Career Counceling

Years ago I took the Myers Briggs personality test, and found out I am an ESFJ. If anyone has any knowledge of this personality type they would certainly not dispute this. Now I need to choose a career.
I like careers that have a lot of contact and interaction with other people
I want to help nurture and care for people and communities
I want a clearly defined jobs
I need to know my job is useful, needed and wanted
I need personal feedback on my positive contributions
Now, I've said that I don't want to be a secretary, but damn, it sounds like I would make a good one. This would also match my personal thought that I do NOT want to work shift work. It would also help if I worked for an environmentally friendly company.
Any ideas of what I should do? I don't want responses like: "have kids", "travel", because don't worry, I plan on doing those things real soon too.

My thoughts on exercise

Do something you enjoy. For me I like doing anything outdoors and of course indoor climbing, yoga and sometimes capoeira. I need variety, I can't do the same thing twice. Of course, not everyone will want or need variety. Try new things like dance or yoga. Try to have fun doing whatever it is you choose or else it will be really hard to stick with. I think everyone should exercise, even if it just walking to the grocery store. Go exercise now!

The benefits of regular exercise

1. Strengthens your heart and lungs:
Reduces bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases good cholesterol (HDL)
Oxygen will more readily get around your body due to increased lung capacity and efficiency of your heart
Reduces the chances of having any related diseases, such as high blood pressure or heart attacks.
2. Strengthens bones and muscles:
Helps prevent the chance of osteoporosis and broken bones
Helps strengthen joints
3. More toned body
When you have more muscle, you will burn more calories at rest
aerobic exercise will also burn calories and is very important
4. Prevention and management of Type 2 Diabetes
Will help your body use insulin more efficiently
5. Help to reduce stress
Exercise can also help to manage depression
it is a natural pain reliever due to the endorphins produced
6. Reduce the risks of certain types of cancer
Colon, prostate, uterine lining and breast cancer
7. Help you to sleep better.
This will just make you happier!!

Other associated benefits are:
More energy for daily tasks
Improved self confidence
Longer life expectancy

(Mayo Clinic)

The Motivation for becoming Vegetarian

Since I always have trouble defending myself when someone asks me why I became a vegetarian, I thought I would write it out for you to read. Maybe this will provide some insight.

The major reason that I am following a vegetarian diet is for the sake of the environment. Did you know it takes about 100x more water to produce a pound of beef than it does to produce a pound of wheat. It is also estimated that 50% of all the water used in the United States is used for raising livestock! Not only do the animals use a lot of water, they also pollute the water, responsible for 70% of the waterway pollution in the states.
The rainforests are being cut down (obviously), an estimated 2/3rds of that is due to cheap beef and stock for America's fast food industry. This land use occurs closer to home as well with about 70% of the US land mass being used for grazing. In fact, according to Yvon Chouinard, "the true environmental and social cost of a hamburger when the forest has been cleared to create pastureland for grazing cattle is $200.00."

In general, transportation, the animal itself, refrigeration of animal product, chemical fertilizers and nitous oxides all contribute to the state of Global Warming. If any of you are unaware this is happening, you should watch Al Gore's movie, 'The Inconvenient Truth'.

Food animals are often raised, transported and slaughtered inhumanely. You wouldn't put your dog or cat through what the animals go through.

Health wise vegetarians have a lower risk of diseases such as: heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.
Vegatarians are reported to live 7-9 years longer than nonvegatarians. I'm sure this stat is also based on a general healthy diet that should be eaten to maintain a balanced vegetarian diet.
A vegetarian diet often is a closer match to the food guide than your average meat eaters diet.

(Melina, Davis, Becoming Vegatarian) Wow, that was some weak ass referencing!!

I am not suggesting that everyone should go out and become vegetarian, maybe just consider eating a little less meat.

Last of the New Zealand pictures

Hope you all enjoy the photos, there are lots more where they came from!!

Some of my favorite New Zealand pictures

Look at the photographer in me!

This is to prove that we were actually biking at one point. Then look what happened. Guess it was time to rent a car!!

Auckland

This was our favorite sign in Auckland, God seemed to be very bold there.

This is how I looked after touring the sketchy part of Fiji!

I want one of these in my backyard

Why do I want to move?

Email address

Can anyone tell me how to post my email address as a link on my blog.

Book cover

If you would like to buy the book this is what it looks like. It does have lots of good websites that apply to each of the suggestions. Wow, my guilt got the best of me there.

Change the world for $10.00

Here are some of my favorite lessons from this book,

1. Bring your own (not plastic) shopping bag to the grocery store
2. Hug someone (Jenn will teach us how)
3. Plant something
4. Get fitter, feel better
5. Smile and smile back
6. Register online as an organ donor (www.givelife.ca)
7. Try watching less TV
8. Recycle your books
9. Bake something for a friend (guess what you're all getting)
10. Don't idle your engine

I think the organ donor card on the back of our Alberta Health Care Cards is the same as #6

Those are just 10 out of 50. The main one I did not like was buy this book for a friend. Because then you are wasting paper. So instead maybe I'll just write 10 at a time so you all can save $10.00 (is that ethical?)

One more thing, if you have a suggestion for them you can send it to:

suggestions@wearewhatwedo.ca

This Blog thing is fun

Just did some changes to the blog and on the weekend I'll get some good juicy stuff on here, but for now everyone just has to read my lame thoughts. I think I'll need to take blog lessons from Jamie!!

Day 1 with my new blog

So this is what it feels like to have a blog, maybe a little exposed. I guess I don't have to tell anyone the address.
So now that I have a blog maybe everyone may get to see some New Zealand pictures, that is if we ever go home. We may even follow through with those plans this weekend. I'm sooo excited. Now we just have to figure out where our home will be a year from now (part of the identity thing)
Just thought I would try this out, now I'll preview and see if I am willing to go through with this.
Talk to you all soon.
Karen