Sally Ember's Blog, page 60

#Health Myths Busted: #Gluten Sensitivity is Mostly A Fad, Not Actual Gluten Intolerance

#Health Myths Busted: #Gluten Sensitivity is Mostly A Fad, Not Actual Gluten Intolerance

According to many researchers and recent research in both the UK and the USA, fewer than 6%, and many say closer to 1% of the general population actually suffer from #Celiac disease, which does make humans unable to digest gluten. In fact: “Ninety-nine percent of individuals [this doctor sees] who report gluten sensitivity, however, do not have celiac disease….”

Research like this utilizes a method called “double-blind,” which means not only do the test subjects not know, but the researchers do not know, either, whom is receiving the “treatment” or substance being tested and whom is receiving the fake, or placebo substance, until after the research period has ended.

What did they discover about self-diagnosed gluten sensitivity?

“The placebo effect is much greater for subjective symptoms (such as those of patients with self-diagnosed gluten sensitivity) than is appreciated. It is seen in 20% to 40% [of] individuals. That is, of patients who report an improvement in symptoms by eliminating gluten, 20% to 40% are NOT improved. They THINK they are improved….[A]lmost all have had their symptoms return or continue with reduced severity despite continuing the [gluten-free] diet.”

image from http://allergiesandyourgut.com

Back and forth we go, with individuals making great claims at parties, schools, family dinners and restaurants about their inability to digest gluten despite not having been diagnosed formally with Celiac disease. People around them are getting frustrated, with good reason.

“[A]fter years of debating the existence of nonceliac gluten sensitivity, a scientifically rigorous study has been done that sheds light on the issue. In this study, 37 patients with self-reported gluten sensitivity, well-controlled on a gluten-free diet, were studied….[T]he group of patients with self-reported gluten sensitivity were not gluten-sensitive when tested.”

[all above quotes from link, below]

http://www.medicinenet.com/nonceliac_gluten_sensitivity_intolerance/article.htm

What are we to do, then, we who want to support our loved ones and help them be healthy, feel good, not feel negatively judged by us?

This is a dilemma, because it is difficult to determine what is causing these people’s symptoms when they do not have actual Celiac disease or wheat allergies. A number of causes could be in effect, in varying combinations, some of which cannot actually be proven to exist in each person other than through dietary trial-and-error, which, as we have seen, often fails to provide factual data due to psychological interference.

“Unlike wheat allergy and coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity does not have a known set of biomarkers — doctors can’t tell if a patient is suffering from [gluten sensitivity] by examination (although there is a blood test, it doesn’t give accurate results for many patients). So [gluten sensitivity] can only be diagnosed by first ruling out other diseases and then trying out a gluten-free diet.”

Okay. So, we tolerate our friends, relatives, co-workers and neighbors as they attempt to figure out what is causing their discomfort, bloating, gas, pain, etc., but our patience is wearing thin, isn’t it? We may think that their self-diagnosed gluten problems are just the latest in a string of dietary and health fads that cause attention-seekers to become obsessed and challenging to be around, for the rest of us, don’t we?

Maybe these people mostly want to lose weight? Wrong method, though.

image from http://www.livestrong.com

Similar to the “fat-free” trend, which caused many to over-eat the so-called “fat-free” foods while clearly gaining weight due to ingesting extra calories, not in the form of fats and oils, but still getting a lot of carbs and sugars, gluten-free is no solution to weight problems, either.

“‘If you go on a gluten-free diet, taking substitutes like gluten-free beer, pasta, cookies and so on, if anything, you gain weight. If you take a regular cookie, it’s 70 calories. The same cookie, gluten-free, can go as high as 210 calories. You have to substitute gluten with something that makes that cookie palatable, so you have to load it with fat and sugars. Just consider that. A gram of protein is four calories, a gram of fat is nine.’

“But, [Fasano] adds, it may be possible to lose weight on a gluten-free diet by choosing natural products like fresh fish, meat, vegetables and fruit.”

To add insult to injury, gluten-free products are pricier than ordinary versions of the same foods.

Maybe the answer, for weight loss, is to eat foods that are both fat-free and gluten-free. Of course, those are also likely to be taste- and flavor-free. Take away the MSG, too, and you may as well drink water or eat cardboard.

[above quotes from link, below]

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-33486177

Summary

Should we or shouldn’t we eat gluten-free, then?

First, how difficult is it to eat gluten-free? VERY, but getting easier.

“To avoid gluten, you have to stay away from all wheat-based foods and ingredients, from white and whole-wheat flours to kamut, spelt, semolina, and wheat bran and germ.

“That means no bread, pasta, couscous, cookies, cakes, muffins, pastries, cereals, crackers, gravies, or beer. Less obviously, it also means no soy sauce, bouillon cubes, candies, food starch, fried foods, or even oats if they’re processed in the same facility as wheat.”

Second, who benefits from a gluten-free diet, besides those with verified Celiac disease and/or wheat allergies?

image from http://www.theguardian.com

“[T]here is some evidence to suggest gluten-free eating patterns can also improve symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and psoriasis.”

However, they may be getting relief from their symptoms not because of avoiding gluten, but because of avoiding FODMAPs.

“[P]eople who say their symptoms improve on a gluten-free diet may actually be reacting to another set of carbohydrates in wheat called called FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols). In other words, it’s not the gluten that’s bothering people, but other sugars found in wheat.”

Third, be cautious. There is evidence that people who follow this diet who do not need to be on it and who do not track the supplements they’re missing out on and replace them could be doing themselves more harm than good.

“‘People who follow a gluten-free diet may have low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients in their diets.’ These include iron, calcium, fiber, and folate. ‘Along with fruits and vegetables, the most common sources of dietary fiber are whole-grain breads and cereals, which contain gluten,’ the University of Washington’s gluten-free primer states. ‘Many people on gluten-free diets tend to eat inadequate amounts of fiber, which may lead to constipation.'”

Also, we now know that we need certain types of bacteria to flourish in our guts/intestines, and when they do not, we can suffer greatly everything from indigestion to depression, many worse problems than bloating. “Going gluten-free may also reduce the amount of beneficial bacteria in your gut, which has implications for immune system function.”

[above quotes from link, below]

http://www.vox.com/2015/4/30/8517749/gluten-free-diet-nutrition-celiac-disease

image from http://lifeonmanitoulin.com

Filed under: Science, Statistics Tagged: Anti-Depressants, Celiac disease, Diet Soda, Gluten Intolerance, Gluten sensitivity, health, Myths, placebo effect

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Published on September 29, 2015 00:00

The Invisible Late-Night Knapsack.

Excellent, thoughtful article referencing one of the most intelligent pieces ever written (by Peggy McIntosh, which I read when it came out in 1988) about #racism, #privilege, and, by extension, #sexism and other oppressions, leading us all into more awareness of #intersectionality, which is long over due.

Late-night USA TV is horribly un-diverse and getting WORSE, not better, Trevor Noah’s hiring aside.

Thanks for writing and sharing.

Source: The Invisible Late-Night Knapsack.

Filed under: Writing

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Published on September 26, 2015 05:10

Wise Teacher, Wise Student: Tibetan Approaches to a Healthy Relationship – Book Review by Sally Ember, Ed.D., featured on The Buddhist Door website

Wise Teacher, Wise Student: Tibetan Approaches to a Healthy Relationship – Book Review by Sally Ember, Ed.D., featured on The Buddhist Door website

Thanks to Frances McDonald and others at The Buddhist Door for this opportunity to be a reviewer for your site! As a long-time student of #meditation (since 1972) and a #Buddhism student since 1996 in the #Tibetan #Vajrayana tradition, I was pleased to review this book.

Anyone interested in knowing more about how to choose a spiritual teacher or mentor and all the varying types of these there can be, how to be in a better relationship with one or more than one teacher, how and why to end that relationship, and what its pitfalls might be, and so much more, would benefit greatly from reading this book and keeping it around to refer to frequently.

Please read this review and support The Buddhist Door!

http://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/wise-teacher-wise-student-tibetan-approaches-healthy-relationship-book-review

Filed under: Buddhism, Meditation, Tibetan Vajrayana Nyingma Tagged: Alexander Berzin, Book Review, Buddhist, dharma, Guest Blog post, meditation, Sally Ember, Spiritual seekers, Spiritual Teachers, The Buddhist Door, Tibetan Buddhism, Vajrayana

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Published on September 26, 2015 00:00

“The Friday TV Report” from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

“The Friday TV Report” from Sally Ember, Ed.D., and her mom

Once a week through mid-November, I (Sally) plan to update this with our opinions. Check on Fridays!

BACKGROUND

My mom, 83, and I (61) are probably not the “target demographic” for almost any show on television or any movie being produced currently. We live in the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, USA (Midwest, for those of you unfamiliar: think of that huge “Gateway Arch”? That’s here). I grew up here but then didn’t live here for 42 years; I’ve been back for about one year, now. We were both raised Jewish, but I have been a meditator since 1972 and a practicing Buddhist since 1996. We are both Caucasian women-born-women. We are considered “middle class” although we have almost zero dollars of “disposable income.” My mom is hetero; I am bisexual. We are both partly disabled. I am highly educated (doctoral degree plus other training); my mom has extensive work-experience, with a high school diploma.

My mom has been a TV watcher for over 60 years. I watched a lot as a kid, but from about 1972 – 2002, I didn’t have a TV and hardly watched it elsewhere, either. I usually didn’t have a TV between 2005 – 2014 as well, but I watched some shows online (Hulu, usually) or Netflix.

We think we should be part of a group that at least some producers are aiming to please, because we (especially Mom) now watch a lot of television. We also get movies regularly from DVD borrowing through our local library. We even occasionally go to a theatre to see a movie. We eagerly await the “new season” of television every one of the four times it seems to occur every year: “Fall Sweeps” happen, but so do Mid-season Sweeps, Mid-year New Seasons, and channels with an entirely different set of “seasons.”

However, we are consistently disappointed that many shows we do like are cancelled and some shows we despise seem to go on forever.

Yet, here we are once again (“hope springs eternal”), beginning with the so-called “Fall Sweeps” for the major network channels and a few others, with new episodes (and sometimes characters, sets, directors, producers, plot lines, actors) for those shows that survived last year’s axes and the ever-present Pilots for new shows, bright and shiny with all their best bells and whistles. This month is THE month for premiers of the new season to air, which seems oddly fitting, since it’s the start of the Jewish calendar year (September 13).

image from http://www.tophdgallery.com

We don’t watch: most “sit-coms,” any zombies or vampires, reality shows (except one on BBC), extremely violent shows, premium channels (HBO, Showtime, Starz), “teen” shows.

We often like shows on TNT and USA cable channels, but this is not the start of their “season.” We liked Hindsight on VH1, but it was cancelled after one season. We watch Chasing Life on ABC Family, but that’s the only show we watch from that channel. We both loved The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and my mom plans to give Trevor Noah a try (I might), but we don’t watch other Comedy Central shows. My mom watches several news shows, including Rachel Maddow, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and others, but I do not.

Fall TV, 2015

Our planned evening viewing line-up for 2015 Fall is as follows, in calendar order.

[NOTE: Our viewing “schedule” includes a lot of recording-and-watching-later, due to simultaneous broadcasts and, most importantly, BASEBALL! My mom is a huge St. Louis Cardinals’ fan and they are headed for another World Series at this point!]

**usually only Mom watches

*usually only I watch

NEW SHOWS

Week ending 9/19/15

**The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I am not a fan of this format, regardless of who is doing the hosting. I was a huge fan of The Colbert Report, so I gave his new show a try…several tries.

I do not like this show and won’t watch most episodes.

Mom is becoming a faithful viewer. She likes The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as well.

image from http://www.greenvilleonline.com

Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris

We didn’t really know what this show was about, but we both adore Neil Patrick Harris from his awards-shows’ hosting (but neither of us watched How I Met Your Mother). We couldn’t even get through the intros because we thought this show’s premise and tone were so bad.

Removed this from our recording list. DO NOT LIKE.

*Life in Pieces

I appreciated the cast (especially Colin Hanks, James Brolin, Dianne Weist) and a few of the jokes, but if the pilot episode is supposedly the best of the best and it’s all downhill from here, this show won’t last 4 Episodes. I probably won’t watch again. It just was not that interesting.

Side note: more than a few many sexual references and anatomically correct labels were applied to genitalia (and not applied) in fewer than 23 minutes. How necessary was that?

Removed this from our recording list.NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Blindspot

Very unnecessary gratuitious violence and nudity in the opening scenes: trigger warnings for sexual and child-abuse violence as well. I say “unnecessary” because the opening scene for getting a message to the FBI Agent could have happened ANYWHERE. He didn’t even have to be on duty to get a message, right? So, right away, my mom and I are not liking this show’s choices.

Second, it’s unnecessarily confusing, which seems to be what passes for art and mystery these days in both TV and film scripts. Guess what, writers and directors: making the scene so dark the audience can’t see what’s going on, making the audio so muddy no one can understand what’s being said or overlaying the music so loudly the dialogue gets lost is not “cinema verite.” It’s “cinema awful.”

Third: how about dispensing all together with the growing popularity of conveying important information to the audience by attempting to put a text message to a character on screen? Between the terribly small text sizes, poor resolution on the cell phones’ screens and bad camera angles, WE CAN’T READ THE MESSAGES! Duh!

Fourth, the story for this pilot was also extremely cliched and not very interesting, except for the sub-plot (which should have been the main plot, given the hype for this show) regarding the identity of this amnesiac protagonist. We find her interesting. The crimes she’s supposed to help solve: not so much.

We may keep watching, but we bet we won’t like it much and we also bet it’s cancelled soon.

Minority Report

We both saw the original film that this TV series’ story is supposedly continuing, but if you haven’t, go read about it. Otherwise, you will be hopelessly confused.

The storyline of this show is suspiciously like The Listener, The Mentalist, Forever, and so many other crime dramas in which the crime-solvers get to collaborate (inadvertently and/or reluctantly, to start) with a non-law-enforcement character who has special “powers” or access to information, like in The Blacklist. Blindspot is actually in this “plot family” as well. We usually like those types of shows, but now that there have been so many, what new twists can there actually be?

Complaint: why, in this fascinating look into a not-so-distant future, are the tech aspects all new-ish but the crimes are not? Why is advertising so annoying and pervasive? Can’t ayone envision anything about a future that isn’t awful?

We’ll probably keep watching, but we also bet this one is cancelled.

Rosewood

Refreshingly NOT CAUCASIAN, not all heterosexual (but not “camp,” either), not too serious version of “non-cop with special abilities working with police” dramedy.

Strange casting for Anthony Michael Hall as grumpy detective, great to see him, again. Liked Lorraine Toussaint in her somewhat minor but obviously recurring role. Liked the main character and his sister’s banter a lot.

Definitely keeping this one.

**The Muppets

The Player

*Heroes Reborn

Quantico

Blood and Oil

**The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

*Grandfathered

The Grinder

*Code Black

Chicago Med

*Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

*Supergirl

Wicked City

RETURNING SHOWS (tried and liked, up until now… Won’t comment on them all, but a few are worth mentioning.)

Scorpion

Could be that this show, like so many, is becoming a bit too formulaic, a caricature of itself. This season’s opener had a few too many “Oh, one of the bizarre genius’ amazing ideas, number four, didn’t work, so we’re going to die” moments. It was good to see the lead from Forever (Alana De La Garza) showing up as a recurring character in this show, since Forever was unfortunately cancelled and she was great in that.

However, like Mysteries of Laura, why do writers believe that they have to introduce a class-A horrible person as a new character to create tension or conflict? Can there really be no other way to bring in a new collaborator or boss than to have that character be a grouchy idiot or plain stupid or both?

Please, also, tell us: why does Katherine McPhee almost never sing in this show? She has a spectacular voice. What a waste.

Probably keep watching, but not as excited about this show as we were last year.

Mysteries of Laura

Writing is tighter, which we appreciate (less silliness, more story). Not all the first year’s characters are “back,” but most are. There is a new addition who has so far been given a very trite role, but we liked Callie Thorne a lot in Necessary Roughness, so we’ll see how it goes.

Someone should tell Debra Messing’s hair stylist to tone down her dye job. Number one: what police detective could afford to keep that up? Number two: it looks awful on her.

What happened to the chef/love interest for Messing’s character? It is not credible and is a slap to feminists everywhere that the writers would be reuniting her romantically with her cheating ex just because he got shot. We really hope that is not where this season’s plot is heading.

Keeping this one on our watch list, but skeptical.

NCIS (all three: regular, **Los Angeles, **New Orleans)

New Orleans:

NCIS: Started with a two-parter, so we’re waiting to watch it with its continuation, next week.

Castle

Started with a two-parter, so we’re waiting to watch it with its continuation, next week.

*Modern Family

Glad to see them all back and the kids keep growing up, don’t they? Still caught in a lot of stereotypes and quick characterizations, but how not to do that in 23 minutes of mostly one-liners? When Modern Family first aired, the “normalization” of the gay couple’s life and family interactions were ground-breaking. Now, with many shows’ having copied MF and the legalization of marriage equality in the USA and many other countries, where does this show go to be edgy?

It’s not sure.

Enjoying and keeping, but very much not a priority to watch.

Nashville

**Grey’s Anatomy

Scandal

How to Get Away with Murder

Glad Viola Davis won the Emmy. She deserved it.

The Blacklist

**Law & Order SVU

**Hawaii 5-0

Blue Bloods

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

**Chicago P.D.

**Chicago Fire

Bones

Madam Secretary

The Good Wife

CSI: Cyber

Elementary

**Saturday Night Live

**The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

BBC

The Great British Bake Off

It’s on again with new contestants and it’s excellent! This is only reality show we watch because the baking concoctions and watching the bakers create them are fascinating, always unusual and new to us, informationally. Many funny moments, but not at any baker’s expense, usually, which we like.

Plus, none of the competitors is actually a professional baker: a student; one makes satellites; a retired teacher; one also paints. So interesting that these individuals chose to compete in this way.

RECOMMENDED HIGHLY. Wish we could taste the entries!

*Downton Abbey

*Call the Midwife

New Tricks

*Sherlock

“Mid-Season” Returners

Galavant

Marvel’s Agent Carter

Person of Interest

Filed under: TV and online Series Reviews, Writing Tagged: demographics, fall 2015, network TV, opinions, reviews, Television, Television shows

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Published on September 25, 2015 04:00

USA National Punctuation Day® is TODAY! 9/24/15

One of my all-time favorite non-holidays!

USA National Punctuation Day® is TODAY! September 24, 2015

Jeff Rubin, Founder

Also, every year there is a CONTEST! YES! Sharpen your red pencils!

National Punctuation Day® 2015 contest will be announced on September 24

National Punctuation Day® will celebrate its 11th anniversary on September 24 with an homage to one of America’s greatest comedians and talk-show hosts.

As always, essays of no more than 250 words will be accepted through October 31 at Jeff@NationalPunctuationDay.com

Please check back on National Punctuation Day (NPD) — September 24 — for contest details.

I’m guessing Jon Stewart of The Daily Show, but you’ll have to visit today to find out!

PLEASE visit Jeff’s website, where he has explanations of EVERY type of punctuation WITH PHOTOS of those used in English, AND pages of info and resources, like “Punctuation Products” and “Punctuation Playtime Program”!

He also has great posters/signage of excellent punctuation mistakes, videos, radio spots, schools’ participation pix, newspaper coverage of NPD (even right here in St. Louis, MO! http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_1f62ba8c-ca53-5080-8fdd-db4fd0b8513f.html from 2011, but you can no longer read the article), and much more!

Most unusual tribute? Video of a Punctuation Rap Song by Dots N Dashes: https://youtu.be/4vYrws3766Q The participants make punctuation marks on the football field, as if they were a marching band. Hilarious.

http://www.NationalPunctuationDay.com

Got a photo of an incorrectly punctuated sign?

E-mail it to Jeff Rubin and it will be posted on the

National Punctuation Day® web site–—with a photo credit!

Jeff@NationalPunctuationDay.com

Here are the most recent bad punctuation photo gallery submissions:

http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/badpunctpictures27.html

Jeff also does presentations and answers your punctuation questions: (510) 724-9507

Filed under: Writing Tagged: Grammar, Jeff Rubin, National Punctuation Day, punctuation

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Published on September 24, 2015 00:05

10 Days. 10 Questions: #10Q

10 Days. 10 Questions.

If you are Jewish or celebrate Jewish holidays, sunset on 9/13/15 began Rosh Hashonah, the #Jewish New Year: L’Shana Tovah (May you have a sweet and healthy New Year)!

Whether you observe Jewish holidays as a #Jew or Jewish ally or are interested in Jewish customs and new traditions, you may be interested in this new tradition, #10Q, for personal growth and reflection. The “10” refers to the 10 days that include the first day of the two-day Rosh Hashonah celebration and the Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur—September 22-23, on the other end.

There are many traditions associated with each of these holidays and the days between, but I do not practice them because I am not an observant Jew; I am a practicing #Buddhist. However, last year I found out about 10Q and really appreciated it. So, I did it in 2014 and I am doing it again this year.

Just a reminder: the 10Q site goes into lockdown at the end of Sunday, September 27th. You have till then to fill in your answers and send them to the Vault for safe-keeping. After that, you won’t be able to see the answers until next year–and if you don’t send them into the Vault, you won’t ever see them again. Once you submit, you can relax and look forward to the eve of Rosh Hashanah 2016, when your 2015 answers will be coming back to you.

I recently received my responses to last year’s questions, received earlier this week, as promised (see below for explanation of 10Q). It was fascinating to me to read what I had written because, as many of you know, I suffered a severe brain injury in April of 2014; last fall, I was still in very bad shape, mentally. I don’t even remember much about writing these responses much less what I wrote, so it was with great curiosity that I opened the reporting email with my responses inside.

These 10Q‘s 10 questions (one for each of the 10 days) are very personal; I do not choose to share my responses. But, I will say this: the exercise of responding is a great one, regardless of your religious affiliation.

Summary: I achieved many of the goals and aspirations I put out in my responses!

I heartily encourage each of you to visit this site and respond to the questions, starting on Rosh Hashonah, 2015, which is tomorrow, Sunday, 9/13/15. Read more about 10Q and then click on a link or two, below.

There are/were also live 10Q events happening in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco (see below) and perhaps elsewhere, or you could have one. Check these out!

May all beings benefit.

Answer one question per day in your own secret online 10Q space. Make your answers serious. Silly. Salacious. However you like. It’s your 10Q.

When you’re finished, hit the magic button and your answers get sent to the secure online 10Q vault for safekeeping.

One year later, the vault will open and your answers will land back in your email inbox for private reflection.

Want to keep them secret? Perfect. Want to share them, either anonymously or with attribution, with the wider 10Q community? You can do that too.

Next year, the whole process begins again. And the year after that, and the year after that.

Do you 10Q? You should.

Click here to get your 10Q on.

10Q began September 13th, 2015

10Q: Reflect. React. Renew.

Life’s Biggest Questions. Answered By You.

10Q LINKS:

http://doyou10q.com/about

http://doyou10q.com/faq

http://blog.doyou10q.com/

10Q 2015 QUESTIONS (I plan to add one each of the 10 days):

“1. Describe a significant experience that has happened in the past year. How did it affect you? Are you grateful? Relieved? Resentful? Inspired?”

“2. Is there something that you wish you had done differently this past year? Alternatively, is there something you’re especially proud of from this past year?”

“3. Think about a major milestone that happened with your family this past year. How has this affected you?”\

“4. Describe an event in the world that has impacted you this year. How? Why?”

“5. Have you had any particularly spiritual experiences this past year? How has this experience affected you? ‘Spiritual’ can be broadly defined to include secular spiritual experiences: artistic, cultural, and so forth.”

“6. Describe one thing you’d like to achieve by this time next year. Why is this important to you?”

“7. How would you like to improve yourself and your life next year? Is there a piece of advice or counsel you received in the past year that could guide you?”

“8. Is there something (a person, a cause, an idea) that you want to investigate more fully in 2016?”

“9. What is a fear that you have and how has it limited you? How do you plan on letting it go or overcoming it in the coming year?”

“10. When September 2016 rolls around and you receive your answers to your 10Q questions, how do you think you’ll feel? What do you think/hope might be different about your life and where you’re at as a result of thinking about and answering these questions?”

“BONUS Q: What are your predictions for 2016?”

10Q 2015 EVENTS:

San Francisco:

Ctrl + Alt + Del: Tashlique at Ocean Beach

Sept. 14, 2015, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Ocean Beach near Fulton (across from Beach Chalet)

FREE

https://www.facebook.com/events/1624398931151639/

Reset your system with our modern spin on a 600-year-old Rosh Hashanah ritual called tashlique. This custom of ridding ourselves of all our bad vuggum (karma) from the previous year and getting a fresh start for the new one is traditionally enacted by tossing bread into the ocean. Join us by the shore at Ocean Beach (near Fulton) for a brief, engaging ritual and joyful noise accompaniment from shofar* blowers, bag pipers, members of Jazz Mafia and the Ministers of Sound of the Saint John Will-I-Am Coltrane African Orthodox Church. Bring stale bread to share and a shofar, if you have one, to blow along with some of San Francisco’s finest players. Enjoy our twist on the traditional sweet with s’mores and Rocky’s Fry Bread.

New York City

September 23, 2015, 6 – 9 PM

Los Angeles

One Day Retreat in Topanga, CA: Reflect & Renew

September 19, 2015, all day

Facilitated by Michael Kass & Zoe Gillis

Filed under: Gratitude, Life lessons, Meditation, Personal stories Tagged: 10Q, Jewish New Year, personal goals, Rosh Hashonah, self-reflection, Yom Kippur

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Published on September 23, 2015 10:00

“Fall into #Reading” #Sale at Clean Indie Reads: 9/23 – 9/27/15!

the “Fall into #Reading” #Sale at Clean Indie Reads: 9/23 – 9/27/15!

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Volume II, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D., usually $3.99, is now $1.99

if you use this coupon code MT97Q on Smashwords only: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/424969

This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, #scifi, #romance, #utopian, #multiverse #psi

for Adults, YA/NA

Volume II, The Spanners Series, by Sally Ember, Ed.D.

Intrigued by multiple timelines, #aliens, psi skills, #romance and planetary change? Clara and the alien “Band” are back.

Now as Chief Communicator, Clara leads the way for interspecies communication on- and off-planet. Fighting these changes are the Psi-Defiers, led by one of the oldest friends of the Chief of the Psi-Warriors, its reluctant leader, Rabbi Moran Ackerman. Stories from younger Spanners about the first five years of The Transition fill Volume II.

How would YOU do with the changes?

Volume I, This Changes Everything, is permaFree everywhere ebooks are sold!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HFELTG8

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/376197

Volume III, This Is/Is Not the Way I Want Things to Change, goes into pre-orders 11/1/15 – 12/7/15 @$1.99 and releases 12/8/15 @$3.99 on Amazon, Smashwords and its affiliates, including Kobo, iBooks/iTunes and nook. Check http://www.sallyember.com for links after 10/31/15.

Cover art and logo by Aidana Willowraven: http://www.willowraven-illustration.blogspot.com/

Cover reveal for Volume III happens on 10/26/15: http://www.aleshaescobar.com

Check out all the other ebooks and print books for the “Fall into Reading” Sale at Clean Indie Reads.

Sale runs from noon, 9/23/15 – midnight, 9/27/15, Eastern USA time!

http://www.cleanindiereadsale.com

Clean Indie Reads is a great group of independently or self-published fiction and children’s book authors who write in a variety of genres and styles, always keeping it PG- or G-rated. Promising “flinch-free” fiction, we who belong to CIR provide stories without graphic violence, blatant traumas, detailed sex scenes, or gratuitous swearing.

Visit us any time! http://cleanindiereads.com/

Filed under: Indie or Self-Publishing, Marketing, The Spanners, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Volume II of The Spanners Tagged: Clean Indie Reads, Fall into Fall Sale, Sally Ember Ed.D Author, The Spanner Series, This Changes My Family and My Life Forever, Volume II

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Published on September 23, 2015 00:11