Refresh Your Writing With These Quick Tips

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Articles need to be creative. Whereas creativity is second nature to some people, it tends to be blocked, at least sometimes, with others.

For example, you may want your words to stimulate imagery for the reader. Yet there is an artistic aspect to the process, and if your mind isn’t in a creative mode, it may be difficult to write.

But fear not! There are things you can do to help the ideas along… although there are no guarantees. These methods can help get you into the right frame of mind for writing interesting articles using creativity:

1) Create the right atmosphere: Whether you like soft, classical music playing in the background or want to burn incense and listen to chanting, do whatever you need to make yourself comfortable. Music is a great way to set a pace for you to work along to.

Some people like to sip a mug of frosty root beer to get their imagination going, others simply take time away from the family and children to sit in their office and think in peace and quiet.

2) Stay relaxed and pause to make a plan: Breathe and take time to sort things out. An overactive, mixed-up mind won’t have room for inspiration and clearing your thoughts first will enable creative juices to flow. If something is causing you to feel stressed, deal with that before trying to write articles.

3) Always write in a diary so anytime you do have an idea you can write it straight down immediately. Don’t worry about what is initiating the thoughts because ideas can come from anywhere: It is how you develop them individually that will be your own.

4) Make an inspiring work space: There is nothing worse than trying to write in a space that is cluttered or stressful to you. Set up an area that will be relaxing so you can focus on nothing else accept being creative.

Place objects around your work space that you love to see, smell or whatever else may inspire you to write. Make sure your space is uncluttered and tidy so you can work without worries about things you have to do or the time.

5) Have fun and do something wild and spontaneous to stimulate adrenalin production. In this heightened state, creativity will peak and your imagination will run free. Go away for a while or just do something completely different to your everyday schedule, and you will be surprised at the ideas that come to you.

Psst! Remember to keep your diary or journal with you at all times so when you are inspired, you won’t forget your ideas.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/14/refresh-your-writing-with-these-quick-tips/

Recipe: gaeng massaman kai

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Gaeng Massaman Kai

This recipe is for Gaeng Massaman Kai. The "massaman" indicates that the recipe is of a "musselman" or islamic origin, and it probably owes something to early Portuguese influences, and is similar in concept to the "sour and hot" Goan style vindaloo dishes. By Thai standards this is usually a fairly mild curry, so I find it is a good starting point.

Two points should be made:

(i) the quantities are a guide only: if you like a spice use more, if you don’t, use less. If your favorite spice is missing, try adding some…

(ii) the dish is cooked "when it is cooked". The meat should be cooked until tender and the potatoes should be cooked thoroughly, but otherwise taste it and stop cooking when you are happy. As the British chef Keith Floyd remarked in a series about South East Asian cuisine, Thai charcoal burners don’t have thermostats. I would add that most Thai cooks have neither a wrist watch nor a clock in their kitchen (which is often the back yard of the house, or even the sidewalk in front of their door).

First you must prepare a massaman curry paste. This can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge in a preserving jar for several weeks
or even months.

Massaman Paste
10 to 20 dried red chiles
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (from fresh bark)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground star anise
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 tablespoons chopped shallots (i.e. the small red skinned onions)
4 to 6 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 (2-inch) pieces lemon grass stalk, sliced into thin rounds
A cube about half an inch on a side of galangal root, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kaffir lime skin (ordinary lime skin will do if you can’t get it)
1 tablespoon "kapi" (preserved shrimp paste – note this smells awful until after
you cook it, but it is quite essential to the flavor)

To this you add a little salt: preferably about 1-2 teaspoons of fish sauce.

The galangal is roasted before use. The ground spices should preferably be fresh, in which case you should briefly toast them in a wok without any oil to bring out the flavor before grinding them.

The ingredients are blended to a fine paste (traditionally in a heavy granite mortar and pestle, but you can use a food processor just as well, and with far less effort). Note if you can get fresh red chiles you can usefully use them instead of the dried ones.

Then curry about 1 pound of chicken (you can also use pork or beef), cut into the usual "bite size pieces"

3 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts (unsalted of course)
5 peeled, but whole, small onions.
5 small potatoes, peeled and partly boiled.
3 bay leaves
5 roasted cardamom fruits (i.e. the whole pod)
A small piece of roasted cinnamon bark
3 tablespoons palm sugar (you can use a light brown sugar
instead if you can’t get palm sugar)
3 tablespoons tamarind juice (this is the "sour" ingredient – you can use white
vinegar instead if you can’t get tamarind juice. The juice is made by
soaking tamarind paste in a little water then squeezing it out, and
running it through a seize to extract the juice from the pulp)
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 to 3 tablespoon curry paste (above)
About 1 to 3 teaspoons crushed garlic (optional)

Allow the coconut milk to separate and you will have about 1 cup of thick "cream" and two cups of thin "milk". In a small saucepan bring the milk to a simmer and add the chicken or pork. If you are using beef you will need another two cups of milk. simmer the meat until it is beginning to become tender (beef takes longer, hence the additional milk).

Put the coconut cream in a wok and bring to a boil, add the massaman paste and "stir fry" until the flavor is brought out and maximized. The coconut oil will separate out and can be skimmed off with a spoon or ladle. (this removes much of the vegetable cholesterol or whatever it is called, and makes the dish much less trouble for those watching their weight or heart).

Add the remaining cream and curry paste to the meat.

Add the peanuts. Taste and adjust the flavor until it is (just) sweet (by adding sugar), sour and salty (by adding tamarind juice, lime juice and fish sauce).

Add the remaining ingredients and cook until cooked.

Note: The potatoes we use are a yellow fleshed sweet potato of the type sometimes called a yam in the US. Western style potatoes can be used, but absorb less of the sauce and flavor. The potatoes act as a "moderator" to reduce the heat of the curry, and should not be left out.

You can either serve it on a bed of rice, or double the amount of potato and serve it alone.

Accompany it with a dressed green salad and a bowl of pickled cucumbers. The traditional Thai table also offers chiles in fish sauce (Phrik nam pla) chiles in vinegar (phrik nam som or phrik dong), powdered chile (phrik phom – not to be confused with the powdered chile mix sold as chili powder in the US – it only contains chiles), sugar, and often MSG. You can if you wish add about a teaspoon of MSG to the above recipe to bring out the flavors, but I personally don’t think it is necessary.

And finally a word of warning to those who burn their tongues on the chiles: chile/curry cooked this way is oily – drinking water does not alleviate the burn; it spreads it around your mouth and throat. You should use a sweet effervescent beverage such as Coke, Pepsi or 7-UP to wash the burn away as quickly as possible. If you do not suffer the burn, I suggest you accompany the meal with a beer Singha is traditional, but any strong flavored lager type beer will do), or a robust red wine.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/14/recipe-gaeng-massaman-kai/

Caravan Accessories

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Many people enjoy caravan holidays, either with touring caravans or on static sites. This type of vacation brings freedom and fun but there is no need to go without creature comforts. Modern caravans and caravan accessories mean that owners can enjoy a home from home at moderate prices.

To give more space and protection, there are numerous awnings, wind breaks, porch awnings and sun canopies to choose from. A caravan cover will protect against strong sunlight, dirt, bird droppings and wind and rain damage. They are usually made with nylon straps, buckles and have smooth zip openings. For security, there are hitchlocks and padlocks. Wheel clamps come in one size to fit all models of vehicle. They are designed to be easily and quickly fitted. A caravan clamp comes with a pick resistance lock, for peace of mind.

Every vehicle needs a good towing mirror and there are different kinds sold at caravan accessories stores. They should be made of sturdy material and experience minimal vibration when on the move. If the weather is good, it’s nice to sit outside, soaking up the rays or having a meal. There are plastic table and chair sets and canvas chairs for relaxing in. Unfortunately, good weather can never be guaranteed and it’s a good idea to have a heater if forced to stay indoors. Push button halogen heaters have three heat settings and a safety device that protects against overheating or the heater being knocked over. Some heaters come with remote control handsets.

Even on holiday, the chores have to be done and there are some caravan accessories that make life a little easier. The semi automatic, portable washing machine is usually around 10 liters of capacity. It’s economic to operate and can heat water up to 50 degrees. A twin tub version has a spin facility and gentle cycle. Keeping food and drink warm or cool is easy with a 24-liter fridge. It can cool to 18-20 degrees lower than surrounding temperature or warm to 50-55 degrees. It’s ideal for keeping the wine and beer chilled.

Cooking outdoors is all part of the fun. Portable gas burners are very efficient and come with a cast iron griddle, pans, windshield and carry bag. An average set will cater for six to seven people.

When arriving on the site or parking at home, it can be tricky and a bit of help is always welcome. Parking aids help to maneuver the caravan into position. It’s also important not to forget about calls of nature. Caravan toilets are probably the most important of the caravan accessories to think about!

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/13/caravan-accessories/

South Beach Diet or Miami Diet

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According to the book “The South Beach Diet” of Dr. Arthur Agatston:

“This diet was developed by a cardialogist, in order to allow his patients to lose weight and to restore their blood parameters. It enables you to eat all kinds of food, of the normal portions of meat, poultry or fish, eggs and vegetables, even some sugar refineries. You can even nibble between the meals. Particularly balanced, this mode is deprived neither of glucids nor of lipids. It will quite simply learn how to you to distinguish good glucids and the good lipids from bad, to choose good food. By changing this manner your practices food, not only you will lose weight, but you will improve your triglyceride and cholesterol levels.”

This died is based on the succesion of three phases:

Phase 1: Two weeks

It is the most restrictive.

Authorized food: beef, vollailles without skin, seafood, pig, calf, some lighten cheeses or 0% fat content, certain dry fruits, the eggs, almost all the vegetables, colza and olive oils, the spices, certain dressings, the cocoa powders but not sweetened, the chewing-gum and candies without sugar.

Are prohibited: certain piece of meats (fattiest), all not not lighten cheeses, the beet, the carrot, the sweet potatoes, the corn, the potatoes, all the fruits en fruit juices, all the starchy foods (cereals, breads, rices, pastas,etc.), all dairy product, alcohol, the beer, the win.

This first stage is the most difficult.

The breakfasts are composed, of egg, ham, lighten cheeses and a tea or coffee not sweetened.
Recipes are proposed in indication in the book for all the meals. The important thing is here to respect the authorized and prohihited foods.
One can possibly take collations if the need is felt. The loss of weight during this first phase is supposed outward journey from 4 to 6 kilos according to the person, the principal objective is being to disaccustom to sugar.

Phase 2: To reintroduce prohibited food.

It is necessary to choose what foods one prefers to eat, because in this phase one reintroduces this food gradually, which does not mean that one starts again to eat these foods in abundance!

The loss of weights varies from 500 gr to 1 kg per week.

This phase must be continued until the desired weight is reached.

Phase 3: Much more flexible than phase 2.

Theoretically, it is a question of a hygiene of life to be definitively adopted.

One can eat food very varied in normal quantities.

If some variations are made, it is necessary to pass by again in phase 1 time to let the new kilos set out again.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/13/south-beach-diet-or-miami-diet/

If You’re A Parent Then Parent Well

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One of my biggest frustrations in life is seeing parents who do not know how to parent. I believe strongly that being a parent is one of life’s greatest privileges. However, with this great privilege, like all other privileges, comes great responsibility. One of our greatest contributions to our society and to the generations that come behind us happens in the way that we parent are children. What could be more important than learning how to parent and doing it well?

You’ve all been there and seen it. A bowling alley late at night. Beside your lane are parents that look like kids themselves. They are enjoying beer and way too many cigarettes. You would never guess they were parents unless you saw their young children wandering around them in between frames. You know without looking at your watch that it is way too late for children that young to still be awake let alone out in public. You can’t help but wonder as their parents get drunk while ignoring them what kind of life the children lead and what kind of parents they truly are.

My desire to inform people about the realities of parenting began as a scene much like the one I just described happened as I bowled with friends one night. I went home to where my children were safely in bed after having been tucked into bed with their favorite story by their father and I just had to wonder what the lives of those neglected children would be like in twenty years compared to the lives of my own children twenty years down the road. I couldn’t help but think of the great role that a parent plays in the growth and development of their children.

If you are a parent, then please, please learn how to be a good parent. Take classes, read books, or get counseling. Do whatever is necessary for you to become the kind of parent that your children so desperately need in order to grow up as healthy, smart and successful people. The future of your children and even their children depend on the kind of parent you will be. Realize that raising children is one of the best privileges you could have in life. Take that privilege seriously and give your children the time, attention, and love that they need. The day you become a parent is the day that life stops being all about you. So please, if you are a parent or ever plan to be one, act like it. The whole world will be glad you did.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/12/if-youre-a-parent-then-parent-well/

Make A Gamble In A Poker Game

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The game of poker is the one that is easiest to identify with gambling. Unlike in the case of the slot machines, you do not need to take yourself to a casino if you want to play a game of poker. All you have to do is call some of your poker-playing friends over and sit down with a few mugs of beer and a decent amount of money to throw away.

As with all modes of gambling, an amateur generally starts out by putting in a small amount, but with every win he becomes more confident, more reckless, and every loss thereafter merely eggs him on to throw in even more cash.

A large number of movies have very dramatic scenes where the protagonists get together to play a game of poker — which often becomes a symbol of a full-out battle, replete with anger, jealousy, fear, hope and strategy. In his Essays on Elia, the eighteenth century English author Charles Lamb had said, “Cards are war, in disguise of a sport.”

The game of poker is easily one of the most popular card games of all time. And this is evident not just in the number of casinos that have sprung up, or in the number of people that play the game, or even in the number of movies that have poker game scenes. The games popularity is also evident in the number of phrases that began as terms in a poker game, but went on to entrench themselves in common everyday speech in the English language. Phrases such as “call one’s bluff”, “when the chips are down” and “beats me” had their humble beginnings in the poker games of yore.

The game of poker became a full-fledged sport in 1970, which saw the beginning of the World Series of Poker in the United States. Amarillo Slim and Johnny Moss were among then earliest winners of this tournament.

Today, with the emergence of online poker as a way of playing the game, we can play poker on our computers as well. There are countless websites urging us to throw away our money by “upping the ante” or “calling someone’s bluff”.

If you are new to the game of poker, or are surrounded by ace players, make yourself the wild card by reading up on some of the tips and tricks that the best of poker players swear by. It is easy to call it a game of luck, but it also involves a great deal of strategy and psychological manipulation. It certainly isn’t a sport for the faint-hearted.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/12/make-a-gamble-in-a-poker-game/

Getting Great Abs

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It is always an ongoing debate as to which is the secret to great abs. Some believe that great abs is the outcome of a perfectly balanced healthy diet .Others say it is the exercise that gives you the ultimate shape. However, let me tell you whatever the debate is, both parties are only half-correct. Great abs can be achieved only when you have the perfect diet and when you workout.

Mostly in humans although the abdominal muscles are present, they are not visible. This is because there is a layer of fat that covers the abdominal region. For some people the fat layer is thicker which results in a huge paunch. For others, the fat layer is small. They do not appear fat, because they do not have bulging paunch. However, fat layer is still present which hide the abs.

Fats are stored energy houses of the body. When the body requires energy, it uses up the calories and burns the fat by metabolism. If the body has excess amount of carbohydrates then it is stored in the body in the form of fats. So, this gives rise to a wrong notion among the people, more so a myth. People in a bid to lose weight tend to go for crash diet courses or take up fad diet supplements.

These fad diet supplements promise to give the body the necessary ingredients but less calories. However, they are scientifically proven inadequate. As a result, a person harms his body more and fails to lose weight. A person who undergoes a course in fad diet supplements become weak and loses muscles. So, it is always better to have a healthy diet as given by dieticians. A healthy diet should be high on proteins (like fish and chicken) and plenty of water should be taken. One should not have items high on calorie levels, oil an red meat (like mutton, pork etc). Only egg white should be eaten and not the yolk. Avoid alcohol especially beer. Avoid dairy products as much as possible.

After one has followed a healthy diet chart, the next step is to workout. There is no short cut to sweating it out. One has to regularly jog, run and exercises. This not only keeps the body fit and flexible but also reduces stored fat. Fat reduction takes place by stopping the intake of excess calories and burning the already stored fat deposits. Diet regulation helps in the first and exercising helps in the second. Abs exercises help to develop the muscles, make them strong and flexible. This is vital to keep the body hale and healthy.

source http://allofbeer.com/2017/04/11/getting-great-abs/