Listen of the Week II

In honor of the World Cup, I'm recommending an encore listen. K'naan, who rewrote his magnificent song Wavin' Flag for this year's tournament, did an interview in February 2009 with the most excellent Studio 360. Enjoy!

Why I (Now) Love the World Cup

This year, I have become a complete convert to what my husband insists is called 'football.' I resisted. I may even have mocked. (Okay, I definitely mocked.) But then I had an epiphany. In a really, really hard world, where so many people struggle with poverty and violence, lacking clean water and education and hope itself, where our differences seem so vast that we will kill and die over them, it is nothing short of a miracle that we can be united by a love and excitement for this game. That we will set aside strife to kick a ball around for 90-some minutes.
Even more heartening is the way in which regular people worldwide unite behind their teams. In poor, remote spots all over the planet folks will gather in front of any available tv screen and cheer their hearts out. They will paint their faces. They will wave their flags. And for 90 minutes, we can all glimpse what this world could be like.

Listen of the Week

I listen to quite a lot of radio and a lot of podcasts. It is amazing how much truly excellent programming is out there, free for our enjoyment. There are many, many shows that I never, ever miss. And sometimes, when you're crazy about something, don't you just want to share the love. My recommendation today is an astounding, creepy, and most definitely unique Fresh Air interview about ANTS! More than you ever wanted to know about these super-interesting little critters. If you listen to the show, let me know what you think!

Vegan Update #1, Food Review #1

As it turns out, making the change from vegetarian to vegan is SO MUCH HARDER than the change from meat-eater to vegetarian. Becoming vegetarian couldn't even be described as hard. So I'm going easy on myself, forgiving myself for not going cold tofurky, allowing myself to do this incrementally, one day, one choice at a time. I am very slowly reading Becoming Vegan, and it seems to be an excellent resource. More on the book as I delve deeper.
Also, I am NOT big on convenience foods, but to ease the transition I tried a couple products. One gets a big thumbs up, the other I would only loosely define as "food." The unsuccessful experiment first: Soy-sation shredded "cheese." I don't even think this is totally animal-free, and it's terrible anyway. Bad flavor, bad texture. Boo. BUT, the triumph: Purely Decadent vegan ice cream. I have tried two flavors, Cookie Dough and Peanut Butter Zig Zag. The latter is my favorite, but both are quite tasty. Though this is vegan, it is not, I repeat NOT, health food. Vegans need something sinful every now and then, too.

La Dolce Vita

This evening, as part of our glorious 'staycation', we (the hubs, the two kiddos, and I) went out for an early dinner at a great local Italian joint called Giovanni's. Sitting in a nifty little booth tucked into a corner by the window, enjoying good wine and even better pizza, my thoughts traveled back to the last time we dined there. Just over two years ago, the same group, plus my sister, sat at a table in the center of the dining room, embarking on a strange new adventure. She had just arrived in our neck of the woods, bringing her five month old son who was to stay with us indefinitely. It was a jittery meal, the way any meal with two infants and their somewhat freaked-out first time moms might be. Justin and I were adjusting to our new reality, he having lost his job less than two months before. Due to my breastfeeding daughter's apparent allergy, I was off dairy, which made my meal disappointing. Everything in our world felt shaky and our future looked uncharted, if not entirely uncertain. And the path of the subsequent two years did turn out to be surprising in many ways. On the positive side, my fears of financial devastation never came to fruition. My the grace of God, we were always able to pay our rent, keep the lights on, and we didn't lose the car. On the other hand, I did not predict certain friends would basically abandon us during the rockiest time in our life thus far.
So, a lovely meal was made all the more lovely as I realized just how much all of us have grown. In small ways, like the fact that going out with the kids doesn't seem so impossible. That the two of them are generally joyful and well-adjusted. And in bigger ways, like how much closer my husband and I became through suffering and struggling and triumphing together. As I've mentioned before, the future is still a big mystery, and our stability is not completely, well, stable. But the lesson we learned, between one visit to Giovanni's and the next, is that whatever happens, we can handle it.

Anger Into Action

The other day, a friend of mine posted that gawd-awful cow abuse video on facebook, and something in me snapped. I typed out this angry rant about how people get so up-in-arms when something like that comes to the public's attention, and then turn right around and go back to supporting the system that allows, even encourages, it to happen. I have been vegetarian for nearly a decade, and have NEVER been preachy or judgemental or militant. But I was, and am, so angry.
Then, before I hit the button to post it, I decided to turn the critique inward. Have I done everything I can not to support the cruel institutions that provide most of America's food? No. Just that night we'd ordered pizza, the cheese on which certainly came from miserable cows. So instead of posting my angry, accusatory statement (which wouldn't have converted anyone), I decided that I want to work on going vegan. I requested the book Becoming Vegan from the library. I already have at least 6 great vegan cookbooks. I plan to pore over vegan websites and blogs. I'm really looking forward to studying this, and very satisfied that I'm making the right decision.

Small Victories

As you can see by my long absence, I have trouble keeping up with things. But as part of my practice of positivity, I am learning an important lesson: One must really celebrate even the smallest accomplishments. Trying to do this has brought a lot of joy to my everyday life. Sure, the laundry is backed up, but everyone has clean sheets on their beds. Victory! Some of the herbs I planted died. But I successfully grew some other ones. Good job! I can't seem to keep up with my blog. However, I have done a really good job of remembering birthdays this year. Sweet! I guess what it comes down to is learning to be kind and gentle with yourself. And look! I completed a post! Yay for me! :)

Digital Detox 2010

Just a quick note to advocate participation in Tv Turn-Off/Digital Detox Week. It starts tomorrow, April 19th, and goes until Sunday, April 25th. I hope to read, and journal, and be outside. See you in a week!

Mother of One, Sometimes Two

For the last three years, the arrival of Spring, for us, has meant more than green shoots peeking through the last of the snow and dormant trees suddenly bursting into bloom. The birds constructing nests up under the back patio awning aren't the only creatures returning. At our house, Spring means the return of Miles. It's strange that the timing has worked out this way. Like his departure on Christmas each of the last two years, it was definitely not anyone's plan. Nonetheless, in May of 2008, April of 2009, and late March of this year, Miles came.
For anyone who doesn't know our unique situation, Miles is our nephew, my sister's son. She is a single military mom, and we are honored to be her number one choice for Miles' number two home. It is interesting that something as routine-disrupting as adding a family member has become a Springtime regularity, a routine all its own.
Miles is almost 28 months old, three and a half months younger than my daughter, Penny, and I have dubbed them 'twuzzins', as it is what I imagine having twins would be like. Much of our time as parents to two toddlers is spent rolling with the punches, reacting more than strategizing, so there is little time spent pondering the implications. But occasionally, I wonder how it is forming Miles, and Penny, and my husband and me. On the positive side, will Miles grow to be flexible and resilient because of all the changes and moves? On the darker side, will the kids hesitate to form attachments for fear of losing potential friends the way they repeatedly lose each other.
All in all, I am thankful for this experience. Having Miles has made our life more interesting, and different from the lives of our friends. And as Miles grows into a fine young man, I will be happy to take some of the credit.

Time to Be Happy

"The time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so."
--Robert G. Ingersoll

Canniversary

Tomorrow marks two years since that fateful April Fools' Day, when the unthinkable happened and we survived.
In the midst of learning to be parents, in the midst of preparing for our nephew to come live with us, my husband came home early from work and told me, and my six-month-old baby, that he'd suddenly and unexpectedly been let go from the church at which he'd been working for almost three years.
That experience, and all the ups and downs in between then and now, taught me more than any other experience save becoming a mom. Here are some things I have learned in these two crazy years:
~Square pegs don't fit in round holes. From the interview process through that final awful day, it was clear we did not fit at that church.
~I don't ever want to hold my tongue for the sake of self-preservation. I cannot count the times I listened in silence to so much misogyny, so much homophobia, so much general ignorance, fearing that if I stated my true beliefs my husband's job might be at risk. You see how swimmingly that worked out. Never again.
~God really takes care of us, and things always work out. Incidents that seemed catastrophic ended up working out in our favor. This point is actually difficult for me because, while it holds true over and over, it doesn't necessarily fit in with my broader theology. Daily, more devout better mothers on the other side of the world watch their children starve, and my family has wanted for NOTHING. Why? I guess that's another post for another day.
~The people you think will be there for you when things get tough may not, and people you never thought of might turn out to be anchors.
~Your "plan" is only as solid as every last, blessed aspect that could possibly go haywire.
~What's better than a good-paying job with great health insurance? Seeing my husband and him being able to witness and enjoy our baby becoming a little girl.
~The most recent BIG lesson I've learned is the value of practicing positivity. At the end of last year, when our future seemed a bit bleak once again, I stumbled across this blog post and was inspired, to say the least. Sometimes, I fall back into my cranky old ways (ok, a do that a LOT), but I am determined to choose how I face challenges and react to setbacks, and to try to maintain a ridiculous optimism. And when I manage to do that, it really does work. Things go much more smoothly, and life is generally more beautiful.

Happy Miles Day!

Today, our crazy life gets a bit crazier. Again. Miles is flying the friendly skies, headed in our general direction. He will be here for a couple glorious months, learning to sleep in a big boy bed and joining us on our Tennessee road trip. Here we go!

Housecleaning at 3AM

It's been a hard day. One of those days in which I find it difficult-nay! impossible-to find a positive way to look at things. I felt truly miserable to my core the bulk of the time.
There are a lot of areas of life that make me wonder how everyone but me 'gets it.' Faith, for example, seems to come much more easily for most people than it does for me. And, as I'm scrubbing the kitchen floor at oh-three-hundred, another glaring example is throbbing in my brain: housekeeping. But more broadly, BALANCE. Everyone I know manages to spend time with their child(ren) whilst maintaining immaculate houses AND not roaming zombie-like at three in the morning with a rag and spray bottle. There are plenty of other people with no family around to help out who STILL manage balance.
Until I figure it out, you'll have to excuse me. The laundry is calling.

Make & Do Monday: Multi-Purpose Cleaner

Just a quickie cleaner recipe today:
In a spray bottle, combine 2 cups of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon Dr. Bronner's (or comparable castile soap), 1 teaspoon borax, and a few drops of good smelling essential oil if you desire. Spray on, wipe off. This works great and smells lovely. Happy Monday!

Sites That RULE: Instructables

I first heard of this AMAZING site in a story on NPR. At that time, the atmosphere around here was a bit discouraged. Money was tight and future was uncertain. (Now I realize, with some comfort and some frustration, that the future is always uncertain.) To hear a story about talented, unique, crazy people facing the same economy with creativity and panache was so inspiring, and it played an important part in the positive changes I was beginning to make.
All different types of people post on the site. There is information for all interests, all skill levels, all positions on the weirdness spectrum.
These days, I go there on a regular basis when I need to kickstart my creativity or shake myself out of a gloomy mood. Some of my favorite tutorials on the site are:
The Coffee Bag Wallet, of which I've made several. In fact, you want one?
Plastic Bottle Flowers, which I find to be an exceptionally beautiful and creative way to use garbage.
Optimus Prime Costume
Just visit Instructables for a minute or two. I GUARANTEE it will make you smile.

In Support of Staying Busy

"If you observe a really happy man, you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias or looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that had rolled under the radiator, striving for it as a goal in itself. He... will have become aware that he is happy in the course of living life 24 crowded hours of each day." --W. Beran Wolfe
"The secret of being miserable is to have the leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not." --George Bernard Shaw
"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do and you've done it." --Margaret Thatcher

Tightwad Tuesday: Saving Butter Wrappers?!

When the hubs first lost his job almost two years ago, I rediscovered the radical, wonderful Tightwad Gazette. I have learned many useful/silly/genius tips in its pages. One of my favorites, because it is so easy and works so well, is saving the wrappers from sticks of butter (I have several in the fridge right now!) and using them to grease dishes for baking. It works remarkably well, and I have not had to buy cooking spray since I began the practice. Thrift on!

Make & Do Monday: Earth Scrub

I believe that one vital aspect of simple living, which also happens to be really fun most of the time, is DIY. Do it yourself! So today I bring you a wonderful homemade cleaner recipe that I came across on the DiaperSwappers.com forum. It's easy to make, smells fabulous, and, most importantly, works great. I use it to clean everything in the bathroom. To make your own "Earth Scrub" (Cute, eh? Like Soft Scrub, only eco-friendly.) you will need an empty 16-oz dish soap bottle, or similar receptacle, 1 2/3 cups baking soda, 1/2 cup liquid castile soap (I use and adore Dr. Bronner's peppermint), 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and a few drops of tea tree oil.
Step 1-In a big bowl, mix together the baking soda and the castile soap.
Step 2-Into your baking soda paste, mix first 1/2 cup water, and then your vinegar. Stir until there are no lumps.
Step 3-If you like the consistency, pour your scrub into the empty dish soap bottle. If it is too thick, add a bit more water.
Step 4-Add about 5 drops of tea tree oil to the bottle and shake it up!
(If you don't necessarily need an antiseptic, anti-fungal scrub, you can leave out the tea tree oil.)
Apply your scrub directly to the surface to be cleaned, or squirt some on a rag. You will need to rinse the surface when you're done cleaning.
There is just something wonderful about a cleaner strong enough to disinfect your bathroom, but safe enough that you could eat it. But please don't eat it.

Post Script to The Underground Economy

I can't believe I forgot to mention my favorite recent anti-retail acquisition. Instead of purchasing landscape fabric for my herb and plant growing extravaganza, I bought huge burlap coffee bags from the magnificent Brother Bear's Coffee in Yellow Springs, Ohio for two bucks a piece. Sweet.
(I must here acknowledge my wonderful husband who braved the hippie haven with my toddler daughter in order to retrieve said burlap bags.)

The Underground Economy

I suppose it was bound to come out sooner or later that ,though I enjoy learning about economics ( and you can, too ), I am most certainly not a capitalist. I profoundly enjoy finding ways to not give money to The Man. Here are some of the activities that have tickled me pink recently:
1-I have planted some herbs, using seed packets given to me by a client at work, in a dirt-filled egg carton and toilet paper tube. You, too, can make a toilet paper tube seed pot.
2-I have purchased an iron and ironing board (Yay! I'm a grown-up!) for $10 from a nice man from Turkey through Craigslist.
3-I have planted garlic and an apple tree (in containers that formerly housed OxiClean and baby wipes, respectively) with help from this book, which I borrowed from the library, of course.
4-And speaking of the library, our local branch has been indispensable. I cannot remember the last time we rented a movie or bought a new cd.
5-In order to not give a dime to companies who use sweat-shop labor, I am bidding on used shoes on ebay.
6-I am done with getting cheap junk for somebody just to have a gift to give. No, I'm not gonna spend more. I'm just gonna spend smarter. I've already started by giving my sister-in-law sweet little notebooks for her birthday, made by subu.
7-I have refashioned old t-shirts into super cute duds for zero money.
The last thing I want to say (for now) is this: Being strapped financially has only made me more creative and, in the end, richer in many ways.

You Come Up With #10

(This is an old post from my MySpace days, a little over two years ago.)

I was going to come here to have a whinge about the state of the world, and how it's got me down. I was despairing the hopelessness, and I realized not only that I shouldn't share the misery, but that perhaps other people feeling the same way could use a bit of encouragement, and a way not to feel quite so helpless. So here it is. Nine ways you can (begin to) save the world:
1. Say a prayer. For somebody, anybody, everybody.
2. If you have it, give that guy with the cardboard sign a couple bucks. Let yourself off the hook of worrying whether he really needs it, or whether he'll spend it on booze. Just give it to him.
3. Forgive somebody. You don't have to say it to them, and they don't have to apologize. In your heart, forgive them.
4. Forgive yourself. Life is hard. Do your best and then, as Anne Lamott put it, be militantly on your own side.
5. Learn to do something. Go to the library and get a book on how to make a dress, or grow a plant, or draw a dog, or dance a waltz.
6. Compliment somebody. A friend or a stranger. When something in you tells you not to say that nice thing you're thinking, ignore that something and say it anyway.
7. Become more earth-friendly. I realize at this point, the mere mention of "going green" makes most of us want to light styrofoam on fire in the front yard, but hear me out. It's FUN. Instead of buying that roll of paper towels, take your money straight to the thrift store and gitcha some real, live, cloth napkins. Or a big tablecloth to make cloth napkins out of. Think that's kidstuff, not radical enough for you? Ready to go full tilt? Google "family cloth." I dare you.
8. Smile at people. Smile at everybody--scary people, mean people, teeny people, snooty people, grumpy people. So cheesy. Too bad, do it anyway.
9. Get up offa that thing, and dance til you feel better. Not just a good song. Really solid advice.
As Garrison Keillor says, be well, do good work, and keep in touch.

What I Aspire To

"My maternal grandfather died in 1956, leaving my late grandmother Hilda McFall to raise her two children alone. A feminist and activist, she soon became one of the first women elected to county office. As a Juilliard-educated pianist, she also supplemented her income by teaching lessons and playing in the theater. She kept her house immaculate, her beds made, her bathroom neat, and her lawn manicured. She always had a fresh pitcher of iced tea in the fridge and something delicious, like pasties or saffron buns, in the oven. She had close friends with whom she played cards into the night. Even though money was tight, she always managed to give each of her five grandchildren a crisp dollar at every visit and $50 every Christmas. She shopped locally and walked wherever she could, long before being green was a marketing concept. She was strong. She was prudent. And, above all, she was happy."
--Erin Bried "How to Sew a Button and Other Nifty Things Your Grandmother Knew"

The Mission

This is the story of one gal's attempt to practice positivity and live a simple life.