Food For Thought

Common sense tells us that we shouldn’t eat while working at our computer. Crumbs fall between the keys and Cheese Whiz drippings really gums up the works. However, using computers in your quest for food knowledge makes life simpler and more interesting. Did you know that tomatoes were originally introduced to Europe in the 16th century from Peru? It wasn’t until the 19th century that raw tomatoes were eaten because up until then raw tomatoes were considered poisonous: http://www.dietobio.com/aliments/en/tomato.html. So our journey begins.

Using Google, Bing or any other search tool will help us find the origins of the foods we eat. We can find out which spices goes with the foods we are preparing. We can learn about new products that are finding their way onto our super market vegetable displays. We can also find out how to prepare them, store them and what foods they go well with.

The internet offers a myriad of resources for preparing foods. Did you ever want to convert grams to ounces or cups to millilitres? Try this site: http://www.pastrywiz.com/conversion.htm.

Cooking terms can be confusing. However, this site: http://www.cookingnook.com/cooking-terms.html offers a very comprehensive list. Of course, some terms may be in a foreign language. Highlight the word then click “translate” in the Google tool bar.
Do any of your favourite foods have medicinal qualities? A Google search will soon tell you. I caution you here, be careful of folk tales when it comes to the curative powers of some foods. It is always fun to check these things our. What about the medicinal qualities of honey? If you are interested, check this out: http://itotd.com/articles/218/honey-as-medicine/.

With so many choices for foods available from the market and trying to keep up with proper nutrition, a computer can help make sense of it all. Eating Well With Canada’s Food Guide: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php, is a good place to start. For those who want to maintain a healthy weight, the Mayo Clinic publishes a healthy eating tool: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss/NU00595 as a recourse that is informative and easy to follow.

What is the storage life of fresh foods? Again, a Google search can help answer a question like this. A comprehensive list of foods and their ‘best before’ dates can be found here: http://www.stilltasty.com/.

There has been a lot of discussion over the past few years about genetically altered foods. How safe are they? How prevalent is the practice of altering the genetics of the foods we eat? What does the future hold in respect to this practice? Check out the following site for one perspective: http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php.

Most everyone appreciates the taste of organically grown vegetables. You can grow your own chemical free all natural vegetables: http://www.freeorganicnews.com/6708/organic-chemical-free-gardening/. There are many websites devoted to this practice with many tips and suggestions. If you have the time, guests will certainly appreciate your efforts.

Gardening doesn’t have to be just in the summer months. Hydroponic indoor gardening may be your answer. This how to site: http://www.howtohydroponics.com/, explains the method and offers suggestions and tips on creating your own year round indoor garden. You don’t have to have a huge hydroponic garden, you can start with an herb garden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCVKK-HtlIw&feature=related.

Have you ever wanted a favourite restaurant meal, but didn’t want to go out for it, like the famous Red Lobster Pizza? The following site has hundreds of familiar restaurant recipes that you can do at home, just like the original: http://www.copykat.com/.

Is there a food that can improve thought? Are there really foods that will improve brain activity? Can memory be improved by eating certain foods? Some people think so. The site found at: http://www.ehow.com/about_5201897_types-food-stimulate-brain.html, attempts to make a positive statement in this regard. For centuries Chinese herbal chemists have touted certain herbs and foods as having the capacity to stimulate brain activity. Hmmm, food for thought!

Computer Ease is a regular feature of the
RTO/ERO Renaissance.
Share your ideas with the author at: mail4wayne@cogeco.ca or http://rtocomputerease.blogspot.com/

A New Journey

After your last day at school the reality slowly sinks in that you are about to embark on a new journey. Your options are completely different than they were a month or two ago. Where to go, and how to get there. I am sure you have made a plan, now it is time to look at your options.
To begin with, you might want to watch a short video by the author Chris Crowley: (please forgive the advertising) http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3042620/transitioning_to_retirement_chris_crowley/.
If you haven’t already, you will get a ton of advice on what to do now that you have lots of time to do it. One website that I found that was a decent place to start is: http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/Transitioning_Into_Retirement.html. It covers a number of very general items to consider. You need only type “Transitioning to retirement” into Google or Bing to find many such resources.
Maybe you have considered working while you are still active and in good health. The first place you should go is to the OTPPB to get the current information on the amount of time you can teach part time or on a contract basis without interfering with your pension. http://www.otpp.com/wps/wcm/connect/otpp_en/Home/Member+Info/Working+After+Retirement/.
Of course, you can work outside of education. The Province of Alberta has published a tip sheet with some pertinent information that you may want to consider. Check this one out at: http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/ep/eps/tips/tips.html?EK=3337.
Maybe you’d like some adventure along with working. Possibly it isn’t the money that is important but the sense of giving something back. Have you thought about taking a working vacation? Habitat for Humanity is one option. http://habitat.ca/index.php. You can volunteer in your area or pick a spot in any of the 100 partner countries. Don’t forget to check with your church, synagogue or temple for opportunities both home and abroad.
There are opportunities for volunteer and humanitarian work in many countries of the world. One resource portal can be found at: http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/volunteer/index.shtml. Be sure to read the fine print and the FAQ’s from such sites. You’ll find forums on the web with past participants talking about their personal experiences. Listings can also be found on the RTO/ERO provincial website with opportunities for working both at home and abroad.

Not everyone wants to work in retirement. After all, this is an opportune time to do all the things you didn’t have time for while you are working. (No, I do not mean cleaning out the garage!) This may be the time to learn something new, teach someone else your special skills or hobby. Ryerson University has a dedicated website to explore some learning opportunities. You can check them out at: http://youngretired.ca/Learning/Ryerson.html. You can also check out your hometown universities and see what their fees are for auditing courses. Many universities do not charge seniors for audited courses.
Let’s not forget the local Community Colleges. Many offer great programs for seniors for a reasonable fee . Also, most local school boards offer seniors’ programs and courses. You can learn a language, build new kitchen cabinets, learn to play the guitar or learn tai chi. There are many online programs and courses you can participate in. Some are free. http://www.word2word.com/course.html, There are many good online music courses. Not all of them are free, but some are. Here is an example: http://www.banjoteacher.com/_OnlineL/index_beginning_bluegrass_banjolessons_onlinendards_for_banjo_online.htm.
Many retirees find that volunteering is the most rewarding of opportunities. In many areas there is a great need for mentors. This is particularly true in business courses. There may be opportunities to mentor disadvantaged students or some trade programs that you may be qualified and interested in. Don’t forget the local arts councils and municipal committees that require a volunteer board of directors. It is hard to imagine that you couldn’t find something suitable to your interests here. A good resource for mentoring is here: http://www.edu.uwo.ca/conted/mentor/.
Lastly, I would like to caution you about being taken in by unscrupulous online sites. Be sure to check out the programs and vendors before you send in your payments. Be sure to read the fine print and know exactly what you are getting into. You may find it useful to upgrade your antivirus scanning tools to include more protection from phishing, identity theft and scams.
I hope that you find that this is, in fact, the best time of your life. I did!

Computer Ease is a regular feature of the
RTO/ERO Renaissance.
Share your ideas with the author at: mail4wayne@cogeco.ca or http://rtocomputerease.blo