Looking for a particular book to read online?

Are you searching online for a particular book to read? 

Do what I always do when I am looking for a book recommended by others. Google “the title of the book” followed by “author’s name” and end it with “.pdf”.

I came across this question on Quora, "Where can I download The Hero with a Thousand Faces (The Collected Works of Joseph Campbell) Third Edition in PDF format?" and took up the challenge to find it.

I googled “The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell .pdf” and found many links related to it.  If, like me, you are not willing to pay for it, don’t click on links to bookstores or Amazon. 

I found one posted by “rosenfels.org”.  I am always wary about downloading books from sites that are unknown to me.  I did a google transparency search on “rosenfels org” to make sure that it is a safe site to browse.  This book was first published in 1949 and this is the link to its third edition printed in 2004 and noted as a Commemorative Edition:

The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell

If you do not have time to read a whole book, find summaries or reviews about it. Do the same search but end it with “summary” or “reviews”.  In fact if you google "rosenfels The Hero With A Thousand Faces", you will be able to read an AI overview about it.  This is what I have extracted from it:

"The Hero with a Thousand Faces; the book was written by Joseph Campbell. Campbell's 1949 book argues that many world myths share a common structure known as the "monomyth" or Hero's Journey, which involves a hero who leaves the ordinary world for a quest and returns transformed. 

About the book

Author: Joseph Campbell, a mythologist and writer.

Publication: First published in 1949, it became widely known after a 1988 PBS television special with Bill Moyers called The Power of Myth.

Core Concept: The book outlines a universal "monomyth" or "Hero's Journey," a recurring pattern in heroic myths across cultures.

Influence: It has been highly influential in fields like literature, psychology, and film, famously influencing George Lucas's Star Wars saga. 

The Hero's Journey

The journey is described as having three main stages, though it can be broken down in more detail:

Departure: The hero receives a "call to adventure" and crosses a threshold into the unknown.

Initiation: The hero faces trials, battles, and temptations, often being tested in profound ways before achieving a form of enlightenment.

Return: The transformed hero returns to their world with a gift or newfound wisdom, which can benefit their community."

I am glad I made the effort to find it.  It was introduced by Screenwriter, Michael Lengsfield, who teaches scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia. I was then taking his free online course on “AN INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING” at Future Learn.

I noticed that whenever I try to help others find answers, I have a tendency to find leads to answers I have been looking for.

So, the phrase "one good deed deserves another" is true for me in a reversed manner:

Helping others helps me (in many interesting ways).

On top of that, I am a hoarder for (free) information.

What is your mom up to?

Someone posted this question on Quora, "What is a better alternative to biking?".  As a bike shop owner you may think I will avoid answering it but I did.  Strangely, Quora considered it a spam message and deleted it.  This was what I wrote about.

If you do not have a bicycle to ride on, walking is an alternative to consider. People who own a bicycle tend to buy accessories to go with their bicycles. It could be a carrier because they want to ride out to shop, or a child seat because they want to bring their toddlers along, or head or taillight because they want to ride out at night. The list goes on as they ride till they decided to upgrade the parts on their bicycle.

Other than a pair of shoes which you should already have, you do not have to buy anything else to walk. However, I would suggest that you walk barefooted whenever you can.

By doing that you will be transferring energy from the earth's surface electrons into your body. That is good because it has been reported that the electrons will act as antioxidants to neutralize free radicals in your bodies to reduce inflammation and prevent disease.

I have read from reports that this process is known as “earthing” or “grounding”. You need to do it for at least half an hour in order to feel the significant health benefits as earthing will:

1. defuse the cause of inflammation.
2. improve the immune response.
3. thin the blood which will help to reduce various cardiovascular risk factors.
4. reduce or eliminate chronic pain.
5. improve sleep.
6. increase energy.
7. normalize the body’s biological rhythms by setting the biological clocks regulating diurnal body rhythms, such as cortisol secretion.
8. improve blood pressure.
9. lessen menstrual symptoms.
10. speed wound healing time.

If you are interested, you can read about the beneficial effects I read about in the following reports:

Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth's Surface Electrons

Viscosity—a Major Factor in Cardiovascular Disease

If you are able to walk safely in a park or on the beach, without approaching traffic to look out for, put on your handphone earphones so that you can tune in to your favourite playlist or radio station. That will put you in the mood for a longer walk or get you to walk with the tempo of the beat. You can also use this opportunity to learn from educational podcasts that you appreciate.  If that is what you plan on doing, also read the cautionary information shared in this article.

The Case for Running With Headphones—and When to Ditch Them

The best time for me to ground myself is after a heavy downpour. The weather is cooler and the grass in my garden is washed clean of any pee or poo left by strays in the neighbourhood. If I am home, you will see me barefooted, weeding my garden, as it will be easier to pull the weeds out by their roots after the rain water has seeped down into the soil to loosen their hold.  As it is a mundane task, it will be a good (my alone) time for me to listen to true crime stories that I can find on Youtube.

The motion of weeding is very good for me as my hands and soles of my feet are touching the ground. I have to squat a lot too as I walk from patch to patch to pull the weeds out.  

I also noticed that squatting is very good for my bowel movement. A few minutes of that and I will have the urge to go, which is explained in the following article I read:  

What’s the Best Position for Pooping?

You can read about the other benefits about squatting at the following link:

THE ROLE OF SQUAT EXERCISE IN MEDICAL PRACTICE: EVIDENCE AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS

Do you have a fulfilling hobby?

Have anyone praised you for what you have made? Being acknowledged for your efforts can be fulfilling. So, work on what you are good at doing and explore ways to make it better or unique. And, what do I mean by that? For example, everyone can take a photo but you can make it unique this way.

As with any hobby, to be able to get to that stage takes time and practice.

So, if you think that taking photos as a hobby could be relaxing for you, make your photos stand out by picking up tips on ways to take your shots creatively. You can easily find them online by doing a search for “unique ways to take photographs” or “photography hacks”. That was how I found the above video.

What is considered a relaxing hobby for one person could be a struggle for you if it is something new to you, especially if, you have issues with attention or focus. Some creative hobbies require a significant amount of mathematics. Crochet is one of them that I enjoy working on since I was a kid. I enjoy making my work unique by making it versatile. This fanny pack that I crochet is a good example as I can use it in 4 different ways.

For me, writing is a very relaxing hobby. I find it very fulfilling to be able to share useful information or teach what I have made. It is nice to know that one day when I am no longer around, my children will still be able to learn from my blogs. Are you curious to know how I am able to use the fanny pack in four different ways? I shared the information and instructions on how I make it at the following link:

Create a Versatile Bag

If you take up crochet and there is a mistake in one of the stitches half way through, you will have to unravel your work because even a missing stitch can be obvious.

Similar for craft like quilting. Precise measurements is required to calculate the amount of fabric you need to complete your project. Lots of measuring is required to get the geometric shapes, patterns, and proportions right. To make your finished work stands out, you must also have an eye for mixing fabrics of different colours and patterns. If you lose your focus and have sewn mismatched patches together, the mistake will stand out due to the patterns or orientations. Do you like the idea of ripping the seam of the incorrect pieces to reposition and re-stitch them correctly?

If quilting is what you are aiming for, you can start by:

-choosing project with patches in similar shapes and sizes.
-working on a smaller projects.
-copying what others have already made.

But before you start buying all the tools and materials you need for whatever hobby you want to venture into, try to improvise with what you have on hand. For example, when I wanted to learn to weave to create a necklace, I managed to make my own weaving tool. Instead of buying yarn, I used cut strips of plastic bags. It is very fulfilling for me, when I am able to use material, that would otherwise be discarded, in my craft project. I call my efforts, “Creating Abundance from the Abandoned”.

My favourite source for crafting ideas is at Pinterest. It is where I go to if I need inspirations to start a project. I will save (pin) on my board “Abundance from Abandoned” at the following link, any craft ideas that can be made with discarded material:

After looking through them, you will realise that you do not even have to buy craft books to learn because you can find many free instructions for craftwork there. Beware! It can be addictive. I can get locked up there as I am an information hoarder for DIY projects and anything that interest me.

If you want to start sewing or quilting as a hobby, you can consider upcycling clothes that you or your family members have outgrown.  Are you able to get your hands on leftover fabric from friends who sew?  There are also many types of hobby you can consider starting with leftover materials that you have on hand.  You will find crafting ideas by doing a search for "create craft with leftover scraps" on Pinterest.

You will never lack material to work in your hobby if you work with PVC material. I am sure your friends and neighbours will gladly give you their empty PVC bottles if you tell them that you want them for your craft projects.  Trust me, it can be very fulfilling if you can use your creativity to create practical things for your home without spending money on materials. 

Check out this video if you need more inspirations to start.

Your relatives and friends will be amazed by your new found hobby when they visit your home. Likely, some may even request you to make them the same. See if they are willing to pay you for your time and efforts because making extra income can be fulfilling too.

What can you make with leftover bread?

What can you make for a family of three if you have only 3-4 pieces of bread left?  

If you have eggs and any of the following ingredients to make pizza fillings, it should be a filling enough snack to make:

-pepperoni
-mushrooms
-bell peppers
-tomato
-mozzarella and different cheeses
-basil
-sausage
-bacon
-chicken
-onions
-olives
-spinach
-pineapple
-anchovies

 This video will give you an idea how you can go about it

These are the ingredients you need to make it:

Cooking with an Airfryer

This is why you should get an airfryer.  You get to eat crispy food without the deep frying it in lots of oil. 

These are the ingredients required:

Japanese Rice Paper Pizza in Air Fryer

● rice paper - 2 leaves

● egg

● mozzarella cheese

● pizza sauce

● mozzarella

● pepperoni sausage

AF Egg & Cheese Ciabatta Boat   

● ciabatta - 1 pc.

● sauce satsebeli - 2 tbsp.

● cheese

● bacon

● mozzarella

● eggs - 2 pcs.

Air Fryer Pizza Cones 

● tortilla

● mozzarella

● pepperoni sausage

● pizza sauce

Bacon Rice Ball in AirFryer  

● rice - 350 g

● soy sauce - 2 tbsp.

● sesame oil - 2 tbsp.

● salt - 1 tsp.

● mayonnaise - 3 tbsp.

● nori - 1 leaf

● bacon

● cheddar cheese

● sesame

AirFryer Garlic Cheese Toast 

● softened butter

● chili flakes

● dried parsley

● salt

● garlic - 2 cloves

● toast bread

● mozzarella cheese

What are the Different Types of Pork Ribs?

Sign up for free newsletters from Woks of Life and you will keep getting very useful tips like this. 

Tofu Balls Variations

These are the ingredients you need to make Deep Fried Tofu Shrimp Ball:

There is a simpler version if this is too much work for you.

.

These are the ingredients required:

If deep frying Tofu Shrimp Ball is too oily and heaty for you, you can consider making soup with them.

These are the ingredients required:

You can also use an air fryer to cook it as a vegetarian dish with these ingredients:

Watch this video to see how it is cooked: