Most couples develop a “sexual menu” ad in terms of a variety, it tends to resemble McDonalds more than a Chinse buffet. Think of your sex life like a stoplight. You want to live between yellow and green (just outside your comfort zone) and far from red (pain, lack of respect). That could mean adding dirty talk…or anal play. Intimacy, not just pleasure comes from trying new something new.
Sugar cane is not new to me, but as I looked at in sitting piled high, I wonder what people really did with it beside chew on it to get out the sugar. I placed a few stalks in my bag, and the gentleman smiled and me, and stated “Makes good syrup, huh?” I laughed “I don’t know, but I guess I will find out tonight?” Sugar cane syrup is made by evaporating sugar cane juice from sugar cane. The results yield a thick syrup that is sweeter than sugar. My hope was to use this for cocktails.
In order to prepare sugar cane syrup, you need fresh sugar cane., a large pot with outer lip, a large slotted spoon, and a meat cleaver. I took 3 average stalks of sugar cane perhaps 2-3 feet in length and cleaned them thoroughly with a mildly abrasive scrubber and some water. After giving them a good rinse, I cut them into 2-3-inch pieces. Next, I topped the sugar cane off with water. Add up to an extra inch of water above the level of sugar cane. Boil the juice to a temperature of around 210° F. Once the juice forms a layer of foam on the surface and starts bubbling, you must reduce the heat. Remove the scum with the spoon. Boiled down the juice until it gets to the consistency of syrup. It may take several hours for the sugar cane juice to get concentrated and form the syrup. Once the juice thickens and attains the desired consistency, turn off the heat and let it cool before storing.
Verdict: This took all day. It did leave my home smelling like a confectionary. That said, life got busy, and when I went to pull this off my bar cart to make cocktails it was molded. So, I have no idea how this taste in cocktails. If I try again, I will use immediately or refrigerate
I am proud of the woman I have become
Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…
This “portable” mindfulness practice can support you as difficult moments arise at any point in your day. The four steps of the STOP practice can take as little as a few seconds to a few minutes to complete. Try it out and see how long you prefer doing each step.
To begin, the “S” stands simply for stop. Literally. Just stop what you’re doing, whether it is typing or rushing out the door. Give yourself a moment to come to rest, pause, and collect yourself.
The “T” stands for take a conscious breath. Now that you’ve paused, take a deeper breath, or two, allowing yourself to feel the expansion of the belly as you breathe deeply. Notice the sensations of being here, now. As you do so, it may help to bring your attention to the sensations of your feet meeting the floor. Feel the support of the ground and of your own relaxing breath as you do so.
The “O,” stands for observe what’s arising in you, including any thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations (such as tension, butterflies, tightness in the jawline). Broaden your awareness to take in the circumstances. Notice how you can be in this situation without being ruled by it. For added support, offer self-compassion as you release tension and stressful thoughts. As you calm down, open to the choices you have in terms of how best to move forward from here.
Finally, the “P” reminds you to simply proceed with intentionality, taking the next step in your day from this place of strength, wisdom, and presence.
The STOP practice can help whenever you’re feeling distress, creating space to observe and tame your feelings, and to access the deeper resources within you. It helps you develop the emotional intelligence and psychological flexibility required for greater mastery over the challenging moments.
There will be days when the STOP practice saves you. It is especially helpful if you need support to move through intense feelings so that you can note them and set them aside for the moment, with the intention of reflecting on them more deeply later.
Pause for a moment and notice and experience of kindness, gratitude or awe that you may have experienced today or remember from the past. Maybe your neighbor drove you to and from work for three days while your car was in the shop, or you saw a blue heron rise up from a pond at dusk.
Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…
