Showering With Rainwater

I live on a dirt road and catch rainwater to shower with. Something I never thought I'd say and certainly not something I thought I'd enjoy.  Several folks have asked me about how exactly this works, so here goes..

Our rental house in Hawaii runs on a cachement system, meaning that rainwater is collected, stored and used as the sole source for water in the house.  Although the area I live in gets over 200 inches of rain per year, homes are built over relatively "young" (we're talking geological years here) soil that is primarily hardened lava. It's not exactly easy to drill for water, and with so much rain, there is no sense in doing so.

Water is collected via gutters lining the roof - just like houses everywhere else except instead of being routed somewhere in the yard, the water is routed underground through a plastic pipe that eventually goes through a filter (to get out big stuff like leaves and other debris) and flows into a large holding tank in the back yard. As needed, it's pumped back into the house for use showering, cooking, washing dishes, etc. With appropriate filters, this can also serve as drinking water. We've gone eau naturel without the filter and get our drinking water from the nearby village water spigot, which is another adventure in itself.

In addition to the plus of no water bills, being great for Mother Earth, I've found the natural water to be easy on my hair.

Last weekend, I had a 3 hour layover in the Minneapolis airport. Since I'm no longer ATL (Attached To Laptop) I browsed a couple stores and whipped up this drawing of my house and how this all works. Enjoy!

~ Rachel

Amateur attempt at drawing cachement system  - not to scale :)

 

The Writing is on the Fridge

The morning after our wedding, my new husband and I settled in to open our wedding gifts. At one point, I came across a simply wrapped, rectangular package without a tag or card. Carefully peeling away the paper, I uncovered a used Mead wide ruled notebook. I turned the top cover and immediately started laughing, instantly recognizing my father's humor. It was full of 80+ pages of my full (maiden) name, handwritten, two full names to a row, double sided.

This was none other than the product of my dad's choice form (an effective one, at that) of punishment - writing. To deserve this particular punishment, I had forged a note signed by "my mother" excusing me from volleyball practice due to a "chiropractor appointment." Somehow, my coach figured that my mom must have nicer handwriting, made a phone call to confirm, and I was toast.  To maintain some honor, I must explain - I wasn't a terrible kid. We had just moved to a new town, and I was invited to hang out after school with a group of kids in the "in" crowd and I was so excited to be included it seemed reasonable to skip practice, just this once. Anyway, my dad figured that since I was getting a nice shiny new last name, I might enjoy having this keepsake on hand. He was right. It was the funniest gift we received.

This notebook was a bit of a twist. Typically, whatever we were required to write was usually in sentence form and was required to be prominently hung on the refrigerator for one whole week for any and all guests to see -and of course, if there were guests, they received a heads up that they may want to look at the fridge. :)

Among my favorite memories..
 ~ I will not jump off of furniture (this was my brother's task after a chair ricocheted into the wall while rehearsing a leaping gymnastic performance orchestrated by me)

~ I will not slam doors or my butt will grow larger (I swear I had to write this - it may be been a threat, but my memory is clouded)

As much as I hate to admit it, I can see myself trying this out. Someday, my dad will receive a mysterious letter in the mail, and he will chuckle knowingly as he sees repetitive sentences in a child's handwriting.

Doorknob Kitchen - Veggie Tofu Chili

I've been experimenting with healthy recipes lately, looking for ways to incorporate more protein and fiber into my lunch in a form other than lunch meat and celery. I was also looking for more "grab and go" options, so I'm not relying on frozen meals or the constant rotation of chicken noodle and tomato soup available in the cafeteria.  I love soup, so thought I'd try a new spin on chili. Because this one doesn't have heavy meats, it's great for a lighter lunch and doesn't seem totally out of place in warmer weather. I froze 12oz. servings in individual containers and it's been really handy for lunch on the go.

Suggested ingredients (The beauty of chili is flexibility - experiment as desired):

Veggie Tofu Chili  "to go"

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots
• 1 green pepper
• 2 small zucchini
• 3 gloves garlic 
• 2 jalapeno peppers
• oregano, cumin, ground pepper, chili powder, and cinnamon to taste (start with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 2 Tb of chili powder, 1 tsp of the others and go up as needed)
• 1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans
• 1 can (15 oz.) corn
• 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans
• 1-2 cans (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes (depending how thick you'd like chili and how much you like chunks of tomatoes - I used about 1 1/2 cans)
• 3 cups chicken stock (adjust based on how thick you'd like soup)
• 1 package tofu (extra firm, not the silken kind)
• 4 scoops Arbonne fiber booster (optional*)

Heat oil in pan and saute onion, carrots, zucchini, garlic and peppers for a couple minutes. When softened, add to soup kettle and pour in all ingredients except the tofu. Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 20 minutes (more is better). Cut up tofu into small squares and fold into the chili toward the end.

Approximate statistics if made as described above:
  8  12-oz servings (nice meal-sized bowl of soup)
  270 calories per serving
  1.8 g of fat (yes, one point eight)
  11 g of protein
  10 g of fiber (~ 1/2 the daily recommended value)

* Arbonne daily fiber boost is a flavorless blend of soluble fiber can be added to any food or drink to help curb mid-day hunger, lower cholesterol and blood sugar and keep your digestive system in check. I typically add it to juice, but I've been trying it out in unexpected places like oatmeal or my morning yogurt concoctions with wonderfully flavorless results.

Savvy Doorknob - Corporate Airline Programs

As someone with over a million flight miles under my belt, you'd think I have an unending stash of them saved up. Not really. I've enjoyed using my miles to do things like save money on last minute flights, bring my husband along on work trips to fun places, and upgrade my parents on a trip to Hawaii (best..daughter..ever). I'm always on the lookout for ways to maximize return on my travel and look forward to posting ongoing tips on the blog.

As a business owner, I've found that a few simple steps can also help you earn miles for your business. These miles can be smartly applied to business growth and maintenance activities such as attending or having team members attend industry conferences or training events, visiting clients for a face-to-face meeting, flying a key individual over for an interview, rewarding an outstanding employee, or just like with personal travel, saving money on those last-minute flights that can break the pocket book. Any legitimate business can do this* whether it be a small firm, huge corporation, and in some cases even a single proprietorship, such as my Arbonne business or a photography business (provided you will be conducting business on your trip). It's like double dipping - travelers continue to earn their own personal miles and you as a business can earn additional miles toward future travel. Consider signing up today and registering your own flights and/or providing info to your employees on how they can help the company save.
* you need a federal tax number to enroll

Here is a brief description of some of the programs out there that I'm using and links to more information:

Delta Sky Bonus 
This is the easiest one to use, in my opinion. Travlers can add this to their profile and voila! It will be automatically defaulted for future flights that are booked.

American Business ExtrAA
Travelers need to enter the company's PerksPlus code with each booking.

United PerksPlus
This one only works when booking directly through United.com and when you indicate "Business" as the reason for your travel. Like with American, travelers need to enter the company's PerksPlus code with each booking. Rewards are only kept active for businesses that spend $20,000+ in travel on United per year.

Happy mile building,
~Rachel

Doorknob Kitchen - Asian Fusion Guacamole

A couple days have passed since the "avocado incident," and it's time to reap the benefits of my pain-inducing battle with the tree.  Not to be underwhelmed by regular old guacamole, I sought out a recipe that had some pizazz, added a couple of my own tweaks, and here's where I landed. This one makes use of fresh ginger, which has become a staple in the Doorknob Kitchen. At 25 cents a piece at the Farmer's Market, you really can't go wrong.

Asian Fusion Guacamole

The Supplies:

• 2 large avocados
• Juice from one lime ( or ~1/4 cup if you are using the plastic lime bottle thingy)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root (I grate mine with the smaller side of a cheese grater)
• 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, give or take, depending on your tolerance (I upped this a bit)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers
• A couple of mint or cilantro leaves, chopped (I used cilantro)
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Salt and black pepper,  to taste

Mash up everything except the tomato until it's your desired consistency. I like big chunks of avocado but you're the boss in your kitchen. At the end, fold in the tomato pieces.

Ahhh, sweet redemption.

Doorknob Friends - Tina Madsen Hair Design

I love getting together with friends who are self-starters - it's fun and energizing to exchange ideas.  Here and there I plan to feature some of those friends who are are doin' their own thing and loving it. This time around, I'm giving a nod to my friend Tina Madsen. Tina has been specializing in all things hair since 1996 and has owned her own salon business since 2005. She's running a ridiculously great sale right now that I had to share.

I've been a loyal client of Tina's since 2007 when I first came to her for hair extension services. Hair extensions are how celebrities go from bob cuts to perfectly full back-length hair in what seems like a few weeks. I first became familiar with them while living in Dallas, TX  (now I know where the big hair comes from) and had them put in as a treat for my wedding. I enjoyed them so much that I've allowed myself the occasional splurge since then. Yes, they are indeed a splurge..one that gives me the case of the mumbles when my husband asks how much they were, but I digress. Every girl has that thing, and for me it's the thrill of insta-supermodel hair.

Anyway, Tina is offering an unprecedented 50% off of extensions for the entire month of August - If you've ever contemplated them, and you're in or near the Madison, WI area, now is the time.

You can reach Tina for a consultation at (608) 212-6177 or tinamadsenhair@gmail.com.  (By the way, she has uber-convenient late hours for those of you working traditional office hours).

For those interested in the process and other FAQs, read on below.

Before

After  - 21 " of bliss : )

Q: What type of extensions do you recommend?
A: There are two basic types of extensions. Wefts are what looks more like layers or sheets of hair attached to a braid that is braided into your own hair. for many hair types, wefts can look unnatural. Individual extensions are tiny groups of individual hair strands bonded together at the top. They're approximately the size of a shoe string. Tina uses individual extensions. In the picture above I have ~225 individual extensions attached all around my head from about eye level down to the bottom of my neck. This is how the hair looks so blended. (Have you ever looked at a Barbie's hair - it's applied nearly the same way - small groups of strands placed evenly across the head).

Q: So, how do you "install" extensions?
A: Each extension has a bond at one end. Using heat, it's bonded around a small group of your own hair strands. The heat part sounds scary, but it's not.sticky It's NOT like glue and will not stick to it when ready to be removed.

Q: How do I know the hair will match?
A: Prior to getting them in, Tina will see you for  a consultation where your hair will be matched against oodles of available colors - in the picture above, I'm wearing 3 different colors that are blended to match my natural highlights and color varations in my own hair. A custom combination of colors will be ordered for you. I usually go natural, but she has pink, red and a ton of other funky color if you're looking to add a wild streak without the commitment or damage involved with dying your hair a bright color. (Shipping takes about a week, so plan for that when booking your appointments).

Q: How long does it take?
A: If you are going for a "full head" putting them in takes about 4-5 hours, depending the length and thickness of your own hair and the desired length when you're finished (and how much chatting and wine drinking may be involved). If you're looking to add just a splash of color to your natural hair, application doesn't take longer than an hour.

Q: How much do they cost?
A: I plead the 5th… and don't tell your husband. Prices vary depending on how much hair you'll be adding.

Q: Is it human hair? Horse hair? Synthetic?
A: Sorry Mr. Ed. Tina uses 100% human hair (most often it's from India or Northern Europe). It's like a hair translplant, but not really. It's not gross, I swear. All hair is professionally processed prior to shipping.

Q: Can you swim with extensions? What about heat, curlers, etc.
A: Yep, you can live life as usual including swimming*, washing, flat-ironing, brushing, wearing pony tails, etc.  You CAN color hair extensions although getting highlights is not recommended as the hair has already been processed. I usually get my hair colored just before putting them in, if I'm going to do it, and have the hair matched to that.
* I've learned that saltwater tends to cause more tangles and I recommend putting hair up in a bun to prevent knotting. Not a problem if you live in Wisconsin.

Q: Will my real hair break?
A: No, not any more than usual if you take good care of them (or unless your natural hair is over-processed and weak, in which case Tina will probably recommend you come back later). When you comb/brush your natural hair, strands come loose on the comb. The same thing happens when you wear extensions. It's normal for a few (2-3) to fall out while you're wearing them. Occasionally, a bond won't be as strong as the others.

Q: How long do they last?
A: They last up to 6 months depending on your hair type. I have very fine hair that tends to tangle, so I usually leave them in for about 4 months, as they are more prone to tangles the longer they grow out.

Q: How do they come out ? Do I have to cut my hair?
A: No, silly. No cutting involved, although you'll likley want a trim if your hair has been growing for 4-6 months. The bonds are broken using a special formula sprayed on the hair. This releases them from your own hair and they slide off.

Avocado 1: Rachel: 0

I have a gigantic avocado tree in my back yard. For the past few months, I've been anxiously (and geekily) awaiting the harvest of what I was sure would yield bowls and bowls of luscious guacamole. A couple months ago, I noticed olive-sized buds and for the past few months have watched them S-L-O-W-L-Y progressing into full-grown fruit.

As they grew bigger, I realized I had no idea when to pick them - they didn't look like the green-almost brown ones in the store. Do they fall off when they're ready? Seeking guidance from the site that knows everything, I Googled "When to pick avocados" and learned that unless I knew if my tree was a Bacon, a Hellen, or a Jim, growing seasons can be all year long and avacados are ready when they're all different shapes and sizes. It's really quite amazing how many varieties there are.

Yesterday, I noticed one hanging waaaaay up near the top of the tree and I knew - it was time. It was softball-size, was beginning to get faint brown marks, and well, I just couldn't wait anymore.

Already tasting my turkey avacado sandwich I set out to fetch a ladder, manuevered it up in between the branches, climbed to the top and couldn't reach. Hmm... I try balancing on my tip toes and shaking the branch. That doesn't work.  Aha! I have a broom. So I run down, grab the broom and start gently swatting at the avacado like a pinata. Typing this now, I realize how ridiculous I probably looked.

Well, that worked. It worked so well, in fact, that the dang thing came flying down from several feet above and hit me sqaure in the nose. I went running into the house, holding my nose in pain, imagining the horror I'd find in the mirror. ACK!  @#$*#! My nose can't really can't afford to get any bigger! (I've been blessed with "The Hochkammer Nose"). No ice to speak of in the freezer, so I soothed it with a bag of frozen corn, following the queue of my mother the night of my wedding after walking in heels all evening.

Two days later, things are under control. I have a nice bruise and some swelling and have received a couple giggles from people at work who ask what happened. The avocado is not quite rip enough yet - takes about a week. But you can bet I'm going to enjoy eating every bite of that thing.

The unfortunate scene of the crime

The nose and the prized avocado

Savvy Doorknob - Free Conference

Eek! I've been a bad little blogger and allowed myself a break. Fear not - I was experimenting with new recipes, working on some new business, snorkeling, and doing other fun activities that will inspire more entertaining entries later.

My mission for this blog is "to inspire, to entertain, to educate." In light of of educating, I've been meaning to share a tip I use in my businesses to save costs by taking advantage of free technology. It's called Free Conference. Free Conference is a fairly self-explainatory service that allows you to schedule group conference calls with others free-of-charge * (*limited to 5 contiguous hours, but who doesn't need a bathroom break once in awhile..) It's really helpful if you're looking to bring together three or more people and don't want to have to deal with having a middle man to join everyone together, scheduling lines that multiple people are trying to use, or paying for a fancy phone service.  All you have to do is register online and you get a free call-in number and passcode that you can share with whomever it is you want to talk to. You don't need to schedule anything - it's on demand - cool!

And here's a nice way to double dip on the benefits - Many mobile phone providers offer "friends and family" plans where a certain list of numbers won't rack up cell minutes. You can add your Free Conference line to that, and you won't rack up any mobile minutes for calls organized through that line. This is extremely useful if you are a remote employee or run a virtual office and have a high volume of calls with your clients, business partners or prospective clients. It even work at the beach (don't tell my co-workers..) On a personal level, it's also great if you want to have a virtual family gathering together to call a loved one abroad a son/daughter at college, etc.

Get more info on Free Conference here.

Happy conferencing,
~ Rachel

Doorknob Kitchen - Miso Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

I enjoy eating fish, but never seem to make it at home. (Seriously, I think I've made fish sticks once since I've been married). I've resolved to change that since my move to Hawaii, as the access to fresh fish is amazing and it's good for you (and I have time to cook now..)

Last evening, I tried my hand at a ginger miso glazed mahi and it was fantastic. This one is extremely flavorful and can be whipped out in about 30 minutes.

Glaze (enough for ~ 4 pieces of fish)

1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1- 1 1/2 tsp shredded ginger (depending on how much you love ginger)

Coat fish with the glaze and let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes (Any leftover glaze can be saved to pour on top at the end.)


Cook in a frying pan over a small amount of olive oil for about 4 minutes on each side, until flaky with a fork. I'm sure you could bake this too, but the pan crystallizes the glaze and gives a nice crust to the soft fish.  Pour remaining glaze on top.  Voila!

I served mine w/ a side of mashed Hawaiian purple sweet potatoes (yummmm..)

This One Time on a Band Trip.. An Adventure, An Overdue Confession, A Lesson in Deutsch

What were you known for in high school? Other than the girl who was voted most likely to marry her high school sweetheart and then actually did (five years later, after random When Harry Met Sally-ish airplane meeting, which is for another post), I was "that girl who had her appendix taken out on a band trip."  I played the also saxophone, for those who care. And somehow ended up with the tympani role in "Thus Spoke Zarathrustra" which was actually pretty cool.  (If you are unfamiliar, check out this link and put the cursor at 27 seconds.

Anyway, the high school band went to Europe every three years.  One night, we did a home stay with kids from a local school in Freiburg.  That evening, they took us out to a bar.  I've always been a kid that colored in the lines and followed the rules, but I was coerced (convinced.. ok I said yes right away) into having a glass of a Sangria in the heat of the moment.  (Mom and dad, I realize now that you can laugh about this).

The next day, I work up terribly sick - worst stomach ache EVER. Of course I didn't want to say anything because I imagined this must be what a hangover feels like, and I was deathly afraid of being outed by one of the chaperons.   So I hung out in the quarantine seat in the back of the bus with a fellow bandmate who had the flu (unless he was hungover?) and cursed myself for agreeing to the Sangria.

When we stopped for a restroom break, I ended up fainting on the bus.  Somehow, we managed to call for help and before you know it, I was on my way to the Krankenhaus (hospital) in the Krankenwagen (ambulance) with a bunch of German EMTs poking at me.  I was rushed to the maternity ward, likely due to some language barriers (stomach pain somehow translated to contractions? ). I ended with a burst appendix, had emergency surgery and spent about a week in the hospital where I learned all kinds of interesting German words, and enjoyed the curious glanced I got being "The American" in the small facility. I spent days hanging out with "Ma Oas", who stayed behind to keep me company while everyone else went to Italy and France, and waiting to have a solid bowel movement (apparently the rite of passage I needed in order to be allowed to fly home).


Funny how I ended up being a German major working in health care.

Ta ta for now.

The Start (And What's With the Doorknob?)

Well, I did it - I created a blog. It's one of the many things on my bucket list that I've acted on in the past couple of months since getting my life back. Well, fine, it's not THAT dramatic...

When I was little, my dad would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. My response was always "the boss" (except for the short periods where I insisted I was going to be an actress, then meteorologist - more on that later). It seemed like a good idea at the time, when I didn't have any pre-conceived notions of what the working world was like. Fast forward 30 years. I was working for a great company doing interesting work, but something was missing.  I was running myself ragged, ignoring my husband, focusing on my email during family gatherings - but I had a lot of airline miles.. :-/

I did some soul searching, made an appointment on my calendar to quit (seriously!), rescheduled that a few times, and eventually took a leap of faith and left my job to fulfill my childhood declaration.

After short stress detox trip to Europe to reconnect with old friends, I launched two companies - an IT consulting firm and a network marketing company in the wellness and beauty arena. Two very different industries that I love (yep - I'm an HIT nerd that likes to take care of my skin), with a larger goal in mind. I have improved myself physically, emotionally, professionally, and strengthened my relationships with others by shaking up what working and consulting needs to look like. I hope I can inspire/help others to do the same (or hey - feel free to live vicariously through me on your lunch break).

What will you find here? We'll see where it goes, but expect humor therapy stories, maybe some recipes, and interesting tidbits I've learned along the way that may interest other entrepreneurial types out there.

Oh - and if you're wondering about the doorknob thing, it's a random tribute to a favorite childhood game.   I'd say goodnight to everything in the room and the doorknob was a favorite (Not sure why this was fun). Not long ago, as I was working on this blog, my dad sent me a text message that said "good night doorknob" and it brought a huge smile to my face.

So there you have it.