Trying to forget… – by Estrella Azul

Flashbacks of darkness,
harsh words, a confrontation,
a worried stranger
holding your hand
on a cold hospital bed…

And then you’re back;
gazing into the mirror.

From the edge of sight
becoming aware of them,
you sorrowfully look down.
Recognize the five scars? 
Marks from two years before?

Even if you are willing…
they won’t ever allow you – to forget.

Guest post by Karen Schindler for National Poetry Month

Today, as a part of the National Poetry Month Blog Tour 2010, I have the distinct pleasure of featuring a guest post by my dearest friend and my mentor, Karen Schindler. 

I was anxiously waiting for her reply and just as well that her response to my invitation to visit with me on Life’s a stage – WebBlog came in the form of an email and not Skype with sound and vision cause as soon as I read it, I jumped up screaming in excitement (and scared one of my cats)!

I will forever be grateful for all of Karen’s help and guidance, for being such an amazing, supportive friend, and thought this might be a good way to show her how important she is to me and try to make up at least a bit for everything she has done for me!

Now, without further ado, meet Karen Schindler
*insert cheers and applause here*

 

Karen Schindler hosts Miscellaneous Yammering, is the managing editor of Pow Fast Flash Fiction and edits other people’s work for a living.
When she’s not writing she goes out into the world and has adventures so she can write about them.
Odd things happen to her and she seems to attract aliens and woodland creatures. She takes all this in stride and smiles a lot.
I mean a lot. Sometimes it’s quite unnerving how much she smiles…..

Karen has been published online in  VoxPoetica, Eclectic Flash, WeirdYear, Flashes in the Dark, InkNode, Blink/Ink,  Negative Suck , 52 stitches and in various print publications including Art Around the World Poetry and Pill Hill Press.

~ ~ ~

"A poet is a man who manages, in a lifetime of standing out in thunderstorms, to be struck by lightning five or six times."
— Randall Jarell

 

I don’t write traditional poetry, and I never write structured poems. I sometimes appreciate poetry that is structured, ideas that have been made to fit into rigid guidelines of length and rhythm, but since I don’t even like to be led when I dance, I tend to write my own poetry free form.

When I read something that speaks to me I feel connected to the person who wrote it. Even if it’s just for a moment. For that moment they touched my heart or my mind and got me to feel the emotions that they felt when they wrote the piece. I think that is what poetry is all about. Touching another person.

Estrella asked me what motivated me to write poetry, which pieces I’m most proud of and when I first decided that I was a poet.

The poetry that I’ve written that I like best is work that deals with the human condition. And in my case, it’s my own human condition. Usually the subject matter is something that I’m grappling with to make sense of in my own mind. When I can boil an idea down to just a few words and put it into a poem it helps me to sort out how I feel. Summoning the courage to show my most intimate thoughts to people is the next hurdle.

I just recently started calling myself a poet. Prior to that I would demur and say that I was a writer who sometimes wrote small snapshots of life that could be considered poetry. I’ve been published online and people seem to like my work, but I still had a hard time calling myself a poet.

Then I had a poem published in a book of international poetry that is being sold to raise money for Greenpeace. So I guess now I can call myself a published poet.

Estrella asked me which of my current pieces made me make the biggest effort.

I have to say that Dispensable was the hardest poem to boil down to essentials and it was the one that made me take the most deep breaths to be able to push the “publish” button and share it with my readers at Miscellaneous Yammering. I don’t think that there has ever been a time in my life when I felt more naked, more vulnerable than I did by sharing my pain in a public forum. The great thing is that the piece seemed to be universally accessible to the people who read it. And surprisingly enough, their warm reception of the piece and the fact that they connected with it and by extension with me, really did lessen some of the pain behind the poem.

I think that poetry is an amazing place to dump angst. You can think about whatever is hurting you inside, boil it down to its barest essentials, nail the pain to the words and flush it out of your system by putting it into your art.

Writing is an awesome adventure and I feel so blessed that there are people willing to read my work.

Thanks to the very lovely Estrella Azul for inviting me, thanks to Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit for organizing the blog tour and thanks to everyone who stopped in to see me visiting in Romania.

[I hope I get to take home a tee shirt]

~ ~ ~

Thank you so much for accepting my invitation Karen, I saved this very special sparkly tee shirt with Minnie Mouse just for you!

Crystal deodorants

My new deodorant crystal is by far the most effective deodorant I have ever used! The only other deodorant which comes in second is the homemade roll-on deodorant I made, which I’ll continue to use when I feel like adding extra scent.

You can read about what crystal deodorants are here, and about natural deodorants here.

And here’s my take on deodorant crystals from the few weeks I’ve been using mine.

 

Crystal deodorants

Use:
Pass the crystal deodorants under running water or on the moist skin with a light touch as you normally use your roll-on or other solid deodorants. These crystal deodorants can also be applied on the face, hands, legs, etc.

Advantages:
Crystal deodorants leave an invisible layer of mineral salts on the skin which create an environment unfavorable for bacteria and micro-organisms attracted to moist areas of the body which are the ones responsible for unpleasant odors.

They don’t irritate sensitive skin, don’t clog skin pores and leave no harmful residue on the epidermis. They are ideal even after shaving or waxing as they soothe irritations and redness, they are hypoallergenic and odorless (and recommended for any skin type).

Also, they won’t leave your skin feeling sticky and don’t stain clothes.

Crystal deodorants are also excellent in helping the healing of various cuts or wounds; and immediately neutralize odors of fish, garlic or onions from your hands after cooking. 

These crystals are highly efficient, durable and economical:
one crystal deodorant can last for years (I have just started using mine, but I have friends who have been using the same crystal for over 2 years).

Their size and weight can be variable. Be careful cause they dissolve in water and can break easily, so don’t give them to your kids to play with.

Small steps – by Estrella Azul

 

Small steps, very small… An attempt;

to transform my fingers into paintbrushes

and extend my thoughts into colors.

 

 

Poem up at Soft Whispers!

I had two photos up at Soft Whispers last month and now I have the distinct pleasure to inform you:

My poem, “Merely Memories”, is published today at Soft Whispers. (Go ahead, pop over; I’ll wait patiently while you read it.)

Many grateful thanks to Jim Wisneski for accepting my poem!

I wrote this poem at the beginning of April, especially for the interview Janel featured about me as a part of the National Poetry Month Blog Tour.

It’s among my favorites so you can imagine how happy I am right now to see it published

Saving money while buying green – Beauty products

Until the beginning of last year, I was pretty convinced that the most expensive creams will keep my skin beautiful. Then, after filling up with chemicals, I found organic cosmetics and discovered there are many natural methods to care for our beauty which don’t cost a fortune (and we can even make them ourselves).

If you already use organic cosmetics or want to switch to organic cosmetics, but they seem too expensive (which, truthfully, is justified by the fact that they don’t contain cheap and high risk ingredients, but instead are made of and enriched with oils and plant extracts in high concentrations), I thought I’d share some ways for you to spend less:

1. Return to simplicity  
   Try the most natural and effective methods of care:
   a. Olive oil
   Said to be the best body lotion, solution for cuticles, very good for cleansing and moisturizing your face, especially in cold weather.
   In addition it contains precious antioxidants, which fight against free radicals effect and helps skin cells regenerate.
   For make-up removal cold pressed olive oil is recommended, using a cleansing disk moist with warm water.
   Also as a facial cleanser jojoba oil, coconut oil or grapeseed oil can be used, the last one being relatively easy to find in supermarkets. Make-up removal with oil is recommended for the eye area and especially in cold weather.
   b. Brown sugar and sea salt
   Excellent for body scrubs that you can prepare yourself incredibly quickly and easily at home by adding a favorite vegetable oil.
   c. Yogurt
   (preferably the natural homemade one instead of store bought) Excellent facial cleanser. 
   d. Honey
   It’s recommended for facial masks (even without mixing it with anything else), but also as a remedy for cracked lips (apply at night). Attention when buying honey though: the supermarket ones are not really desirable, buy it from the farmer’s market or green shops.
   For special facial masks you can also use avocado, clay mixed with honey, cucumber, strawberry, etc.
   e. Baking soda 
   Can be used as a deodorant and deodorizer (in a room, in the fridge, etc.).
   f. Apple vinegar 
   It’s enough to only buy an organic shampoo because you can use balsamic vinegar of apples instead of a bought hair balm, and its results are confirmed by more and more people who want natural care.
   If you’re a perfectionist in the organic beauty department, buy organic vinegar from organic stores (the price is steep, but you’ll see what big difference there is between that vinegar and a regular one; or make your own and that will basically cost you the price of the apples). 
   g. Ice cubes
   Seem to be the best remedy to prevent morning wrinkles: "massage" easily over your face with them.
   h. Cucumber slices
   Improves the dark circles and bags under the eyes better than any cream will.
2. Prepare some of your own cosmetic products
   See my articles on the topic. You can prepare: exfoliating scrubs, toning water, bath salts, facial masks, lip balm, massage oils, etc.
3. Make the most of competition 
   Bio cosmetics shops have multiplied fortunately. If you have a favorite brand of organic shampoo and organic cream, check to see if other stores sell the same brand of products and see if any of the conditions are better at different stores (special promotions, clearance sale, transportation if it’s cheaper to shop online).
   Maybe subscribe to newsletters to the online store that sells your favorite brand of organic beauty products, you can find useful information.
4. Do not forget that the most important thing is your health
   Your skin absorbs what you place on it and even if you spend less buying a well known non-green brand today, tomorrow you could spend more for potential health problems they may cause because of long usage of cosmetic chemicals.
   Organic cosmetics are not blinking ads that convince you that your skin will rejuvenate in a few weeks, they are natural cosmetics, natural health, which will not attack you.
   In addition, they are concentrated, so you’ll use them less and in smaller amounts.
5. Do not give your money on water!
   Don’t buy cosmetics that have as prime ingredients, and at the very top of the list of ingredients Water (aqua).
   Normally, organic cosmetics’ prime ingredients are aloe Vera juice and herbal oils.
   A body cream normally contains the basic ingredients of olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil etc., Cocoa or Shea butter, beeswax, and as secondary ingredients contain essential oils and plant extracts.
   Moreover, despite any preconceptions that face cream has to contain water as its prime ingredient, there are creams that contain no water at all, but which have great effect and won’t leave you skin feeling greasy (sure everything in moderation).
6. Use fewer products
   Most probably you don’t need toning water, but if you really want to and your skin feels better with it, make your own, or use a hydrolith (floral water) that can be used on your whole body, not just on the face, and some of them are even great as perfume and deodorant.
   Also, you don’t need a trademarked face mask, but on occasions when you feel the need to use one, you can prepare your own from ingredients you have around the house.
   Furthermore, by using smaller amounts of cosmetics your skin will require less and less.
   The essential is to find a face cream which is good for your skin and preferably organic. And a good shampoo. The rest can go down to No. 2 on the list of beauty products to buy.
   In addition, a face cream can also be used for the neck and cleavage area, and even for body and hands.
   Just don’t really go backwards on this, to use body lotion because the ingredients are cheaper than in face creams, hence the price difference(!).
   Exceptions are the 100% organic products, which are multifunctional.
7. Do not fall into the pitfalls of corporate marketing of cosmetics
   Cosmetics don’t do miracles, they are only helping along the process.
   If you use a product from a company, that does not mean you have to use all products of the same company (but also don’t change your face cream every month either)!
   Always remove make-up before bed (possibly use organic make-up).
   Finally, choose only what you really need and products of which you know their quality is unquestionable.
8. Eat healthier
   It’s about time to eliminate fast food products, sweets with refined sugar, fried foods and pastries from your diet.
   It’s important to eat fresh fruit and vegetable salads with flax or olive oil, nuts, seeds, raisins and dried figs, chickpeas, lentils, millet.
   If your skin will gets all the nutrients it needs from food, you will see that it will not require special treatment.
9. Remember … the best moisturizer is water
   Drink lots of/or enough water (possibly with added lemon juice). This prevents the skin to crack and become dry, reducing the quantity of cosmetics used.
10. Slightly off topic
    Do not forget that the pictures of celebrities on magazine covers are unreal, and are heavily processed in Photoshop … human skin doesn’t look like "Plastic" and had no pores as seen in magazines and commercials. So ne need to stress.
    After all, beauty lies in attitude, health, naturalness, subtlety and intelligence.

Hope this helped

Recipe of the month: Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

An American friend of mine asked me if I ever made or ate American cookies. I didn’t at the time, but quickly started looking for recipes on the net.

April’s ‘Recipe of the month’ is a recipe I found on AllRecipes.com in January and I’ve baked these delicious wonders way over ten times since then.

I don’t think there’s need for any further words, here’s the recipe

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

225 g butter, softened
300 g white sugar
2 eggs
10 ml vanilla extract
250 g all-purpose flour
55 g cocoa powder
3 g baking soda
2 g salt
335 g semisweet chocolate chips
60 g chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy