Do We Have the Gimmies? And Too Much Stuff?

(photo courtesy of Amazon.com)

Lately there's a lot of loud humming in my head. There's too much of it this time of year when the toy commercials come on constantly, the newspaper arrives loaded with extra ads and inserts what a waste of trees, and the emails for special sales and promotions flood my inbox. It's enough to put this girl into a tailspin. And it ain't pretty, people.

I've been reading a lot of posts lately that have made me even more pensive about life and "stuff", like this one on homelessness via Diana Adams of Bit Rebels. And this one about gratitude and greed via my friend Amy Oscar.

I've also been thinking about this video, The Story of Stuff, which you should watch if you haven't already.

Then my BFF Shelly Kramer of V3 Integrated Marketing  and I went road trippin' to BFE Bern, Kansas on Saturday to pick up our cow. You know the one. And if you don't, go here to catch up. I'll wait.

Anycow, we had lots of time in the car to talk, seeing as we took a few minor detours, including one to, um, Nebraska (cough, cough). When we came upon this sign

I slammed on the brakes and pulled over freaking out slightly. Shelly, ever level-headed, got on her phone to call the meat packing plant for more specific directions (let's just say country folk don't get that we city people aren't used to going off the grid. My GPS was no help--it showed us kinda floating on a screen of white space). As we drove, wide open fields raced past us while a beautiful blue sky floated gracefully above. Grasses turning dry and brown, trees that seemed naked with the recent loss of their leaves. I squealed as we passed cattle grazing, baby calves, deer, and even alpaca!  

We talked while we drove through several small farm towns as we neared Bern. Shelly mentioned how different people's lives are up there. For example, Deborah, the woman whose cow we bought, lives in a very small house with her husband, two kids, and a third on the way. Her kids have no idea what Gogurt is, and the abhorrent fruit snacks my kids are addicted to are completely alien to them. Their nearest grocery store is a half hour drive away. Deborah and her neighbors stock a nearby food pantry with essentials so that in a pinch they can grab what they need: a sack of flour, maybe some sugar, and perhaps some beans or potatoes. There is no McDonald's in Bern. There is no Wal-Mart in Bern. It's truly all very quaint, simple, and quiet. Nothing but miles and miles of farmland around, wide open spaces, and consequently less of a need or desire for the "stuff" the rest of us constantly crave and find so necessary.

What a different life many of us lead. It's difficult for me to admit, but we definitely lead a life of excess. We have not only what we need, but so much more. I drive a two-year-old minivan that we bought brand new; we live in a large new house with plenty of space; and our girls have their own playroom in the basement that's overflowing with Barbies, an easel, a doll house, kiddie table & chairs set, a ginormous dress-up trunk, and a small inflatable bouncy house (thank you very much for the Craigslist find, Shelly!). We go out to nice meals at restaurants when we want, go to the movie theater, shop at Banana Republic, The Gap, Target and Old Navy. We have several different chains of grocery stores available to us, all within a two or three mile radius. We take all of this for granted.

Still, we are generous. We donate to many different charities and make a point of supporting lots of people and organizations in need. I keep granola bars and packs of peanut butter crackers in my car to hand out to the homeless, along with the smile Diana Adams talks about in her post. This morning I dropped off several large bags of clothes, shoes, housewares, etc. at Goodwill. I support Heifer International and send meaningful gifts to help people around the world receive training that helps them become self-reliant. Not only is that being green, it's not just more "stuff."

But here I am trying to make all these excuses for myself. When I'm part of the problem of "stuff."

As I type this, there's a closet upstairs where we're hiding Hanukkah and birthday gifts for our daughters. Part of me can't help it. They are still so young. I'm hopeful we can gradually ease away from this unhealthy obsession and instead do things like volunteer at shelters or food kitchens someday when they are older. Maybe rather than giving each other presents, we can commit to putting that money towards a charity (or a few) we all believe in and want to support. There are so many in need. I have taught my children about homelessness and while they clearly don't fully understand it, they do show sympathy and they enjoy helping me dole out snacks or put money in a bucket. If I have my way, within a few years we'll take gifts to a nearby children's hospital to hand out.

And that good feeling, that high I get from helping others? That's the only "stuff" I really need.

I'll Show You Mine if You Show Me Yours, or, The Crap That Lives In My Purse.

I've seen posts like this all over the Blogosphere lately, so I'm finally jumping on the bandwagon. I wish I remembered where I'd seen them all so I could give credit where credit is due. If you know, please email me so I can edit this to include those bloggers!

Exhibit A:
My Gap handbag I got on sale for $16.99 a few weeks ago. Looks innocent enough, right? Yeah, well, let's just say looks can be deceiving, people.

Exhibit B: This is me. Apparently.


In true Ally Sheedy/Breakfast Club fashion, I dumped all its contents onto the living room floor. Then I took photos of things in small groups. However, please note that not surprisingly, no makeup, fun headbands, or Capn' Crunch cereal were found in my purse.

In no particular order, here is everything that was/is in my bag.

1.) About 22 pieces of UNused Kleenex. Because it would be too easy to keep it in its handy little travel pack.

2.) New package of Heartgard for Monster. I don't accept plastic shopping bags, so sometimes I just stuff things in my purse.

3.) New package of Frontline for Monster. Got 1 vial free. Yay! I never get anything free! Well, I didn't. My dog did.

1.) Bag of almonds for me. Been using same Ziploc for them for entirely too long. Because I'm green. Or just gross, your call.

2.) Animal crackers, one pack per hooligan. Never ever leave home without sustenance for kiddos. And they have to be exactly the same, or it might cause World War III.

3.) Annie's fruity bunnies. The girls' favorite snack. One I can feel sorta good about. Maybe.

4.) Think Thin protein bar. My favorite meal on-the-go.

1.) Envirosax reusable pink bunny shopping bag. Holds up to 44 lbs. of stuff. Always keep one balled up in my purse.

2.) Purple reusable produce bag from Whole Foods. Always keep one in my purse.

3.) Small pack of Hello Kitty wipes. Because my kids had to have 'em & because Hello Kitty rocks.

4.) Pink composition book. For all the stuff I'm not writing or should be writing down.

5.) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelo. Haven't started reading it yet. Never be without reading material.

6.) Box of Altoids. Because I have halitosis. Or diarrhea of the mouth. Or something. I stink.

7.) Boxes of crayons from Nordstrom's Cafe. I think they get thrown away (after use) otherwise, so we bring them home. Like we need more crayons around here.

Misc. papers:

1.) Agenda from my most recent PJ Library Committee meeting with my notes scribbled all over it.

2.) Yellow menu from Great Harvest Bread. Because I absolutely need more carbs in my life.

3.) Black sunglasses case from Ann Taylor Loft.

4.) ASPCA brochure: 101 Things You Didn't Know Could Harm Your Pet. Because I love my doggie (and animals in general) and support the organization.

5.) PJ Library enrollment brochure so I can stalk Jews people while I'm on the go.

6.) Small, white bullet-shaped Natracare tampon. (under the sunglasses case) Because even when I'm in the red, I'm still green. But not like all Christmas-y, because I'm a Jew and we do Hanukkah over here.

7.) Flyer and hand-written notes from a workshop we recently attended where Susan Stiffelman spoke about "Parenting Without Power Struggles." One of my children who shall remain nameless is the reason we attended said conference. Hint: her name begins with "A." But I'm not saying anything more.

8.) Ginormous vet bill receipt for grooming and labs for Monster. But bonus-- a rebate form for the Heartgard! I can get 12 whole dollars back! Woohoo!

9.) Miscellaneous note/list of stuff I need to do but haven't yet. Oy vey.

1.) Pens--six of them. Because somehow, even with that many in my purse, I'm always digging for and unable to find one when I most need it.

2.) Random Hello Kitty band-aid. Because boo boo's happen. A lot. And only something with that god forsaken cat on it Hello Kitty can stop the fake tears.

3.) My regular key chain and my spare car key chain. Because it really makes sense to drive around with my spare key in case I lock myself out of my car.

4.) Contact lens case.

5.) Stupid Sprint cell phone. That doesn't give me any service in my own house.

6.) Small tube of Cetaphil hand lotion.

7.) Small bottle of hand sanitizer.

8.) Box of Shut The Hell Up gum. Just because I liked the box. 12 kinds of awesome, people.

9.) Hobo wallet from my BFF Shelly Kramer. It's da bomb diggity. And she has one just like it.

10.) Misc. hair clips/accessories including Hello Kitty ponytail holder. Because in case it's not obvious, we like that chic. I mean cat.

11.) Old bottle of Cymbalta which is now filled with various vitamins, Advil, and Pepcid for all the heartburn my kids give me.

12.) Plastic witch finger with red nail polish on that I was instructed to hold onto because someone else was too lazy tired busy to hold it herself.

So let's see what's in YOUR bag!

My Little Greenies

If you read me regularly or even just lurk, it should come as no surprise that I am a green gal. I recycle, I compost, I use glass milk bottles (Shatto Dairy), I bring my own bags everywhere, and I dry most of my laundry on a rack. I turn off the tap while I brush my teeth and shave my legs. I shop at Whole Foods and local farmers' markets. Shelly Kramer and I are buying a cow, despite the fact that I'm no longer eating any meat (the rest of my family does). No, he will not be our pet, but he is currently grazing on a local farm eating GRASS (read: not corn) and living the sweet life.

It should also come as no surprise that I am green-ifying my children as well. I bought the girls a copy of Wubbzy Goes Green, and they love it. We talk about a lot of different things: turning off lights when we leave a room, closing the blinds/curtains to keep the house cooler in summer, and using cloth napkins instead of paper at mealtimes (check out cute ones for kids on Etsy!). They know which recycling bin is for glass, which is for plastic, and where to put the newspapers. We've also discussed litter, which really churns my butter because it ends up in places it shouldn't, like our oceans, rivers, and lakes. Deb over at Menopausal New Mom has written about the Pacific Garbage Patch, which was created in part by litter. I often pick up litter while we're on walks and will bring it back home to dispose of it.

While walking Monster (our mini Poodle) with The Father Load one day last week, the girls happened upon some litter in the street.

A plastic bottle, to be exact. Abby immediately picked it up and handed it over to Daddy.

The Father Load said, "Put it down, I'm not carrying that on a walk."

Abby said, "But it's litter, we always pick up litter."

The Father Load replied, "I'm not Mommy, I don't pick up every piece of trash I see on the street."

Izzy piped up and said, "You're not good for the environment, Daddy."

Abby added, "It's time for you to go green, Daddy."

Daddy said, "I'm trying."

Izzy snapped, "You don't try, you just DO."

Abby echoed, "Yeah Daddy, you just DO."

What are you teaching your kids about going green and the environment?

Friday Dare--What I Did to Make Someone Smile Today (Including Myself)!

So the inimitable @ShellyKramer threw the gauntlet this morning. She issued a dare on her V3im blog, wherein she challenged us to make someone smile today. Not being one to back down on something this easy, I went right out and did it, and I have photos to prove it. I went to the KC Community Blood Center and offered up a donation. And not just for the free Oreos and apple juice. I insisted on documenting my experience throughout. This darling woman tried to duck out of the photo, but I told her how cute she looked and begged her to pose for me. My donation made her happy, and it made me happy. Perhaps not quite what Shelly had in mind, but I've been meaning to donate for a while and laziness is my only excuse. Thank you, Kansas City Community Blood Center, for your efficiency, stellar employees (especially Elmo, who let me ask him if people ever make jokes about his name), and for getting me in & out so quickly, even though I didn't have an appointment.

Here's the rub, people: this cost me nothing, required ZERO effort on my part, took roughly 1/2 hour from start to finish (including paperwork), and best of all, gave me an excuse to chuck Jazzercise & Jillian today, as I've been instructed not to engage in any rigorous/strenuous activities for the next 24 hours. Can't beat that.

You may note I did not allow the superior Community Blood Center staff to photograph me, but rest assured you can tell it's me by the big feet clad in really old tennis shoes. I was kinda hoping all that blood might call hotties Eric and Bill out to play, or perhaps even the Cullens, but alas there were no bloodsuckers to be found. Damn it.

In a similar vein (pun absolutely intended), how can you spread the smiles today? I confess that I needed a smile today. I needed to feel worthy, good, and helpful. So I went out and did something about it. What can you do today---both for yourself AND for someone else?

It Would Tickle Me Pink if You'd Go Green With Me Today!

I love Holly over at 504 Main so much that with her permission, I'm integrating some of my favorite Go Green tips into today's Ticked Pink post. You can also visit Deb over at Menopausal New Mom for her Green post today, and Juney over at 3! A Charm is joining us with her eco-friendly ideas as well. We'd love it if you shared your favorite green ideas and linked up with us! Just grab our cute little button and post.

Now, onto the green tips that Tickle Me Pink:

1.) It would tickle me pink if you select "No" when the ATM machine asks if you want a receipt. Stop being so lazy Record your transaction right then and there or just use your online banking to play catch up later.

2.) Likewise when you're at the gas pump, opt out of a receipt. We can save so many trees this way! See? You can be green even in little, easy ways like this.

3.) Air dry as many of your clothes as possible. This will help your clothes last longer, reduce your energy bills, and help keep your home cooler in summer, too! I don't remember where I got mine from, but it tickles me pink:

Try looking at this one on Amazon, or this one at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

4.) Keep your blinds and curtains drawn during the daylight hours in summer to help keep your home cooler.

5.) If you're going to eat beef, eat grass-fed beef. Better yet, be like me & Shelly Kramer and buy your own cow. Also consider doing Meatless Mondays. Even The Father Load is slowly becoming more comfortable with the occasional meatless meal and that tickles me pink!

6.) It tickles me pink to buy local and organic whenever possible. Check out your farmer's market. I got some beautiful heirloom tomatoes from ours last weekend which we paired with fresh mozzarella and our own homegrown basil. Delish! I have enough to make some homemade pesto, too.

7.) Get off catalog & junk mail lists using http://www.catalogchoice.org/.

8.) For special occasions, give family and friends the gift that keeps on giving---donate to their favorite environmental group, charity, or other organization. Do away with all the gift wrap, tissue paper, and ribbons. If you can't, then at least recycle/reuse what you can.

9.) I am going to start doing this myself: I just read that you should stop rinsing your dishes before loading them into the dishwasher. You will save time and 15 gallons of water per load! (but let's see if my dishes still come out as clean!) Skip the heated dry cycle. Select the speed cycle if possible, too.

10.) Don't take baths, take showers. And shorten your showers--turn off the water while you lather up.

11.) Bank and pay your bills on-line. It tickles me pink to save stamps!

12.) BYOB & BYOM. Bring Your Own Bag & Bring Your Own Mug. Seriously, the bags should be habit by now. And as Tracie from Stir-Fry Awesomeness recently pointed out, I hope you are washing those reusables! They get grimy just like anything else. I air-dry mine and I wash my produce bags in a lingerie bag to protect them. While I am guilty of using my reusables for all of my shopping needs, it would be smarter to designate some for just grocery shopping due to germs and the potential for contamination. Bring your own mug to Starbucks or the coffee joint of your choice.

13.) I loathe Styrofoam peanuts. I save them all in my garage and recycle them by using them in packages I send out. In fact, you may catch me on the next episode of Hoarders due to all the Styrofoam peanuts I've collected....

Speaking of Styrofoam, I just stumbled across this gem. I know I don't live in NYC and my children aren't even in the public school system yet, but once they are I'll be doing everything I can to help a project like this. Does your child's school use Styrofoam and Styrofoam lunch trays? If so, check out this link here. The statistics are staggering. But at least for now they are doign "Trayless Tuesdays!"

14.) Reuse cardboard shipping boxes and any supplies/packaging. Don't just put them in your recycling bin.

15.) Buy the Sunchips in the compostable bag.

16.) Try the Three Sisters cereal without the box. Have you ever thought about all the trees used to make cereal boxes and how unnecessary they are? Three Sisters cereals are delicious and are sold exclusively at Whole Foods.

17.) Composting tickles me pink. I have been composting for a while now and let me tell you about some of the things going into my bin daily:

egg shells

apple cores

banana peels

coffee filters

coffee grinds

mushy grapes and blueberries my kids won't eat

potato peelings

melon rinds

lint from my dryer (which isn't being used much lately)

shredded paper and newspaper

grass clippings

leaves

weeds

onion skins

paper towel and toilet paper cardboard rolls

I have put soooo much in there and it's getting heavier/fuller. Here's a shot of what it looks like inside. See, you can tell things are breaking down slowly. I promise it doesn't stink. It's awesome to see the progress. Yes, I need to add some paper as it's kinda wet in there:

18.) Last but not least, Jenny Mac of Let's Have a Cocktail told me about Eco Tools' Look Gorgeous, Love Green Campaign. This project allows you to swap your used cosmetic supplies out for an Eco Tools Alternative. Check it out and ship some of your old makeup brushes in for an eco-friendly exchange!

Now go forth and be GREEN! I am unplugging this weekend as I willl be hanging out with Lee The Hotflash Queen and Tracie of Stir-Fry Awesomeness, so I may be slow returning comments. Perhaps you will see a vlog appear somewhere soon!

Paying It Forward: Alzheimer's, Veronica's Voice, and Me.

(If you still haven't entered my Get Your Green On Giveaway, please check it out. You could win a monogrammed/personalized reusable tote from Lara @ La Plates! And if you can't wait or don't win, there's a discount code for you to grab while you're there!)

I've been paying it forward lately, doing good things for good people---because they deserve it, and because it comes back to me tenfold. It makes me feel better about myself. Sending good karma out into the world where it can float around, alight somewhere, only to flutter away and land again upon some other unsuspecting but deserving soul is a powerful and liberating feeling. I'm addicted.

We recently held our annual fundraiser for our local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. It's called Memories in the Making, and it features watercolor paintings done by Alzheimer's patients in art therapy programs in KC & surrounding areas. The art is auctioned off and the funds raised go towards research, education, and programming. Because I'm on the board, I was lucky enough to preview the art ahead of time and decide which piece we'd bring home tell Hubs how talented all the artists were. I'd fallen in love with this particular piece by Ken Roberts:

"Day at the Beach" By Ken Roberts, 2009

Interestingly, Ken was born a twin in Wichita, KS, in 1936. He joined the Navy at 18 and four years later he began studying at KU, where he earned his BFA. He will tell you he is a photographer with 35 years of experience, but in his modest way, will deny that he is a painter. He worked for the Kansas City Star as both a layout artist and advertising art director, and for The Sun as creative director. He enjoys the beauty of nature and has said, "I have old fashioned ideas about art."

The auctioneers, the Nigro Brothers, were amazing and they allowed me to borrow a hat and pose for photos.

Me & The Father Load

Me with Jennifer and Liz who were some of our guests that night.

Then I had the privilege of meeting Ken Roberts, the artist (& Alzheimer's patient) himself. It was a moment I almost have no words for. I thought back to reading Still Alice, and back to the day Hubs' grandmother died--- the day I knew this was a cause I wanted to become heavily involved in. Hubs' grandmother succumbed to Alzheimer's while I was pregnant with the girls. Unfortunately she never got to meet her great-granddaughters, but I know they would have been bosom buddies. Helen and her husband, Ben, both treated me like I was their granddaughter. Helen is the one who dubbed our Mini Poodle, Monster, "The Mons Mons," a nickname that has stuck ever since. 

I got into a bidding war, but I was intent on winning this piece. And win I did, in more ways than one. It was a win for Ken, a win for Alzheimer's, a win for Helen, and for all the others who have suffered needlessly at the hands of this horrible disease. It was a night of celebration, of knowing we will never give up. We will not stop trying until we have a cure. It was a night where I felt like I was making a difference.

It was an emotional moment and I asked Ken if I could give him a hug. He indulged me.

He told me the painting was of his granddaughters. I choked up.

Then I began to blabber about my girls & how I fell in love with his painting months ago when I first saw it.

A Day at the Beach now has a prominent place in our foyer where everyone sees it when they walk in.

Then last week, my friend Shelly Kramer of V3 Integrated Marketing told me about a cause near & dear to her heart, Veronica's Voice. It's an organization dedicated to social change for American victims of commercial sexual exploitation (prostitution). Veronica's Voice helps encourage, empower, and educate them so that they can make lifestyle changes and heal their hearts and spirits. I was inspired and thanks to Shelly, I found their wish list on the site. I flew to Target and Dollar Tree and stocked up on shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, infant clothing, snacks, paper towels, and cleaning supplies. I called and set up a time to drop everything off. After I did so, I felt lighter and happier. I meant to take all my old magazines (Real Simple, Vogue, Elle, US Weekly, etc.) but I forgot, so I'm going to bring those to another type of shelter with some more things soon. I would love to volunteer there (or a gazillion other places), but until the girls start kindergarten, my free time is limited.

There is so much ugliness in the world sometimes I can't stand it. The least I can do is take one piece at a time and try to make it beautiful.

How do you pay it forward? How are you making a difference in the lives of others?