Time travel and magnetic portals examined

It was time for more research on time travel. Back to where it all began for me: a trip to the Oregon Vortex (http://www.oregonvortex.com).

I really do believe there is some sort of magical science to that place and the others like it on earth: The Bermuda Triangle and the Pyramids of Giza. Yup, those are the three places on earth where magnetic vortices are the strongest. And I didn’t even need a passport or airplane to get to the one near Gold Hills in Oregon.

The first time I visited the Oregon Vortex and the House of Mystery was in July 1988. I remember it distinctly because I was six months pregnant with my fourth daughter, Edye (the cover model for Naked in the Winter Wind). I got an upset stomach when I got near the strongest point of that magnetic anomaly. So did my eldest daughter, but no one else in the family was bothered. This time, no queasy tummy (and I was definitely not pregnant), but I couldn’t stand up straight and I kept weaving in circles. The rotation is a common side effect of the magnetic pull, but falling down wasn’t too common. Remember riding the merry-go-round at the park (before they were condemned for being dangerous)? You’d hop off and try to stand up and walk in a straight line, but your feet wouldn’t cooperate. That’s exactly the same feeling.

My husband took a few photos. They may not be professional grade, but they captured what we saw: the actual shrinking of matter. Five of us stood on a powerful area of the vortex and those in the audience could actually see us become smaller or taller. Yes, I could feel it, too. Look at the two ladies in the middle and, although the photos are from difference angles, you can still see the height difference.

Does all of this equate to time travel? Well, since there is still no scientific evidence about what causes the apparent shrinking and returning-to-normal pulsing of matter (weight is affected, too), then I say, anything is possible.

But just to be sure, I didn’t bring my holey Greek drachma and didn’t concentrate on the past. After all, I’m pretty content here and now. 

Besides, I didn’t have a daypack and my smartphone isn’t solar-powered.

Now, looking for a little diversion for free? Check out Book Bites 7. It contains the first chapters of the twenty books in Love, Christmas, a wonderful book set containing never before released novellas by 20 best-selling authors. Get yours for free. Here's a visual sampler: Love, Christmas video

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Thanks everyone!

And don't forget to leave a comment about your own time travel experiences!

Dani Haviland

Little Drummer Boy

Quick! Think of a Christmas song!

Now, not so quick, find your favorite song that is really about Christmas. If you’re like me, the two aren’t the same. It’s also quite possible that the first one you thought of was not even a Christmas song, but rather a seasonal tune about winter.

The first song I thought of was Jingle Bells. Hmm. Not really Christmas-y, is it? Nowadays, travel over white and drifting snow usually means sitting in a four-wheel drive vehicle as it roars down the highway, not snuggled in a blanket as sleigh bells jingle while a horse with an innate sense of direction brings you home in a fancy sled.

My favorite Christmas carol/tune is Little Drummer Boy. I guess it was popular with other folks, too, but Debbie Haston was the first to choose it in the Authors' Billboard contest. Its soothing tune blends well with its simple message. Thanks, Debbie!

In the song, the little drummer boy was poor, but talented. He had no money but could share his gift. He didn’t do it for attention. His parents didn’t force him to do it. He did it out of love for the new-born king.

I identified with the drummer boy in the song. We were poor when I was a kid, but I didn’t know it. I had siblings to play with, food to eat (even though it was often beans), and a dog. What else could anyone want besides the occasional soda or ice cream treat? We got gifts for Christmas, mostly pajamas and underwear, but Mom made sure we got at least one toy. We had special food (turkey and real butter!), decorated a tree, and sang songs.
What I remember most, though, is being together. And healthy. Everything else was just stuff that was soon forgotten, broken, or thrown away.

The card Mom made for her mother when I was three years old is still one of my most prized possessions. Inside was a picture of Mom's three treasures: her first three children. A store bought card would have been lost or tossed long ago.

Find out how a 1780s family celebrate Christmas and why love and giving of one’s self is more important than fancy wrapping paper and high dollar gifts in Little Drummer Boy, part of the Love, Christmas – Holiday Stories That Will Put a Song in Your Heart.

Enjoy the true meaning of Christmas and love,
Dani Haviland
www.danihaviland.com

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Gelatin: The Weight Loss Secret Revealed

The ad in the paper said ‘Lose 30 pounds in 6 weeks!’

That got my attention. I’d been trying to lose the ‘baby fat’ I gained with my last daughter for the past 20 years. It was time to admit defeat and seek professional help.

I paid for the program, a month’s supply of vitamins, minerals, herbs, and protein supplements the company insisted were essential for weight loss, and got the right mind set. 

I tried. Really, I did. I filled out my food journal; took twenty-six pills a day; made sure all my meals were high protein, low carb (protein: the key to weight loss) made in my own kitchen and from their list of 'approved foods;' drank 3 to 4 of their protein supplements every day; exercised moderately and came in twice a week (80 miles round trip) for my weigh-in and evaluation/pep talk. 

Ugh. Their clear protein drinks were okay, but the creamy ones were nasty. Plus that was a lot of pills to choke down.

Those products weren’t cheap, either. Add the cost of pills and supplements to the hundreds of dollars I paid upfront for their consult fee and I’m telling you, an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii would have been cheaper!

To make it worse I was tired and hungry all the time. Yes, I lost eight pounds those first two weeks, but then the weight loss stopped. I was tired, hungry and depressed. The counselors changed my diet twice. I actually gained half a pound! Now I was ANGRY, tired, hungry and depressed. When I told the counselor how dire the depression was, she laughed at me!

Screw it!

I stopped taking their pills, ignored the food diary, concocted my own protein supplements, ate chocolate cake at my granddaughter’s birthday and lost 2 ½ pounds that week.

I checked in at the clinic to rub my weight loss in their faces and was told, ‘Oh, it may take a few days for those extra calories to show up as weight gain.’

Nope. Those pounds are still gone.

I did learn something for all that money, though. I checked out the ingredients: all of the weight loss clinic’s sweet supplements were made with hydrolyzed gelatin and Splenda™. The soups  were gelatin-based, too, but skipped the sweetener.

Lesson learned: gelatin is a great (and very inexpensive) source of protein. Their source has 15 grams per serving. Their cost is approximately $1.85 per serving, three to four servings a day suggested intake.

Gelatin has 12.9 grams per tablespoon of dried powder. A one pound jar of gelatin has about 453 servings. At $17.09 a jar (price I pay online), that's less than 5 cents a serving!! And if you think egg whites are better, realize that gelatin is higher in protein, cheaper, and easier to incorporate into your diet.  

If you want to up your protein for (easy, cheap) weight loss, try this. It may work for you, too.

First basic rule you need to know is: powdered gelatin needs to be dissolved in cold water first. It only takes a couple of minutes for the cream-colored granules to ‘bloom.’ This blob then needs to be stirred into very hot liquid. From there you can add it to any variety of drinks, soups, or desserts.

First thing in the morning protein pick me up

1 Tbsp gelatin (equivalent to 1 packet of Knox brand)

¼ cup cold water

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for a couple of minutes. I use a custard dish so there’s more surface area for the powder to contact

Slip this mixture into your hot coffee or tea and stir.

That’s it! I make a cappuccino with cream and cinnamon. No sugar required for me. The gelatin makes it creamer and helps fill me up before breakfast. Less chance of overeating this way, too.

Chocolate pudding

1 Tbsp gelatin

¼ cup cold water

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit for a couple of minutes.

2 tsp cocoa powder

2 tsp sugar

Pinch of salt (makes the sugar sweeter and rounds out the flavor)

(optional: a few drops of vanilla and/or dash of cinnamon)

1/3 cup warm water

Stir the cocoa, sugar, salt, water (and other optional ingredients) together in a Magic Bullet™ cup. Nuke for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Add gelatin blob. Stir until blended. Add 1 tablespoon of cream or half and half. Stir again.

Add 5-7 ice cubes. Put Magic Bullet lid on, shake to pre-mix, and then blend until the ice cubes are gone.

Depending on how much ice was used and the temperature of the mix, you’ll either have instant pudding-in-the-cup or have to wait 5 to 10 minutes for full ‘set.’ I tried stirring everything together (no processor) and it worked just as well. A few bits of ice cube were left but they soon disappeared.

By using cream or half and half instead of milk, you’re reducing the amount of carbs. If you use Splenda instead of sugar, you’re even lower on the carb scale, but you may get rebound and want more sweets. Sugar satisfies; artificial sweeteners make me want more.

You can use this same basic principle of using dissolved gelatin in hot liquid for many ‘snacks.’ Add to canned soup, bouillon, teas, or even your own version of puddings using flavored coffee or soda syrups. 

The calories are negligible and the satisfaction is great…especially when you step on the scales and see you’ve lost 2 ½ pounds by eating pudding!

Note: gelatin is also supposed to help reduce joint pain and make your fingernails and hair thicker. Let me know if gelatin helps you in any way and I’ll share with others. Slurp on!

 Evie had a faster way to lose weight (and years), but I don't know of any fountain of youth water for sale in this century.

If you're looking for a rather lengthy time travel romance, check out Naked in the Winter Wind.

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Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1l3qKhm

 

What are YOU afraid of?

The other night, we had an uninvited visitor. The rattling in the ceiling fan globe in the middle of the night was out and out scary for my daughter. I’m a brave old broad, though. I surrounded the lamp fixture with a plastic bag, unscrewed it, and took the whole works outside for a closer look.

My first guess at the house guest was a big moth, drawn to the light. My daughter was sure it was a directionally-challenged mouse.
We were both wrong. It was a bat.

I said, “Cool!” as she squeaked, “Ew, ew, ew!” The dogs and the toddler weren’t involved and didn’t comment.
 
So, some folks are fascinated by insect-eating mammals that fly and others are repulsed. Are you afraid of bats? I’m sure there’s a name for it. Me? I hate insects, so bats are my friends.

How about you? What are you afraid of? Do you fit into any of the categories in http://www.fearof.net/top-10-phobias-of-all-time/ list? Okay, fess up: which ones? How many?
10. Trypophobia – The fear of holes. Does seeing coral, sponges or dried honeycombs throw you into a tizzy? If so, you may have this.
9. Aerophobia – The fear of flying. Hmm. Sounds like a good title for a book. I’m glad I don’t have this. I want to go to Australia again and last time I checked, it took months to sail over there. No inbound railroads or highways, either.
8. Mysophobia – The fear of germs. I can handle those; it’s sticky or dirty surfaces that make me want to scrub and scour. I guess I don’t have this one.
7. Claustrophobia – The fear of small spaces. Thanks, I’ll take the stairs rather than the elevator. Need I say more?
6 Astraphobia – The fear of thunder and lightning. Hmm. If I can hear the thunder, I’m safe from the lightning. It’s still loud and scary at times. If you have this, consider a move to Anchorage. In 25 years, I only heard thunder a few times, most of that was when global warming hit a few years back.
5. Cynophobia – The fear of dogs. Most cynophobes are women. Glad to say I’m not one of them. Here, puppy, puppy…
4. Agoraphobia – The fear of open or crowded spaces. Do you love going to the mall? If so, then you don’t have this.
3. Acrophobia – The fear of heights. That’s the irrational fear of heights (not me) OR the fear of falling. Does the fear of depths count (me)?
2. Ophidiophobia – The fear of snakes. Ah, snakes, they eat bugs and mice and other vermin (gophers and moles!). I like snakes, except vipers.
1. Arachnophobia – The fear of spiders. Really? I pick them up and take them outside. They're my friends. They eat bugs!
So, I guess I’m not typical with my phobias. The fear or hatred of insects didn’t even make the top ten. What’s on your list?
Here's a big guy who's afraid of bugs. Meet Benji, 'The Great Big Fairy.' Fairies are time travelers. Benji is one, too, and is stuck in the 21st century, trying to get back to his natal 18th century. Does he make it? And will he be able to stay? Find out about him and the lovely lady in TGBF.
TGBF - Amazon
TGBF - Nook
And don't forget, Summer Heat - Love on Fire will release on all digital venues May 24. Pre-order here: www.summerheatauthors.com