Can microwavable popcorn make you sick?

Let me just say that the fact that there are carcinogenic chemicals in popcorn bags makes me really upset. Microwavable popcorn - a delightfully delicious snack that I have loved indulging in since I was a child - has supposedly been laced with chemicals from the bag it is popped in!

Dupont is the creator of the dangerous, cancer-causing chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which is used in popcorn bags. Apparently, the company has agreed to work on eliminating these chemicals by 2015. Really?! It's going to take them four more years to work on eliminating the chemical? On top of it, the artificial butter flavoring that is often used in microwavable popcorn has also been identified as disease-causing.

I have understood for a while now that something "artificial" probably is not good for me, but, honestly, for my whole life up until recently, never have I truly realized the fact that some companies are actually poisoning us. However, lucky for us popcorn-lovers, there is an amazing alternative to nasty, unhealthy, disease-causing, commercial, microwavable popcorn that is safe, delicious, and easy to make.

I think all (or most) of us are aware of the old-fashioned stove-method of making popcorn. You coat the bottom of the pan with a good amount of olive oil, pour the kernels in the pot, cover it, turn on the heat, and then watch the popcorn pop deliciously in front of your eyes. I love this method. However, I will be really honest that the cleanup afterward gets on my nerves. Also, you have to use a good amount of olive oil which, although it's good for you, is still fattening if taken in too large of a quantity. On top of it, when I have made popcorn on the stove, I usually like to add other toppings as well, which adds on to the fat/calorie count. I realized today that there is an even easier way to make healthy popcorn that is also safe and does not require the use of any oils.....paper bag it!

That's right. Put some dry kernels, no butter or oil needed, into a brown paper bag, fold down the open end to close the bag, and microwave until the popping starts to slow down. Then, add whatever toppings you desire (my favorite is melted Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread - which is dairy-free - with a little bit of salt and Bragg's Nutritional Yeast.) In the end, you will have a healthy, yummy snack instead of one that, although it may be tasty, is harmful. Enjoy!

You take a piece of me with you

Could I love this song any more than I do right now? Unlikely. What's coming out of my speakers right now is Every Time You Go Away by Paul Young.

Noisy neighbors? Can't sleep? I understand

I am the type of person who needs one of two things when I sleep, either full-on quiet or a consistent rhythmic noise, such as that of a fan. If I become aware of a clock ticking or, worse, an upstairs neighbor walking around, I can't sleep. The more random and inconsistent the sound, the harder it is for me to block it out. 

I struggled with this for a few months when I first moved into my apartment several years ago because I happened to be able to hear every movement of my upstairs neighbor who kept late hours. I would toss and turn in bed, sigh loudly after being woken up by the sound of footsteps just as I was drifting off, and had many conversations with my neighbor about it (who is super nice by the way.) Things improved, but the noise continued to be difficult. I am, unfortunately, not one of those people who can just fall asleep anywhere in any setting or circumstance (although I truly wish I was.) 

Eventually, I made the most amazing discovery: a white noise machine. It totally saved me! Sleep, to me, is precious and I was able to easily get more of it with this gadget. It provides me with a consistent sound that pretty much completely neutralizes or blocks out other noise. I love it, and my less sleep-deprived self thanks me all of the time for buying it. 

If you are having trouble getting to sleep, have someone in the family who snores, have noisy neighbors, or live in a busy neighborhood, I definitely recommend giving a white noise machine a try. You can also check out all the reviews for it on Amazon.com if you are itching for a second opinion. At over 1,350 reviewers and an overall star rating of four and a half out of five, I don't think you can go wrong! Here's to peaceful sleep for all of us.

My artwork

Untitled (Circa 2002)

My artwork

Can My Heart Break if it is Only Made of Atoms - Sketch (2001)

Makes me want to grow more fearless

What's coming out of my heart and speakers right now is "As Cool As I Am" by Dar Williams. I love the line, "I could teach her how I learned to dance when the music's ended." We all deserve to learn how to dance once the music has ended. We don't even need music to dance. Let's become empowered.

I'm weightless here in my dreams

What's pouring out of my heart and my speakers right now is Weightless by Courtney Jones. This reminds me of the sacredness of life, love, and each moment, no matter what is going on.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am thinking of Martin Luther King, Jr. today. He is one of the great spiritual leaders I really admire. In the face of hatred and violence, he didn't waiver; He didn't react with anger. He acted in love readily and consistently. I hope to be as resilient and sure in my faith and spiritual practice as him someday.

"Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."  - Martin Luther King, Jr. (Nobel Prize acceptance speech, December 11, 1964)

Osama Bin Laden: an opinion

I do not think Osama Bin Laden should not have been held accountable for his actions. Indeed, I think he was a very sick man, who harmed and discarded many lives and was very angry. This, of course, saddens me immensely. I also understand that I have never lost a loved one at the hostile hand of someone else and can see how revenge might feel like "justice" or "closure." However, I do believe that revenge never truly settles the soul and that it takes someone being connected very spiritually to forgive and channel their feelings towards positive change. I do not mean forgiveness in the sense of believing that what someone did was okay. Rather, I mean forgiveness in the sense that we recognize that love is stronger than hate and that people are sick and damaged, so we choose to love because it is more powerful in causing change. I also believe that it really is the only thing that can settle the soul.

The joyous responses to Osama Bin Laden's ordered death make me feel that there is much to be somber about regarding our current state and outlook on the world and our fellow beings. There is currently what seems to be a predominantly "us" and "them" mindset. It seems like there is this idea that we have no role to play in the aspects of other parts of the world that are negative. There is also an obvious "attack" and "react" pattern. There is a lot of fear at the expense of love. I don't think that this raises us to a higher level, the level of love and compassion that truly will change the amount of hate in the world. We are a part of a collective consciousness and are therefore a part of everything. What are we doing with this part?

Years ago, I heard the Dalai Lama speak at a stadium in New Jersey. It changed my life. When asked by a member of the audience what he felt was the most important thing we could do to change the world, he responded, "Education." I realized that he was right; Until we teach love, and until love is learned, people will continue to be driven by fear. This fear is what causes us, the world, pain and suffering.

Here are some thoughts I admire, either on the death of Osama Bin Laden or from elsewhere that I think can relate to the current situation: 

‎"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy."  (Unknown author, possibly Jessica Dovey)

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. So it goes. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."  (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Osama Bin Laden Dead: A Mindful Response  (Elisha Goldstein)

A talk on The Death of Bin Laden  (Marianne Williamson) 

President Obama visits NYC

In preparation for President Obama's arrival and appearance at Ground Zero today, the police force was on high alert in Manhattan.