Spartacus in the Mushroom Kingdom, Part 5

So it is time to go for a second flush and also get some bureaucratic stuff taken care of.

How I lost 60 pounds…on drugs

News Year’s Resolutions

The middle of January is not the usual time for resolutions. But considering how arbitrary calling January 1 the beginning of the year is, I think I can get away with it.

They say a public declaration of resolutions is a method to help you follow through with them. It also helps to attach concrete goals to the resolutions. I am going with both of these ideas.

The Old Country Mandir

As I relate here, my interest in the Vedic and Hindu tradition has been steadily growing. There is only so much you can get listening to mantras and reading around the house. So I have been planning to attend the local temple in nearby Pike Road. I emailed the President of the Alabama Hindu Society and found out that services are every second and fourth Sunday and on Sunday the tenth was able to visit.

Mushroom Harvest Time

The Shiitakes were getting very very big, so it was time for the harvest of my first flush.

Spartacus in the Mushroom Kingdom, Part 2

More video on my foray into raising mushrooms.

My Hindu Flirtation

Religion (and its absence) have played an important role in my life. I was born into the Assemblies of God church, an Evangelical Pentecostal denomination. For the unfamiliar, this means speaking in tongues, healing of the sick and a cornucopia of near mystical traditions. As I grew older and more restless in the church, I explored many other religions and found them all to be lacking. I came to identify myself as an atheist. I was fascinated with the power of symbols, especially religious symbols from all religious (including pagan) traditions. While I personally did not believe in God, I did believe in the power of belief.

Spartacus in the Mushroom Kingdom, Part I

So I have been deliberating a career change: becoming a commercial mushroom cultivator.  I have always had a fascination with mushrooms and after some online exploration, I decided to explore the possibilities. Of course, if I am going to change careers to become a mushroom cultivator I probably need to see if I can actually grow mushrooms.

Malcolm Gladwell for the Uninitiated

Malcolm Gladwell is a writer for the New Yorker and the author of several books, including Outliers, Blink and The Tipping Point. In some circles (mostly internet based ones) Gladwell is a bit of a legend but I amazed at who is still not familiar with his work who should be. I am just starting the audiobook of Outliers and thought this would be a good occasion for an introduction for those who need it and maybe point to some of my favorite Gladwell work for those with only passing familiarity.

Bike Ride Through the Industrial Sector

Today I had time for about an hour of a bike ride.  I grabbed the Pre and headed downtown, hoping to get some photos of the cleanup (and lack thereof) from last night’s July 4th festivities. Instead I cut up Court Street to go to one of my favorite sections of town, the old decrepit industrial section of Montgomery, a mostly abandoned section of town.