Another chapter has come to an end......but only to beging again...

Hi everyone, its the end of one chapter of the cooking for me...but i have yet to write the whole book......and this is the beginning of my cooking experience......come and join me again .....i promise you i will enthrall you at moments, and bore you to tears on others. Some chapters i will tickle your funny ribs, and even manage to jerk a few tears.........but i will never let you not be  part of my story....... my story is your story, just seen with different lenses..............namaste!

Comments  made for Blogs:

shilmoni said...

Hello Nic,
It is a wonderful to travel down your cross stitch journey. I am so touched to read about your gift for your brother's wedding. Its a gift that will stay forever......and that is priceless.
Cross-Stitch can be very strenuous for your eyes....so have you thought of any eye exercise to strengthen the eye muscles and keep good vision....you will need them for more gifts in the future!! Here are some tips and natural remedies that you can do.
Exercise for strengthening eyes -
1.Breathing in a right way is very important for being healthy. If you will breath properly this will also improve your vision. When you inhale the air, the air goes done to the bottom of the lungs and the air fills the lungs. This pushes the stomach outwards and as you slowly exhale the air, the air gets up slowly form the bottom of your lungs and it pushes your stomach in. This exercise will give soothing feeling to your eyes.
2.In order to improve your vision, you will need to learn to focus your mind well first. You can also reduce the stress on your eyes by placing your palms over your eyes. Sit on a flat table and lean forward. Keep your elbows on the table and close your eyes. Place your right palm on right eye and left palm on your left eye. Do this in such a way that your fingers remain on your forehead.
......well done and don't forget to look after your lovely asset Your Eyes!

26 October 2011 09:46

shilmoni said...

Hey Ju,......as i know you as a person...i understand your need to do something...i can relate to your need because i am like you too. Every minute is precious and an "idle mind is a devil's workshop" but also idle hands are wasted time...time that will never return. After all we express our love in many languages....and having the need to do something is our language ...i believe.....Creation is beautiful....well done you have done a good job!!

26 October 2011 09:58

shilmoni said...

Hi Keryn,
That is amazing, your gift for your nephew. He is a lucky guy to have a talented and loving aunt like you. Love like the way you are expressing through endless hours of scrap-booking and capturing memories is very special. You have a gift there, girl, keep up the great scrap-booking..... Have you thought of actually setting up a little personal scrape-booking club with a few friends.....i could join your group, and we could meet few other needs through our meeting and scrap-booking and share some quality time and build memories.......have a thought...you have a keen member..!! well done.

25 October 2011 14:08

shilmoni said...

Hi Heather,
As i have been following how diligently you have been following the diet...and i must say you are very good and i am impressed. I also feel that you are quite motivated by the diet. I think it is working for you in all levels, health wise, emotionally, confidence wise and feel good factor. That in itself is a good self-esteem builder. Maybe you can join other members online who are doing the Dukan diet and share some experiences. Great way to connect. well done!!

26 October 2011 10:18

References:

Careers in OT. (2011). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.caot.ca

/default.asp?pageid=295

Dul, J & Weerdmeester, B. (2008) Ergonomics for beginners a quick reference guide

(3rd ed.). Boca Raton, Fla.: Crc Press.

Green, T. F. (1968). Work, leisure, and the American schools.

New York: Random House.

Magpie, Y. (2011). Julia Child Quotes: A cook with a lot to say. Retrieved from http://yellowmagpie

.com/julia-child-quotes/

Vidlit. (2008). Julie and Julia [video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=

YybhuBmzhvA&feature=player_embedded

Ysp10182. (2010). I love butter [video]. Retrieved from Http://www/youtube.com/watch  

?v=0QccHjp0xH0

Cooking is inspirational

Hello everyone.....today i am going to talk to you about the movie Julie And Julia......and how i thoroughly enjoyed the ideas Julie had about blogging about her cooking...the only thing in her life that she could have control over. Her life in the movie is pretty bleak...living over a pizzarea in a small apartment....and cooking from a miniscule kitchen!!! Her job not to mention was very impersonal and how shall i put it quite regimental!!! Stuck behind a desk with a machine to keep you company all day Julie's inspiration and motivation was at the end of the rung. Droning of voices, human beings expressing anger, boredom, frustrations and sadness all in  day in Julies ear-piece....as she sat there meeting an ends to a means...means to an end. She certainly did not find any joy in her career.......Julie's life was lack-luster....and Julie was dying a slow agonising death in her mind......when a light bulb effect caught her fancy in the form of Blogging about her other Love in her life Cooking!!! Cooking gave her a joy beyond imagination. she knew exactly how the chocolate sauce would taste after she cooked it and she had some control over her performance. She knew that if she was in the kitchen, amidst her pots and pans and her spoons and ladles she was a winner, ...a star. It brought meaning to her life. It brought the zest and sparkle to her life.....it was almost like watching a metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly.......so mesmerizing was the effect of her licking the ladle in her tiny kitchen. To watch the absolute ecstasy of her talk through her chocolate sauce!!!! Then a winner was, when she decided that she would blog about her cooking. Julie Powell comes up with the plan to save herself from the dread of her everyday existence. She undertakes to cook 524 recipes in 365 days. This is just an amazing experience...and like everything in life she goes through highs and lows, troughs and peaks of cooking, burning, chopping, hacking and sometimes murdering her ingredients and items to cook. It has a funny side and a gentle real side to the story.......................you should all go and watch it....you won't regret it.
I have some quotes for you all to enjoy from the movie........
The movie spoke to me personally as well. Last year due to the lack of time and a part time job that i could enjoy....i took up cooking. My friends in the community were always asking me for Indian recipes, and when m daughter went for play-dates, i sent some Indian food over with her to share with her friends............
One day, a dad said to me...." Gosh! that was so lovely,....i could eat 10 of them! have you ever thought of selling them. i could buy it off you!" I was dumb struck, never had i toyed with the idea of actually selling what i cooked, but i was persuaded into it....and i have no regrets about it. My friends mentioned that they would go and pick up some fish and chips for take-away dinners every now and then, and it was not the healthy option, but a change.... so i could do that and they would be happy to come and pick it up form my place. Therefore i decided to give it a try.... Thus began my story...Once upon a time,.....there was a poor princess....who found a magic pot and cooked Indian Curry and became Rich and Famous.....HA!! Ha!! That's just a big Joke!!  But that is how i started. I made a menu on a Monday, emailed it to a list of friends in the Bay. They would email me their orders by Wednesday or Thursday. I would do the shopping on Thursday, and all the prep work. After i got back from College, i would start my cooking on Friday afternoon. The pick-up time was 6pm. It worked very well. I was in seventh haven with the aroma and flavours...i didn't need to eat...i was already full. I was full of soul food! The little Indian Curry fan list grew longer and longer. My kitchen was a little meeting spot for neighbors and i had them sitting around my dinner table chatting and talking and it was a melting pot of cultural amalgamation. I can't tell you who enjoyed themselves more, the chappy customers or the very happy cook!!! It is a little gem of a memory i have since tucked away amongst so many more.....to share with you again another day!! Until then enjoy the quotes below......that i too immensely relate to!!!     

‘Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.’
‘It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it.’

‘The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.’

‘Life itself is the proper binge.’

‘Drama is very important in life: You have to come on with a bang. You never want to go out with a whimper.’

‘Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.’

‘Everything in moderation, including moderation.’

‘The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a ‘What the hell?’ attitude.’

‘Tears mess up your makeup.’

‘Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?’

Refernces:

 Retrieved on 25/10/11 from:http://yellowmagpie.com/julia-child-quotes/

The need for "Cooking"

I definitely have a need to cook....most often than not. I also cook Asian and European meals  every now and then as i do like a variety of food and also like to tease my taste-buds with different food, i cook dinners that would be exotic in my country. Almost a novelty to eat mashed potatoes with gravy and roasted pumpkin and Kumara....yes, that is right, you may ask any other Indian walking in the street, .....You will have to visit a 5 star restaurant and a European/Western restaurant to eat steak, mashed spuds, and roast veges........i am not joking. At least that has been my experience in India. I had to visit a very good restaurant who specialized in Western menus. Whereas you will get  tandoori chicken and curry in every nook and cranny in the city........that is the way of the world! Coming back to my need to cook is that i feel so much in touch and grounded with myself when i cook. Sometimes i even put on some Indian music and hum along to the tune......you can imagine that i feel bodily/physically transported back to my home country like Alladin in his magic carpet. My closest or my truest need to cook would be to feed my family and sustain life.....but the most joy i get out of cooking is the element of culture, color, smell and taste i derive form my Indian cooking, and also sharing something that is close to my heart with my family. All my senses are brought alive when i cook Indian meals. Memories from the past get resurrected, smells take me to flash-backs of yester years that are locked in my brain. All the happy hormones in the brain are released giving me an all good feel..... I also feel the nurturing part of me take control when i cook and i take the "Mother Earth Provider " and i like this role..............in speaking of roles...and the need to take on roles...i have been reflecting on is determined with life stage and the life experiences you have along the way.............the need and desire to do anything in life is how shall i explain.......expression of your spirituality and who you are as a person. Your creativity is a portrait of your personality, very unique and priceless. You don't have to be famous or rich with your creativity, but just something that brings a smile to you and joy to your soul......if you know what i mean!!! In line with what i feel about my need and life stage.... i like what Shakespeare writes in " As You Like It"     
All the world's a stage
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrnces;
And one man in his time plays many parts;
His acts being seven in ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like a furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths and bearded like the bard,"..................and so on goes his ballad. (Christiansen 2010).
So much for tonight's blog..... always rejuvenates me when i blog..........

More on spirituality

Spirituality...the essence of who we are and who we leave behind.......the works of our hands and the mind are so intertwined, that it is hard to separate the two....and why should we...after all we are unique human beings and indiindividuals that have a purpose upon this earth.......
The need to belong not just to another but to the self finally defines and gives you a place on this earth. Cooking belongs to me and i belong to cooking in myriad ways that you can imagine....where i come from, where i m today and what i bring with me and take with me and leave behind when i go all reflects in my cooking. The need to cook, the why must i cook, the why shouldn't i cook are questions that make up my cooking history. The words of Ryan Dickson, speaks to my mind when he says, " The through his knowing and the work of his hands, leaves behind not only part of himself, but also part of his ancestors and those of the people-connection past to present to future, and people to people."  When i cook i bring in a little bit of my past and knit it with my present which will live on through my daughter in the future....my spirit lives on . I find this aspect of labour and craft and creativity surreal and worth while. Gives me meaning that i was born as a human being and leave the world a bit richer and a bit wiser(i hope). My little contribution in making a future for our children.........I may never, i am sure i will never climb the Mt. Everest or travel to the moon...or even be rich and famous and live in a mansion....(not that i have any such aspirations), but i will definitely connect to my spirituality via cooking and feeding and sharing and laughing, and chatting, and exchanging stories and recipes, and celebrating and crying and mourning and creating and experimenting and meeting and connecting and bonding and nurturing and developing all of this and  so much more..... i will soar like the eagle high upon the deep blue sky while cooking and connect to all the elements of nature.....free and uncomplicated.....
Spirituality is multidimensional. As explained and quoted from Poloma & Pendleton, " There is a robust connection between personal well-being and a concern with the spiritual. The " faith factor" emerges as a significant contributor to quality of life indicators such s life satisfaction, happiness, self-esteem, hope and optimism and meaning in life."

I love Butter

retrieved on 19/10/2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5K75Y3r43I&feature=related ...i love her steadfast determination and dedication....personally cooking does bring me a similar meaning and i can relate to her dedication.

Affordances-spiritualiity-Aesthetics-health

Food-cooking-spirituality-aesthetics-health......i believe that they all go hand in hand: 

We all cook at some point in life and eat everyday, some 4 times a day and others more...... so how is food connected spiritually? We all have different preferences in life and different value systems...... whats good for the goose may not be good for the gander!
The act of cooking food, the methods and procedures, the food itself and the ingredients, used for cooking and eventually the presentation all should be in great harmony with each other like a well rehersed choir. i remember my grandmother's words on some occassion, for something i can't remember....but these words have stuck with me ever since....." Even animals and birds gather food for themselves and their young ones.... the difference with humans and them"  is our power and will and creativity to present our food in a palatable way." I suppose i will alwys carry those words with me, because i can be a bit of a perfectionist, when i present my cooked food. Sometimes it may not be a very palateble item of food, but if i put it well together with garnishings and creativity, it looks attractive and people would love to eat it...it has happened quite a few times in my life, especially young ones.... when you disguise salads and other vegetables that would require a battle of wills to be eaten. I believe in cleanliness is next to godliness, and i live by these principles therefore i present my food in a clean and clutter free environment. We have a ritual to always light a candle and sweet smelling insence at the table for dinners.... for aspiciousness and mellow ambience. a symbol of beauty, olfactory pleasentness. In my house evenings are quite sacred, where we all gather around the table to eat, but also thank God for the day gone by and slow down from the busiess of the day. To be able to unwind from the business of the day, amidst sweet smelling candles and a lovely warm cooked dinner. When dusk falls upon the ground, and all creatures upon the planet find a resting spot, it is quite apt to come home and feel how blessed we are to have a home and food on our table and think of unfortunate beings who have nothing. This is why we think it is very important to say grace and include everyone in our prayers and thoughts who are lonely and suffering......so we do our little bit of positive thinking and breathe a love and compassion form our little corner of the world. Gives us a sense of well being and makes us grounded as people and humans. We are after all the superior and lucky beings that God has created, so i feel that it is but the least i can do to make this world a better place to live in.
We eat everyday of our lives...... form the moment we are born we cry for food, ...and it is a part of our survival to eat and drink. However, i do believe that we can be mindful eaters and like many things in life, consumption of food needs discipline. I do believe that it is me who is in control and not food controllig me. I try my best to eat consciously and i consider my body to be the alter to my spirituality, where God resides, therefore i would not like to defile it with over- eating or too much junk food. I am quite a mindful eater and i try my best to eat healthy. I like to cook most of my food, and its possibly my culture too, but i like to eat lot of lentils and beans and vegetables as i was brought up this way. Food aand cooking and eating draws most cultures together, and that is the beauty of eating together and community survives and thrives when there are communal gatherings like this.
Culturally speaking, as an Indian, my culture is famous for gatherings that take place due to religious reasons and there is always food involved in these occassions....and that is what  remember form my childhood......lots of people, copious amounts of food, people celebrating a birth or mourning a death ...food was quite a central part of our living....... which puts into perspective, if you are happy, we must eat, and then if we are sad we must eat..... so emotions are connected with the intake of food......!!! It is not surprising that there are health issues as well as eating disorders when people cannot cope they target food...... Either you are in control or food is in control!!
When i was a little girl growing up in my house, i remember my grandmother sneaking in some vagabond, beggar and raggedy people in the back yard , away form the stern eyes of my grand father, and piling great amounts of rice and left over curry on to their plates..... i suppose that was her way of caring for the poor and hungry and doing her bit to feed the millions of hungry in India. It was no surprise to me and my sisters  when we returned form school to come home to a beggar sitting in one corner of the garden eating hungrily out of a plate..... and then he used to be piled with ll our old clothes, and spare blankets , before he was sent away hastily, before my grandfather could say much.........those memories now mke me smile....and gives me a great sense of peace and pride...... i do carry some of those traits in my genes..... i believe, and there is no greater joy than giving...surpasses the joy of receiving....!!....well i think i will leave it at that for tonight nd blog a bit more tomorrow..... it is very relaxing to blog about your past and jog those happy memories........ i am happy to share them with you all......

Affordances- cooking-the endless lbour of love

Hello everyone, I better share my cooking story with you all……to begin with, last evening I blogged for about an hour taking you through the meandering pathway of my days in the kitchen….and as unexpectedly…or shall I add predictably my work was lost due to a technical glitch!! So that was that!!,

But I was calm and shut my computer and went to bed instead!! And here I am again this morning, trying to do damage control!! So bear with me and fasten your seat-belts , It’s  almost count down time to take off………10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0…………….!!!

Last week after a hectic day at school and picking my daughter up from school, we arrived to the comforts of home. There is certainly no place like the home. As I parked the car in the drive way, the cats came out bounding and leaping out from the garden bushes….. By the way,  even surpassing a wagging and excited dog, I must add; Our feline members have some traits that resemble dogs!

We marched straight into the kitchen, as is the custom in my house, and spread all our belongings on the kitchen table and take a breather to pat and cuddle the cats, before we begin the serious business of feeding and being fed!! The single most important survival task that human beings do. Over and over again in their life time.  In the olden days man hunted and gathered for food. They tilled and grew and harvested………….but nothing radically has changed from the past, in my opinion. We have been able to package, freeze, clone, hybrid, graft, globalize, transport food……..but food essentially remains the same and it is universally cooked in various forms and eaten, and digested and ……..Eureka! Man still lives on!!                                

I decided to cook “Sag Dal” (spinach, lentil) Sag Dal is a very popular vegetarian curry in India, and I have had fond associations with this very nutritious and wholesome food in my past. It is a comfort food for me and I want to share it with my family….so I proceed to cook this lovely aromatic, packed with goodness meal. My daughter and I begin with visiting our little vege-patch where we have grown some very healthy looking spinach, silver-beet, cauliflower, broccoli and onions, and other vegetables…all cramped in a small spot. We are in love with our humble  little “gold-Mine” and are very proud of our own fresh produce. ( Can you see us preening with pride??!! You would think we are Mr. Bill Gates himself, with a billion dollar IT industry!! ) ( No offence to Him, but we consider ourselves in par with him in wealth,…… and I bet you,  our wealth does not give us any sleepless nights…..but just the opposite!!) So much for the rendezvous in the vege-patch, which is no bigger than a  pocket-sized handkerchief. My daughter helps me pick some fresh, crunchy spinach. We pick a large bunch and head back to the kitchen.

I wash and chop the leaves up and leave it to drain in the colander. Meanwhile the jug has boiled with water that I need to boil my lentils in. I wash the “masoor dal” (red lentils) thoroughly till all the water is clear and I put it in a big pot to boil. I add a big chunk of pounded ginger and a tea-spoon of turmeric. I close the lid of the pot and turn the stove to low heat. I have a panache for cooking food in low heat, as I believe that food tastes a lot better and the nutrients are preserved far better this way……now anyone out there,  an expert,  on food- nutrition…..please prove me wrong!!! But this is how I have learned to cook, and it is certified by my grandmother who is in heaven now!! Mean- while my daughter has been busy talking nineteen- to the dozen and I have been answering all her questions, so communication is strong between us….. as you can imagine. She has had a bite to eat by now and trying hard to wiggle her way out of doing some writing exercise with very valid reasons….mind you; ( but according to her only!)  Reluctantly she gets her exercise book out and decides to write 10 lines on the happenings of the day with lackluster effort. I leave it at that and try not to sound too condescending.  I hum a little tune instead, and praise her for her great decision, and assure her that she can play a little computer game after she had finished her writing!!! I lost the battle, but won the war……..( I am the mother here, you must understand….and mothers always  know  what’s best  for their children....well! most of the time anyway)…I suppose  as the evening progresses in my kitchen, and patience gets frayed and thin, it is hard to keep tiredness and weariness out on the bay,…..therefore when I hear her begin to moan and grumble just after a sentence, I snap at her to concentrate and get on with it. Phew! That was a close call in nearly losing my voice ……but I managed to remain calm and get on with cooking…….. I must be mindful here, I remind myself, and I do want to breathe positive, loving vibrations into the meal to be soul food….. ! A bit of REBT (rational emotive behavior therapy) and a bit of mindful, meditation always helps me to be who I am essentially or strive to be….. day by day.  The next step in cooking dal is finely chopping a large onion, few cloves of garlic ready for frying. I also open a can of chopped tomatoes, not ideally my favorite as I do not like canned food…not habituated from my childhood, I must add! ( I don’t know about you people there, but my household economy and my ethics will not allow myself to buy a kilo of tomatoes for $21….i just think it is ludicrous! Absolutely not! Therefore I resort to canned tomatoes for $2 a can.)  I would have liked to grow my own, but I have no glass house, and the ones I grew in the pot wasn’t satisfactory, in the past unfortunately…  I pour some oil into the frying pan, and wait for the hot fumes to rise before I add a  large pinch of “Jeera” ( Cumin seeds), Lal Mirch, Tej-patta !( dry red chili, and  a few Bay leaves ) I fry these Masala till they are golden brown and I can smell a fresh waft of spices drift from the ingredients. Then I add the chopped onion and garlic and fry them as well, till the oil separates from the masala. Lastly I add salt and a can of chopped tomatoes. I give it a good stir and put the lid on the pan and let it all simmer for 5 minutes or so till the tomatoes are all nicely cooked.  Now I must retract my steps backwards a bit, as I multi-task while I fry my masala for the dal. The jug has been set to boil a second time, and that hot water has been used to soak a rice-cooker full of rice after being thoroughly washed.  I leave it to soak for 2- 3 minutes, as the secret for rice to be fluffy and rise in the pan Is this step of washing thoroughly with warm water and soaking it in hot water before cooking. After the soaking is over, I drain out the hot water and add some fresh hot water to the rice, with some cardamom seeds( Queen of all spices as it is known, and it gives a heavenly aroma to food,)  and a bit of cooking oil. I set it to cook in the rice cooker, which takes about 20 minutes.  The dal has been slow cooking for about 10 minutes and it is time to add the chopped spinach leaves by now. I let it cook for about 2/3 minutes more as spinach cooks easily and I do not like it over cooked. The next step is to add all the fried masala from the frying pan into the Dal and sag mixture and stir it gently. All the lovely aroma and flavor’s mix together and turns the humble Dal Sag into a delicacy, and only those who have savored this delicious dish will vouch for it to be one of the yummiest dishes created  on earth. ( well! At least in my opinion,……I know everyone’s pallet is not the same….and thank goodness for that , otherwise the world would not have a culinary melting pot of different flavor’s )

 Welcome to my kitchen….boan appetite!! The Sag Dal is cooked…………and the rice is cooked…………..the child is happy  as she has graduated from her 10 lines of writing unto her computer game……..the cats are purring and curled up after licking their chops………and  it is 6 o clock, …..and I am dog tired and I need a cup of tea..!!!! …and I will do this again tomorrow and all the morrows that follow ……….as Green ,T.F. (1968), Work, leisure and The American schools so aptly states that, “ it is the fact that we are alive that brings bout labours, leaving nothing behind. Yet we cannot say, that it is futile, there is nothing more urgent than the need to provide adequate shelter and food.” She could not be more right than this!!

i can almost  smell the fresh baked loaves of bread…… and the earth beneath my feet…..how about you??

Photo of an old town bake oven still in use in Europe.

Retrieved on the 14^th/10/2011 from  http://www.chimkc.com/masonry_heaters.htm

Cucumber in a pot in my back yard!!

Pocket-sized vege-patchProudly owned by me!!

References:

Green, T. F. (1968). Work, leisure, and the American schools. New York: Random House

Retrieved on the 14^th/10/2011 from  http://www.chimkc.com/masonry_heaters.htm

     

Ergonomics

Cooking……..Cooking………..The Melting pot for all cultures, traditions, beliefs and ways to meet centrally………..universally, spiritually......


Cooking is an age old habit, hobby and automatic gear for me. I have had a lifelong love story with cooking, ……like any love story, mine with cooking has had its ups and down. Its rocky days and its chocolates and roses days literally………….!!! I must admit though that by and by, I have learned to resolve these issues, and like wine matured in a wooden barrel over the years, mine has developed its unique flavor, taste and reflective feelings to it. It is an integral part of who I am and how I identify myself. My cultural beliefs, my personal beliefs and my personality and also my spirituality are all linked with: “to cook, how to cook, when to cook and for whom to cook for .”


I could tell great yarns about my personal journey with cooking,……….not that I am any chef in any competition or any Jamie Oliver of New Zealand or any other master chef advertised in the T.V., but I consider myself a self-made chef and my daughter and family think I am a celebrity, no less……!!! Does my confidence and ego good, the need for human beings to feel accepted, special and successful!!!


How shall I describe myself???!!! Self-reflection in words can be very tricky, and very black and white. It’s easier to ponder and ruminate over matters and reflect in the depth of your mind than weaving a tapestry of words and to top it off to publish it for all and sundry to read about who you are!!


However, I shall try to describe myself closet to who I feel I am in relation to my Cooking activity.


I am a doer or let’s just say that somebody who is in the best of her elements when (she is) I am doing, creating, making, performing something…. Or just being…….. Sounds awfully complicated and philosophical, doesn’t it?


Let me explain to you all in simple words, what cooking means to me at this point of my life stage.


Cooking bridges the gap I feel from my adulthood to my childhood. Cooking evokes happy memories from my past and future seems very tangible and real. It fulfills my yearning for my culture and my country. It meets the need for an end…eating and reaching out to people. ………………….. I could go on and on…….


So by now I think you have guess what activity I am interested in performing…………………and if you haven’t then I will spell it out for you…………… I am Cooking!!! Cooking Soul Food and Cooking Yummy Indian Food with all the aroma, goodness of spices and herbs all the works………….so all you wonderful people are welcome to be part of my Cooking Journey and experience!!!


















Hello again……. I am back to talk a bit more about cooking, and the ,……






I have finally got myself to make a posting about my everyday love affair …..cooking, cooking, cooking.


I will try and explain my personal perspective of the nitty-gritty of cooking and all that is involved with cooking a meal. Cooking predominantly satisfies the tummy and also opens the flood gates of olfactory and gustatory senses, but is equally soul satisfying for me, doing more than just filling my tummy!!


We looked in class how we could explain ergonomics and how important ergonomics is to the activity and the person. We divided ergonomics into three components; they are person, activity and environment.


First let me explain briefly what ergonomics actually is. Ergonomics is derived from the Greek words: Ergon, which means work; and Nomoi which means natural laws. Therefore when they are combined together they form a word which means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.


Ergonomics derives from two Greek words: ergon, meaning work, and nomoi, meaning natural laws. Combined they create a word that means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.


Ergonomics is sometimes defined as the science of fitting the work to the user instead of forcing the user to fit the work. However this is more a primary ergonomic principle rather than a definition. As a therapist we have to be very conscious about the overall health and functional abilities of the client in both the home as well as the work environment. “Examples of occupational therapy intervention in ergonomics include: work-site assessments (job analysis, physical demands analysis), return-to-work programs, job accommodation, modification of job tasks and the work environment to promote function, health promotion programs including stress management and injury prevention programs.” ( http://www.caot.ca/default.asp?pageid=295 retrieved on 22/09/2011).


Person


· I consider myself quite a confident cook and I am adventurous enough to try out new recipes and also make my own new recipes.


· I have cooked since I was 6 years old and I diligently followed age old recipes and steps that were handed down the generations in my family.


· I am passionate about cooking and I am wholly involved in my cooking.


· I have this great sense of belief and need that all my loved ones, my friends, visitors and stray drop- INS, (uninvited, unwanted, unloved, homeless-humans or animals) must all be fed. Everyone on this earth deserves to have a wonderful, warm and yummy meal. No one should go hungry and craving for food…….. you could imagine, me then…..if you haven’t seen me! That I would be a lovely rosy cheeked, well-fed, round and roly-poly mother with an apron tied round my ample middle………… unfortunately…..(I would have loved that! Something very comforting about that image) I am not. I am quite the opposite!!!


· However, my image doesn’t deter me or make me any less than the well-fed image, I still believe that a loving, caring, comforting home is in the kitchen, and cooking for people is one of the very meaningful activities in my life!!!! (Believe me!! I do try out the food I cook, its just that, I am one of the lucky few, I do not add it to my middle!!)






· Cooking gives me meaning. Cooking gives me a sense of purpose.






· Cooking gives me a role.






· Cooking makes me feel worthy and useful.






· Cooking is a need in me that is deeply ingrained in my being. It is a bridge that has carried me from my past into my present and future……… I reach out to people through cooking and have a sense of belongingness. I have all my senses and abilities intact to be able to cook and try out new recipes. I am able to stand around a long time laboring over the stove and oven. I do not easily tire while I cook. I have cooked for 5 to 6 hours at a stretch and the end result has been very satisfying. The best part is when everyone sits around for the meal and enjoys it.






· Cooking, for me brings cultures together and brings my family together.






Activity


Cooking can be done anywhere…….. You need pots and pans and a fire with the raw ingredients to cook……………..I cook in my kitchen. I have an electric cooking range to cook my food on. I have various pots, pans, frying pans and utensils to cook my food in. I really miss a pressure cooker to cook in as I used to cook in a pressure cooker in the past in India. (Cooking in a pressure cooker has dual purpose. The food is cooked quickly and it saves energy cost as well.) Somehow the food also tastes a lot better as it is cooked under pressure and steam, and therefore it does not lose all its flavor and aroma.


I have cooked in an open fireplace with wood and coal in the past, and the experience is very surreal and primitive. The food smells warm and earthy mixed with the elements of the earth, wood and coal. The whole process is a holistic experience and something I recommend people to do it!


I cook evening meals these days as I am studying during the day. It is a ritual for my family to gather in the kitchen to prepare food and we all pitch in for the cooking activity. We peel, we chop, we, cut, we wash, we fry, we mix the ingredients and we even cry together-due to the pungent onion smell and acid….there is a definite sense of belongingness. We stir and savor the smells together, along with sharing each other’s events of the day and catching up on the hours spent living apart on this planet and sharing ourselves for the betterment (surely not worse off) of other earthlings! It has a very natural flow to what we do in the whole activity. There is an unspoken language that flows while cooking as well, when we don’t use words, we use gestures and intuitions, to create harmonies, like a well-practiced song in a choir. The textures of fresh vegetables and the crunchy carrots, the bright broccoli and the curly cabbage all feel wonderful to touch. It evokes a sense of gratefulness for my life, for our lives, for senses intact, for working hands and fingers, for this wonderful earth we share and all the wonderful amazing things we have been given to enjoy. I don’t believe it should cost the earth to eat healthy. In fact eating healthy should be a very cost effective activity, than buying cooked meals or eating out of cans. Culturally speaking, Indian food is not expensive to prepare, as I cook a lot of lentils and peas and dried beans. It needs a bit of planning and the dry beans and peas have to be soaked overnight, but are cheap and very healthy. New Zealand being a country in the West, there are no great shortages of food and everyone is well fed…although recent statistics show that there are some who go without breakfast and healthy food due to economic restraints. I am one of those lucky few, who are not in this category, as I believe in eating well (not necessarily rich and fancy) but healthy.


Environment:


Kitchen is the hub of all activity….in fact the kitchen is considered the heart, the source of all energy of the house. This is where most of the activity takes place. Of where food is stored, in my house, cooked, the dishes are washed and kept in the cupboards. Even where we eat our meals and hang out. Where I teach my daughter life skills. Where age old legacy is passed down from one generation to another. Even our two cats come and share the space and is definitely one big family of humans and animals finding a common meeting space and pats and purring are all essential for the health of the family! The fridge is one of the big storage of where the goodies that satisfy the tummy are stored, which is a prominent feature of my kitchen. The pantry is just outside the kitchen back door and is very handy as that is where all the spices, canned goods, beans, rice and flour and all the raw goods are stored. Let’s call it the warehouse.


I enjoy the layout of my kitchen and I could find things in it blindfolded and in the dark……..maybe it would be a nightmare to a stranger…..as my kitchen is not predictable and conventional!!!






References:

Dul , J & Weerdmeester (2008) Ergonomics for beginners a quick reference guide 3rd edition,Boca Raton: USA.:Crc press.

Participation In occuption 2

Hi all,

Welcome back to my blog, of Participation of Occupation 2. 

This semester we are exploring one meaningful occupation that we can immerse ourselves and discover a treasure of hidden talents and dormant passions that we were not aware we possessed..............something very hum-drum that may not have put a sparkle to our eyes in the past, will suddenly evoke interest when we view them through different lenses .................................

So come join me in this journey of self- discovery..................................

Hi everyone.............welcome back to my blog

Blogging is great..............networking and communicating in the virtual world has its many positive aspects...........hope you enjoy my blog................looking forward to connect with your blog too and get enlightened................................................

Tutorial eight

Define Assistive technology
Assistive or Adaptive Technology commonly refers to "...products, devices or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities...", according to the definition proposed in the Assistive Technology Act of 1998.

Assistive Technology products can enable people with disabilities to accomplish daily living tasks, assist them in communication, education, work or recreation activities, in essence, help them achieve greater independence and enhance their quality of life. Assistive Technology devices can help improve physical or mental functioning, overcome a disorder or impairment, help prevent the worsening of a condition, strengthen a physical or mental weakness, help improve a person's capacity to learn, or even replace a missing limb.

Retreived on 01 of May 2011 from
http://www.rehabtool.com/forum/discussions/1.html

In a nut shell assistive technology, as mentioned in the above defination and as the word suggessts itself, to assist, support, enhance, improve, lengthen, accomplish ADL and overall improve the quality of life for an individual with disability with the help of technology.
Technology is tailor made to suit and fit the needs and wants of the individual, hence modified to cater to their needs. Assisitive Technology is developed to better the quality of lives of individuals who have impairments of kinds like physical or mental.
Recently we had a lecture on Assisitive Technology by Dave an OT form Wellington and i personally was very taken up with the amount of assistive gadgets to assist clients. There were Ipads, talking books, bed alarms, modified switches, white board, toys for young children, and wheel chairs etc.
I was personally very taken up and impressed with the white board/smart board.
The Smart Board is a reveloutionary white board in general having the features of a computer with touch screen facility on it.
The smart board can have either the 2Touch IWB which is an interractive way to resource and get access to the net and computer.
Due to financial constraints put upon educational systems , there is an alternative to the 2 Touch IWB which has the pen based affordability of the Interactive Gecko.

If you want to know more about them , you can click on the link below.
http://www.manzana.co.nz/html/solutions_intWhiteboards.php?sector=educ
http://www.manzana.co.nz/html/productDisplay.php?sector=educ&id=5634&return=L2h0bWwvc29sdXRpb25zX2ludFdoaXRlYm9hcmRzLnBocD9zZWN0b3I9ZWR1YyM1NjM0
http://www.manzana.co.nz/html/productDisplay.php?sector=educ&id=6018&return=L2h0bWwvcHJvZHVjdERpc3BsYXkucGhwP3NlY3Rvcj1lZHVjJmlkPTYwMTYmcmV0dXJuPUwyaDBiV3d2Y21WemIzVnlZMlZ6WDNacFpHVnZMbkJvY0Q5elpXTjBiM0k5WldSMVl5TTJNREUy

Manzana Limited | 192C Wairau Rd, Glenfield, Auckland, NZ | PO Box 34-619, Birkenhead, Auckland, NZ
0800-200-121 | P: +64-9-440-9988 | F: +64-9-440-9989 | sales@manzana.co.nz
The above Address and ph np are of the company Manzana ltd. who specialise in the  production and sales of White board and Smart Boards in NZ

Here is a cite i found on Daves Educational sector on Smart boards...... feel free to view the link below
http://davecormier.com/edblog/2010/05/15/smartboards-its-about-the-technology-and-it-isnt/


Retrieved on May02 2011 from
http://www.priceme.co.nz/Whiteboards/c-1704.aspx
the prices vary with different brands . You can follow the link above to get some quotes for the cost of White boards and their models and accessories.
This is a very useful and interractive device for the education system. It helps children to be more interractive and definately engages them more. They have a fun way of learning which helps in retaining the information better. Every child feels involved in the classroom and the interestlevel rises, learning becoming easy for all. especially for children with learning difficulties, it is a very useful assistive technology.
It is the new generation learning tool and is becoming ever so popular.
Here is a site i found where parents bring home the white board and it is marvellous.....
http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/reportcard/archive/2011/04/05/north-vancouver-parents-bring-smart-boards-to-school.aspx

If we can get our funding together and get the cost hurdel out of the way, then we should alll vouch for the smart boards for our children and the education system.
They are a great way of learning.

Tutorial seven

Comments on fellow OT's blogs
Blogs are a great interractive tool and can allow you to leave comments and view one anothers blogs and keep up to date with the latest in the Ot world as well as other blogs of your interest.
It is also a great learning tool .
Ot's can suuport and teach their clients through the blogs as well.
We learnt quite a lot about blogging and it has been quite a new eye opener for me and i already feel empowered by learning how to blog and follow blogs. The Ot world has suddenly oened up for me and i can connect with other professionals and their expert opinions through blogs.
It is almost as addictive as Face book if not more!!!

Tutorial Six

Ethical issues
With online material and blogging, one thing we cannot be sure is the authenticity of the user or the viewer. There may be cases of dual identity and accountability. It is true that there have been many instances of people impersonating one another to hide their real identity.
Therefore the real accountibilty of who, where, and when, in the virtual world is questionable.
Suppose somebody uploads videos or photos on to the web and people watch it and forward it around and soon it becomes public property, one does not know how the wave started and where it is going to go.
It can develope into a viscious circle and can be very harmful at times.
There is no real control over picture and video material as it is not in person, but in the virtual world.

Benifits of Online material
Online communities can reach out to clients and people with their message and therapies and professional opinions in a much quicker time frame. They reach out to a wider community and can reach out globally without the constraint of space and funding organisation.
The message can be delivered over a wider strata of society and it can be easily accessed, without any fuss.
There is no restriction of geographical boundary, and do not have to travel over great distances thus eliminating time and cost of travelling.
Online communities offers you a wider choice of topics and they are updated regularly.
Everyone can access material without any cost involved.

 Draw backs of Online communities 
Online communities are not personally present therefore they lack the personal warmth and social touch, that only a face to face meeting can bring about.
One can also question the authenticity of online communities, as it is all posted online, and distance and geographical loaction could pose to be draw back rather than an advantage.
No one in particular is responsible for matters that could go wrong as there is no face attatched with Online communities.
One cannot sit down in a park or a cafe to enjoy a cup of tea and have a cosy chat with online communities.
The social element is lacking in Online communities.