Brummet's Conscious Blog

Beat the Blues  Many of us dream of attaining a simpler lifestyle and it is easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed in today’s world, but one sure way to break the blues is to make someone else's life a little brighter. Do you have a relative or neighbour that finds it difficult to wrap gifts? Help them with the task or purchase some reusable gift bags and boxes for them to use. Go a step further and volunteer around the community, if only for an afternoon; check with the local volunteer office if you are looking for places that need a hand. If you can’t find a resource for volunteers – make one. We created a page of non-profits in our area for volunteer enthusiasts, people with a little to donate, and for the non-profits to network with one another. You can find it here: https://consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/p/creston-bc-orgs.html Families now are going back to earlier traditions of making gifts by hand rather than buying them (plates of goodies, crafts, art, dried arrangemen...

Today's post offers a little taste of what is to be found in my  first poetry book,  Towards Understanding  - this poem depicts that empty melaconic mood that can sometimes creep up on us - there's no reason to feel that way, yet we just want to wallow in our own misery... but at the same time we look at ourselves and give a little light-hearted scoff - what the heck is wrong with me today? So with that in mind.... http://brummetmedia.ca/store.html WHAT’S BOTHERING ME? Blank mind, this time. An empty space - a vacant room. A hollowed out cave, echoing darkness and gloom. Don’t feel lonely, or lost in the rain. Don’t feel anger - just a haunting pain Tears no longer roll down my face and stain, For I know the dawn’s about to shine It will only take a little more time. I’m almost there - so close to where I want to be. The solution to my problems, I can clearly see. Walking up the steep path, now slightly des...

Biotechnology Biotechnology holds the very real promise to feed more people on less land using less water - producing foods that are genetically enriched with vaccines, antibiotics, nutrients, flavours and chemicals. Some of these alterations are for the purpose of harvesting fruits while they are green and hard but will ripen during shipping or storage. They also aim for a uniform size, colour and appearance. Producers also prefer foods with tougher skins that will prevent damage during shipping, reduce moisture loss and prolong shelf life. While potentially reducing food waste, there is the possibility of altered nutritional values and flavours. These foods could give the illusion that they are fresher than they are, but because foods continually lose nutrients upon harvest, the consumer could be fooled into buying a nutritionally compromised product. Genetically modified (GM) plants can also contain foreign genes from animals, like fish and pigs, (bad news for the vegetari...

Making More out of Lazy Leisure Days When the sun is out the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time cooking a meal and when vacationing, the lure to purchase instant and snack foods is strong. Unfortunately, these convenience foods come with excess packaging. As we can see when we come across trash in the wilderness, snack wrappers and beverage containers are the most common litter we find. It is quite interesting that numerous studies prove tourists return to an area primarily for its cleanliness and greenery. In this era where the economy has come to rely more on tourism, cleaning up is truly a benefit for any community. When leisurely paddling the canoe and watching the water, one can often see the muddy bottom, where it is easy to spot larger debris. Put on a mask and snorkel to discover some amazing finds. One of the first times we did this, we found an expensive diving mask in about 30 feet of water - enough incentive to continue this practice! We have also found ant...

 -- Quote of the Day -- "Courage is the first of human qualities Because it is the quality which guarantees the others." ~ Aristotle -- Positive Eco-News --  Coca-Cola announced the launch of what it calls new  eco-friendly "green roof" beverage vending machines on September 15,  2010. By attaching green sheets containing a combination of a kind of  moss known as "sunagoke" and artificial turf onto the top of the machine,  the company expects to lower the unit's surface temperature and thereby reduce energy consumption by improving cooling efficiency. -- Conscious Living -- Communication is part of living consciously, easy to do on a personal level if you love writing - but not so easy to do from person to person. Asking questions and expressing what you really want will avoid misunderstandings and disagreements. Too often we just assume that the other person must know... but they probably don't. The English language in particular is so o...

 -- Quote of the Day --  " To change who you are, Change who you think you are ." ~ Jonathan Lockwood Huie -- Conscious Discussions Radio -- We are all striving to live a healthier lifestyle by exercising, eating smarter and getting the proper amount of sleep. But what are we doing to ensure that our minds are healthy? Emotional health wasn’t prominent on Kim Malchuck's mind until cancer entered her life. We have Kim, Winnipeg’s (Canada) best-selling author of Tasting Rain, joining us so that we can learn first-hand how positive thoughts can affect our overall health. Today we’ll learn about her experiences during process of developing an established career in writing, how she gained such success at reaching her intended audience with her message, and we’ll hear all about her speaking experiences as well. But most importantly, we'll learn how our own daily thought process can affect our health. Can we think ourselves sick?   How Cancer Saved a Life on the...