Obscure Journey

Prayer note book

Publié le 24 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #life experience, #tips, #religion, #faith, #prayer, #praying, #helpful

You probably know i have an interest in religion and praying -see this article and this one.

disclaimer: I hope this entry inspires you to pray, be a more grateful and kind person. I want to mention that while I do mention God from the Bible, I will NEVER force anyone to share my views. Atheists might be the only people who see no need for praying and I am nobody to tell them otherwise.

I recently started to be more serious about it. This means I started to increase my visits to the church. This means I go more often, not just for Easter.

This new interest so to say, led me to realize I have no idea of how to pray. I have no idea of what words to say, if there is something i should or shouldn't say during prayer, and so on.

This meant that I had no choice but to find a way to improve - if i can even say this. I needed a prayer book. but i'm cheap. and i like my comfort.

I could save several prayers on the computer, bookmark them or even print them. However, I thought that if i write them by hand, i'll remember them better, and i'll feel them closer to my heart.

Not to mention I have higher chances of actually remembering them.

I chose the above notebook. I received it in 2016 as a Christmas gift. [sidenote: i just realised i never mentioned the amazing gifts A and me exchanged that year! O.O i'm beyond shocked! I don't even know how this happened! and i'm super disappointed in myself.... ]

I had no idea what to do with this agenda. I really like the Art Deco style. This notebook is designed by Flame Tree Publishing, and it's the book 47 - FTNB47 (978-1-78361-191-1) and the image is based on The Balcony by Erte. I'm not sure how many pages it has, but it's thinner than an agenda with every day on a single page. It's about the size of a A5 notebook, and quite slim. It has enough pages for my needs.

I started with the Lord's Prayer. Every Christian should know this prayer. It might even help even those who believe in other gods ... but I'm not very sure. Mostly because there are some instances in the bible where those who don't believe in G-d should not pray to Him... or His word shouldn't be spread to them. Though if this is true, i'm quite confused.

Then i continued with writing prayers I would need in specific situations - when waking up, going to bed, when i feel lost, and so on.

As of now, when I type this, the prayer notebook is not complete. I still need many other prayers in there. I do feel like im on the right path though.

At the end I created a sort of an index, as i numbered the pages by hand - some 60 pages so far. The index is just for me to find what i need faster.

I plan on taking this notebook with prayers with me everywhere, once i'm done. But who knows if i will.

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Confession time....

Publié le 17 Juin 2018 par Charly Cross

Catégories : #life experience, #life lesson, #health, #mental health, #asperger's

Today, I want to confess something. I'm not like you. Not in my head. [i hope] I'm not crazy, but...

If I were to talk to a doctor, they might eventually give me a diagnose of Asperger's Syndrome. Children suffering from Asperger's Syndrome might me easier to spot than adults.

We like to pay a lot of attention to details, we like anything technical, and we generally lack social skills. In a group of people we might feel uncomfortable, and we might unwillingly offend others when talking.

They say we lack empathy too. I say we repress empathy because it can overstimulate us, and we know it is impossible to help everyone - something empathy tells us to do.

Drew this years back. can you see the symmetry? its "perfection"?

In my case, I want things to be symmetrical, "perfect" from a mathematical point of view. I used to get very bothered when trying to part my hair in the middle: the 2 sides never looked the same or did they seem to have the same amount of hair.

I also used to get very bothered if some relatively new object gets a small, barely noticeable scratch. This is because the scratch destroyed the "perfectness" of the item.

In 2017 I watched a short video about Japanese aesthetics when it comes to ceramics. The person commenting said that traditionally the Japanese people liked it when their ceramics got a scratch or a crack or if the items weren't identical copies. They see those small imperfections as something that adds beauty instead of taking it away.

That day was like a revelation for me. I never thought of anything from that perspective before that moment.

Since that day, I have started to tell myself that it's OK if things aren't symmetrical, if they're not equal or look perfect. Even if they're in my possession.

Thinking this way is still something I struggle with. I don't know for how long I'll struggle. Sometimes it's easier, at other times is more difficult.

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What is tea like in Romania

Publié le 14 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #tips, #advice, #review, #bucharest, #customs, #shopping, #tea, #advertising

an apple tea at McCafe

In Romania we call tea "ceai" and this word is very similar to the Chinese 茶 "cha2" where it originated from. Romanians have many different types of tea, and most of them are used as natural remedies.

This means that most teas here are made of various parts of various plants or trees. For instance we have cherry stem tea as a mild solution for UTI and not only, or linden flowers tea for a fragrant tea meant to calm you down.

Caffeinated teas are not traditionally popular or used over here, though in recent years their popularity increased thanks to the international influence and trends. Fruity teas are also raised in popularity quite recently.

linden flower tea on top, a "modern" mix in the middle, and a "common" mix at the bottom

The linden tea is one of the more expensive types of tea over here. This must have something to do with the relatively short period in which these flowers can be harvested - end of May through the first week of June.

If you're lucky enough to have linden trees where you live, and you have an enough tall ladder, maybe you can pick some flowers next year. You need to let them get dry for at least a few days before consuming.

You can mix them with any other tea, of course, but it's best by itself, or maybe with a fruity mix. All by itself, it doesn't even need honey - the tea is both fragrant and sweet enough.

how the "modern" and fancy tea mix looks VS the "traditional" linden one. Sadly this Dorel brand doesn't have good teas, I got tricked. :(

Where to buy

There are several place where you can buy tea when in Romania. The supermarket is the easiest option, and most of them have a decent selection of teas. They are mostly green, fruity, or plant based teas. Some have brought fancy mixes as well that can be even offered as gifts.

Another place is the drug store. Their selection however is not that great, and you're highly likely not to find fancy teas there. They might also be a bit more expensive than in the supermarket.

Another place is represented by holistic shops. These places sell all sorts of natural remedies, so naturally [sorry about the pun ;) ] they'd sell a variety of teas as well. Their selection of fruity teas might be disappointing, but they have plenty of herbal teas for many health issues.

Some gift shops or book stores are the last place where you could find tea. Of course, in these places the teas are pricier and the fancy and "modern" type.

i picked my own linden flowers and mixed with a "fancy" tea. YUM!

How to make

Unlike green tea that you can only brew for less than 30 seconds for it not to get bitter, most of the Romanian teas should be brewed for some 7 minutes at the very least, and generally about 10 minutes.

For 1 cup, usually 1 teaspoon or maybe 2 of product is [are] needed, if it's a loose tea. If it comes in envelopes, so already portioned, only one envelope per cup.

They say that if you want to benefit from the "remedy" teas, you should drink them unsweetened. However this is not always possible because sometimes the teas are bitter. If you must add something to make it more sweet, just try to add honey.

this is how I make tea...

By the way, if the tea is portioned, there are usually 20 servings per box. You can find bigger boxes than that, of course, but it's more rare.

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i'll drink all the coffee

Publié le 10 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #advice, #tips, #Cooking, #coffee

yes, i am cat.

I'm addicted to coffee and most everyone who knows me, knows this about me. I'll drink coffee in almost any form, at any given hour, even right before going to bed. Yes coffee can be bad for me when I overdo it. I started to tame my addiction by drinking only in the days I work, not not so much before bedtime.

Let me share my coffee "recipe" with you guys. I now drink Turkish/Greek coffee because I don't have a coffee machine anymore. I don't even want one.

INGREDIENTS - for 1 serving:

1 small cup of water [140 ml]
2 teaspoons ground coffee

ADDITIONAL

sugar, or sweetener, or whatever you put in your coffee to make it sweet
unflavored milk - any type, even soy, as long as it has no flavor.

my coffee pot in a non-glamorous kitchen

METHOD

Pour the water in a large enough pot.
Pour the coffee ground in the water.
Turn the heat on to medium and place the pot over.
If you use the pot method, for the Turkish (or Greek) method, wait by the pot until the water/coffee starts boiling. The water level will rapidly increase at boiling point and that's when you know your Turkish (or Greek) coffee is done.

Now it's time to pour the coffee in your favorite cup, adjust it for taste with sugar, milk or whatever else you like, and enjoy it!

Turkish and Greek coffee use the same method of coffee-making, on the stove. It can be tricky at first, but it definitely has a different aroma. If you have any other 'recipe' for coffee, please share.

this is Japanese coffee. YUM!

I sometimes drink instant coffee, as seen below. In that case, I boil some water, put 1 or 2 teaspoons for instant coffee in a small cup and then pour hot water. Mixing with a teaspoon is mandatory.

Adding sugar [or sweetner] and/or milk is optional. I often drink my coffee black or with milk. I really dislike the sweet coffee.

Pictures are mine, taken from my instagram accounts - obscure_journey and secret.agent0101

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suffering and compassion

Publié le 8 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #tips, #advice, #life experience, #people, #love, #faith, #religion

Being a religious person means that you believe that there is a Superior Force, beyond our understanding, which created everything we know today. As well as everything else that we have yet to discover, learn about. This Higher Force can be called God, Yahweh or by many other names. A religious person also frequents a church or some other place of worship, as a sign of their belief in that Higher Force. Those who don’t believe in such force(s) are called Atheists.

Atheists say that there is no need for a Higher Force to create everything that there is, especially not the Universe. The universe has always existed, it didn’t need Anyone to create it- it’s as simple as that, because if the Universe was created by Someone, then where did the Creator come from, or who created Him?

Another proof that there is no God, in the eyes of many Atheists, no matter His name - is the suffering we see around us everyday. People, animals and plants alike suffer, especially because of pests and because of what some individuals do to others - for sure God in His mercy when he created us, didn’t create something like pain and illnesses, did he?

A religious person, especially a Christian, would reply that it is easier to harm someone than to do good. They’ll even say that G-d “tests” us and our love for Him. but...

However, it was our original transgression and then the following ones that pained G-d. He wanted us to see it's not OK to make others sad, break their trust, or make them suffer in any way. So I think we suffer because we got too estranged from God and His ways. Everything started with Adam and Eve not listening to Him, and giving into the snake. Yes, G-d is vengeful, jealous, but He also loves us tremendously because He incarnated Himself and let Himself be sacrificed by crucifixion for our sins.

Many people would hide behind their religion to justify their behaviour. That can’t be right: one needs to think for themselves and then decide if this or that is right or wrong to do, especially when they know what their religion teaches. However, he really shouldn’t need religion to tell us “this is (not) ok to do” because Adam and Eve bit into the fruit that revealed them “good and evil.” That alone should be enough.

A good person is usually defined by the way they treat those around them. Compassionate is another way to say “good person.” You may or may not believe in an All-Powerful Creator, but you CAN be more compassionate towards others, animals, and the nature in general.

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yummy zucchini patties

Publié le 6 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #Cooking, #food, #recipe, #vegetarian, #tips, #advice

So yesterday we received some zucchini and their season seems to have started. I'm not entirely sure about that. In any case, "A" really likes patties made of zucchini, and for good reason: they're pretty light, despite being fried, as there's no meat in them. They're also pretty good, if you have a good recipe.

While there's no meat in the recipe, you need some eggs or some other agent that can successfully replace the eggs. The egg is meant to help the patty stay in one piece, to enhance the taste, and there was another reason i forgot. So this is not a vegan recipe, but a vegetarian one.

Read below the pics for ingredients and instructions!

You'll also need a grater/shredder, 2 bigger bowls and a smaller one, perhaps a sieve as well.

1 big zucchini and an extra random piece, a big carrot, some salt. make sure you have more zucchini than you have carrots, if their size are different.oh, and you guessed it: no weighing in this recipe.

shred the zucchini and the carrot together

squeeze out the juice. I did this twice.

mix with the eggs, season with some salt, black pepper, other herbs you like and other flavorings. NO SUGAR! also add some flour. it should look similar to this.

time to fry in a bit of oil [about a spoon?]. Make sure they're evenly done on both sides. you can put as much as you want in a patty, but make sure to flatten it.

You can now enjoy! Best served cold. I had 15 patties in total, but I ate one before taking a picture of all of them. "A" said they were really good :)

Bon Appétit~~~~

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Do I read the tarot?

Publié le 5 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #divination, #fortune telling, #tarot, #life experience, #advice, #religion, #faith

With me having several entries posted on how to read the tarot, some of you might think that I do readings.

The truth is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. Let me explain more.

DISCLAIMER: Bear in mind that the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. I used these affiliate links to give you the option to check the book out, for yourself, if you so wish, through a well trusted seller. While I will be very glad if you decide to buy this deck, the decision to do so or not, belongs to you. Thank you for reading!

I recently re-discovered G-d. Praying has given me peace of mind, and I wouldn't change this for anything in the world.

You need to know that G-d sees witches and fortune-tellers as abominations. It's not my place to say this is true or not. I do think that perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between science and religion, in between things that are allowed and not allowed, possible and impossible. But in this earthly existence, we're not supposed to challenge the commandments we've been given.

Somewhere in the Bible, I don't fully know my Bible to tell you exactly where to look, but Google sure can help, it is said that a fallen angel taught humans how to divinate and other such practices. This maddened G-d our Lord, and the punishment of that fallen angel will be shared by sorcerers and the like.

I'm not here to tell anyone how to live their life, and I'm not casting stones either, so you do whatever you think is right for you.

As for me, I see the tarot as a game. If I ask a question and I pull a card, it doesn't mean I'll believe it - it anyways tells me or points out something I already knew, it can't tell me anything new or that I didn't know already. It's impossible.

If you are to read what other divinators say, you'll see they warn 'novices' about this 'risk', or better said reality.

"A" did a reading for a girl online. The cards showed things she already knew about that girl. I'm sure the girl already knew the answers she's going to get ... she's just not ready to act the way she should to get what she desires.

My warning is "don't do it. at all." I don't read the tarot. not as a fortune teller [though i think i could make some money out of it, but profiting off innocent souls for a material thing is in my opinion even worse than being an abomination in the eyes of my Lord.]

For these reasons - my thoughts were all over the place, as I typed this as I was thinking it - I'm not reading the tarot. This is the deck i own, if you want to also check it out.

I will keep the deck because as you can see it has beautiful pictures and colors. I will keep posting guides to how you can interpret the cards, but more rarely. I have no real reason or motivation to help others ruin their relationship with G-d.

I'll keep doing this because I need help with "reading between the lines", improving my imagination and self expression - how many ways are there to say the same thing, I wonder? It's good practice for my writing skills.

[and i'm aware this too is a motivation from the Devil :( ] and to be honest, i don't see much difference between a tarot deck of cards and a deck of playing cards - just different images, and both can be used for the same purposes.

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DIY: shirt into pillow case

Publié le 3 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #upcycling, #tips, #tricks, #advice, #DIY

This week is for another do-it-yourself project presentation. YAY?

Let's learn how to make this pillow case from a shirt! shall we? In the first pic I used a different shirt because i didn't think of the pics I'd use, ahead of time. Plus I realized a bit too late I could make a blog entry about this process, so not all the pics are with the same shirt. I hope it doesn't bother you much.

from the shirt on the left to the pillow case on the right.

from the shirt on the left to the pillow case on the right.

There's a little backstory for this DIY, so let's start with that. If you're not interested in it, scroll down till you see the first picture. ;)

We received some pre-owned/pre-worn shirts because "they're still in a good condition, maybe they fit you and you can wear them!" As great as this sounds for a minimalist person or someone who's concerned about too much waste and poverty, the reality is that those shirts were obviously worn.

The shirts were in decent condition, but they're yellow on the collars, the fabric is also a bit destroyed because they've been worn too much. Even washed, these garments are nowhere near to be worn again, not even indoors. See first picture, here below.

ewww, to gross to still wear >_<

I didn't throw them away because I thought I could do something out of them. I first thought of cleaning rags, but the fabric is not quite the right type, but more of a bed sheet type. And then it hit me that I needed more pillow cases - stitching together pieces of fabric to make a sheet is too much even for me.

Things I used:

an existing pillow case
scissors
sewing needle and thread
clothes iron
measuring tape (not really used in the end)
pencil
extra needles

very old scissors, sewing thread and measuring tape. pencil type is below.

The first step is to make sure the garment doesn't have holes and clear of wrinkles, hence the clothes iron. If it has holes, either patch them up or give up the garment. My shirts don't have holes, so I checked to see if they're big enough to make a case. They're mostly men's shirts, so there's enough fabric - see below.

making sure the shirt is big enough for a pillow case

If you align the old pillow case to one of the side sewings of the shirt you'll save yourself some time as you'll only have 3 more sides to sew together. Make sure to turn the shirt inside out to have it ironed (not even designers work with wrinkled fabric), and buttoned up.

In my opinion, the bottom hem is the easiest to start with, especially if it's a straight one. But you could align the shoulders in place, pin the case to the shirt and start sewing all around it.

I sew by hand, and this means I needed more visual guidelines and this is where the pencil proved useful as I drew around my pillow case, on the shirt. Depending on the type of lead, it will be really easy to draw on fabric. My pencil is a Staedtler norica 132 46 HB 2 if it's of any help.

Sewing all sides with the pillow case still attached to the shirt will save you some time. This is especially true if you have a sewing machine [unlike me]. Well, it will save some time when sewing by hand as well.

Now supposedly you sew all the sides of the pillow case. It's time you cut all the excess fabric. Once all the extra fabric is removed, you will have something that looks a lot like a pillow case. See below how mine turned out. I must say I'm pretty proud of myself.

I purposely left the buttons of the shirt on to save me time and effort. This way I don't have to sew other buttons, nor a zipper. The pillow case looks a bit old fashioned, but I find it really pretty.

This was my first time completing such a project, and sewing it by hand along with having other projects going on, made this DIY unnecessarily long. I think that with a sewing machine this would be a 30 minutes (tops) project.

Of course, I leave the project for 5 minutes, and I return to see this (below). If you have kids, cats, dogs, any other pets, make sure they don't have access to the needles if you need a short break from your sewing or whatever you're doing. You may know this, but while it looks cute in photos and in real life, such a situation can be dangerous - luckily my boy wasn't sitting on the one I was working on.

sometimes cats happen

PS: Sometimes, after you finish your first project, you may realize that placing the pillow case in a different position on the shirt, it could make your job even more easy. In my case, I placed the existing pillowcase in "landscape" position while the shirt was in "portrait" mode. Like this, I only had to sew 2 sides only, saving me even more time. See the pic below for a better understanding.

The resulting is not much different than the first one I made, so I didn't think another image would be needed.

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Watermelon granita

Publié le 1 Juin 2018 par Charly C.

Catégories : #dessert, #drink, #recipe, #tips, #summer, #Cooking

Hello World~~~

This is a recipe perfect for a hot summer day - Watermelon granita! The recipe is not mine, I tried it and it's delicious! :)

Difficulty: easy!
Price: depending on how much the watermelon costs.
Servings: 4 people
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: no cooking involved!
Refrigeration time: 3 hours in the freezer

Ingredients:

800 grams of chopped watermelon. I had a double quantity.
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
120 grams of icing sugar - I used 300 grams of caster sugar. Too much!

Method:

dice the melon and remove its seeds

mash together the ingredients with a mixer, or a blender

Pour in a rather shallow bowl and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Scratch the granita every hour with a fork. -oops, I actually didn't do this.

Pour in some large glasses with a small mint leaf, and serve. I also didn't do this step. Mostly because I don't have mint leaves.

Well, we drank it on the spot. it was crazy sweet. You might want to cut down on the sugar.

Bon appétit !

Notes: The recipe first appeared here [still my blog] But I found it on a French forum. The pictures are mine though.

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