Photo Credit Jeff HillsFor the past week or so I have been experimenting with a raw diet. I say experimenting because 1) I have a lot to learn and 2) I haven't been 100% raw, though I'd say I've been close to 90-95%. I am doing this because I have read a lot about the potential benefits of eating raw, including increased energy, more vivid dreams, less sleep, increased healing, and of course detox.

I have already learned quite a bit, and trust me, it's not all about a salad and fruit. Though that's what a lot of it has been, but my options are already expanding and I have learned to make a few tasty treats that would rival a regular processed sugar desert in taste. Also, I will say that I don't want to continue this 100%, mostly because variety is the spice of life and I also enjoy indulging in things that are not good for me like drinking and happy hour. Though I will say I will incorporate many of the things I am learning into my regular diet, whatever that becomes. (Yes I know, beer doesn't exactly match a healthy raw diet, though I still believe a positive change is a positive change, regardless. I may not get all the benefits of a raw diet if I still have vices, but it for sure still beats most people.)

Another reason I don't want to stay 100% dedicated to this is that I don't believe it is inherently wrong to eat meat. I believe that humans evolved eating many things, of which meat is one of them. That said, I do believe that the meat most people eat which comes from cows that are corn fed and beefed up with hormones and antibiotics is crap and a raw diet would beat that any day. But I am not ruling out eating chicken, turkey, beef, or other meats that are naturally and sustainably raised. In fact though I have always loved cheese, I would probably choose meat over cheese, since I believe meat is more natural for us than animal milk.

It has been a little over a week since I started, and it has not been too difficult. The worst things are the outside temptations, including lunch at work. Thus far I have not had any extreme food cravings, but this is probably because I was already a decent eater prior to this, staying away from processed foods and high sugar treats. I had a headache for a few days, though I would attribute this to giving up my morning coffee, and I did have some pretty extreme body aches for a couple days. My sleep hasn't really changed, nor have my dreams intensified. I do seem to have a bit more energy, but nothing very noticeable, it's mostly when I'm at work, I don't get the urge to doze off anymore.

I have been mostly raw now for a little over a week, and have not had meat or dairy for 5 days. I do think when I ease back into a more "typical" diet I will probably keep a lot of these habits, and I will probably replace cheese with goat or sheep cheese, and possibly raw cheese if it's economically viable.

What else? I guess that's about it. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Or some good food ideas?

Oh I went to Blissfull Food last night and it was really good. There was a portobella walnut pate that was awesome (and could have passed for meatloaf), a great "sushi" roll, some spring wraps, and then sorbets, truffles, and live chocolates for desert!

Labels: health, raw diet

During my recent trip to Spain, I had seen some pretty cool graffiti that I had previously posted. In keeping with that theme, here is some right around the corner from where I live in Ocean Beach, San Diego. Both of these are located on Bacon St, I believe on the Seedless Clothing office. On the second one, you can see the artist's name next to the woman if you look closely. Also, notice the electrical box next to the car, hehehe... I'm not sure who the artist is, but the whole thing is pretty cool.

Update 5/8/2009: The artist's name is Caleb Aero. Check out his Myspace and Facebook.

Update 6/18/2009: I've been getting a lot of traffic on this post lately. I think people might be Googling for info about the graffiti in OB of the vandalism type? Not sure. I don't actually live in Ocean Beach anymore so I can't say for sure, but I've been following the graffiti debate over at the OB Rag (more articles here and here). Regardless, I have to say this graffiti I am showing below is a bit more tasteful and I think actually is good for neighborhoods, I think it adds positive character to communities. Of course, vandalism is no good... If what I saw in Spain was any indication, graffiti done properly can be definitely positive. In fact, in the OB Rag article I referenced above, one of the suggestions for the graffiti problem was to get real artists in to create murals and the like.

Btw, please don't steal my photos. If you want to use these photos, read this.

Sexy Woman Graffiti, Ocean Beach, San Diego

Sexy Woman Graffiti, Ocean Beach, San Diego

Seedless graffiti, Ocean Beach, San Diego

Seedless graffiti, Ocean Beach, San Diego


See my other graffiti posts here, or if you're interested in my travel photos, wander over this way.


Related Links:
Graffiti - Granada, Spain
Graffiti - Barcelona, Spain

Labels: graffiti, ocean beach, photos, San Diego

I have been meaning to post this since I got back from Spain. To the right is a picture of what I packed, and actually there are quite a few things that I didn't end up using, some I would bring again since they were precautionary, but others I would scrap.

I actually only wore 2 or 3 different shirts the whole time, so I could have not brought one or two that I never wore. Also, brought two pairs of shoes, one "nice" pair of Sketchers in case I was out for dinner, and a pair of running sneakers. Only wore the sneakers, so I could have scrapped the other pair. I only read one of the books that I brought, so the others (not the guides) were overkill. The Lonely Planet guides were essential for me though. I also didn't use the quick drying towel or the lock that I brought. Those two things I would probably pack again though since they take up such little room. The other stuff I could have gone without, though on a different trip they may have been useful.

As for budget, my plane fare was around $1000 to fly from San Diego to Barcelona, and then Malaga to San Diego. Not great but also not bad. Expenses while in Spain totaled about $1200 for the 10 days, and this is after the exchange rate. This includes everything including hotel, food, drink, transportation, obligatory gifts, and incidentals. I wasn't trying to go on the cheap, but I also didn't want to go 5 star, so I am happy. While I was there the exchange rate was hovering between 68 to 72 cents to 1 Euro, so I spent approximately 850 Euros. This means I was well under 100 Euros per day, which makes me happy. And if I take out the transportation it drops to about 80 Euros per day. I am proud to say that I never took a cab and I really utilized the public transportation. I realize this total is a lot if you are a budget traveler, but also considering that it's Europe and how the economy is doing, I feel that I was right around where I hoped to be, as the same trip could have cost a LOT more.

If I break it down further, I spent an average of 40 euros (~$58 USD) per day on hotel, and this is actually skewed high because of the cost in Barcelona. Which then means I was spending about another 40 euros per day on food, drink, and local transportation. This actually breaks down quite nicely, since some days I was having only one cheap meal with a beer or two, and others I was spending a bit more to enjoy myself. Then add in coffee and probably a grand total of $150 on random gifts to bring home for the family, and there you have it. A great 10 days in Spain on an average budget which could be increased for more luxury or decreased to fix a shoestring budget.


Related Links:
Barcelona to Cordoba by Train
Barcelona, Spain
Graffiti, Barcelona, Spain
Graffiti, Granada, Spain

Labels: budget, packing, spain, travel

I am by nature a shy and reserved person. People who I know at home know this about me. In the past when I have traveled away from my home, whether for a weekend road trip or for a jaunt overseas, I find that I am much more outgoing, and many of my inhibitions I carry at home are stripped away. I have often tried to make sense of this, wondering why I suddenly get this new ability to socialize and step over boundaries that would often stop me while in my normal bubble of "real life". It was so noticeable that during a trip to England in college my friends started calling me "International Russ". They saw this new uninhibited side of me and my seemingly newfound ability to be social and draw people close.

After returning home from these trips, I always try to maintain this new attitude, but it always seems to fade. I have often wondered why this is, why it is that I have inhibitions at home though not on the road. In applying normal logic it seems that if I can behave one way while in one place, I should be able to behave the same while at home. I think everyone knows that it is easy to let loose vacations or during travel. The conclusion I had come to was that while home there are certain behaviors we all have, behaviors that people have come to expect of us based on who they know us to be, and if we stray from those there are consequences. The consequences may be tiny or they may be more significant.

I am straying from my topic here, but my point is basically that while we are home and in our daily routine, we in a way have become victims of our past actions and have created a perception of ourselves that people come to associate with us. And while traveling, all this is stripped away, and there are no prolonged consequences of changes or deviations from our normal behavior. This may or not make sense to you, but what prompted it was this article that Wade of Vagabond Journey had wrote earlier.

Here is an excerpt:

"You can start up conversations with dozens of people a day when wandering and not a single one of them has any inherent consequence. If you talk to someone and find that they do not understand what you are saying, then you can just move onto another person. If you make a friend and realize that you do not like him then you can just leave. If you find that you are in a setting which prohibits conversation then you have a full range of options to change it. When traveling you are essentially outside of the box of all convention - you are in a land of little social consequence. You can say anything to almost anyone and it does not really matter."

And more:

"You are a traveler, you can do or say anything to anyone and there are little social consequences. The traveler is the ultimate social wildcard, you can go between all classes and sects of a culture equally, as there are no boxes to put you in."

I think that addresses the root of what I am talking about. I also realize that it doesn't have to be this way, that my inhibitions while home are a result of fear, apprehension, and social conditioning.

Labels: fear, inhibitions, loneliness, social conditioning

It's getting to be that time of the year again where the holidays are rapidly approaching and the though of gift giving is looming. Typically my family goes small on the gifts, just a little something for each person, but nothing extravagant. We are a simple family, and we don't really need anything. So, I have decided that this year I am going to attempt to do some charitable gift giving, and rather than give a material gift, I am going to donate in the recipient's name instead. But I want to match the donation to something meaningful. So my girlfriend who loves animals may get a donation to the Humane Society in her name, my mom may get a letter stating that she helped provide two families with seeds to cultivate a family garden or that she gave a family an Earth Basket with bees, honey, and seedlings. Has anyone done this before? Do you have any charity suggestions?

Labels: charity, gifts

I am in the process of testing Technorati, hopefully to increase my readership. I have never actually used it before and am not really familiar with it. But anyway, I figure I'll give it a shot. Anyone who uses it have any opinion of it?

Technorati Profile

Labels: Technorati

It just came out in local news here in San Diego that Mayor Jerry Sanders is proposing some serious budget cuts. Among some of the cuts are the following:

• Four of seven deputy chief operating officers will lose their jobs
• Operations suspended at nine recreation centers, seven libraries and all six of the city's customer service centers
• The number of civilians in the SDPD's admin staff and community service officers will be reduced by 37
• The number of fire companies active on any given day will decrease from 60 to 58

On the bright side, they claim that all cuts are in the office, and that the number of police officers and fire fighters won't be affected.

I realize times are tough and you have to do what you have to do, but to me Rec Centers and libraries are what make communities ... well, uh, communities. So I went ahead and wrote a letter to the mayor and my councilman. Here is what I wrote:

I am writing in regards to the recently proposed budget cuts. I understand the financial crisis and I understand doing what needs to be done. While difficult, I respect you doing what is best for the city. However, as a resident of San Diego for eight years, I have really enjoyed the community feel of the local libraries and feel that they are an important service for the people. I've always thought it was so great that every community has their own library. That said, I can understand the need to cut back, and also can certainly see that for the amount spent to maintain these services that they might not be deemed worthwhile. And of course I realize that there is a much broader impact here than just losing some libraries. I know that this extends far beyond the library closures, and that many other city services are affected. However, as a resident of Ocean Beach and a frequent library user, it saddens me to know that our local library may be closing.

I know that not many people in this day and age use the free services that the libraries offer, but the reality is that there are still many that do. When I saw that Ocean Beach was one of the branches proposed to be closed I was shocked. Each time I've gone in there it seems to be bouncing with activity and I find it hard to believe that this is one of the least used branches. I would imagine that especially in "OB" the services offered at the library would be absolutely essential. People, both young and old, and both high and low income, live in OB, and having access to free internet and reading materials is critical for many of these people, especially those without private transportation. (Which I know there are a lot of in my neighborhood.) I would urge you to reconsider these closures, as I believe local libraries (as well as Rec Centers) are an essential part of each of the unique communities of San Diego, as well as critical resources for many of our residents.

Related Links:

OB Rag discusses budget cuts and library closures
Voice of San Diego discussing budget cuts and library closures

Labels: budget cuts, library, news, politics, San Diego

Cat in patio looking at me in Cordoba, SpainI have added another entry and some more photos from my Spain trip to my travel section. This one is about the train from Barcelona to Cordoba, and about Cordoba in general. If you are looking for information about getting from Barcelona to Cordoba, it is an excellent resource.

Here is an excerpt:
Despite the fact that my overnight train to Cordoba ended up being nearly four hours late and really messed with my ability to get a decent night's sleep, it worked out well to arrive late. Arriving earlier would have made it difficult to find a room, as no one would have been checked out from the previous night yet. Upon arrival, I took a local bus which dropped me in the center of town. Using my Lonely Planet Spain guide , I found a room at a placed called Hostal Maestre for 30 euros per night. The room was small but it had a toilet and shower and was all I needed. Don't be confused, the Lonely Planet guide reviews the hotel, but actually the hotel is more expensive and it's the hostal next door where I stayed. Not a youth hostel, but just a no frills version of the hotel.


Alcazar Gardens, Cordoba, SpainAs it turns out, I really liked Cordoba. In the center of the old part of town is Cordoba's Mezquita, the world famous Unesco Heritage Site, which was quite impressive. Though it is touristy, it is certainly worth the 8 (or 10, I can't remember) euros to go inside and see the impressive arches and interior. Also impressive are the Gardens in the Alcazar nearby. Once again, you have to pay to go in, but it is worth it.

It seems the majority of the tourist action surrounds the Mezquita, but if you head north you will find yourself in the a more modern part of the city. Aside from the few touristy things, I mainly just wandered around, spent some time enjoying tapas, beer, and coffee, hung out in the internet cafe at the youth hostel that I found, and really enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere in comparison to Barcelona, the tiny meandering streets, and the beautiful patios and courtyards that where everything I had heard about.

Read the entire thing here


Related Links:
My travels
Barcelona

Labels: cordoba, spain, travel

As mentioned in a previous post, I had seen some really cool graffiti when I was in Spain. Here is installment number 2. Enjoy!

View more of my photos here




Related Links:

Graffiti - Granada, Spain

Labels: barcelona, graffiti, photos, spain

From one of the blogs I regularly read comes this entry about doing the right thing for the 2008 election, regardless of your morals and beliefs. Though I agree with everything he says, I can actually see a conservative agreeing as well.

Labels: election, voting

Plaza Catalunya at night from hotel balcony

Plaça Catalunya at night from hotel balcony
I have added a page with a few of my notes and photos from my recent stay in Barcelona. Here is an excerpt:

I arrived in Barcelona, Spain at around 11AM. Upon arrival, I went outside the airport and took the A1 bus which dropped me right in the heart of the city at Plaça Catalunya where my hotel was located. I stayed at a place called Hotel Ginebra, which according to Trip Advisor was a fairly budget hotel for its location. Read More...

Also, while there, when I was wandering around Plaça Catalunya I caught a street performance by a pretty good band called Barrio Candela. If was some cool music, sort of funky, reggae, Latin, etc. Check them out below.

Labels: barcelona, spain, travel

During my recent trip to Spain, I noticed some really interesting graffiti on some of the side streets. I ended up taking a few good photos, and it also got me thinking that I've seen some cool graffiti here at home in San Diego. So over the next few weeks I will try to post a new photo every few days. Here is the first graffiti photo, taking in Granada, Spain, in October 2008. Enjoy!

See more random photos here, or more Granada photos here.



See more Granada photos here


Related posts:
Graffiti Posts
Spain Travel Photos

Labels: graffiti, granada, photos, spain