have you ever tried chocolate chip cookies made with cannellini (white) beans? They are really good! I like to spread them in a pan and make 'bar-type' cookies to cut after baking. The dough is a little stickier than traditional chocolate chip dough, but lots of fiber and there is no 'bean' taste at all. These are 'kid and husband tested'.

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Here's the recipe in case anyone wants to have a go at it:

4 Tbsp butter (or vegan butter) (can be substituted with coconut oil, but you will have to go with the bar cookie due to extra soft dough)
2 eggs
Splash vanilla extract
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed tight
1 can cannellini beans (rinse well) (I've never tried using dried/soaked beans for this recipe) (can also use Garbanzo beans, but you will need less flour)
2 Tbsp real maple syrup or brown rice syrup
1 1/2 c (+/-) Flour (can use standard, whole wheat, buckwheat, brown rice, coconut, etc. I've tried them all!)
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 or 1 1/2 c chocolate or carob chips

I'm a 'smash it all together' kind of cook, so here is how I make these. If you want to take your time and be delicate, go for it.

Smash the beans in a food processor
Add all the 'wet' ingredients
Smash some more
Add salt and baking soda
Smash
Add flour (til it looks like cookie dough. You will need about 1 1/2 cups for cannellini, about 1 1/4 for garbanzo)
Smash
Dump into 9 x 13 (well) Greased pan
Stir in chocolate chips and press down

Bake at 375F for about 18-22 minutes.

Eat them all. Repeat.

*****

Here's a picture of how my attempt at Jocelyn's Pefferneuse turned out. Mine spread a bit into tiny circles, but my kitchen was really warm that day from baking bread.

Hi Kyrt!

Most of the time, the 'decision makers' in the hiring process don't ever see your cover letter, which is what I assume you are referring to when you mention your heartfelt response.

Make sure that your resume and cover letter are absolutely flawless regarding grammar and punctuation. Extra spaces and periods have a way of 'hiding' in a formal, blocky document.

You could try adding a new or different format to your resume. A lot of the folks coming into the workforce have been raised on technology, and their resumes don't even closely resemble what a resume looked like in 1980. Of course, I don't know your age, but the point is that you need to stand out.

While I'm not a fan of 'form-letter' type responses, I also feel that an extensive and extremely detailed response will yield only limited results. Hiring managers (or their Human Resource staff) simply don't have the time to thoroughly review a long cover letter, and they will often miss the very essence of what you are so carefully trying to convey in your response.

If you are seeking non-traditional employment or perhaps work with an individual proprietor, it may be better to send a brief introduction with 3-4 KEY points about yourself that might catch their eye, forgoing the traditional cover letter and resume altogether. Always offer to meet with them at their convenience to talk about how you can benefit their organization/cause.  

Keep in mind that there are a LOT of people seeking employment, and even the least demanding jobs often have fierce competition in certain markets.

If you'd like for me to take a peek at a sample of what you are using, I would happily review it for you. I have a large assortment of employment type documents saved from freelancing. I can send you samples of some cover letter ideas that could be more suited to your needs if I have a better idea of what type of employment you are seeking. Just PM me if interested.


Best of luck, and have a great day!!

~Andrea

My respectful two cents:

Paul Wheaton said:
I think this is the key to today's post.   I am not going to try to do this anymore.  It is up to you and everybody reading this…. I cannot even reach the people that can carry the message.  I have tried.  
With that in mind, let me ask you:  have you tried?

Kyrt Ryder’s comment that ‘Some of us definitely need to pick up the torch’ is right on the mark,and Dan Boone responded to Paul, saying he has ‘reached a lot of brains -- but it seems to me you're sounding like you're in a place of burnout from the work of trying.’

There’s a frustration level that builds when you are maximizing your abilities and exhausting your time availability and still don’t see the results that you had hoped.  A few days ago I was part of a thread where I shared thoughts about how I might help in ‘getting the word out’ discussed on a thread about affiliate programs.

I’m not a ‘marketing guru,’ although I have been forced into that role professionally in the past. I would actually say that I hate sales. However, one of the key points I learned when thrown into that position was that marketing can be about just ‘connecting’ with people, and doesn’t have to be hard sales or approaching people that don’t want to hear what you have to say.

There is a ‘target market’ to focus on. A percentage of the population will never care as much as we do about this subject. But there is a percentage that simply hasn’t yet been introduced to these ideas and philosophies. Of course, there is a smaller segment of the population that we MUST reach to actually enact global change. I’m sure there are people more suited to that task than me that have connections or who work directly or indirectly with those industries or government agencies.  

Although I hate sales, I LOVE to teach people things. In this case, educating people serves a dual purpose of marketing the site, products and permaculture philosophy. I can think of several ways I can implement ‘educating’ people about permaculture and permies.com into some of the things I already do. As an example...If I teach a community class on getting rid of toxins and chemicals in your home, I can actually tie a portion of the content right into a permaculture theme, complete with a little hand-made flyer inviting people to join the forums and explain a little about permaculture.

There’s another active thread on the forum right now, called ‘How can I help?’  https://permies.com/t/60854
In it, Paul gives these links to prior threads with some great starting points on how WE, as the Permies.com community can help.

https://permies.com/t/38875/support-Permies
https://permies.com/t/31398/Ideas-simple-tasks-anytime-Permies
https://permies.com/t/5716/team-permies
https://permies.com/t/24165/volunteerism
https://permies.com/t/7157/sharing-bricks

So to tie this up, within one of these threads noted above, dated some 6 years ago, I noticed this quote from Paul:
'I don't know about the rest of you, but I feel like I really am changing the world.'

Paul IS doing his part to change the world.
If each one of us can find the time or the way to help spread the word about permaculture, the Permies.com site or about products that benefit the site, we can not only ‘lighten the load’ but exponentially increase the potential for positive outcome.

Hi Jocelyn!

Thank you for posting this recipe!!
I listened to podcast #348 the other day and have been thinking about these cookies ever since!! My Grandmother also made these, and the recipes I have found over the years just aren't the same. I have wonderful memories of the spicy cookie bits...and yes, it totally looks like dog food. I remember hers being even darker than the ones in your picture, but absolutely the same process of 'snakes' and cutting little tidbits off.
I'll be sure to spread the word about the contest and best of luck to you!
I'm going to make the dough today.

~Andrea

***(to any/everyone else) Listen to podcast #348 if you haven't! It's amazing!!

Any Thoreau would also be greatly appreciated.

Hi Judith!
Thank you for your generous offer to share your books. Unfortunately 'unwanted' books often end up in the trash/landfill.

I'd LOVE to have any Aldous Huxley titles, and any Herman Hesse.
Hesse was actually a HUGE influence on me when I was just a youngster, and I believe that early exposure to 'ideas' can change and transform an individual's life. My daughter is 15 and an avid reader. I'd love to be able to read these with her.

I promise to find them a good home when I'm done and would love to trade or share something in exchange. I'll PM my address.

Thank you!!

~Andrea

Hi Amit!
First off, please get yourself on an alkaline diet. Even without ANY pharmaceuticals, this will greatly reduce the level of H Pylori infection in your gut. If you are not familiar with the importance of maintaining an alkaline body, the graphic I added to this post might help you make food choices and there are many websites out there that discuss it in great detail. Traditional Western MD’s may or may not agree with this mindset, but in the alternative world, it’s a given that acid based bodies are not healthy and alkaline based bodies are.

From http://www.mindbodygreen.com
“Some health experts believe that our pH balance is extremely important, others say it is essential, there are a few who clearly state that it is a matter of life and death. The only people who don't emphasize the alkaline/acidity balance as central to health are quacks that peddle a pharmaceutical pill for every ill, a drug for every bug.”

Here’s a good overview:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3400/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-pH.html
******
Above, Matt linked to an article about an herb called Nigella Sativa. It’s an excellent choice for anyone needing an immune system boost, or anyone fighting any type of infection. It can be brewed as a mild tea and you may feel results quickly. This can be found in most health food stores or online. I also like the oil and have used it personally from this source. Only buy organic and make sure that it is “nigella” sativa and not another sativa. Other types have other uses, but for your immune system the nigella sativa is the one you want. Also don’t be fooled by something just packaged as ‘cumin seed’, as that can be any of a variety of sativa species. It’s not very expensive.
https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/cumin-seed-oil/profile

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I’d also suggest daily intake of turmeric, another spice. It’s an amazing anti-inflammatory and will help settle your agitated gastrointestinal system so that it is more likely to heal. This is inexpensive (about $5 for a half pound) at the Indian grocery.  Integrate it into the bulk of your meals.

******
Get on a good probiotic. Here’s a link of the best ranked probiotics from an independent lab study. These vary wildly in price, so check the value of anything you decide on.
https://labdoor.com/rankings/probiotics

******
Organic Apple Cider Vinegar EVERY DAY. You might think it is an ‘acid’ and will be bad for you…but it is NOT. Dilute a teaspoon in water three times a day to start and then add more as you feel fit. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar is actually alkalizing in your body and will help heal your stomach (and whatever else ails you). Bragg’s is probably the most famous brand and can be found in any health food store and most grocery stores.

******
Bentonite or Montmorillonite Clay preparations can also help heal and detoxify your gut. There is no taste, and it’s just a teaspoon mixed in water. This acts as an adsorbent (NOT aBsorbant) and pulls all the unwanted things from your system. The molecules in the preparation literally attract and cling to bad molecules, and then they are removed from the body via normal elimination.
Sonne’s has a nice brand called simply ‘Detoxificant #7’. Again, inexpensive and available at any local health food store.

******
You state you are on anti-acid drugs (pharmaceuticals). While this type of drug can make you ‘feel’ better, it can also compound your problems, so please use caution. Proton Pump Inhibitors can cause many unpleasant and unwanted side effects that might not show up til years later. A major research study last summer came out linking long term use of PPI’s to increased risk of fractures, pneumonia, other stomach and intestinal infections, iron and B12 deficiencies, cardiovascular risks, kidney problems and dementia! That’s a long list of bad things that no one wants. There are alternatives. Please research and ask for guidance from a holistic practitioner.

******
Your profile states you are in Ohio; depending on location I may be able to refer to a holistic or alternative practitioner near your home if you’d like. Be your own advocate and don’t take everything your gastro doctor says at face value. Do your own research and be as educated as possible about your condition.

Best of luck to you!!

Hi Paul!

Thanks for checking in on my progress.

So, I have not made any money off this…YET.  I posted the link and then did absolutely nothing else, so I have only myself to blame. Although I had the best intent to do daily posts, I never followed through.

Earlier this week I thought about this and began a new and improved plan of action to kick things (and myself) into gear, as I know I’m not maximizing my exposure or abilities.  

I have a website that I’ve had up and running for a few years, but have struggled to figure out how to tie my homesteady self into the theme without it feeling like I had a ‘hard sales’ page. I think I have that worked out mentally, where I will add some elements to my site that will slowly transition to the “I’m Glad You Think I’m Amazing, But Look At All The Cool Things My Friends Have To Offer’ page.

I also have a newsletter (via the tiny letter platform) that was intended to be a weekly send~~I think I can link to my webpage more confidently after making the changes mentioned above. I just confirmed with my web-hoster (godaddy) that I can link to other blogs and RSS feeds so they show up right on my website wherever I choose.

I slacked off twitter a few weeks ago, but had been posting something small and hopefully inspirational each day. I have renewed faith that I will be able to keep that going. I usually attach photos that I have taken (nature based, for the most part) with each post. I recently found your suggestion about using photos to also generate income by offering them for sale. I saved that info somewhere and will locate it. I never thought about the connection and potential for this until writing this post….my twitter feed can also be a very soft daily advertisement for my photos. Perhaps I could link each post back to my website.  I’ll work on that.

I was waiting to build up my following on twitter a bit before linking to my website, and again, I wanted to try to have a smooth connection or integration between my twitter and my website.  My following is slowly but steadily growing. I could have just willy-nilly started following people to get return followers, but since it will ultimately be tied to my business and website, I didn’t want a bunch of jack-wagons with senseless drama, pics of boobs and harsh political or judgmental content.  I’d rather be a little bit picky, and end up with a quality feed that is a ‘nice’ place to be.

I reviewed my scubbly.com account this morning and did some more reading about linking and using the ‘instantlink’ feature that will let readers do a simple ‘one click’ to a check out with the item already in a ‘shopping cart’. According to scubbly, this will help on return dramatically. I suppose the idea is that some folks will say, ‘well, it’s already in my cart, so I guess I’ll just buy it!’ I also found out that there are other folks on scubbly that offer the affiliate program. As long as their products are in line with my values, I’ll be offering them as well. I didn’t understand that the first time around.

Next up is an idea to utilize Instagram and free child labor. My daughter (15) is an Instagram whiz; I don’t have an account. Today she will be presented with a money making opportunity. I’m going to have her set up 2 new accounts that she will fully manage.  I’ll tell her to post on her current Instagram account that she’s setting up new ones that will have cool stuff for sale. She understands affiliate programs, as some clothing and cosmetic lines offer payouts. My idea is that she will manufacture the content for ‘her’ new Instagram account, with her current followers attaching to that account as well. She has hundreds of followers from all over the globe, in all age ranges and with all kinds of mindsets. On that account, she can post all MY scubbly links and also any affiliate link options she might like to explore (I’ve not permitted her to do this before since the interweb is a scary place). The second account will be ‘mine’ but she will manage it. I’ll provide the content and it will be more focused on my interests and potential hooks for new clients for my business. Since she checks her accounts no less than 642 times a day, I’m hoping she will stay on top of this more efficiently that I would.

In order to educate myself more, I also have started to listen to your podcasts. Only two down, but really enjoyable, full of information and ideas.  I mention this because within one of the podcasts I listened to, someone mentions that a LOT of permies.com readers ‘lurk’ in the background for a long time before becoming active. This really hit home with me, as I have’ lurked’ for about 5 or 6 years, beginning under another email/user and then transitioning to my current username.  My first post was two months ago, and now I feel like I NEED to check in each morning. I really appreciate this site and the forums. What an amazing way to find ‘like-minded’ folks! I’d encourage any ‘lurking readers’ to get active to take full advantage of everything there is here at permies.com.

Even though I didn’t make any money from the affiliate program yet, I DID make money by reading the forums and following some suggestions provided by Destiny in this thread:

https://permies.com/t/57559/Working-home-telecommuting-homestead

I set up a freelance writing profile online and almost immediately was approached to ghostwrite an eBook about Life Coaching for an investment company in Australia. $500, Ka-Ching!!!  I was extremely pleased with that return on an hour’s investment to set up a profile. I now have people approach me via that platform for freelance jobs (which I also do locally). Thanks Destiny!!

Lastly, I will update my signature line here on permies.com, which is a super simple and amazing way to promote any of my (your/anyone reading this) ventures. I see that some people use that opportunity fully, but some don’t.

I think that the key to any of this is that you have to DO IT. You have to start, and you have to follow through. If you throw a seed in the wind, it MIGHT grow somewhere. Not totally terrible, but there will be an exponential increase in the percentage of return if you take the time to properly plant and nurture that same seed. I’m determined to find ways that will provide financial support as well as allow me to stay true to my lifestyle choices.

Thanks again for all you do, Paul (and team). You are making a difference in the world.