bUneke Magazine Issue 18 by bUnekeMagazine

b Uneke Don’t discard me! Please, pass me along to another Amazing Human.

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Art Opens up the World. This issue is AUDIBLE!

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Vol 3 • No. 4 • Issue 18

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Editor in Chief Mary Brotherton

Dear Friends of bUneke:

mary@buneke.org

Creative Director Jennifer East jennifer@buneke.org

donations, your sponsorships and your advertisements have put bUneke.org firmly on the path to greatness.

Contributors

Aaron Michael - USA Amel Sian Okoye - USA Ariane Resnick - USA Aron M. Frakes - USA Bodil Valero - NL Dorothy L. Harris - USA Elisa Kehler - USA Emerson Radisich - NZ Gary Roen -USA Gene Albertson - USA Graydon Lawson - CA Jeane Cole - USA Jim Warner - USA Kathleen Price - USA Linda Humphey - USA Manchit Sachdeva - IN Manish Arora Kumar - IN Marcetta Davis-Linton - USA Marion P. Ambrose - USA Marion Verweij - NL Mary McCollum - USA Megan Prowse - UK Michelle Hipps-Kalkan - USA Michelle Schaefer - USA Mickey Lewis - USA Ran - JP Rina - DE/SK Sharon Black - USA Siloh Moses - USA Sustainability on the Go Team - PT Tony Taylor - USA Trinity James-Mathison Tyrel Earnest - USA Yvonne Mason Sewell - USA Zack ‘Attack - Oceans Worldwide

mary@bUneke.org

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nonprofit magazine. Your words of encouragement, your

Proofreader

Marija Gosic

your support has been the key to the success of this, your

Lynn C. Dilks

Graphic Designer

I’d like to offer you my heartfelt congratulations because

Within the last quarter alone, we received a grant to help with operations and picked up more sponsors who believe in what we’re doing. Both bUneke Productions and bUneke Radio are gaining momentum with new projects and shows. We’re working with interns from universities across the country and our international writers continue to seek us out. We haven’t allowed the inconvenience of a worldwide pandemic to dampen our spirits, though, at times, we thought it might. Then, we remembered that we have a choice, every day, and we choose joy. We miss the carefree days of festivals and large social gatherings, but we respect the need to be safe and healthy, so we do what we can, from where we are, to spread positivity and when we hear from you, we know we are succeeding in our quest. So, on behalf of every board member, thank you for encouraging us to continue and congratulations on our shared growth! We do what we do for you,

Mary

Don’t have time to read? We HEAR you! bUneke Magazine is now audible! Click the icon now or visit buneke.org to hear more!

Reflecting & Remembering 2020

Cover photo by Ija Charles, ijartstudiogallery (pg 6) ••• TABLE OF CONTENTS •••

5 Whispers of Light 6 Find the Window to your Soul 8 Moonshine Fliers Share the Sky 10 Where to buy Bread Without Plastic 12 If you want it bad enough, No one can Stop You 13 20 Things 2020 has Taught us 14 What is the Electric Ecosystem? 16 6 Easy Steps to your Best Christmas Gifts Ever 18 Absent Mellow Mind 20 Fashion for the Future 22 Reasons to be Happy, Content, and Inspired 23 Ahnie’s Attic 24 Why I Think Writers Should Role-play 26 There is Simply the Rose 28 Imagine 30 bCreative Challenge Tribute 32 bCreative Challenge Tribute 34 Renewable Energy and a Community Living in Harmony 36 What is Fast Fashion and why Should you Avoid it? 38 This is Where I Leave you – the Self-love Survival Guide 39 Trinidad & Tobago Virtual Carnival 40 Amazing Synchronicity of MoxieBox Art 42 My Story Could Change your Perspective 44 VeggieChel’s 2020 Vegan Shopping Guide 45 DIY with Marcetta 46 Oh, my! bUneke.org is a Leader in Showing Folks how to do it 47 Get out of the rut of Stinkin’ Thinkin’ 48 The Most Environmentally Disastrous Lie 50 Hope for the Human Spirit Through Art 52 Bountiful Farms & Bistro – a Hidden Gem 54 Buy Art. Do Good. Feel Good. 56 Can Anybody Find me Some Bunny to Love? 59 Roen Reviews 60 Celebrate Better 62 Book Reviews 64 Product Reviews 66 NatureNerd 69 Zero Waste Swaps 70 Zodiac Predictions

, This digital issue is interactive! Have fun exploring! Live links everywhere! Just try it! Click the play symbol to view the featured videos! Click the listen symbol to HEAR the stories!

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bUneke.org is a 501c3 educational organization providing a free media outlet for other charitable organizations that might not otherwise receive the recognition they deserve. bUneke Magazine is a free, interactive, digital publication. A print version is available for a small fee. We tell stories about authentic people doing extraordinary things. We ﬁnd these people and organizations through dedicated research, through word-of-mouth and at socially distanced, safe events when possible. These gatherings give us the opportunities to showcase our work and the chance to meet the people and businesses or organizations that are important to U. We can give your live or virtual event professional media coverage and exposure. Contact us today to learn what else we oﬀer.

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bUneke Magazine is a quarterly publication. We are not responsible for the return, loss of, damage to or any other injury to unsolicited manuscripts, unsolicited artwork, including, but not limited to, drawings, photographs or any other unsolicited material. Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials for consideration should not send originals, unless specifically requested, in writing, to do so by bUneke.org If you want your submitted materials returned, they must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope with adequate postage. bUneke Magazine is an educational resource, based on the personal experiences and opinions of contributing writers and special guest features and is in no way offered as legal advice. It is up to the reader to thoroughly research all suggestions, opinions and offerings presented in the articles. All information in this issue is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to: bUneke Magazine 4520 Deanna Ct., Suite 111, Merritt Island, FL 32953. For permissions and reprint requests, please email: mary@bUneke.org. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. Vol. 3 • No.4 • Issue 18

The Whispers of Light By Elisa Kehler

Trees hold the frequency and aura of the divine light. Over time, the roots grow down to anchor to the vibrations of the earth. They are deeply rooted to stand strong for centuries. One major root leads to minor roots that lead to other roots. Trees can help us set personal intentions to cultivate ideas of our purpose here. Let’s put this into our human perspective. When we speak our words or think our thoughts, we also sit in silence, like the tree, to gently spread our human seeds, our ideas, for all to grow on the journey. The heart connection beats in a whisper, like the leaves in a gentle wind, yet naturally leads us to survive with an inner knowing of truth. Under our shell of protection, like the tree’s bark, flows a river, like our life’s blood. The branches that lead to other smaller branches, then to larger branches reflect our ideas opening and evolving into a master plan of greatness. Like the tree that grows upward, we hold the power of infinite light, of universal possibilities, and to infinity connecting us all, like the trees in a forest. This connectedness helps manifest us our power of all we root to, as the flowing energies are held in reserve.

Trees absorb our negative energy and replenish us in balance. Different perspectives, soul wisdom truths, incarnated energy beings are reflected in the leaves on a tree. We are all one on the tree of life in connection to the Divine. The higher self is the trunk, connected to the highest branches, connected to the roots, and stands in the heightened frequency of the stars above. The echoes of light mixed, with sound, radiates to all of our existence, above and below, to one another in whispers of light. Nutrients flow from the tree of life, deeply rooted to deeper wisdom to bring knowledge to our higher selves in the river of light. The tree resembles the strength of the human fighting through the elements that create the chaos. The gentle flow is similar to our five senses, affected by the elements around us on our

human path. Consider them, symbolically. The water can wash away the pain or cause a flood of feeling. Overwhelmed, it can sometimes catch us off guard and loosen our rooted being. The air feels refreshing, like a cool breeze, a flow when all is going well, and then a burst of uncertainty as it crashes down, our branches sometimes causing the whole being to fall. The fire can create beauty and rebirth or destruction and pain. The earth is a powerful symbol. We are all stuck here, in the human, until we leave the shell that remains. The nourishment of the foundation and roots on every level of our being – body, mind, spirit - resemble the greatness and wisdom of all we are. Be sure to read bUneke’s EXTRA! blog to continue this lesson from the trees. ,

Elisa Kehler is a teacher, practitioner of the healing arts to self-love, and the alchemist of supernatural spirituality. She facilitates spiritual strength through energy healing by connecting body-mind-spirit to inner-child spiritual truth. yourbridgetowellness.com

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Find the Window

to your Soul at Ijart Studio By Marcetta Davis-Linton

Art is the window to people’s souls. It reveals emotions and doesn’t hold back. Art is for everyone and keeps us connected and keeps humanity bonded. Art knows no color, no gender, no theme, it is for all who want to enjoy it. Ija Charles is showing the world her voice in beautiful paintings. This Louisiana native is a painter who paints from her heart.

“I started painting about five years ago but have been a creator my whole life. My influence came from circumstances that held me back as a child. I was dealing with bullying at school, and other things at home at a young age, so art was self-therapy to me. My family and the community within the school system saw the talent I carried, and it became more than an escape. It was a lifestyle and a journey.” Ija’s artwork has a recurring theme of optimism of humanity.

develop a message behind your art.”

all about the cards that you are dealt, the circumstances, and remaining positive.” She donates parts of the profits of each painting sold to different charities in Louisiana. Ija is currently working at her own gallery that she opened virtually

If you are in Louisiana, you can stop by and look in her gallery or

Her goal is simple. She wants the viewer to be overwhelmed with any emotion.

artist when you

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artwork is about, she said, “It is

during the pandemic. She said, “You become a true artist when you develop a message behind your art.”

“You become a true

When asked about what her

visit online at ijartstudiogallery ,

Marcetta Davis-Linton is an aspiring environmental journalist, with her Masters in News Media and Journalism from Full Sail University. She created OneNatureOnePlanet.com and lives in Florida with her husband, Michael and three dogs Sadie, Fisher, and Beau.

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If God has a waiting room, Dr. Ken Strike has found it. While suspended 2,000 feet in the air over Mountain City, Tennessee, Strike said he caught a little glimpse of heaven.

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“There, between layers of fog and clouds, I was wishing I could reside in that area,” said Strike, a radiation oncologist and member of the Moonshine Fliers. “There are no words to describe it other than magical. If there is a waiting room for God, that is it. I just wish everyone could experience it.”

They fly with no walls, windows or restraints.

The Moonshine Fliers is a group of paramotoring, powered paraglider (PPG), which Strike co-chartered. Strike, an aviation guru who loves the freedom of flying from almost anywhere with no walls, windows or other restraints, takes advantage of weather and opportunity to fly like a bird, floating on air in East Tennessee. This freedom is what draws the fliers, ranging in age from 21 to almost 60, to airparks around the Knoxville area.

“The experience of running, running and then suddenly not touching the ground is amazing,” said Jean Bilheux. “I have the same feeling each time I take off, excited about every flight I make. Since I started to walk, I wanted to fly,” said the 48-year-old. He hopes to fly the Loire valley countryside in France, his homeland, with a breathtaking view of many castles below.

Paramotoring gives freedom.

Jim Neubert, a retired law enforcement officer, agrees with Bilheux. “I soloed in December, 2006, so I have been flying almost 14 years. I love paramotoring for the freedom it gives. You can fly along inches above the ground or fly up thousands of feet. There are very few rules or limitations.” Neubert said he doesn’t fly for the adrenaline rush. It’s quite

East Tennessee’s Moonshine Fliers Share the Sky

In Their Paragliders By Linda S. Humphrey I’d never try to fly without him present. About 30 minutes after I got home one day, I fired it up and was able to fly in my front yard. Like any good pilot, I crashed on landing and had to fix all my equipment so my instructor would never know. Every flight is still as thrilling as that first one. I have flown the beach and the mountains and still get excited to fly all the local fields in East Tennessee.” Be sure to read bUneke’s Extra! blog to learn about other members of the Moonshine Fliers. ,

the opposite for him. “Flying is the most relaxing thing I do. I call it sky boating. I usually fly around 400 to 500 feet. I will drop lower if I want to see something on the ground or will climb if I want a better view. There is nothing quite like it. I usually fly with no agenda or plan. I just get up and see what piques my interest.” Strike, 57, a serious paraglider with almost 13 years of experience, first heard about paramotoring on the Internet. When Strike was in his thirties, he had a pilot’s license but stopped flying because of a heart issue.

Paramotoring still excites after 13 years.

“I’m not disappointed that I can’t fly planes, paramotoring is a lot more exciting without the restrictions. My first flight was kind of an accident,” Strike recalled. “I promised my instructor if he would let me take the equipment home,

Linda Sutherland Humphrey moved to McMinn County, Tennessee from Orlando, Florida where she was a correspondent and columnist for several newspapers. She now writes for The Daily Post Athenian as well as bUneke Magazine.

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I just came back from the grocery store and placed my plastic-free bread on the counter. My roommate looked at me, confused, and asked where to buy bread without plastic.

I thought that was a great tip to share, so I found 4 fantastic

sliced loaves of bread so I can just

months in the freezer, so just

defrost individual slices instead of

make sure you eat it in that time!

the whole loaf.

Why is bread packaged in plastic?

places people can get bread

It can be frustrating if you don’t Usually bread is frozen in the

have the option to buy bread,

plastic packaging it comes in, but

plastic-free. Why does it even

what if you buy bread without

You can buy bread

come packaged in plastic? There

plastic? That’s when you have to

100% needs to be a change in

without plastic:

get a little creative.

the packaging to something more

without plastic.

• in the bakery section of a

sustainable than plastic, I am in

grocery store,

What to wrap bread

no way saying bread should be

• at your community markets,

in to freeze it without

packaged in plastic. However, if

plastic:

you’re curious as to why bread is

a local bakery, • or you can make bread at home. If purchasing plastic-free bread at the grocery store, look for it in the morning, because the small quantities of bread loaves usually sell out fast. Another helpful thing to learn is freezing bread without plastic. Let’s take a look at eight ways you can keep bread fresh and freeze bread, plastic-free!

How to freeze bread

• Reusable beeswax wraps

packaged in plastic, here are a few

• Unbleached parchment paper

reasons:

• Reusable freezer bag (best for

• Maintains food quality

bread slices)

• Food safety

• Dishcloth

• Prevents food waste

• Reusable container (best for bread slices)

According to plastics.org.nz,

• Paper bag

“Plastic packaging ensures our

• Pillow case

food has a longer shelf-life and

• Foil, then reuse it

less bacterial growth making it fresher and safer when it reaches

When wrapping your bread, make

the consumer. Plastics also allow

sure you cover every bit of the

for safer food preparation and less

bread. If you’re using unbleached

food waste.”

parchment paper, a dishcloth,

without plastic

a paper bag, or a pillow case, I

If you can’t avoid using plastic,

If you don’t feel like you’re able

recommend using elastic bands,

find ways to reuse it, so we can all

to finish your loaf of bread before

reused from produce, to make

reduce waste, now.

it goes bad, freezing it is a great

sure the bread is wrapped tightly.

option! I personally like freezing

Bread keeps fresh for up to 6

Graydon Lawson owns Reduce Waste Now and loves helping people achieve their zero-waste goals. While Reduce Waste Now is his primary job function, Graydon also enjoys spending time with his friends, family and dogs. Say hi to Graydon on Instagram! @ReduceWasteNow

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Where to buy bread

without plastic

+ 8 ways to freeze bread, plastic-free By Graydon Lawson

Photo by Josh Beaver of Pexels

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If you Want it Bad Enough, no one can Stop you! By Tyrel Earnest

I don’t think I even know what to type. Not because I don’t have anything to say, but because I’m overwhelmed. Only in the best way though! See, about three weeks ago, I packed my things, got in my car, and drove to Los Angeles. Along the way, I encountered a few problems, but it was, all in all, great! With soaring temperatures, and a car with no A.C., I made one of the most memorable trips of my life. Seeing mountains, and deserts, thriving communities, and energy plants. I even got the chance to cross a few state lines with other drivers. Why am I telling you this? I’m telling you this because even though a few things stood in my way, I didn’t let them stop me. In the same instance, you are just as unstoppable!

We talk about the end, but we rarely talk about

the journey. Never let anyone tell you what you are capable of doing! No matter how hard it may be, if you want it bad enough, no one can stop you! Time after time, we compare ourselves to others’ statuses, not putting into context how amazing and prosperous we all can be. In order to bUneke, you have to be able to uniquely ﬁnd your niche. Your passion, your drive, your purpose, these are all things we can push to their limits! Remember you are special, you are talented, and you can do anything you set your mind to! Pursue, pursue, and pursue, until you can no longer, friends! What do I know though? I’m just the funny guy.

Tyrel Earnest, originally from Akron, Ohio, now calls Los Angeles home. At home in front of the camera as he is oﬀscreen, Tyrel acts, writes, performs standup and is a member of the bUneke.org board of directors.

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20 Things

2020

Has Taught Us

By Manchit Kaur Sachdeva

As a year full of crisis and surprises, it’s safe to say that 2020 has taught us more things than we can keep a tab of, but here is a list of 20 things 2020 has taught us. 1. Survival of the fittest isn’t just a biological concept. 11. We tend to go back to the people who hurt us It’s valid for the success of all emotional and mental battles as well.

We still have a long way to go in separating gender from roles. Even today, we are burdening women with certain responsibilities that can easily be shared with men.

Nothing matters more than your family. We are reminded of the generosity of love just by spending more time with our families.

4. It’s not about the most educated but the most

efficient and skillful. Anyone who knows how to make the most of what they know, will stand a better chance of survival in the competitive world.

5. Your attitude matters more than what’s actually

happening. An optimistic mind-set can find a way through the same place a pessimist’s heart finds itself stuck.

6. We have been spending money on so many

unnecessary things without even realizing. It’s imperative that we continue to respect money no matter how much we end up with.

7. It makes more sense to desire peace of mind than happiness. We cannot be necessarily happy in the current situation and yet be at peace.

8. We have used nature as a break from other

humans way too often that we forgot that nature too needs a break from humans. It’s important to give nature some space and leave it undisturbed.

Any amount of physical distance can be covered with emotional closeness.

10. The only mistake one can make is to not learn

from the mistakes.

out of loneliness. We still have a long way to fill our own emptiness and not depend on people to make us feel whole.

12.

We are too stubborn in our ambitions and plans that we forget to take uncertainties into account.

13.

It’s okay to feel lost for a while. We might just end up discovering a new and better route to our destination.

14. Nothing is more important than our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Nothing. Everything else is secondary.

15. There is so much to be thankful for that we

forget to be grateful on a daily basis. It’s important to acknowledge what we already have, while working for more.

16. Our first duty is towards ourselves. We must self-introspect enough and be comfortable in our skin.

17. It’s the little things that actually carry the most impact on our lives - that extra hug, that one late night text, that rainbow, that extra serving of ice cream. We must cherish those little things to the fullest.

18.

Learning should never stop. It’s a constant on-going process that we must embrace to make the most of our lives.

19. It’s absolutely, perfectly, completely okay to be not okay sometimes.

20. No setback is a loss if we can learn to walk out of it with a bag full of lessons.

Manchit Sachdeva is a “modern-old-soul” feminist with the ability to be happy and sad at the same time as if that’s completely normal.

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Sander Funneman has been researching the fascinating electrical ecosystem of the planet since 1986 when he attended a lecture about the idea that ‘everything works by electricity and magnetism.’

various ways. If, for example, we think, then electrical frequencies are being used. Animals also use electrical signals; birds for navigation, fish for communication, seals for scanning their surroundings with their whiskers, et cetera.”

Science has opened an amazing and mainly unknown world. When Sander began his research, the

What started as a light-hearted investigation grew slowly into something more serious. Along with the inspiration grew a concern about the use of artificial radiation in the environment. In March

understanding of the electromagnetic worlds was still very much in its infancy. However, over the last five years, scientific research has gone exponential, opening up an amazing and mainly unknown

2019 Electric Ecosystem was published. world. Amongst all the appreciative messages Why did he decide to write a book about his research over the

Sander has received since the book’s publication, he often also receives new research references.

past 34 years? “I am sure you have seen the V-shape in which “My wife and I realised that for the sake of nature we needed to do something with the research. I am convinced that a fundamental change in our thinking is necessary” Sander explained.

migratory birds fly through the air,” he said. “There are all kinds of theories why they do it. A few German scientists started researching it through the eyes of electric circuits. Their measurements revealed that a flock of birds generate a strong electric field with a charge up

“The idea that everything works only on the basis of chemical reactions calls for an update. A true way now appears to be to see that everything is connected by electromagnetic

to 6,000 volts. Each bird is locked into the field and this determines the order of the V-shape. The beaks of the birds are positively charged, whilst the wingtips and tails are negatively charged.” Currently, Sander is working on a story for a French magazine about the electric life of trees.

signals in “It’s absolutely fascinating what opens up everywhere you look.” He smiled.

It is about everyone and everything. One story that is close to his heart concerns his

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eight-year-old great-nephew, Winsten. Although the book is written with adults in mind, Winsten became fascinated by the electric ecosystem and particularly by one of the more challenging chapters about how colonies of bacteria communicate using electrical signals. The idea of bacteria using some kind of sophisticated mobile phone system caught the boy’s attention so much that he decided to do a presentation at school, which he started by saying, “This book doesn’t have one hero. It is about everyone and everything.”

“That story is very dear to me,” Sander said, “for it speaks of hope. The next generation might, for example, be able to grasp the interconnectedness and the electric side of life much quicker than I did when I first heard about it.”

, Marion Verweij is an author, poet, certified copywriter, researcher, speaker and workshop facilitator on all things relating to positive world change and being unique.

What is the Electric Ecosystem? By Marion Verweij

Sander Funneman studied general economy. Since 2000 he is an independent researcher, publicist and director of the Template Stichting in the Netherlands. He is also a member of the steering group of the WPEN (Scientific Platform EMF Netherlands), which is a cooperation of scientists from different universities, research journalists and other experts. He speaks internationally on many subjects concerning the natural templates of life and is an advocate of different ways of looking at the greater context of human existence. Electric Ecosystem was published in English in spring 2020.

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6 Easy Steps to Your

Best Christmas Gift Ever!

By Rina

Winter is here! The hot and humid Korean summer yielded to the deep blue autumn skies and with the beginning of the holiday season, the rice paddies are turning yellow and the trees’ canopies in all shades of orange and red. We moved house before the Korean Thanksgiving Celebrations (Autumn Fullmoon Festival) and I enjoyed sorting, cleaning, decluttering and finally decorating, for weeks .

One project was collecting colourful leaves, tying them in chains and hanging them on my windows, where their shapes and colours play with the bright but gentle autumn sunshine. Another point on the bucket list was an upcycling project. I collected empty bathroom tissue rolls throughout the year, and got more gifted from precious friends, and turned them into an advent calendar to send to my family, whom I cannot join for Christmas this year due to Covid travel regulations. It was astonishingly easy and turned out unexpectedly well! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Collect 24 empty bathroom tissue rolls. Press them flat. Use a water glass to scratch a round shape into the edges. Cover the rolls with some pretty paper, felt, fabric or just colour them. Cut and glue or write the numbers on the rolls. Fill the calendar and tie neat little packages.

Easy, isn’t it? Do you need sustainable ideas to fill the calendar? I used a 300-pieces puzzle, assembled it and put 12 to 13 pieces each day. You can also put different teabags or bake cookies and include one each day. Or you write little tasks like enjoying a cup of tea, writing a letter to a friend, going for a walk or doing a breathing exercise to encourage a more mindful time of advent. There are no limits to your creativity! Whatever makes you happy and brings joy to those you love.

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Be blessed! ,

Rina is a German-born environmentalist living in South Korea. She lectures on environmental

topics, and plans and facilitates environmental education programs in Christian communities throughout Korea. Read more from Rina at https://bit.ly/RinaKorea

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ABSENT MELLOW MIND By Amel Sian Okoye

My absent mellow mind

I fall into an unconscious state.

dozes away.

How soon will I awake?

Forgetting the day.

Dimensions find me.

Forgetting the schemes,

While my mind,

and vivid dreams of dreams.

escapes into realms unknown.

Only to seek forgiveness and lay alone. My soul goes, My mind shall follow. Visions of a sleepy hollow. Stuck in today. Forbidden from tomorrow.

Amel Sian Okoye was born in San Diego, California and has considered herself a poet since she was 12, as a way to share her outlook of the world. @amelokoye IG

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Reaching nearly 400,000 each issue! Now in our 2nd year of publication. Call today 321-417-4309.

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Fashion for the Future

Beautiful Scarves with Meaning By Marion Verweij

A Prayer into the World is a Danish design project creating scarves that are designed to carry meaning through words, images and colour. Born from the desire to create something that would add value into the world, Marianne Lundhus and Malene Maxon design and produce the scarves from their workroom just outside Copenhagen in Denmark. The process begins with something they value – respect for the planet, qualities that make us more human such as care and understanding, gender equality – and then the creative process starts. Always, the challenge is to design a scarf that can carry value into the world, almost like representatives for a better possibility in the future. The hope is that these scarves work as a link for the wearers to what they might want to strengthen in their own lives. “If a person has decided to work on respect, or kindness,” says Marianne, “they might choose to wear the scarf Qualities to help remind them of that through their day. When I wear the scarf Charisma, it says to me that I do not need to be limited by the roles that have been available to me as a woman in the 21st century. All that has been does not need to determine what I can be now and there is a feeling that everything is possible. There is something quite strengthening in knowing that there are others who wear this scarf and are searching to develop ways of being in and for the future.”

Fundamental to life

The writings on the scarves carry a special message and speak about current issues that confront us as humans and that are fundamental

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to life. The idea for this project was to create designs that are fashionable and attractive while also carrying sentiments that encourage new ways of thinking for tomorrow. The design process has been undertaken with care and has been unique for each scarf. Since they began, one of the designs they have worked on is a scarf about peace; something they feel so strongly is needed in the world. They are on their seventh attempt. “We just know instinctively that it is not there yet,” says Malene. “It’s like when you see something that has come together just right, you just think ‘wow!’ If it’s not ‘wow’ then we haven’t caught it yet.”

Awareness for the future Central to the development of the scarves is the consideration of looking to use environmentally friendly processes that leave as few footprints that pollute the earth as possible. “We are very mindful of the next generation,” says Malene, “not just in terms of how we use our resources, but also about how we treat each other and other life.” They don’t feel the project is about them personally; the website has no About Us section. “It’s not about us,” says Marianne smiling. “It’s

about the messages on the scarves and how they might help to trigger thoughts and sentiments in others. It is about being a part of the growing concern to leave this a better and cleaner place for all those generations yet to be born. This is one way of giving that expression into the world.” Scarves can be ordered in $, € or £. Learn more at APrayerIntoTheWorld.com Read bUneke’s Extra blog for more about the texts on the scarves.

Marion Verweij is an author, poet, certified copywriter, researcher, speaker and workshop facilitator on all things relating to positive world change and being unique.

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REASONS TO BE

Happy, Content, & Inspired By Marion Pellicano Ambrose

I remember my mother coming home from parent teacher night each year of my school career, shaking her head and sitting me down for a talk. “Your teacher says you’re always on cloud 9,” she’d tell me. “Marion, you’ve got to take off those rose-colored glasses and start living in the real world, or you’ll never make anything of your life.”

I had to rise above, if I was to survive. I tried. I really did. I tried to be serious and realistic, but my soul kept telling me that I had to rise above, if I was to survive. I could deal with the difficulties, pain and heartaches of life, as long as I kept it all in a little corner of my heart and filled the rest with joy and gratitude. I’ve lived through great losses in my life, a baby, a husband, my parents and a dear friend. Each time, I was filled with intense sadness, hopelessness

and grief. I cried my tears and did what I needed to get through each day, and when eventually, my soul became so heavy that I thought I might lose myself to despair, I slipped those rose-colored glasses back on. I thought, “They may be beyond my sight, but they live in my heart and my memory.” I remembered the happy times we shared and the effect they had on my life. I thought of them with joy and gratitude, and I was able to continue with my life and my work in that so-called “real world”. Contrary to my mother’s warning, I feel that I have made something of my life: wife, mother, teacher, assistant principal and president of two nonprofit organizations. I have amazing friends, a rewarding career and spend much of my time doing volunteer work in the community.

I still wear my rose-colored glasses.

I still find reasons to be happy, content and inspired. I see people showing great kindness to others, first responders and medical staff giving so very much of themselves to help people in need, students going out of their way to help older people who can’t do for themselves. For every setback, we’re learning new things that will help us in the future. For every negative, I see one or more positives to keep us moving forward. When I look through these rosy lenses, I see hope and possibilities. So yes, I still wear my rosecolored glasses, but they have enabled me to see beyond the negative and recognize the positive that surrounds us. We can all make it through the hard times, the difficulties, and the challenges, but only if we choose to live in the light rather than exist in the darkness. Read bUneke.org’s Extra! blog for my five, easy suggestions for how anyone can choose to live in the light.

Marion Ambrose resides in Palm Bay, FL with her husband and has two grown children. With an MS in educational leadership, she’s served as a teacher,

administrator, published author and president of two nonprofit corporations.

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Ahnie’s Attic One woman’s glimpse into a favorite memory By Linda S. Humphrey

I was 14 years old and living with my mother in a tiny trailer on Merritt Island, Florida. You know the kind; you are in the living room and you turn around and you are in the kitchen! But, for this ninth-grader, it was home. Mama worked at a retail store not too far from where we lived, until she fell down the little step by our door and injured her back and couldn’t work. She just pretty much was stretched out on the sofa. My parents had been separated for several years. We had no income at this time. None. I remember looking through the refrigerator and cupboards hoping to be surprised, hoping to find something I had overlooked. Yet, there they were: a few potatoes and a bag of pinto beans. I was a young girl, becoming concerned about where our next meal would come from. I had no idea how long Mama would be unable to work.

I began to pray.

I stepped outside in the dark. I began to pray. I told God that I knew I was his child and that he cared about my mama and me. I just talked to him as I would a relative sitting in my living room. I was sure he didn’t need me to tell him what was or wasn’t in my food supply. He knew. It just felt better acknowledging His presence and asking for help, like any child might with their parents.

I finished my prayer, said amen and went to bed. The next day, I believe was a Saturday. A knock came on our door. I opened it to look upon the smiling, yet puzzled face of my Sunday school teacher, Jean. She asked me to come outside. “I had a very strange thing happen in the middle of the night,” she said. “Something woke me up and told me to get up and take down a grocery list for you and your mother.” With that said, she opened the trunk of her car and it was filled with enough food for two months!

I released my faith.

It was an event in my life that, of course, changed my thoughts about God and how He really isn’t this fierce, scary being that just waits to punish us when we have done wrong. At that moment, He became a real parent, a Father to me in the most real sense. He knew my need before I asked. I believe He would have supplied food to us whether or not I asked. But, because I did, I released my faith and He responded. I have presented this story to countless groups over the years. I especially enjoy sharing it with teenagers. I walk into the room with a sack of potatoes and a bag of pinto beans and place them where the audience can see. They begin to wonder what in the world, and then I tell them.

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Why I Think Writers

If I had never started tabletop roleplaying games, I wouldn’t have thought I could write a novel or create a business from playing pretend. If asked, I would be hard-pressed to say which came first: my love of writing or my love of role-playing games. As a child, I loved to play the games most children play, where they run around with seemingly no rules and no set code of conduct. Where the children would say, “Act like I punch you in the face,” to which the other child responded with, “But, no, I smack your hand before it gets to me.” The games where kids would pretend the ability to fly over cities or were strong enough to lift cars and throw them

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at the other kids. Your basic playing pretend.

I wanted to play pretend for a living. As a kid, I always drew a blank when adults asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. How could I say I wanted to play pretend for a living? Near the same time, I found an interest in reading, writing, and creating my own stories. I remember one of the stories I wrote in third or fourth grade involved cutting zombies in half and driving a car into them, resulting in an explosion of green, viscous fluids. I’m sure I didn’t use the word viscous because there’s no way a fourth grader knows that word. While my teacher was understandably concerned about the subject matter, she also approached my parents about

Should Role-play

the quality of my writing. I had put my whole mind into that assignment, because I had loved it. I was playing pretend in my head and having fun.

By Aron Frakes

I had heard of tabletop role-playing games in the vague way that most southern, country folk had. It’s a tool of the devil and can make you renounce

That was my joy.

your faith. “They’re meant to get you involved

As I grew older, it became harder to find other kids that still wanted to play those games of pretending to be superheroes and villains, cops and robbers, mutants and aliens. So a lot of my time was spent walking through the woods and pretending to be any of those things by myself. I’m under no illusion that it was normal behavior for a 14 or 15 year old to still pretend to be a warlord, hacking through armies at that age. But I lived about half a mile into the woods away from my nearest neighbor, seven miles away from town, which translated into about four hours by bike. So that was my joy. That was my fun.

devil can steal your soul. Stay away from those

with powers beyond your understanding so the

Aw Wit Qu my the

satanic devil games.” Be sure to read bUneke’s Extra! Blog for how a devoutly religious friend introduced me to Dungeons and Dragons and how that enhanced my writing skills.

Aron Frakes role plays as he works on his second novel.

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T here is Simply the Rose

By Mickey Lewis

Liane and Nicole Wainstein

With all of their individual

rose, in their brand, is a

were born and raised in

successes, they longed for

reminder to be aware of the

South Africa and are the co-

something that could truly be

needs of others. In fact, 10%

founders and sis-preneurs of

their own. The young women

of the profits from the little

hip and holy. Shortly after

formed a partnership, bringing

rose are pledged to the Feed

high school, their parents

together their individual

The Children organization.

relocated the family to

experience and expertise.

California, and the girls just

Thus, hip and holy was created

Feed The Children is a

took off, traveling the world,

with the desire to inspire real

nonprofit based in the USA

and taking corporate America

change in our world.

that promises to feed and

by storm. According to Nicole, “When Liane began traveling the

we started our collection, we

globe and building The Hair,

wanted to create something

Health and Beauty branding

with a true purpose,

for Carlton Hair. During this

something that can be handed

time, she took a journey of

down as a reminder to spread

self-discovery, and earned her

seeds of kindness.”

Yoga Alliance Hatha Teacher training.

Liane added to that philosophy by saying, “With this purse,

support hungry children around the world. For every $1 that is donated, the charity provides $7 worth of food and essentials to some of the nation’s most vulnerable populations. It’s a comfort to know that there are truly goodhearted people in the world. If more

Nicole began working in

the wearer can carry their own

the food and hospitality

eternal rose that represents

CEOs and Entrepreneurs

industries, opening

a promise of blessing, along

recognized the ability they

restaurants for Wolfgang Puck,

with an encouragement to be

have to make a difference, the

and launching Mozambique

charitable.”

world would be a beautiful place. Until then, we know at

in Laguna Beach. Nicole’s inspiration was Steven Covey. She was drawn to his work ethics and themes of honesty, integrity, and human dignity.

They desired to inspire real change in our world.

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10% of the profits from the little rose are pledged to charity.

least one organization where

The sisters were influenced

Learn more!

by the Jewish tradition, in

hipandholy.com

the world can be changed by the beauty and simplicity of a little rose.

which a coin purse holds the wearer’s tzedakah, or charitable giving. The little

There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every

moment of its existence. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mick Lewis has a Bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies, and a Master’s in Business. He’s cowriter of the recently released book, “Overtures,” which is the ﬁrst book in the trilogy, The Proditor Chronicles, available on Amazon.

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Imagine

Imagine being a child with a challenge. Now imagine being a child with a pair of shoes that no longer fits. But it is the only pair you have.

Imagine trying to go through each day wearing that pair of shoes and trying to do those things that you need to do. We all know that pair of shoes will create blisters, deformed toes, pain and suﬀering as you try to walk in them. This is what happens to children who are challenged and cannot get updated mobile equipment because the government programs in place do not understand that children grow overnight. They only provide a new device every

By Yvonne Mason Sewell

Creating

solutions for challenges

An organization called Wheelchairs4kids works towards solutions for those challenges. Madeline Robinson saw this challenge, and as a former Jaycee and Florida JCI Senator, she decided to be the change she wanted to see in others. Using her training as a Jaycee, she set up an organization called Wheelchairs4kids.

Through the kind donations and sponsorships of her community and those around her, she created something Uneke. She gives children the ability to not only be mobile, but to be healthy. Daily, she receives calls and emails from families who need updated equipment for their growing children, and boy does Madeline deliver! These devices are not cheap, they run in the thousands of dollars and all of them are Uneke to each child. There is no cookie-cutter device. Each child’s needs are met including making the home handicap-accessible, which in turn, helps the parents. Madeline’s team is dedicated to these children and their families, who many times, have more than one child in the family. So, money is indeed stretched to the limit. Madeline and her team work hard to see that each family’s needs are met. They believe that no child should suﬀer, and that no family should have to go bankrupt in order to make sure that a child’s needs are taken care of.

Imagine 28 ﬁve years. When a child has to stay in a mobile device for that long, without it growing with

them, they suﬀer other physical challenges that exacerbate their primary challenge. The added

problems can be everything from pressure sores, to breathing problems to scoliosis.

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These children are here for a reason. They are part of our future. They have much to contribute to our present. Madeline knows this. She understands this and she is willing to be the change she wants to see in others. She is willing to do what it takes to make this happen.

magine Creating room to grow

While Madeline is the heartbeat of Wheelchairs4kids, the children are the face of this wonderful

organization. They are the soul, they are the future and they deserve the best we, as their village, can give them. Madeline and her team are the epitome of making actions greater than words. They have shown what can be done, if one only believes and

takes that ﬁrst step. They have, ﬁrsthand, seen the smiles on the children’s faces when they are placed in the new mobile devices and are comfortable with room to grow. They have experienced the tears of thankfulness that run down the parents’ faces, the worry lines gone, the anxiety dissipated. Wheelchairs4kids has made positive things happen to families that might have otherwise given up hope. Learn more at wheelchairs4kids.org Find out how to be part of something bigger than yourself, how to be part of something Uneke.

Yvonne Mason Sewell is the board chair for bUneke.org, the author of 17 books including three true crimes and the National Photographer for the U.S. JCI Senate. Twitter.com/yvonnemason

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Nurturing creativity,

moxiebox.art.com

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anEXPLORATION, d Self Expression d an SELF EXPRESSION

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Coming in 2021

A GIVE ND AWA YS

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Email us today with your order! mary@bUneke.org

ROEN REVIEWS

Flora & Ulysses

Kate DiCamillo Illustrated by K. G. Campbell Candlewick Press 99 Dover Street, Somerville MA 02144 www.candlewick.com 9780763660406, $17.99 www.amazon.com Often, I am asked how I pick some of the books I review. For Flora & Ulysses, I can say I was in a thrift store and looked over the book’s subject matter as well as its cover and loved it enough to give it a try. I often find other titles this way as well, and am grateful that we have so many of these types of stores and used book places. While some authors pan this way of finding new material, they are not looking at the bigger picture of new audiences who might pick up their titles as well. Flora Belle Buckman lives with her mom, a romance writer, who wants the young girl of 11 to stop reading comic books. Flora is in her room on the second floor when she looks out to see her neighbor Mrs. Tickman using a strange-

looking vacuum cleaner that picks up anything in its path, including a squirrel who just happened to be in the way. Flora rushes down the stairs, proceeding next door, to save the animal. She saves its life and becomes friends with it as the creature can now communicate with Flora. Thus begins the story of Flora that takes readers on a grand journey of comic books and relationships between children and adults. Flora & Ulysses is a well-written novel, with interesting characters, that has a lot to say about the world we live in. I would love to see more works of Kate DiCamillo in the future and hope others would too as Flora & Ulysses is a wonderful novel for any age to enjoy.

Gary Roen, is the author of Journey, Slotski’s World, The Forgotten Father, Look at Me World, and is the co-author of Cats, Cats and More Cats. gsroen@aol.com or on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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bCreative Challenge Tribute bUneke.org held a creative challenge to encourage positivity and showcase the amazingly talented people throughout the world. Unfortunately, only a few people submitted their works. The submissions were all in different categories, which meant our revered judges could not determine a first, second or third place winner. In our minds, they are all winners and we appreciate their efforts and their creativity. Each person who submitted an entry to the competition will receive a special prize and our digital award to display on their websites or social media platforms, with our sincere gratitude and deep appreciation. The written submissions are here, in our special tribute section. You can watch the digital submission here. We know you are all winners and expect to see your submissions when we hold another competition.

Dear Human Kind By Marion Verweij - Netherlands

Dear Human Kind, Do we need the proof and evidence recounted That we humans have turned an oasis into a quagmire That humanity has been largely discarded That the situation is more than dire? Let us gather at this time of darkening night And strengthen the humanity in human kind In looking for ways to let in the light Who knows what new we may ﬁnd? Let’s partner with the future and put self aside. It was never meant to be about you and me. Let us feel again that glorious pride As we set the human spirit free.

bUneke Magazine is Food for the Brain By Sharon Black USA

bUneke Magazine is like a potato. No matter how you cut it, cook it, or which condiments you slather over it, it's still a delicious potato. The funny thing about potatoes is they don't come from a seed; the potato produces a potato. A potato has eyes, those eyes produce potatoes. It's nurtured below ground with water and warmth from the sun.

32 That's exactly how the magazine is produced. It's nurtured by the volunteers and the staﬀ and, of course, the many readers and advertisers. The articles and stories

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are varied, but still have a common denominator of a delicious way we desire how the world could be improved. Some stories are about people, the environment, and animals, above water and below. No matter what the subject matter, it all goes back to the one idea of sharing and caring. The writers can write about the ends of the earth or something in their own backyard and it all congeals into one denominator of hope for the future. The writers of bUneke Magazine are as varied and diﬀerent as the

different ways a potato can be served. A potato can be a French fry, mashed, scalloped, diced, shredded, and baked. A bUneke volunteer, no matter what color or shape, size, personality, is still human, a human that contributes to the wonderful world of each issue of bUneke Magazine. Now consider a baked potato bar, the condiments and toppings that are offered are as different as a person standing next to me is different. These toppings all came from different regions that are going to enhance

the potato, but still the potato is the prize of the meal. A story written by a contributor for the magazine who is from Europe is going to be a different flavor than a writer in Florida. The potato like many other vegetables can be eaten hot or cold. Potato soup tends to be a wintertime favorite. Potato salad is considered a picnic must. Just like the covers of bUneke Magazine, some tend to reflect the warmer months on the covers of three, four, and sixteen. A cooler climate, such as issues five, eight, nine, and

thirteen. Some covers are very colorful and eye-catching and others show a story in a photo. The covers in issues one, two, and ﬁfteen are tantalizing to the senses.

It is the goal of a cook to prepare the potato soup or salad as eyecatchingly as possible so the guest will devour it and compliment the cook. The spice of life is our individuality and our

beliefs and showing the readers that everyone is diﬀerent, but can have a common thread, which is improving lives and the world around us. In conclusion, the cover is as important

just as the skin of the potato. The cover of the magazine’s most important enticing function is to draw a reader into the world of bUneke Magazine.

Through the Eye of a Giraffe By Marion Verweij - Netherlands

The rich, creamy heat of the African air rushed deep into Maya’s body as she inhaled its familiar intensity. Like the pulse of a drum beating around her bloodstream, dry sand soaking up water. It caused her to stop, forgetting the taxi driver. The conference was over, and she had a day for herself. She was alone with no responsibilities, and no one knew her. She felt invigorated with a sense of freedom mingled with a slight edge of trepidation: Johannesburg is not the safest place for a white woman to be alone. Africa always heightened her senses, made her feel alive. The colours, music and laughter on the street outside like reuniting with a close friend. The England she’d left behind was a typical wet-blanket grey November. It would be months before she would feel anything

more than a vague idea of warm sun shining on her face. Determined to get out and enjoy the sun and the dazzlingly blue sky, she jumped into the taxi like a fiveyear-old and asked for the zoo. Generally, she didn’t like watching confined animals. But it meant eight hours outdoors in a guarded compound. After one tour around the zoo to orient herself with the layout, she sat and pondered. What would she do with the next seven hours? A sense of quiet descended on her. She recognized the feeling of slowing down that Africa always offered her. As the stresses of the last weeks fell away, and her problems forgotten on another continent. Her breathing slowed and deepened. She felt more in tune with nature, more herself. Why not take full advantage of a stolen day to really slow down? She started walking at

a slower and slower speed, until, after a couple of hours, she reached the speed where animals didn’t react to her approach. Her head was empty of its usual internal noise. Only this moment in time existed. By the time she approached the giraﬀe compound, her pace was slower than a tortoise’s. She stood still, watching as one of the two giraﬀes slowly looked up and saw her. It got clumsily to its feet and lolloped in its ungainly stride towards her.

remembering times she had experienced giraffes in the wild. Like films, her memory showed image after image: dusty red ground, vivid green trees, giraffes eating, walking, running free. Space around them stretching into the distance. Freedom. After perhaps half an hour, maybe only ten minutes, the giraffe shook his head, as if coming out of a trance, stood and returned to its companion. Maya stood, still looking at where the giraffes head had been, still in the state

Sitting on the edge of the ground, it stretched its long neck across the ditch between them as if trying to touch her. The compound was designed for them not to be able to touch, but Maya felt magnetically drawn to this amazingly beautiful animal. Their eyes locked in a silent touch. Without awareness, Maya found herself

their conversation had evoked. Films began to pass through her feelings; ﬁlms of the universe, of stars, of inﬁnity. They seemed to say: Forget

33 not, you are also in a compound. Look up,

stretch to feel freedom; the human can be so much more.

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Renewable Energy and a Community Living Harmony with Nature

By Aaron Michael | Photo Credit: Werner Slocum/NREL

The vision of a world utilizing renewable energy, living in community through food, and living in harmony with nature is coming true through a community solar garden. Jack’s Solar Garden, located in Longmont, Colorado, is set to be a model for the world in doing just that. Owned and managed by Byron Kominek, Jack’s Solar Garden was originally farmland owned and managed by Byron’s grandfather, Jack.

Setting an example for a renewable energy generation With more than 3,200 solar panels, Jack’s Solar Garden is setting an example for renewable energy generation. These panels generate about 1.2 megawatts of power – enough to power more than 300 homes. Local homes, businesses, and municipalities can lease into the solar panels to assure their power has been partly generated through renewable means. For example, local company, In The Flow, has subscribed to 25% of the grid. Additionally, as part of a pilot program, the city of Boulder, Colorado, is leasing into panels to power 20 homes. The power of a community solar garden does not

“Our purpose is to do as much with our

stop at the solar panels. Underneath the panels,

family’s farm as possible for the benefit of our

researchers, farmers, and the community are growing

land and our community,” Byron said.

crops – a term known as agrivoltaics.

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these crops to the community while training farmers on agrivoltaic practices. Jack’s Solar Garden also provides valuable habitat for pollinators and birds. In 2019, Earth Love Gardens met with Byron to collaborate with the Audubon Rockies to create this habitat. In partnership and through grant funding with the Audubon Rockies, more than 1,800 plants were planted for the benefit of native bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators.

Certified Habitat Hero Garden The Audubon Rockies certified the landscape as a Habitat Hero Garden, and at about 6 acres, this is the largest of its kind, to date. As one of the main threats to wildlife is habitat loss, the Habitat Hero Garden program certifies gardens and landscapes as pollinator and bird-friendly. Jack’s Solar Garden is setting the example of an intelligent use of land, renewable resources, and having a healthy relationship with the community.

The largest in the U.S. Jack’s Solar Garden is the largest site for this practice in

Its Artist on the Farm program provides

the United States.

a stipend to a local artist to illustrate the project’s significance with the community.

“Agrivoltaics offers the opportunity to produce clean

A small portion of electricity is also donated

energy on farmland while still keeping soil productive,”

to low-income housing. Through educational

Byron said.

tours, schools and community members will learn and be inspired by how energy

Agrivoltaics is being further studied at Jack’s Solar

and food is produced with each other. The

Garden by researchers from the National Renewable

vision of a healthier world and community is

Energy Laboratory, Colorado State University, and the

already coming true at Jack’s Solar Garden.

University of Arizona.

Learn more at JacksSolarGarden.com

Local partner, Sprout City Farms, will sell and donate

35 ,

Aaron Michael lives in Boulder, Colorado and loves to be outside in nature and connect authentically with people. He operates his company, Earth Love Gardens, creating a world that lives in harmony with the Earth.

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What is

Fast Fashion and Why Should You Avoid it?

By Sustainability on the Go team

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t bring the same outfit for big events, or post many photos with the same clothes? Well, that’s a result of fast fashion. Every year thousands of pieces of clothing are thrown away because of it. It’s becoming an increasing problem. What is fast fashion, you ask? With the growing competition among the fashion industry, companies decided that in order to make the maximum profit, they should steal clothing ideas or designs and make a cheaper and less thought of version of those same outfits and sell them. Consequently, it created seasons of clothing, where new designs were constantly being made, changing the fashion trends rapidly. This not only encourages people to waste more money, but they will be paying for a worse product. Moreover, many of these companies are involved in exploitation of their employees, by making them work long hours without decent remuneration or work conditions. And let’s not talk about child labour. These companies have absolutely no remorse on what they’re willing to put others through for more profit.

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is wearing clothes in which you feel comfortable, that expresses and aligns with who you are. However, being in style revolves around other people, following trends of clothing to fit in, because otherwise you won’t feel accepted.

Break the fast-fashion cycle. We understand that even though we should avoid using fast fashion brands like Primark or Zara or others, it’s simply impossible for some people. High-quality brands, despite being more durable, are expensive and not everyone can afford them. It’s only natural to resort to cheaper models of the same outfits. But since a lot less effort was put into them, they survive less time and lose their charm quicker. This begins a cycle. You will have to buy new clothes more often, spend more money, and, in the end, you will end up spending more than you would, if you had bought the high-quality clothing. However, sometimes, there are circumstances in which there are little to no other options than to buy new clothes, whether it be because you’re still growing, or physically changing, or maybe you haven’t found your fashion style yet. Note that finding your style is very different from wanting to be in style. Your style

Don’t fall for fake sustainability. On a last note, please don’t fall for the fake attempts of sustainability from those companies. If they really thought of the environment, if they were serious about it, they would try to reduce the amount of plastic, like polyester, in the clothes or the overall amount of clothing they produce, and they certainly wouldn’t make only a section of sustainable clothing. Sustainable is a word they use just to sound nice, because the clothes, many times, continue to use plastic. Check the tags! If you want to know more about what fast fashion means, and how you can fight it, there is another article about fast fashion on sustainabilityonthego.wordpress. com

Isabel Dias, Joana Sousa, Leonor Trigo and Maria Joana Baceira are students from NOVA IMS in Portugal. They developed a sustainability website where they share tips to help accomplish the UN’s sustainable development goals.

SustainabilityOnTheGo.wordpress.com

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Th i s i s W h e r e I L e a v e y o u…

The Self-love Survival Guide By Dr. Megan Prowse

I want to start by saying thank you to all of you amazing readers who have followed my articles and who have dedicated yourselves to the practice of self care and self-love, even during the toughest of times, in particular, those we have faced of late. It is with sadness that I am writing my last article to you all but with much conﬁdence in your ability to continue using your skills in looking after your mental and emotional wellbeing. For this last article, I put forward a few tips to take with you and continue your self-love journey. After all, it is a process and an ongoing journey, no matter where you started with self-love. One of the main things I would say for ensuring you are looking after yourself is boundaries. These are often a lifetime piece of work and involve lots of healing, letting

own sense of what is ok with you. If this is the case, it’s about communication. Let people know that how they are treating you isn’t sitting right.

go of old beliefs and perhaps letting go of people who do not have your best interests at heart. However, they form the foundation on which how we view ourselves is based, as well as our relationships to others. If we can set up, alter, and improve our boundaries, we can build our self esteem, as how we ask people to treat us is one of the most important messages we can send and one that our self-conﬁdence can grow from.

Check in with how you feel. It is important to check in with how you feel around people and should any discomfort

arise, it may be that you are not honouring yourself and your

Boundaries are also about setting your own limits in your work and home life. This can be in terms of how much time you allow for things, how much you give to others in these domains and being able to give yourself permission to ask for more, less, or anything in between.

Be Disciplined.

It is crucial to be disciplined. Over time, setting your boundaries with yourself and others will become so much easier, but at the beginning it is like starting a new habit, so try to implement consistently. This will be easier or more diﬃcult depending on stress levels, physical health and your life at the time, so be kind, but remain dedicated to ensuring

your boundaries are in place and respected. Another area that is key to consider when building on your emotional wellbeing and self-love is self talk. This is something I have written about a lot and is another pillar of self-confidence. How we speak to ourselves is then projected onto the world. For example, if we continuously self-deprecate, we will look for that in our experiences and relationships, which can massively impact our quality of life and then reinforce those negative self-talk statements leading to a horrible and difficult cycle. So when moving forward, ensure you have covered self talk. Please visit bUneke.org/extra-blog for all of Dr. Meg’s tips and find her other articles on Self-Love there.

Dr. Megan Prowse is a clinical psychologist, a fully accredited, cognitive behavioural psychotherapist and has worked for the NHS for many years. She writes and speaks about psychology, mental health and overall wellbeing at citypsychchick.com and advocates for holistic health and self-love. IG @citypsychchick

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Trinidad&Tobago

Carnival

Comes

Virtually to

Communities

Worldwide By Trinity James-Mathison When Trinidad and Tobago prime minister, Dr. Keith Rowely, announced that his administration is prepared to cancel carnival celebrations next year as the twin-island republic, like all other Caribbean countries, deals with the impact of the coronavirus, Trinbagonians weren’t happy about the government’s decision. Nevertheless, committees are finding alternative ways to bring some carnival spirits to our communities. This virus has certainly affected each and every one of us. All the same, Miami Carnival went virtual, in October. Panorama was live on Facebook. Miami meets Orlando Flag Party had DJs from both cities and people could party in place. For these performers, safety surely came first. Trinidad & Tobago culturalist, Ms. Denise Maxwell shares her comments. "I am so happy to see the joy and the fulfillment that all in the Caribbean committee showed, even in the midst of Covid-19.” We listened to the first performance of the Virtual Steel Orchestra. Then, Resurrection Steel Orchestra performed with a group of pianists ranging from 13 to 60 years old, all wearing their masks. An oasis of sound poured through Virtual Steel Panorama 2020. This is spectacular. The culture within the Caribbean committees was so passionately expressed by all these amazing performers. Seeing such soulful performances by performers such as Melo Grooves, Sticks N Tones, the exciting Dane Gulston, made me very proud to be an islander. Our world is forever changing. Challenges are a must. The only consolation we have is God. We know that in this life, we must live each day as though it is our last. Visit friends and loved ones. Always let them know that you love them and that God is in charge.

We w󰇮󰇰󰇱 g󰈥󰇹 󰇺h󰇶o󰇻󰈪h 󰇹󰇭󰇯s. Until next time, my bUneke readers, stay safe and be blessed.

A native of Trinidad & Tobago, Trinity James-Mathison proclaimed naturalization in the United States in 2001. She published her ﬁrst book in 2017 and is working on her second. She says she thanks the Lord for her gift of life and good health and would not be here otherwise.

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Amazing Synchronicity at

MoxieBox Art Remains Strong By Jim Warner

The year of COVID. One thing we can all agree on is we want it to end.

The year 2020 will absolutely go down in the history books for generations to

come and we are all living some serious history. How powerful is synchronicity during some of the most diﬃcult times in history?

Let me tell you. We received our largest order from a conversation at the worst event I ever attended. This happened right before our slowest months in the summer and solved our cash ﬂow issues right when the ﬂow of money essentially came to a halt in our country. We then received two government loans to cover our salaries and to help us expand and we have now hired four new employees. Each came to us at the perfect time with the perfect skill sets for the job we needed accomplished.

August. This, of course, brought us major growing pains and we needed some expensive database management software created to prevent some catastrophic errors. Lo and behold, thanks to synchronicity, one of my partners’ dear friends happens to be a database hero and has oﬀered to create exactly what we need!

Exactly what we needed.

The virus forced me to cancel all my sales events this year and of course it was exactly what we needed. Our U.S. based suppliers shut their doors and we could not get supplies. I was forced to ﬁnd suppliers overseas, and being stuck at home, had the time to focus on this and I solved our supply chain problems while saving a fortune in material costs.

Our partner schools and state government were forced to make signiﬁcant changes that put many out of business or forced them to completely change how they did business. Our art boxes ﬁt perfectly with all the new demands of COVID and we more than doubled in sales in the month of

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What else could possibly go right this year for us? Oh, I guess I should mention my dear friend Matt Kirby, the creator of the epic family game, Apples to Apples, helped us create an art appreciation game

called Art 2 Art that we are launched in November. We just have to pinch ourselves to be sure this is all real. Who wins during some of the most diﬃcult times in American history this horrible year of 2020? Synchronicity, hands down!

Jim Warner brings more than 20 years of experience to MoxieBox, to help shape young

minds through visual art lessons for students with no access or opportunity in their schools.

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My story could possibly change your perspective on

life, love, and contribution to society. By Siloh Moses You are nothing. You are an empty, sad shell of what you once were, but that’s not the worst part.

The worst part about being homeless

What is the worst part about being homeless? To be honest, everything. I should know. You see, when I was homeless, I didn’t have a car to sleep in or a couch to crash on, so I resorted to squatting in abandoned buildings and eating food wherever I found it. This included garbage cans and back alley dumpsters. I did that for seven months. When I ﬁnally got back on my feet, the most popular question people asked was, “What is the worst part about being homeless?” When you are homeless, you are a walking ghost, a walking shadow of your past self. You are no longer the car you once drove, the friends you once had, wine parties and happy hours. You are no longer your job, your zip code, or your responsibilities.

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The worst part about being homeless is not what you’d think. Not knowing when or what you will eat or if you will eat at all and not having anywhere to go at the end of the day, no address or home aren’t the worst part of being homeless. It’s not the lack of security or comfort and it’s not sleeping with one eye open to make sure no one steals your shoe laces oﬀ your feet while you are sleeping. The worst part about being homeless is how other people treat you, like the person who pulls up to a red light at a busy intersection, who sees you there with your cardboard sign, quickly locks the doors, rolls up all the windows, turns up the stereo and takes out the cell phone as if they just received a call, so they do not have to acknowledge that you are there. It’s the person walking down the street, who comes to an intersection, and sees you on the other side of the crosswalk, who purposefully crosses the street at that intersection, and continues walking in the same direction on the other side of the road so they don’t have to pass you.

When you are homeless, no one says “hi” to you, no one holds a door open for you, no one acknowledges that you are alive. That is the worst part about being homeless. People often ask, “What can I do the next time I come across someone who is homeless?”

Look them directly in the eye, wave, and smile. Easy answer. The next time you come across someone who is less fortunate and you do not have an emergency kit to give them and you do not want to give them money, just wave, “hello.” Let them know that they exist. Look them directly in the eye, wave, and smile. Please, read bUneke’s EXTRA! blog to learn what gave me the drive to get back on my feet from being homeless.

, Siloh Moses founded #ServingHopeLV. He is a Las Vegas Hometown Hero, Las Vegas Top 100 Men of the Year, Esquire Top 40 under 40 and has been featured in INC Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine and Vice. He’s been recognized by the United States Congress and The United States Senate for his work in homelessness. Connect with him on social media.

EMERGENCY KITS for the homeless consist of a clear plastic sandwich bag filled with a sandwich, a granola bar, a bottle of water and baby wipes.

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VeggieChel’s 2020 Vegan Shopping Guide

W Well, kids, it’s that time of year again! And what a year it’s been. With the zoonotic pandemic still looming, lots of folks are looking to plants for answers to all their worldly and spiritual conundrums.

Veganism to the rescue! Whether you’re searching for the perfect gift, shareable food, or radical art, bUneke has got you covered. Type BUNEKE or VEGGIECHEL into the coupon code at checkout and receive 10% off my top five fantastic vegan holiday heroes! (Check out this article online at bUneke.org for details.) 1) Southern Roots Vegan Bakery has a $55 Kid at Heart bundle to cover all your vegan bakery needs! My family hails from Alabama and Georgia, and I wish we’d had these egg and dairy-free lemon cakes, fudge brownies, donuts, and cookies during my childhood holidays. Move over, old-school kitchen.

By Michelle Schaefer There’s a new game in town, and they taste twice as tender. Y’all get on over to SouthernRootsVegan. com now, ya hear? Black-owned and operated.

2) Coconut Cloud is unlike other coconut milk products I’ve tried. Coconut Cloud’s hot chocolate and coffee creamers melt into hot water like a dream. The hot chocolate (salted caramel is my fave) is subtly sweet; perfect for parents who don’t want to get their kids overly hopped up on sugar before bedtime stories. Comes in a variety of fun flavors. Search CoconutCloud.net for the latest! Woman-owned, non-GMO, USA-made, allergen-free.

3) Choice Bison’s unflinching art will shock and amaze even the most outrageous vegan activist in your life. His work is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I picked up ten prints intending to give some as gifts but may end up keeping them all in my own collection, I love them so much. A picture’s worth a thousand words, so behold his masterpieces now at ChoiceBison.Storenvy.com. Black owned and created.

4) Sweet Vegan Chocolates offers elegant handmade chocolates without dairy, soy, gluten, or nuts—the perfect gift for the sweet, sensitive vegan in your life! Classics include Energizing Espresso, Luscious Lemon, Midnight Passion, and Spicy Ginger. Check out their specials at SweetVegan.NYC. Fair Trade and woman-owned. 5) VegNews magazine remains the world’s number-one plantbased publication, and at just $20/year to gift a digital and print subscription to stay in the loop on all-things-vegan, you get the bonus of a free VegNews Best Vegan Cookie cookbook as an

Michelle Schaefer, known as Veggie Chel, is bUneke Magazine’s premiere writer on the vegan lifestyle and travels worldwide from her home in the USA. Contact her at veggiechel.com

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instant download. Boogie over to VegNews.Com to subscribe and

DIY with Marcetta

gift! Woman-owned and run.

Not part of the bUneke discount promotion, but still the best gift you could give the compassionate

By Marcetta Davis-Linton

Marcetta’s DIY Dog Shampoo

fashionista in your life is Vegan

If you are anything like me, your furbabies are part of the family.

Style by Sascha Camilli.

When you look and see all the harmful toxins entering their bloodstream, it will make your head spin. We want our furbabies to be clean and healthy, while saving money. Here is a cost-effective and straightforward dog shampoo. It is clean and safe on dogs, however if your dog develops a rash, stop using it. I have found that I use either Doterra or Young Living oils because both are a higher grade of oil. Always, when using essential oils, store your mixture in a glass jar.

Ingredients 3/4 cup dry oatmeal ½ cup baking soda ½ tablespoon honey 1-1/2 cup filtered water 15 drops of tea tree oil (optional) You will need 16oz glass jar with a lid. This sumptuous bible—um, I mean book—shows readers where to go for everything from subscription makeup and skincare boxes (I anxiously await my PetitVour.com delivery each month) to toxin-free perfumes (EdenPerfumes.co.uk matches popular scents) to luxurious faux fur coats (I’d love an UnrealFur. com for Christmas. Hint-hint.) to bags and shoes and furniture and travel. The list goes on and on!

Steps: • Put oatmeal into the food processor, and blend on high until you have a fine powder. • In a large mixing bowl, add powdered oats, water, baking soda, and honey. Mix well. • Optional: Add tea tree oil and mix well. • Pour mixture into the jar.

Marcetta Davis-Linton is an aspiring environmental journalist, with her Masters in NewsMedia and Journalism from Full Sail University. She created OneNatureOnePlanet.com and lives in Florida with her husband, Michael and three dogs Sadie, Fisher, and Beau. http://www. onenatureoneplanet.com

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Oh, my! bUneke.org is a global leader in showing folks how to do it. By Gene Albertson

Wonkavision is a fictional Everything about

bUneke Magazine is 21st century. I really wondered what the internet would end up doing for, or to, humans. By about 2005 or so, it seemed that the consequences of internet connectedness were clearly outpacing our 20th century social maturity. Having started catching up, we now have the incredible, excellent results,

invention, created by Roald Dahl, in 1964, in his book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Instead of broadcasting

the planting beds for the old folks. Broadcast from a location of a Sammie’s Buddy Bench or maybe a recital or concert for one of Elizabeth Fullington’s students. The options are endless!

images from a screen,

The world is changing fast and we’re offering a paradigm, an educational conduit of the love and sharing real objects to your that will save our world, and when television set. bUneke Magazine. people find us, they clearly know it. Once I get traveling down, I can visit Spain, Everybody wants to be happy and everybody has too! Great food! Catch a ride around to the Isle something inside they want to share. These are of Sark! Then close western Europe with a live the two exact things humans have been missing show from Stonehenge and some local drummers, for millennia. bUneke is a global leader in showing featured in a future issue. Then on to South Korea folks how to do it, and look how fun it is! to see how eco-nari’s garden is doing.

Wonkavision broadcasts

Each human has uneke gifts and learns in special ways. With bUneke, you can read, listen, watch, do it. I have a vision of taking bUneke on the road in some fashion. My personal manifestation efforts include a lot of groundwork, but once I can find a groove in traveling, I’m going! How fun will it be to Take a Break with Gene&Mary from all the places our writers write about and artists art about and singers sing about. All I need is the universe, my phone and Mary at the helm. There is already a tentatively planned gathering in Smith Center, Kansas with bUneke writer Sharon Black. If anyone has ever been to Kansas, you know people will come from miles around if the weather is good. Folks enjoy peace and quiet on the range, but are almost always up for some dancing and laughing in town.

We can make a personal visit to places like the home where Earth Love Gardens installed

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I’m not sure how I’ll be traveling, yet. We’ll have to see. I will do it, even if I don’t like flying or driving. Nor do I desire floating on deep water again. And I’m broke. Wonkavision hasn’t yet been perfected. However, many of us are or will be awakening soon, as well. I don’t know what that will mean for traveling but I believe anything we can imagine is possible and if I’m not having fun, I’m not doing it right. bUneke.org is always sharing fun. Count me in!

, Gene Albertson is a historian, humanitarian and avid gardener who plays blues recorder, thinks and entertains bees. He is the co-host of bUneke Radio’s UnScripted and Take a Break with Gene&Mary.

Family tradition changes through generations By Kathleen Price at The Little Green Oasis

From generation to generation, our family has carried on a tradition that started before I was born. The tradition of baking many, many cookies for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Born into an Irish/German Catholic family meant that many hours were spent in the kitchen preparing dough for the many cookies that would get baked before the upcoming holiday. Each family member has a favorite kind of cookie or cookies that they love and have been carried down from generation to generation.

Everyone has a favorite.

Grandma’s favorites were candy cane cookies, nutmeg logs and anise cookies. Some of these took at least 24 hours to make and bake. My great aunts liked

a good shortbread cookie or a cookie made from a springerle board or springerle rolling pin. My mother carried out that tradition, and would make those and a few batches of her favorites, potato chip cookies, rum balls, thumbprint cookies, and buckeyes. Dad and Aunt Judy still have the everyday favorites of peanut butter cookies and chocolate chip cookies. I, myself, like any type of cookie, but rum balls are a favorite.

Taking the tradition to a new level.

Through the years the younger generations have taken the Annual Cookie Bakes to a new level. Distribution of cookies at nursing homes came about as one of our own was confined at a nursing facility and my youngest daughter was working in a nursing home. Bringing joy to so many that are saddened and lonely during these holiday times is unmeasurable. Many cookies are on everyone’s tables during the holidays.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Today this tradition is still carried out by the many family members who will travel near and far to attend the Annual Cookie Bake, usually taken place the second weekend in December in Cleveland, Ohio. Let the baking begin - again!

Kathleen Price created and owns The Little Green Oasis, a small aromatherapy company, built on years of research. When not busy creating products, she spends time with her grandchildren, gardening, nature photography and birding. thelittlegreenoasis.com

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Time is a Measurement of Reference for Humans By Michelle Hipps-Kalkan, Certiﬁed Oola Life Coach

Start today, go! Why do we put off for later, what we can do today? I’ll tell ya why. Procrastination. In our minds, we think, oh, it can wait until later, I’ll do in the morning or I’m gonna hold off until the weekend. We always seem to imagine that there’s tons and tons of time later. You see, what’s funny with time is that it’s not guaranteed. Time is a measurement of reference for humans. While it appears limitless, it can go away or disappear just-likethat. With the most recent uncertainty associated with the Covid, and me personally experiencing the passing of our 14-year old family dog, my mind seems to drift into the land of should have. I should have taken him for another car ride, I should have taken him to Starbuck’s for a Pup-a-cino. It’s easy to second guess ourselves and feel guilty! However, that guilt is not self-serving or productive. Let it go. Start right now. Let’s progress in life with active participation: • Send your best friend flowers. • Tip your mail carrier. • Buy that special treat for your pup. • Watch that TV show you and your partner talk about. • Get a midday just-because coffee with your son or daughter. • Offer cold water bottles to your trash collectors. After sharing kindness with others, notice the wonderful feeling you get inside. Cherish that feeling for a bit and give thanks that you took the step to make someone’s day. Love is what makes the world go round. I believe that every single one of us could always use a little extra.

Sending love & light. ,

Michelle Hipps-Kalkan, founder of Soul-ga with Michelle, is a certiﬁed Life Coach and RYT200 Yoga instructor. Born with an incredible gift of optimism, her writing style delivers a fresh perspective obtained from hands-on life experiences.

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Get out of the rut of

Stinkin’ Thinkin’ By Jeane Cole

Last issue, you learned the power of your breath. This issue, lets focus on your thoughts. The brain, long associated with thinking, is one of the largest and most complex organs in the human body. Picture this, 100 billion neurons, with hundreds of thousands of connections to other nerve cells, are creating synapses. Potentially, there are more than a quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) connections in the brain, more connections than there are stars in the universe, all inside of your head. Three parts of the brain Essentially, the brain functions in three parts. The first brain, the deep interior, is associated with reflexes and instincts, regulating actions like hormones, temperature, hunger, thirst, reproductive drive, respiration and heart rate. The second brain, the middle, reigns over hindsight, a master to actions of fear, anger, maternal love, social bonding and jealousy. The third brain, on the outside, has dominance over self-awareness of thoughts and emotions, choosing behavior, self-reflection, problem- solving and goal satisfaction. While we don’t know exactly where thoughts come from, or even 100% how they work, we do know that the frontal lobe behind your forehead, is the orchestrator, linking things together for a final output. Scanning techniques light up active areas of the brain and this area of the brain frequently lights up even before the stimulus is fully received, indicating we already know what is coming, supporting the idea of intuition. Your thoughts release hormones and chemicals. The average person has about 60,000 thoughts per day. Unfortunately 80% are negative. Sadly, 95% of those daily thoughts are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before. And yes, 80% are still negative. These negative thoughts create neural pathways, which are like ruts in the thought recognition process. This means one negative

thought leads to another, leads to another. After a while, that pattern becomes so automatic you don’t even realize it. Messages being sent out signal a cascade of 1,400 chemicals and hormones to control every action of the body leading to changes in how that system functions and its overall health. The ﬁrst and second brain keep rehashing the same old thoughts and the third brain can’t get a chance to shine. Change your thoughts and change your world. What can you do? Notice your thoughts! When you realize you are having the same old stinking thinking, change it. Fantasize, daydream, recall wonderful experiences. Stop the negative in its tracks by taking a deep breath. Recall the most spectacular day of your life or see yourself doing something you have always wanted to do. Feel as if it is true. Your brain doesn’t know the diﬀerence between the real and the imagined, so trick it into new thinking and creating new thought patterns. Think these delicious thoughts any time you can. Maya Angelou said, “If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.” Make a new reality, climb out of the ruts of old thinking. Create a higher ground of happiness. This new way of thinking allows the third brain the opportunity to establish itself as the new ruler and help you make your dreams come true. Breathe deep, calm down. Fantasize a new reality. You are in control!

Jeane Cole RN, APRN, CHT is a holistic nurse practitioner with experience in energy healing, aromatherapy, mind-body medicine, homeopathy, hypnosis and is a certiﬁed HeartMath™ Coach and Trainer™. Her goal is to help others vibrate powerfully. www. meinsideandout.com

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PLASTIC RECYCLING -

The Most Environmentally Disastrous Lie. Brought to you by Corporate America. By Zack ‘Attack

In my line of work, being out in the ocean,

to decompose the plastic, something needed to be

you can imagine I see a lot of natural beauty.

done.

Sunsets, blue oceans, and dolphins, but all too frequently, I spot unnatural colors floating in the water. Fluorescent yellows, pinks and purples that form children’s balloons, or an

The companies, who manufactured plastic, or sold the petroleum used to make such plastics, had a brilliant idea, “We tell everyone to recycle their plastics.”

opaque amorphous blob of white, that makes a plastic bag. Every day at sea, I see hundreds

Those companies then spent millions of dollars,

of pieces of plastic garbage floating along,

during the 1980s and 90s, telling people to recycle

being carried by winds and currents. Its more disturbing to imagine the pieces I don’t see that float under the water’s surface. Each

their plastics, and “do their part.” It was a great way to move responsibility oﬀ the corporations, and onto the people. “There wouldn’t be such a plastic problem if the people would just recycle!”

one of these plastic pieces of garbage, is out here in the ocean, because a person, maybe

Recycling plastic is not profitable.

you, likely didn’t properly dispose of it. And

Major corporations tend to only care about

now that plastic is doomed to break down

proﬁtability, and recycling plastic is not proﬁtable, it

into microscopic pieces, and eventually make

never has been. So, the majority of the plastic you

it back to your dinner plate after climbing the marine food web in some unlucky fish. At least, this is the lie brought to you by

have recycled throughout your life is probably sitting in a landﬁll in China, or ﬂoating in the ocean. Even the pieces with the little numbers on them. We’ve all been fooled.

Corporate America.

How did we get here? During WWII, the plastics industry kicked oﬀ as a cheap alternative to quality wood or metal products. This caused plastics to become incredibly abundant, and in the minds of the average American consumer, made it disposable. This caused many people to worry about mountains of plastic garbage piling up near population centers, if landﬁlls would be unable

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So, what can we do about it? The easy answer is to use less plastic. Metal and Glass can still be recycled easily, so try to buy more products made with those. Next time you order online, try to choose the shipping option that puts your whole order in one box. Skip using straws, dispose of your masks and gloves. Try a shampoo bar instead of a giant plastic shampoo bottle.

Marine biologist, YouTuber, and photographer, Zack ‘Attack is an ambitious Florida local who has somehow managed to convince companies to pay him to watch wild animals. Follow Zack ‘Attack on IG @Barefoot_Zak

During a pandemic and the current state of the world, you don’t want to hear some guy who normally talks about dolphins encourage you to take on more personal responsibility for what you buy, I know that. But major corporations do not care about you, or the eﬀect they leave on the planet, just their proﬁts. They just want to make their money and retreat into their mountain vacation homes while the rest of us are left to clean up the mess from the lie they sold us.

So, what can

we do

about it? The easy answer is to

use less plastic.

Looking for a forward-thinking charity to work with and earn volunteer hours or Intern credits?

Join enthusiastic volunteers who work with bUneke Magazine from their homes worldwide!

Contact us today to learn how much fun it can be to work with bUneke.org . No degree or experience necessary. U only need to be passionate about learning. lynn@bUneke.org

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Hope for the Human Spirit

Comes Through Art Story, photo and video by Tony Taylor

Orange County commissioner, Christine Moore, had a project that would be difficult, time-consuming, and an endeavor she thought she faced alone. She began transforming her district, an extended, troubled area, that had the reputation of being lost. It would be a task she could not accomplish alone because, for it to work, she would have to enlist the support of the district’s residents, officials, and a county government short on cash, slow to action. She would need something to catapult her mission over these obstacles. Her solution was a painted mural on a wall the people would see every day and instill hope into every tomorrow. Christine swiftly moved on this idea, and knew that Lisa Mikler was the exact artist who could inject the power she needed. Lisa’s specialty was commercial art and murals. The question then was where to paint this mural, to launch the commissioner’s ambitions. Knowing the history of the area and the people populating District 2, the women decided on a lesser-known region.

The past powers the present.

In the past, Lockhart was a community that had contributed much to Central Florida. But its memory of area-changing moments had been forgotten. A city so rich in past history could be the driving force powering the support needed from its residents. The past would also need to power the present. They needed the trust of the community leaders. That kind of legislative approval

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would provide the type of concrete evidence to move another legislative body. They needed a place containing all those elements. They could think of no better community than Lockhart, Florida. Originally called Wekiva, Lockhart was settled in the late 1800s. The very first building in Wekiva was made possible by the Tavares Orlando Atlantic Railroads. From 1880-1890, the Tavares Orlando Atlantic Railroad had completed a 39-mile stretch of track connecting Lake County and Orange County and Sanford to Oakland. This much-needed source for transporting people and products would pass through Wekiva. The rail would inject profit into the town and that profit guaranteed continual growth.

Rebranding a town

As a result, Orlando businessman David Lockwood chose Wekiva for his sawmill, providing substantial employment and a more significant infusion of money for the town. A grateful Wekiva rebranded the town Lockhart and the town could claim its own distinctive industry - lumber. In these beginnings of Lockhart, stretching into two centuries, the mural has become the needed component Commissioner Christine Moore had been looking for to revitalize District 2. Art and its power on the human spirit is transforming an area and inspiring hope in its residents. Historian and playwright Howard Zinn may have stated it best. “Small acts when multiplied by millions of people can change the world.” Learn more at Lockhartmural.com

Tony Taylor is a writer/filmmaker based in Orlando, Florida. Tony has been a member of the Florida film community for 25 years. As a writer, Tony’s most recent screenplay, Ripples, was an official selection of 2019’s Orlando Film Festival and Southeastern Regional Film Festival.

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Bountiful Farms & Bistro a Hidden Gem By Mary Brotherton | Photos by Jennifer East

Jessica and Gareth Gentry are living their dream. They met at culinary school and knew they would, one day, own a farm-to-table restaurant. Shortly after their twins were born, in 2009, they broke ground on Bountiful Farms in Okahumpka, Florida. Nine years later, after paying their dues at a variety of restaurants and resorts, they opened Bountiful Bistro, featuring innovative American fare made from fresh, organic ingredients grown on their seven-acre farm. Part of what makes Bountiful Bistro so special is the outdoor dining area, which is under a centuries-old oak tree. Patrons who typically make reservations literally line up for their chance to enjoy lunch Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from October through May. The farm grows more than 120 seasonal varieties, and although availability depends on Mother Nature, they usually offer heirloom tomatoes, cabbage, kale, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, bok choy, onions and peppers. They sell produce Monday through Saturday from October through May.

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But, wait! There’s more!

But wait! That’s not all! Bountiful Farms also offers a seasonal Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). A CSA provides volunteer opportunities and members develop a relationship with the farm, where they receive a portion of the bounty. Bountiful Farms provides seasonal produce to local restaurants, too, and if that weren’t enough, this beautiful setting hosts artisans and vendors every Wednesday. Come and visit bUneke.org at Bountiful Farms. Bountiful Farms doesn’t remain local. They take their fresh produce to farmers markets in The Villages and Winter Garden. Jessica’s sister, Jinny, said, “I am so thankful that I get to work in this beautiful setting, with my sister and my mother.” Learn more at BountifulFarmsInc.com and find them on Facebook.

Mary Brotherton, editor-in-chief, is the director of bUneke Radio on BlogTalkRadio. Visit buneke.org for the schedules.

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Buy Art. Do Good. Feel Good. By Emerson Radisich

Adige Batur, Intertemporal, 2020. Digital Installation View. Part of Arabic Pop Exhibition. Image courtesy of Taby

aby, a digital art gallery, launched in August this year – at a time when galleries and museums across the globe were tentatively beginning to reopen their physical doors. The coronavirus pandemic, in many ways, has demonstrated the tactility and versatility of the arts and their consumers, as well as the capacity and desire for alternative, digital and remoteoriented programmes.

Paired with global charities Taby’s mission statement is Buy Art. Do Good. Feel Good. Its focus is on ready-to-hang runs of prints from artists around the world, and hopes to make the process of buying art as simple as possible, for first-time and for seasoned collectors. Its curatorial team handpicks artists and artworks to fill an exhibition theme, each exhibition is paired with global charities to ensure that part of our profits are directed to altruistic organizations and each artwork is shipped anywhere around the world, framed and ready to hang.

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Taby’s first exhibition was entitled Arabic Pop and featured the work of 10 digitally focused artists from the Arabic region, including Shahad Nazer, Adige Batur and Rahma Mohammad. The collection took inspiration from the Pop Art movement that occurred in the U.S. and U.K. during the 1960s, which combined popular and commercial culture, new and developing technology and vibrant, euphoric aesthetics. When applied Indie184, Wildcat, 2020. Part of Graffiti and Illustration Exhibition. Courtesy of the artist and Taby

to contemporary arts in the East, Arabic Pop saw a line of expressive and captivating artworks that explored commercialization popular culture, media signaling and environmental issues, captured by a new and unique Arabic perspective.

Artists explore overlap Taby is currently in the process of developing its second exhibition, which will explore the contemporary manifestations of graffiti and street art, featuring artists including Karifurava, Nini Sum, Morris Vogel and Tom Gerrard. Taby has an interest in the movement of graffiti and how this translates into digital avenues and print-friendly formats. In the show, artists will explore the overlap between classical graffiti and mark making with contemporary movements of postmuralism and illustration. Taby is a global team. We are artists, curators and seasoned collectors who have developed exhibitions and worked with galleries across the globe. Our mission is to make choosing and collecting contemporary art as simple as possible. This is why we provide ready-to-hang artworks through our premium printing, stretching and framing service, offer bespoke curatorial services so that every client is able to find an artist and artwork to match their collection, and partner with a range of specialists to select the best artists for each theme and series. Learn more at taby.com and follow @taby.art on Instagram.

Tanya Shamil, Isolation, 2020. Digital Installation View. Part of Arabic Pop Exhibition. Image courtesy of Taby

Emerson Radisich is the Taby curator and writer from New Zealand, currently based in Australia with an MA in Art Curatorship from the University of Melbourne. He has published in academic and non-academic journals including UnProjects, lowercase magazine and SAUC.

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Can Anybody Find Me Some Bunny to Love? By Marcetta Davis-Linton

Have you ever looked at a bunny, thinking it’s just the sweetest animal?

abbits, like all animals are a job to take care of, and some people can’t do it. So, what are they doing with the rabbits? They either abuse the rabbits or release them into the wild. The actions of people are harming rabbits. That is where The Rabbit Sanctuary Inc. comes in, rescuing the rabbits and giving them a happy, healthy sanctuary to call home. In 1967, the Sanctuary rescued its first rabbit and has been doing it ever since. The Rabbit Sanctuary only rescues domestic rabbits. According to Valerie Magin, “The domestic rabbits who find their way to the Sanctuary are guaranteed a home for life.”

Predator-proof rabbitats keep the rabbits safe.

While the Sanctuary’s rabbits have come from various sources including research labs and other

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shelters, the vast majority of the rabbits result from being discarded by their owners. They are spayed/neutered, live in predator-proof “Rabbitats” designed to keep the rabbits safe, live in bonded pairs in territories that are as close to a natural environment as possible, and enjoy greens grown in an organic garden. Valerie said, “The rabbits in our care are not endangered. Life for them is pretty darn good. Perhaps it’s the rabbits not in our care, and in the care of those who don’t fully understand what responsibility they have taken on, that are in danger.” Despite domestic rabbits being among the most popular companion animals, their plight is often overlooked and underserved. Most people are well aware of the abuse, neglect, and abandonment suffered by dogs and cats and know that shelters and sanctuaries exist for their care.

Domestic rabbits cannot survive in the wild. But rabbits? Most animal shelters do not accept rabbits because they cannot address a rabbit’s specific needs, physical fragility, and specialized diet. That, coupled with the idea that wild rabbits are seen in most backyards, so a domestic rabbit can survive in the wild, means pet rabbits are released to fend for themselves. And fend for themselves they cannot. “We have also prepared and distributed information to pet stores and individuals considering acquiring a pet rabbit,” Valerie said.

The Sanctuary is open by appointment only. If you are interested in helping The Rabbit Sanctuary, here are some ways you can: •

•

Monetary and in-kind donations are always welcomed. Donations are tax-deductible. Sponsor a rabbit for $40. E-mail adoptarabbit@hotmail.com to learn more. bUneke readers, local to the Greenville S.C. area, can learn about volunteer opportunities at this allvolunteer nonprofit organization.

The most important thing you can do as a potential pet owner, is to do your research. By knowing what it takes to raise an animal, you will be happy, but your pet will be satisfied, too. Learn more at: RabbitSanctuaryinc.org

Marcetta Davis-Linton is an aspiring environmental journalist, with her Masters in NewsMedia and Journalism from Full Sail University. She created OneNatureOnePlanet. com and lives in Florida with her husband, Michael and three dogs Sadie, Fisher, and Beau. http://www.onenatureoneplanet.com

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Celebrate Better:

This article is not meant to diagnose or provide medical advice.

By Ariane Resnick, C.N.C.

You don’t have to be a tea-totaler to celebrate the holidays without regret. Most of us choose to enjoy a drink or two at holiday parties and family celebrations. Thankfully, you can imbibe and still feel good about it! Using fewer processed ingredients and more whole food, plant-based ones in your holiday cocktail recipes will make for a happier tomorrow. Even better, you can choose ingredients that hamper the negative effects of alcohol, without giving up the cocktails you know and love. We chose five classic holiday tipplers and gave them a fresh, plant-based twist.

Vegan Eggnog

In its original form, this quintessential seasonal bevvie is rough on your body on every front: it’s fatty, sugary and full of animal products. Beyond that, who wants to spend their time making custard just to put it in a cocktail? Most people buy eggnog in a carton, and even the plant-based options are full of gums and thickeners. Our take on this holiday classic gets its creamy goodness from nutritious cashews and coconut instead. Yield: 6 servings Ingredients: ½ cup raw cashews, soaked one hour or longer and rinsed (yield approximately ¾ cup) 2 cups nondairy milk 1 cup full fat coconut milk 1 vegan egg, such as Follow Your Heart 3 tbsp maple syrup 1 pinch of salt 1 pinch of turmeric, optional, for color ⅛ tsp nutmeg, or more to taste 1 ¼ cup whiskey or rum Instructions: Blend all ingredients, except alcohol, together until creamy. Add spirits to individual glasses when serving, and stir with ice and eggnog to combine.

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Gingerbread Martini

Gingerbread cookies are delish, so it’s no surprise that drinking an alcoholic version of them would be, too. Unfortunately, most gingerbread martinis get their flavor from sugary liqueurs. We chose actual ginger and a splash of maple syrup instead, and added cinnamon to help balance the blood sugar spike some people get from alcohol. For an added indulgence, serve this with gingerbread cookies. Yield: 1 serving Ingredients: 2 oz vodka 1 tsp maple syrup ½ tsp grated ginger (sub 1/8 tsp ground dried ginger if not available) ⅛ tsp cinnamon Optional garnishes: ginger slices, candied ginger, gingerbread or molasses cookies Instructions: Shake all ingredients together in a shaker with ice, then strain into a martini glass.

Mulled Wine

For those times when a glass of wine isn’t warming or wintery enough, mulled wine is a festive batched drink that works well for parties or a cozy night in front of a fire. The spices add health benefits in addition to flavor, and the addition of fruit juice tones down the alcohol. If you can’t find mulling spice sachets in the grocery store, you can make your own by mixing equal parts cinnamon sticks, nutmeg pods, dried orange peel, dried lemon peel, allspice berries and ginger slices, plus ½ the amount of whole cloves as the

Healthier Holiday Cocktail Recipes other ingredients. Mulled wine can be kept over low heat on the stove throughout an evening; just don’t allow it to boil or you will evaporate the alcohol in the wine. Yield: 6 servings Ingredients: 1 bottle semi-dry red wine, such as Cabernet 1 orange, sliced 4 sachets mulling spices 1 cup apple cider (plain or spiced) ½ cup cranberries Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Warm for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Boozy Peppermint Hot Cocoa

This comforting drink is the perfect way to warm up on a winter afternoon, or ease into dessert after a big holiday meal. Peppermint is known to ease digestion, while chocolate is a healthful food when used in a pure form like cocoa powder, which also gives you the ability to sweeten to taste. To make this kid-friendly, simply omit the alcohol at the end. Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups dairy free milk (plain or vanilla) 1 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp chocolate chips ¼ tsp peppermint extract Sweetener to taste: sugar, stevia, or other 2 oz bourbon Optional garnishes: marshmallows, candy canes, cocoa powder, chocolate chips Instructions: Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan over low heat until well combined and warm. Alternately, heat milk then blend all ingredients in a blender.

Cranberry Mimosas

Not just for brunch anymore, mimosas are the perfect celebration drink, with less alcohol than a glass of straight champagne. Mix in fresh or frozen cranberries to lower the ABV, aka the “proof” of the drink, while adding vitamins A, C, and K. We provide a cranberry sauce recipe, but you can use any you have on hand; it’s the perfect use for leftovers! Ingredients: 5 oz champagne 1 tbsp cranberry sauce Optional garnish: lime wedges, mint leaves, or cranberries Instructions: Add sauce to champagne flute, then fill with champagne. Stir gently. Cranberry sauce Ingredients: 1 cup cranberries ½ cup sugar or other sweetener of choice ¼ cup water or orange juice Instructions: Heat all ingredients in a saucepan over med-high heat until boiling, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until half or more of the cranberries have broken down, about 10 minutes.

First published at omdforthplanet.com

Ariane Resnick, special-diet chef and certified nutritionist is also a best-selling author. U.S. singer/songwriter P!nk said, “Ariane is obviously on this planet to help others feel better, and she does it seamlessly. She has brought comfort to my soul and deliciousness to my life.” Now, Ariane shares her secrets with bUneke readers. arianeresnick.com

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Book Reviews Gift Giving & more As the Crow Flies - the Redemption of an International Drug Smuggler By Ed Hudson 978-943106-55-4 How can an officer of the law befriend an international drug smuggler? Read Ed Hudson’s memoir to learn how, after apprehending Freddie Crow, and getting to know the thrill seeker, their deep bond developed. This quick, captivating book shares why the retired officer still thinks fondly of a man his office pursued for years. It’s a fascinating story and easy to read.

Ballasted Wings Why that Day? By Susan Knox Kopta 978-1-4834-2952-6 Kudos to that author of this poignant memoir! Grief over the loss of a child, for any reason, comes in many forms and takes many shapes. This mother chose to open her wounded heart and share her pain, hoping to alert others to the risks when someone diagnosed with bipolar doesn’t receive adequate follow-up and medical supervision. This is a short book, easy to read and serves as a warning for others about the preciousness of life. Tune in to bUneke UnScripted on March 24, 2021, when we talk with the author about mental health issues.

62 Hannah’s War

By Jan Eliasberg 978-0-316-53744-5 This spellbinding page-turner transfers the reader into the story through superbly written historical fiction that was inspired by Dr. Lise Meitner, the Jesish Woman who discovered nuclear fission.

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This book offers homage to Dr. Meitner, a woman prevented from receiving the honors she deserved, due to her gender, race and the political climate of World War II. Hannah’s War is skillfully told and leaves readers wanting more. It’s a story of intrigue and romance with a respectful nod toward the injustices that occurred during the holocaust.

My Pinewood Kitchen, a Southern Culinary Cure By Mee McCormick 978-075732352 With a Southern twist to comfort food staples, the author has more than 130 recipes that heal your gut, reduce inflammation, and reverse chronic autoimmune diseases with recipes that are easily adaptable for different dietary needs. However beautiful and well-written, it may not be so much a cookbook as a collection of recipes with a backstory. We feel this could have easily been written as a memoir that included recipes. Parkinson’s Blues

By John J. Clayton 978-1-55778-943-3 An award-winning novelist artfully crafted his memoir while dealing with active Parkinson’s disease in his 80s and successfully created a most interesting book about his desire to “become a three-legged dog” that adapts to a new situation easily. This book is prayerful, grateful, and insightful as well as humorous. He reminds us that “All of us are broken,” and offers valuable lessons for the readers.

Scavengers of Beauty By Philippe Sibaud 978-1-78904-474-4 This “personal, cultural, and symbolic exploration of the moon landing” started with a 13-page introduction and ended with a 13page epilogue. It is rich with symbolism, poetry, mythology and science fiction references. The author expresses his deep concern that the moon lost much of its mystic the moment mankind stepped onto its surface, relegating it to nothing more than real estate. This book is part memoir, part essay, and all interesting.

The Numbers on my Parents’ Arms By Jerry Bagel 978-1-5320-9768-9 The Numbers on my Parent’s Arms is a delightfully somber story of the author’s parents who survived not one, but several Nazi death camps where they endured inhumane torture, yet survived, met and started a family. Jerry Bagel expertly takes readers on a journey through not only his childhood but that of both of his parents and then drops us in the heart of hatred. In the end, we can rejoice and celebrate life, just as his parents taught him to do, despite the untold deaths they were forced to witness.

The Protectors By Jolynn Angelini 978-1-5320-6391-6 Although the review team feels the author could benefit from professional editing to eliminate an overuse of cliches, filtering and POV switches, we found the overall story filled our need for a suspenseful thriller that ends in an acceptable, if predictable way. We understand the work that goes into publishing a book and applaud the author’s efforts. We’d love to read more from her as she improves her craft.

The Simple Solution By Raman K. Pathik 978-1-5043-3061-9 This book truly is about a simple solution and reads like a how-to find the life most people seek. With stories and quotes from some of the world’s greatest minds, the book is filled with black and white illustrations and mental health statistics. The author tells readers about breathing awareness and offers advice that can lead to a more blissful existence. This book is an excellent resource for anyone just starting on a journey to enlightenment.

The Happy Planner We reviewed a planner that made us happy from the moment it arrived in sustainable packaging. The planners can be customized and pages can easily be swapped out. This planner uses a big grid for each day of the week. Every tabbed divider between each month is filled with motivation and inspiration. The Happy Planner supports three talented BIPOC artists with profits from the sale of their covers going to NextGen Artist Program. Products start at $4.99. thehappyplanner.com 10 out of 10 bUneke points.

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UnPaid • Totally Honest

Product Reviews U send them. We review! Each product is given a score based on the following criteria (one point for each):

The best score is 10 out of 10 Earth-friendly product Earth-friendly packaging Budget-friendly Uneke Lives up to the hype Stylish Useful Philanthropic outlook Easy to understand/use I would buy it. Contact us today at bUneke.reviews@gmail.com for information about where to send your product(s) or suggestions for places or products to review.

Remedio.com

Remedio arrived in an impressive, luxuriousyet highly sustainable package. Every product feels indulgent, yet with Remedio’s new reduced pricing, the products are comparative with similar products on the market. Best of all, the products work! Drops are excellent for daily focus and maintaining calm, While Rest allows a deep and restful sleep. Soothe balm has more hemp extract than many similar products, but doesn’t smell hempy, thanks to frankincense and lavender. It’s great for sore muscles, dry skin and even scrapes and cuts. We have to delete one point because we can’t find any reference to philanthropy or giving back. 9 out of 10 bUneke points • 9 ,

Sea Witch Botanicals.com

When we first received the box with Sea Witch Botanicals in the mail, we thought, “Whatever’s in here sure smells good!” We reviewed the Premium Facial Collection, which includes Radiant Pearl Facial Bar, Lucidum Reishi Facial Serum, and Soothing Facial Toner. The wonderful fragrance came from the facial bar and it was a sheer delight to use. However, the Lucidum has a very strong fragrance that can be too much for the fragrance-sensitive folks. The Soothing Facial Toner lives up to its name and we found ourselves using it throughout the day. This certified B Corp is also certified Vegan and is a member of 1% for the Planet. seawitchbotanicals.com 10 out of 10 bUneke points • 10 ,

Urbal Activ.com

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Urbal Activ CBD balm is one of the best-smelling CBD product we’ve reviewed this year. It’s time-release formula worked great for sore muscles and dry skin, too! With 99% pure CBD, this may be the strongest pain relief we’ve reviewed. It absorbs quickly and leaves the skin feeling renewed. We also reviewed Urbal Activ’s mints, which are great to help relax an over-active mind. The key lime

was a nice change of pace to other CBD mints. We love Urbal Activ’s philanthropic outlook and rewards program. urbalactiv.com 10 out of 10 bUneke points • 10 ,

Attitude Living.com

Attitude Living is an Environmental Working Group-certified company that provides 100% vegan, cruelty-free, eco-conscious products for individuals and their homes. We tried the deodorant, laundry detergent and floor cleaner, which all came minimally packaged in compostable cardboard without excess fillers. We love that Attitude Living works with two nonprofits to plant a tree for every product purchased. The bulk-to-go eco refill boxes take up less space in the

Walking the Covid Tightrope By Bodil Valero and Marion Verweij

COVID-19 united us across the world in ways we had never seen before. At the same time, it was very personal to each individual. Virus contagion reports per country, and how many had died seem to ignore that fact. This pandemic affects us all, one way or another, yet we all experience the stranger in our midst in different ways. Such things as the country, the family and employment is one aspect, but there is the individual, and how they faced the new situation on the other hand. Walking the Covid Tightrope is a book of stories from different people sharing their inner experience with COVID: good things, bad things, if something in their life changed, if they felt something important happened with them. Ordinary people in an extraordinary circumstance Most were written in August through October, just as news of a second wave was reaching us. They are personal stories. Not stories about the country they live in, or what went on there. A bit about the politics or rules perhaps, but mostly about ordinary people in an extraordinary circumstance. Individual lives within the statistics, people finding their way to deal with the situation they found themselves in all of a sudden. It contains contributions from all continents, from both genders, from various backgrounds and

laundry room and use 80% less plastic than other two-liter containers. The products were just as well as other natural products we’ve tested and the deodorant is effective, too. One drawback to the deodorant is it has a tendency to clump, but we were reminded of the push-up frozen desserts we enjoyed as children. 10 out of 10 bUneke points • 10 ,

professions. Whilst there are many countries and natures of people missing, it gives a kaleidoscope of experience, forming a rich tapestry of life going on inside this pandemic. Warmth despite everything Reading a person’s personal account of their feelings gives a whole different flavour than reading the news. The honesty, the struggles, the ponders, the warmth despite everything. Even though they live in different situations, many miles apart, and mostly don’t know each other, they have a lot of similarities. COVID-19 was devastating. Being in a time of multimedia, it also brought us together around the world in ways nothing else has done before. Within the nightmare, there were also positive things that came into people's lives. Many people write about great humanity, despite difficulties, or perhaps because of the problems they all faced. Another was the position-taking many felt urged to do. Each story offers its own reflection, its own questions to us all.

, Bodil Valero divides her time between Sweden and Catalonia, where she runs a hotel with her Catalonian husband. Still very active within the Global Green Party network, she was a member of the Swedish Parliament and of the European Parliament. http:// www.bodilvalero.eu / British by origin, Marion Verweij lives in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband and cats. This author, certiﬁed copywriter, researcher and poet has worked for 20+ years with Europeans and Africans to advance human rights and dignity in Africa and 30+ years involved in activities regarding what it means to be human now. www.excellentza.nl

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N atureN erd By Dorothy L. Harris

The Amazing

Would you be surprised to know that not all rhinoceros are found in Africa or Asia? The rhinoceros or rhino beetle, also known as an Ox beetle, are called by this name due to the long horns seen on some males. Found in both major and minor forms, both are equally impressive, though the major form boasts a trio of large horns reminiscent of a triceratops dinosaur. Horns are used to fight off competing males and females, though horn-less beetles do have raised bumps known as tubercles instead. Lacy wings expand in flight.

The smooth, hard bodies include elytra. These hard-shelled wing coverings snap open in an instant to allow the insect’s large, lacy wings to expand in flight. Sometimes seen at artificial lights after darkness falls, adults are nocturnal. Daylight hours are spent in burrows they dig deep into damp sandy soils using the tough spines on their legs.

Beetles

After mating, the female lays a single egg in a deep burrow the pair have worked together to dig out. Leaf litter is packed into the burrow so the white, worm-like larvae will have enough food to begin life. Herbivores, all stages of this remarkable insect feed exclusively on plant material. Rarely seen, they are out there, busy at work with other decomposers. Part of the scarab beetle family, these very specialized insects serve the purpose of cleaning up. Most have extremely specific food sources, whether it is animal fecal matter, carrion (dead animals) or plant debris. As formidable as they appear, they are harmless and extremely beneficial to the environment. Listen to bUneke Radio’s conversation with Dorothy: bUnekeradio.com

Dorothy L. Harris, a long-time newspaper columnist in central Florida, produces her peculiar lifestyles and humor column, Harris & Co., at http://bit.ly/HighlandsNews. This former Florida State park ranger and self-professed nature nerd blogs www. DorothyLHarris.com and posts creature photos @FlaNatureNerd. www.Facebook.com/DorothyLHarris-FreelanceWriter

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3 bUneke UnScripted Radio brings you three shows with topics and guests

that matter. Three hosts means three formats and more choices! Find our full lineup on

blogtalkradio.com/bUnekeRadio.

Contact mary@bUneke.org to sponsor a segment starting at just $15 or to be on the show yourself!

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Have you ever wondered what goes on in the minds of millennials? We did, so we asked a few of them to come together & tell us! Be sure to visit @bunekemagazine on YouTube & subscribe so you don’t miss a single episode. While you’re there, check out our other videos & see who’s on our play list.

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Contact: mary@bUneke.org A.D.D. in Poetry, One Family’s Journey with Attention Deficit Disorder, is a collection of uplifting and meaningful poetry paired with delightful color illustrations, that will warm the hearts of its readers and will remind them that there is life after the ADD/ADHD diagnosis. To learn more click here.

Review: “If you feel uncomfortable, frustrated, confused about ADD in yourself or a family member, this book oﬀers a healing perspective.” -- Florida Today News Product Details: Paperback: 20 pages • Language: English ISBN-10: 1412037697 • ISBN-13: 978-1412037693 • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars

The Little Green Oasis Aromatherapy

Kathleen Price, Owner

for Personal, Household, Medicinal & Pets

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The Little Green Oasis

Easy Zero Waste Swap No.3 By Ran

Before

I used to use those plastic bags at the supermarket for just a couple of potatoes. The plastic produce bags just ended up in the garbage

Now

I bring reusable produce bags to the store and then I don’t need to use single use plastic bags anymore.

, Ran lives a zero-waste lifestyle in Japan, trying to produce as little trash as possible. We can all do something to make the world a little greener. Let’s exchange ideas between countries and make a global change together! IG: zerowaste.japan

Are you following us yet? Join our listeners from 49 countries and ﬁnd out what the buzz is all about!

Every weekday at noon! Uneke topics! Win gifts! GENE&MARY Show Unlimited entertainment. blogtalkradio.com/bUnekeRadio

Mak󰇪󰇷 we󰇪󰈫󰈨󰈜y󰇷 a w󰇬󰈢󰇱󰈥 lo󰇹󰇺󰇧’ fu󰇳!

Tuesdays

Here I Am. Podcast 8 p.m. EST Tune in on your favorite device blogtalkradio.com/bUnekeRadio

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zodiac PREDICTIONS by M a n i s h

December - February 2020 Aries (21 March – 19 April) This period is likely to bring a fruitful yield in creative art, sports and so, now, these activities can be really promising. Any personal initiative, striving for saturation and achieving of your own goals will be praised. An energy wave will come over the work field bringing transfer or promotion opportunities, chances to find a second job or a highly beneficial opportunity to prove your potential, to stand out or be appreciated. It may be the start of meeting your long-term partner or someone who you feel a spiritual connection to that can also bring you long-term relationship. Favorable Dates: Dec 7, 8, 16, 17, 25, 26; Jan 1, 8, 10, 17, 19, 26; Feb 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 Favorable Colors: Blue & Yellow Taurus (20 April – 20 May) The next three months will bring a time for you to build a partnership with someone close including a spouse, lover, friend, business partner, coworker or employee. You would be social and outgoing and open to connecting with the people around you. You are ready to pursue romance and to take the lead. You may work closely with someone else to further your career or your own personal wants and needs. In September, you may be making a long-term investment and this can be a time for you to build long-term financial security. Favorable Dates: Dec 3, 4, 12, 13, 21, 22; Jan 7, 8, 16, 17, 25, 26; Feb 5, 8, 14, 17, 23, 26 Favorable Colors: Grey & White

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Gemini (21 May – 20 June) This period will bring a time for you to gain financially or materialistically. Financial concerns and mix-ups lift by midDecember, when a new budget will be helpful. Energy runs high for romance, entertainment, and recreation. Straightening out domestic problems will also be necessary, and this sets the stage for pleasant relations with family and a more organized home life. If you are already attached to someone, it is a great time for you guys to work out any issues or problems and compromise with one another. Favorable Dates: Dec 1, 7, 10, 16, 19, 25; Jan 1, 4, 10, 13, 19, 22; Feb 2, 7, 11, 16, 20, 25 Favorable Colors: Red & Yellow

Cancer (21 June – 22 July) You are coming across as quite charming, but introspective nevertheless. Work matters go especially well. Job seekers will find good prospects. Many of you will achieve more recognition, a promotion, or a position of increased responsibility on the career front. Love ties are coming up for review, and the need to put the past behind you becomes insistent. Some of you will be determining whether a romantic relationship is strong enough to be brought forward. This would be a positive time for you to look carefully at the obligations that you need to take care of with the home. Favorable Dates: Dec 2, 5, 11, 14, 20, 23; Jan 1, 3, 10, 12, 19, 21; Feb 4, 7, 13, 16, 22, 25 Favorable Colors: Green & White

Leo (23 July – 22 Aug) It’s time for a change in knowledge, resulting in different conceptions, and professional goals. The next few weeks seem to be a very positive time for you to feel the greater connection with a partner or lover. This period shows an enhanced preoccupation in eroticism, falling in love and lust for adventure. New ideas are abundant, and your energy levels run high. Some form of tug of war when it comes to finances could be irksome in December, but clearing up financial matters will do wonders for your outlook. Favorable Dates: Dec 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22; Jan 2, 8, 11, 17, 20, 26; Feb 4, 9, 13, 18, 22, 27 • Favorable Colors: Red & Purple Virgo (23 Aug – 22 Sept) Your career is certainly picking up pace. You are clearer about your goals and work matters are straightforward. Others are recognizing your talents and abilities, so it’s a good time to get yourself noticed. Out of your subconscious will now come out ambitions, needs and wishes that have been hibernating so far. Intelligence, persuasion, talents and creativity will be strongly highlighted. Freedom to do as you please is a driving factor in all that you do now. After some months of questioning your overall faith in life, you are feeling strong and committed to a cause. Favorable Dates: Dec 3, 7, 10, 16, 21, 25; Jan 1, 4, 10, 13, 19, 22; Feb 2, 7, 11, 16, 20, 25 Favorable Colors: Yellow & Grey Libra (23 Sept – 22 Oct) This period may bring you a job opportunity or offer. It could be that you are open to

Manish Kumar Arora is a renowned KP Astrologer, Numerologist, Tarot Reader & Vastu Consultant. He renders professional advice to clients with a reasonable degree of success. He has been conferred with the title of ‘Jyotish Varahamihir’ and ‘Jyotish Aryabhatt.’ He writes monthly astrological columns for 40 international magazines. For personalised predictions, contact manish@manishastrologer.com

finding new ways to make more money. You seem to be open to working with others, especially if it helps you to grow financial or personally. It will also be a time for you to build financial security and stability for the future. You find new ways to budget and save and may even find yourself investing in a home or vehicle. It is the time for you to heal and to get rid of any unhealthy habits or people from your life. Favorable Dates: Dec 2, 4, 11, 13, 20, 22; Jan 2, 9, 11, 18, 20, 27; Feb 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24 • Favorable Colors: Red & Blue Scorpio (23 Oct – 21 Nov) Your career is receiving strong energy in this period. It’s picking up pace, and professional matters become clearer and more straightforward. You are feeling remotivated after some confusion and lack of enthusiasm in recent months. Keeping your nose to the grindstone is a good idea now, although you tend to want to take the lead. Friendship and joint actions will have a fresh impulse. There’ll be new, courageous and large-scale projects. Stimulating changes in the realms of friendships, group connections, and business plans are on the horizon. Favorable Dates: Dec 3, 5, 12, 14, 21, 23; Jan 3, 6, 12, 15, 21, 24; Feb 7, 9, 16, 18, 25, 27 • Favorable Colors: Red & Green Sagittarius (22 Nov - 21 Dec) It’s an excellent period in your life to mend any challenged friendships,

and for joining a group or association that helps you to feel part of a team. Balancing intimacy and friendship is the goal now, and you are likely to succeed. Friendships are especially rewarding and motivating. Reticence about changes in a close personal relationship is something you have been struggling with for some time, and now is a good time to examine what is holding you back. You may also focus on the health and well-being of a parent. Favorable Dates: Dec 3, 8, 12, 17, 21, 26; Jan 4, 9, 13, 18, 22, 27; Feb 1, 9, 10, 18, 23, 27 • Favorable Colors: Blue & Yellow Capricorn (22 Dec – 19 Jan) Energy for improving your skills and getting projects going runs extremely high in this period. It’s also a time when exciting professional and travel opportunities could arise, seemingly out of the blue. Open your eyes and look around you. Important faces are willing to help you to get to the top of your game. The existing relations tend to be harmonic and stable. The relations are far from being spiritually sophisticated, but you can still intensely enjoy the material pleasures from being with your beloved. Favorable Dates: Dec 4, 6, 13, 15, 22, 28; Jan 4, 6, 13, 15, 22, 24; Feb 4, 7, 13, 16, 22, 25 • Favorable Colors: Red & White

Aquarius (20 Jan – 18 Feb) It’s time to be prudent and to review your budget rather than spend. Pushing yourself too hard will never work to your benefit in the long run, taking some extra time to tend to projects that have been on hold will be fulfilling. Your relationships will be under the sign of unexpected, novelty and change, and enhance your passion and raise your erotic appetite. Follow the dictates of your heart in this period. You can expect some duties and obligations with the partner in connection to your home. Favorable Dates: Dec 7, 8, 16, 17, 25, 26; Jan 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21; Feb 5, 10, 14, 19, 23, 25 • Favorable Colors: Purple & Yellow Pisces (19 Feb – 20 March) Communication is refreshingly direct in the month of December, and although relationships are not without their challenges, you benefit from increased clarity and the feeling that you know what you and a partner want from your partnership. The months of January and February are a great time for making new resolutions. Finances bring pleasant surprises in January, but money could be spent as quickly as it is earned if you are not careful. You are setting your sights high in this period, not afraid to go after what you want. Favorable Dates: Dec 4, 8, 13, 17, 22, 26; Jan 1, 6, 10, 15, 19, 24; Feb 4, 9, 13, 18, 22, 27 • Favorable Colors: Blue & Yellow

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