In "RIP Buck Owens"

. dang! so long, pardner

In "Life in the fast lane."

yes!!! middleclasstool is very correct my fellow monkeys!!! i second the fact that to fast on simply water for more than 24 to 48 hour is not advised. i will say this; it does depend on where you live (climate) i live down here in the sunshine state (south area) and i do recommend for climates that are this hot and humid to drink more water perhaps than our fellow northern monkeys on a fast. i do feel ORGANIC VEGETABLE JUICE IS FAR SUPERIOR THAN JUST WATER. also the kind of water you drink for a fast and in everyday life is very important to your body. I would also like to state that should you have a serious health problem i.e. diabetes, malignancies etc... you should NEVER undertake a prolonged fast and certainly know what you are doing before attempting a fast. NEVER STOP YOUR MEDS AND ALWAYS NOTIFY YOUR DOCTOR. a fast is much more than simply sipping water or vegetable juice or broth for a few days. there are many things to consider and to learn before you attempt any sort of fast. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you learn and research nutrition before starting any health program. most people here in our great usa know more about medications (see t.v. ads) than we know about basic nutrition or even how to properly read and understand information on our food labels here in the u.s.a. i really feel with my whole being that if we just would take a step back and think about what kinds of garbage (highly processed foods) we stick in our pie holes every day we would give ourselves and the children (think of the children!!!) a far superior life on so many levels. lets all start to demand more from ourselves and the big corporations that are killing us in so many ways! /end rant may i recommend the following: COMPLETE NUTRITION by Dr. Michael Sharon CONSCIOUS EATING by Gabriel Cousens MD., MD (H) founder of THE TREE OF LIFE REJUVENATION CENTER (www.treeoflife.nu) HEATH SEEKERS by Celene Bernstein (www.healthseekers.co.za) feel free to e-mail me should you have any questions or ideas. GOOD FOR YOU GOMICHILD!!!

hey monkeys! i am by my nature a very skeptical individual. my skeptic radar is always on- i question everything, always! appoximately 4 years ago i was ready to approach life on a new level and ready to drop some old habits ( meats, sugar, coffee, smoking etc...) i was tired of being tired and needed more energy for my hectic (professional) life. what to do? i had a friend who was into fasting, and he had encouraged me in the past to try a l or 2 day fast to begin with. after MUCH INVESTIGATING and really learning all i could about the various ways to fast ( raw vegetable or fruit juice vs. classic pure water fast etc...) i became encouraged and with a bit of confidence and my friend to support me , i went for it. albeit, with just a wee bit of the old skepticism hanging around the edges. WOW! i really had some outstanding results! i undertook the pure raw vegetable fast (raw vegetable for the enzymes, vitamins/minerals and trace elements involved) i felt the raw vegetable juices, mostly greens-kale, parsley, cucumber, beet tops, etc... the superior route for my needs. initially i undertook a week fast. i was still smoking (a little over a pack a day) however, at the 3rd day mark i found i wanted less and less to smoke. i made it through the week and, yes, i did quite smoking about the second week after the fast. it seemed easy to do it this time around (i had tried 3/4 x in the past) was it the fast and/or my new outlook? who knows, i'm sure alot of the new mind set and all the superior energy i had absolutely helped me this time around. i would encourage anyone to at least give it a shot themselves. i now fast about 3 times a year ( the longest fast was 3 weeks, much was involved and the way to break a fast is VERY, VERY important) i do feel the change and rejuvenating effect this brings about in my body and spirit. on the whole, i have learned to eat in a whole new way (lots of raw and organic foods, i sprout many nuts and seeds, lots of good water instead of soda and coffee and i do try to meditate some every single day) it's not easy and it can be trying at points in the fast. it is always good to have some support through it if you are able, but it is very much worth the effort. i still have a drink now and then, sometimes when work is very hectic and i come home tired and feeling wary maybe l more than i really need- maybe a butterfinger bar here or there, just so you remember -no body is perfect, don't be so hard on yourself, remember you can always give it another go! everything in moderation. good luck to whomever is willing to give it a try! a wonderful start would be a day or two of fresh organic green vegtable juice and lots of good water and nice long walks or bike rides outside in nature. a great time to start would be spring! ,

In "Richard Pryor, 1940-2005"

. thanks for your best mr. pryor. RIP

In "Scottish landscapes"

Thank you for sharing Abiezer_Coppe! These are truly exquisite. The feeling of mystery in these photos makes me feel as if I were traveling back in time.

In "You are easy to be around."

thanks so much, ian would say- nice way to start this beautiful sunday morning! skips off with smile on face to purchase album!

In "Favourite Things..."

Hey Monkeys! How about: playful dolphins racing along side the sailboat on a beautiful autumn day. watching those sweet hummingbirds feed. upstate New York (Hudson Valley) walking down a country road with the leaves just beginning to turn and just a nip of frost in the air with church bells ringing in the distance. fresh baked french bread Irish whiskey Golden garlic crabs good manners summer flip flops the fist day of spring easter baskets old books blueberry pie a la mode going to the fair moonlight walks I could go on and on... Thanks for the lift and putting a smile back on my face today all you wonderful monkeys!

In "Be buried down under."

P.S sorry about the spelling-it's Friday and I have had a few! (giggles)

Hey monkeys! Has anyone eles heard of Woodland burials? I remember reading about this sometime in the late 90's I think. If memory serves correct- the idea is to restore nature and save a few bucks if you want a very simple ending. Your put in a very simple pine box and they plant a pretty tree on top of you and you get to help restore a forest. Very cheap, very simple. No embalming- Thats my kinda resting place, among the birds and the bees!! Anybody have more details? I'ts been awhile since I read about this. I'm down south aways and I know they were offering this here (Fl.) at one time. Sorry don't have more info. Very interesing!

In "Black People Love Us!"

This Sallie is very happy to be a monkey. p.s. sorry for the derailment, just had to chime in.

In "Calendar Girls is an outrage!"

Weird-o! (i'm still laughing!)

In "Petals around the rose."

O.K.-Finally got it! The name of this game should be changed. Yeah, I did better thinking about the Polar bears. Thank you! I was going nuts! I'm going to show this to my friends and drive them nuts! HA!

I tried this about 8 times. I just don't get it. I'm not giving up being the Irish mick that I am!!! But, where the fock is the rose?! Let me go back and try again.

In "Curious, George: Am I paranoid, or are they out to get me?"

I'm wondering if it's a relative or maintenance man for the landlord (access to keys) or your on grounds liason for the building. It maybe the housekeeper is having an affair? Do you live on second floor or first floor? (watching down on you when you leave) Do you leave w/ suitcase(s) on long weekends/trips? People see these things and ... Also, throw out foods and toothbrush when this happens- who knows what (they) are using in your apartment. WEBCAM!!!!! Do not tell anyone other than your sister/family about webcam- you need to catch this bastard. You also should go tell the police ASAP!!! You need to have this on record.

In "A collection of ideas that adults thought were true when they were children."

I was very young. (4 or 5) I grew up on a farm. We had lots of fruit trees and we (kids) were always in the orchards eating anything and everthing. Mom and Pop were forever telling us to "spite the pits out or (name your favorite) tree will grow in your tummy if you swallow the pit." I had swallowed a cherry pit and dared not tell anyone believing I would grow a cherry tree in my stomach. That night I went to bed and cried all night in my pillow very, very afraid about the cherry tree I would sprout. Pop heard me crying and, after much tear wiping I finally told him about the cherry pit I swallowed and why I would start to sprout a cherry tree. He started to laugh and I cried somemore and finally he told me the truth. Much to my relief!

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