Are You An Aspiring Artist?

If you've ever wanted to expand your artistic skills and develop your ideas in an helpful and learning environment perhaps you should cheek out ConceptArt.org.
ConceptArt, are a web based community of artists, whom have created an arena to showcase there work, learn, and meet other artists.

What amazed me was the atmosphere, I felt welcome, and like I could really learn from these people. There are all sorts of artists there, from 15-16 year olds trying to learn there craft to seasoned artists showing there work and helping others.

I like the way they have utilised the forum system in this community, most of the user input is in through the forums. There are different threads for different types of work, e.g. there are Artwork threads like; It's finally Finished, Sketchbooks, Critique Corner, Sketches and works in progress. Then there are activities like, the Challenge Arena, the DSG (Daily Sketch Group), and heaps of education and learning threads. As well as a lounge and information for artists in many different areas, including job listings.

It is amazing to look through the sketchbooks, and witness the progression of learning in some of the work. There are some truly talented people in this world.

If you are interested take your time to look around the site as there is a lot to take in. This is certainly a wonderful place to get some feedback, and learn more about your artistic side. Have fun ;-)

Flowering Fly Traps

Earlier this month I got a surprise when three green bulbs started growing from stems on my Venus Flytrap. I had no idea what these bony hand like shoots were.
I had no idea that Flytraps flowered, yet as the days went on the bony fingers began to open, and I could see the beginnings of delicate white flowers.

I just skimmed through the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_Flytrap, and it turns out that healthy Flytraps flower in spring. It seems that many Flytrap growers trim the flower stems early as flowering takes a lot of energy from the plant. However if flowering occurs, successful pollination will produce dozens of small, shiny black seeds.

Flowering has certainly taken a lot out of my little trappy. The flower steams are around three times as tall as the plant. Each one is thick and fleshy, and dominate the entire plant.
In order to flower, my trappy has gone through about 3 times his normal amount of water, and nearly all of his traps have died off. However the flowers look stunning, and the plant in general looks strong and healthy.

I have really enjoyed watching as my Flytrap has produced these stunning delicate flowers. I'm amazed by the results, and hope he can produce more next year. I can't wait to see the seeds appear, I'm wondering if I plant them would they grow?
I guess there is only one way to find out ;-)

Happy Unbirthday

I've decided once and for all that Unbirthdays are way better than birthdays. It was my birthday yesterday, and it wasn't fun, at all! So I'm all for unbirthdays :-)
At least on unbirthdays I get to celebrate with heaps of other people, rather than alone.
So to everyone who's birthday isn't the 28th November:
A Very Merry Unbirthday to You :-)

Alice in Wonderland (Disney) - Unbirthday Party.

9 Nuts For Your Health

While in the vegetable shop this morning, I brought some roasted nuts. All the way home, I wondered if there were any health benefits to all the nuts and seeds we eat. So I've done a little bit of research and I thought I would share my results with you.

Firstly a nut is a dried fruit with one (sometimes two) seeds, and there are many different types. Nuts can be high in calories and fat, yet they have many health benefits. Eating nuts is believed to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, plus nuts generally have a very low glycemic index (GI), therefore are helpful for patients with insulin resistance problems such as diabetes mellitus type 2.

I wanted to look at the Health benefits of 9 most common Nuts/Seeds, we have here at home:

1. Almonds:

• Are believed to induce high intellectual level and longevity.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Are believed to have anti-inflammatory, immunity boosting, and anti-hepatotoxicity effects.
• Contain the amino acid arginine, which inhibits tumour growth and boosts immunity.
• Elevate the blood levels of high density lipoproteins and of lowering the levels of low density lipoproteins.
• Lower your risk of heart attack and improve your bone strength.
• Per ounce (28.41g) provides: 7.5 milligrams (mg) vitamin E, 75 mg calcium, 81 mg magnesium, 211 mg potassium.

2. Peanuts:

• Are also one of the few foods naturally containing Coenzyme Q10, which is present in all human cells and responsible for the production of the body’s own energy.
• Are also one of the highest sources of vitamin B3, also called niacin and thus contributes to brain health, brain circulation and blood flow.
• Are a rich source of protein: roughly 30 grams per cup after roasting.
• Are a significant source of resveratrol, a chemical studied for potential anti-aging effects and also associated with reduced cardiovascular disease and reduced cancer risk.
• Are high in antioxidants.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.

3. Pecans:

• Are a good low fat source of vitamin E and also have anti-cancer effects.
• Are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats.
• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Can lower the risk of gallstones in women.
• Contain plant sterols, which are known for their cholesterol-lowering ability.

4. Pine Nuts:

• Are a good source of dietary fibre.
• Contain (depending on species) between 10–34% of protein, with Stone Pine having the highest content.
• Pine nuts can be pressed to extract pine nut oil
  Pine Nut Oil:
• Boosts appetite suppressors up to 60% for four hours, as well as acting as an appetite suppressant itself.
• Can reduce LDLs, yielding further health benefits.
• Contains a high concentration of free radical scavengers, which help reduce oxidative damage that can lead to peptic ulcers or gastritis.

5. Walnuts:

• Are high in antioxidants and ALA, a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid.
• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Can reduce the damaging effects of unhealthy fats on blood vessels.
• Contain ellagic acid: the cancer-fighting polyphenol antioxidant
• Help the arteries maintain their elasticity and flexibility
• May reduce the risk or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease by maintaining amyloid beta protein in the soluble form.

6. Flax or Linseed Seeds:

• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Contain high levels of lignans, which may benefit the heart, possess anti-cancer properties and reduced growth in specific types of tumours.
• May benefit individuals with certain types of breast cancer.
• May lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels.

7. Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas:

• Are a good source of iron, zinc, essential fatty acids, potassium, and magnesium.
• Are a good source of magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, iron, copper, protein, and zinc.
• Are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
• Contain high levels of phytosterols, which are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers.
• One gram of pumpkin seed protein contains as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk.
• Promote prostate health, as components in pumpkin seed oil interrupt the triggering of prostate cell multiplication by testosterone and DHT.

8. Sesame seeds:

• Are high in omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acids.
• Are rich in manganese, copper, and calcium, and contain Vitamin B1 (thiamine) and Vitamin E (tocopherol).
• Contain phytosterols, which block cholesterol production.
• Contain powerful antioxidants called lignans, which are also anti-carcinogenic.
• Contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin, which are lignans.
• Have been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage.
• Nutrients are better absorbed if they are ground or pulverised before consumption.

9. Sunflower Seeds:

• Additionally, they are rich in cholesterol-lowering phytosterols.
• Are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
• Has a Calming affect on your nerves, muscles and blood vessels from the Magnesium.
• Has Anti-Inflammatory and Cardiovascular Benefits from Vitamin E.
• Selenium helps improved detoxification and cancer prevention.

Remember to eat all foods in moderation, items like nuts are no exception. I find having a mix of different nuts and seeds are handy, they're certainly better than a packet of chips, or a biscuit. There are some health concerns when eating nuts, if you would like to know more about these please see: Health Benefits and Concerns for Nuts and Seeds.

Serving Suggestions:
You can add your nuts to many dishes, here are a few serving suggestions for you:

• Add chopped nuts and seeds to your favourite hot or cold cereal.
• Add nuts and seeds to your favourite tuna, chicken or turkey salad recipe.
• Add your nuts and seeds to healthy sautéed vegetables.
• Add your nuts and seeds to your oatmeal raisin cookie, bread or granola recipe.
• Grind your nuts and seeds with fresh garlic, parsley and cilantro leaves. Mix with olive oil and lemon juice for a tasty salad dressing.
• Next time you make burgers, whether it be from vegetables, turkey or beef, add some ground nuts and seeds.
• Sprinkle your nuts and seeds on top of mixed green salads.

Have Fun, Stay Healthy :-)

It's Important to Stretch

I talked last night about the importance of warming up and cooling down when working out, strength training.

Stretching is not the only type of warm up, cool down activity that you can do. You can ride a bike, walk, jog, or jump rope. Personally I like to jump rope, and use a fitness ball.
However it is important that you stretch as well as one or more of these other exercises. Stretching can help prevent an injury, and post-exercise muscle soreness, as well as improve your range of motion (ROM).

I do the same stretching set before and after a work out. I like to do the set backwards in cool down, to keep me concentrating, and I prefer to go from Lying to Standing before then, Standing to Lying afterwards. Each stretch I do is held for a count of 30, and it's really important to focus on the area your stretching while your stretching it. This seems to intensify the stretch.

My stretching routing looks like this: (If your unsure of any of the stretches follow the links)

Position	Stretch
Lying Down	Groin Stretch
	Lying Tuck
Sitting	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Iliotibial Band Stretch
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 2
	Tennis Elbow Stretch Level 1
	Tennis Elbow Stretch level 2
Keeling	Chest Stretch
	Lat Stretch
	Cat Stretch
Standing	Calf Stretch
	Soleus Stretch
	Groin Stretch
	Ham String Stretch
	Quadriceps Stretch

Then the same but backwards for after my weight lifting routine.

If your would like to know more about stretching this is a nice document: Stretching and Flexibility - How to Stretch.
I love how fit, and healthy I'm feeling now. I have so much more energy and I feel great. Good luck, have fun, and stay healthy :-)

6 Week Workout Routine

I started a new workout routine yesterday. It's a nice little routine, working all of the major muscle areas. I'm going to use this workout for 6 weeks then I'm going to up the sets to three instead of two.
My new routine is split over two days, Day 1: Upper Body, Day 2: Lower Body, and Day 3: Off. Always remember how important it is to have a day off, this is when your muscles grow.

This is my new routine for anyone interested.

Day 1
Muscle Group	Exercise	Sets	Reps
Chest	Bench Press	2	12-15
	Incline Press	2	12-15
Upper Back	Lat Pull Down	2	12-15
	One-arm Dumbbell Row	2	12-15
	Heavy Shrugs	2	12-15
Shoulders	Dumbbell Shoulder Press	2	12-15
	Upright Row	2	12-15
	Dumbbell Lying Raise	2	12-15
Biceps	Barbell Curl	2	12-15
Triceps	Tricep Extension	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15
Day 2
Legs/Glutes	Squat	2	12-15
Quadriceps/Glutes	Front Lunge	2	12-15
Quadriceps	Leg Extension	2	12-15
Ham Strings	Lying Leg Curl	2	12-15
Lower Back	Back Extension	2	12-15
Calves	Calf Raise	2	12-15
Abdominals	Crunch	2	12-15
	Oblique Crunch	2	12-15

If you would like more information on strength training, or these exercises these sites have some awesome information:
Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology
Muscle Exercise Encyclopedia Instructions
Have fun and stay safe when exercising, and always warm-up and cool down before and after lifting weights ;-)

Imagining the Tenth Dimension

The following Youtube video is a thought provoking look at the way the dimensional layers work. I think it is very well explained and although not the accepted explanation of string theory is certain very interesting and well worth a watch.

Sunlight Around The World

I love this web page, it displays a world map showing current sunlight and cloud cover. It is updated hourly and I think it looks amazing.
You can find it here: Sun Light - hemispherical projection.

Motivation

Finding motivation from day to day can be very difficult. Recently I've been very unwell, my partner and I caught a nasty bug that's been going around. Illness quickly saps your energy and working-out (especially weight training) becomes impossible. When I started to feel better I really found it hard to get back into my routine, I didn't want to start working out again. I'm not sure why, I love the feeling, I just really struggled.

I'm back in the saddle now, and doing a split routine, 2 days on, 1 day off, upper body and abs one day and lower body and abs the second day. I just didn't think that it would take so much to start again. I really had to push to find that motivation. When you have a regular routine it just becomes something that you do, you don't really think about it, you just do it.

I remember when I first started, I was very unfit and fat, it took a lot to get me going. I just focused on how much I wanted it. How much I wanted to be able to run to the end of the street and not be worn out. To be able to play and mess around with my partner and not need to stop and have a breather. How I wanted to remove the fat from my body and be fit and healthy. How much I want to start my marriage feeling good about me, and my life.

I wouldn't give-up working-out, the energy that I have now is incredible. It seems strange that working-out would give you more energy but it does. It makes you feel fit and strong, your memory and concentration improve as well.

So even though the motivation can be hard to find at times it is very much worth the effort. I'm glad that I take 20 minutes to and hour out of my day to exercise. After a while it just becomes something that you crave, that you miss when you don't get to do it. That gives you so much more than you ever expected. Give it a go, find your motivation today.