Wednesday, November 19, 2008
29-Day Giving Challenge, Day 1
I jumped into this last night, without much planning (actually, ANY planning) or thought about how I'd pull it off. I'm also working on a 101 in 1001 days challenge, and one of my to do items is to release 1001 of my possessions out into the world. It's not that I have lots of stuff, I really never felt like I needed things to feel better. But in the last year or so I've been thinking about how much you need, and I'd love to be simpler. I'd love to be able to move my stuff in one carload the next time I move. I'd love to know where everything is and to be able to enjoy what I have.
So when I saw this challenge (thanks, Melissa), it seemed like a good way to get started. I also work at a social service agency, and have been doing a lot of thinking about giving all year. I give time and energy and emotional currency at my job. Volunteers who I work with give all of that too, plus they give time that most people don't even realize that they have I feel that I give a lot through my job, but the world is full of need. I'm not able to donate chunks of money right now, and I don't feel comfortable doing other dreams of mine yet--walking around handing out sandwiches or volunteering at a shelter. I feel guilty about this, but I also know that I have to take care of myself so I can do good work. And I do good work, I know this.
This 29-Day Giving Challenge is going to be a gift to me most of all. I want to think in small ways to make a difference. It'll be a treat to think of little things that can change someone's live and make them smile--so many of my hours are spent at work trying to think of the big picture. I'm really into the idea of details right now.
So, unprepared, I jumped into day 1.
Day 1 was coupon day. I went through my collection of coupons, and pulled out some special ones to pass along. Four coupons for organic special tea went to a new volunteer at our office. She's volunteering 15-20 hours a WEEK, just because she's awesome. Coupons are a small thing, but when she found them on her table she came and found me and asked, "Did you leave me these? I knew it must be you! I need some tea, too, I'm just about out of my favorite kind!" She was happy with these little slips of paper.
Two other coupons I left on a table in the lobby of our apartment building, for discounts to a Bike Locker, which is a bike center nearby that will allow you to store your bike and get maintenance and other good stuff. The landlords at my building are making people take their bikes off of the property, if they've been stored on the stairs or in the hallways, and our apartments are so TINY that a bike really takes up the entire living room. So I hope some of my neighbors can use these coupons.
Two coupons for Goodwill were mailed to one of my clients, who loves shopping at thrift stores. It's a fun necessity for her. She's a low income single mom raising 3 kids, and she's disabled, so she deserves any joy that the two bits of paper can bring her.
And six more coupons for free grocery bags went to a coworker, who's working on gathering reusable grocery bags for all of her clients. Even though the bag tax in Seattle seems to be on hold, her clients are worried and upset, so this coworker wants to ease their minds with some grocery totes.
It wasn't huge, and it didn't make a ton of space in my apartment or anything, but I feel good about making this small gift to the universe today.
So when I saw this challenge (thanks, Melissa), it seemed like a good way to get started. I also work at a social service agency, and have been doing a lot of thinking about giving all year. I give time and energy and emotional currency at my job. Volunteers who I work with give all of that too, plus they give time that most people don't even realize that they have I feel that I give a lot through my job, but the world is full of need. I'm not able to donate chunks of money right now, and I don't feel comfortable doing other dreams of mine yet--walking around handing out sandwiches or volunteering at a shelter. I feel guilty about this, but I also know that I have to take care of myself so I can do good work. And I do good work, I know this.
This 29-Day Giving Challenge is going to be a gift to me most of all. I want to think in small ways to make a difference. It'll be a treat to think of little things that can change someone's live and make them smile--so many of my hours are spent at work trying to think of the big picture. I'm really into the idea of details right now.
So, unprepared, I jumped into day 1.
Day 1 was coupon day. I went through my collection of coupons, and pulled out some special ones to pass along. Four coupons for organic special tea went to a new volunteer at our office. She's volunteering 15-20 hours a WEEK, just because she's awesome. Coupons are a small thing, but when she found them on her table she came and found me and asked, "Did you leave me these? I knew it must be you! I need some tea, too, I'm just about out of my favorite kind!" She was happy with these little slips of paper.
Two other coupons I left on a table in the lobby of our apartment building, for discounts to a Bike Locker, which is a bike center nearby that will allow you to store your bike and get maintenance and other good stuff. The landlords at my building are making people take their bikes off of the property, if they've been stored on the stairs or in the hallways, and our apartments are so TINY that a bike really takes up the entire living room. So I hope some of my neighbors can use these coupons.
Two coupons for Goodwill were mailed to one of my clients, who loves shopping at thrift stores. It's a fun necessity for her. She's a low income single mom raising 3 kids, and she's disabled, so she deserves any joy that the two bits of paper can bring her.
And six more coupons for free grocery bags went to a coworker, who's working on gathering reusable grocery bags for all of her clients. Even though the bag tax in Seattle seems to be on hold, her clients are worried and upset, so this coworker wants to ease their minds with some grocery totes.
It wasn't huge, and it didn't make a ton of space in my apartment or anything, but I feel good about making this small gift to the universe today.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
because I'm a joiner and I like lists
View my page on 29-Day Giving Challenge
I'm also starting, finally, a 101 in 1001 challenge. Here's my list.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Hilton, Sleep Terrorist
My cat is an expert at sleep torture.
He's 13 years old, and is still quite active. He's usually a pretty good cat, a sweetie most of the time, UNTIL we try to go to sleep. He'll start by snuggling up to me on the bed (yes, I do allow him on the bed of course) and we fall asleep together, but about three hours later, he'll wake up and start galloping across the bed. He'll jump around and meow and run up and down the hall, then jump back up on the bed, knock things off of the bed side table, run into the living room and knock things down. He'll then run into the bedroom and do a belly flop onto the bed and put his face in our faces... it's almost like he makes a big noise by knocking things down, and has to run in to check and see if we noticed. If that doesn't work, and we refuse to wake up, he'll find plastic bags to chew, or continue to gallop around. To my husband, he'll stand next to his head and then turn around, so he's sticking his rear end in my husband's face!
OK, he wants attention, I think, so I call him over and pet him and love him, but he will only take that for a minute before he runs off again. I've tried feeding him in the middle of the night, tried to make sure he has everything he needs, but still he does this routine. If I do happen to sooth him and he falls asleep next to me again, it all starts over again about an hour later, and continues ever hour or two for the rest of the night.
I'm really suffering from lack of sleep. I've tried to give him extra love in the evenings, feeding him late, even giving him cat nip. We've been to the vet recently, and the vet said he was healthy. I can't think of any changes that we've made to upset the cat.
Sometimes, my insomnia hits after he's woken up up a few times, and I'll get up to read or something, then the cat is suddenly missing. Where did he go? I finally find him curled up on my spot on the bed?!!
Any ideas to get the baby/cat to stay asleep for the night, or at least let ME sleep?
Maybe he's mad at me for something. But sheesh. I'm such a good cat mom, I can't figure out why.
See how sweet he usually is? He even allowed me to put a "scarf" on him:
He's 13 years old, and is still quite active. He's usually a pretty good cat, a sweetie most of the time, UNTIL we try to go to sleep. He'll start by snuggling up to me on the bed (yes, I do allow him on the bed of course) and we fall asleep together, but about three hours later, he'll wake up and start galloping across the bed. He'll jump around and meow and run up and down the hall, then jump back up on the bed, knock things off of the bed side table, run into the living room and knock things down. He'll then run into the bedroom and do a belly flop onto the bed and put his face in our faces... it's almost like he makes a big noise by knocking things down, and has to run in to check and see if we noticed. If that doesn't work, and we refuse to wake up, he'll find plastic bags to chew, or continue to gallop around. To my husband, he'll stand next to his head and then turn around, so he's sticking his rear end in my husband's face!
OK, he wants attention, I think, so I call him over and pet him and love him, but he will only take that for a minute before he runs off again. I've tried feeding him in the middle of the night, tried to make sure he has everything he needs, but still he does this routine. If I do happen to sooth him and he falls asleep next to me again, it all starts over again about an hour later, and continues ever hour or two for the rest of the night.
I'm really suffering from lack of sleep. I've tried to give him extra love in the evenings, feeding him late, even giving him cat nip. We've been to the vet recently, and the vet said he was healthy. I can't think of any changes that we've made to upset the cat.
Sometimes, my insomnia hits after he's woken up up a few times, and I'll get up to read or something, then the cat is suddenly missing. Where did he go? I finally find him curled up on my spot on the bed?!!
Any ideas to get the baby/cat to stay asleep for the night, or at least let ME sleep?
Maybe he's mad at me for something. But sheesh. I'm such a good cat mom, I can't figure out why.
See how sweet he usually is? He even allowed me to put a "scarf" on him:
I R*O*C*K
I rock at finding needy families to give free turkey Thanksgiving Day baskets to. Just sayin.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Election Night (A Found Poem)
Large crowds gather
to celebrate
Election
Shortly after
Media outlets
called
the Presidential Race,
East Precinct
officers observed
a large group of people
gathered in the middle
of the street
Broadway & E. Pike St.
Officers soon discovered
that the gathering was a
spontaneous
celebration
of the election results.
This group began
to march
to march
to march
westbound on Pike St.
towards downtown
with the crowd
increasing in size
as it entered the West Precinct.
As the crowd reached
1st. & Pike St.
they stopped
and spent most their time there.
The crowd
was festive
and not
involved
in any criminal
activity.
The crowd continued
to celebrate
in the street
and eventually left
the downtown area
and returned to Capital Hill
A found poem from:
SPDBlotter.Seattle.Gov � Large crowds gather to celebrate Election
to celebrate
Election
Shortly after
Media outlets
called
the Presidential Race,
East Precinct
officers observed
a large group of people
gathered in the middle
of the street
Broadway & E. Pike St.
Officers soon discovered
that the gathering was a
spontaneous
celebration
of the election results.
This group began
to march
to march
to march
westbound on Pike St.
towards downtown
with the crowd
increasing in size
as it entered the West Precinct.
As the crowd reached
1st. & Pike St.
they stopped
and spent most their time there.
The crowd
was festive
and not
involved
in any criminal
activity.
The crowd continued
to celebrate
in the street
and eventually left
the downtown area
and returned to Capital Hill
A found poem from:
SPDBlotter.Seattle.Gov � Large crowds gather to celebrate Election
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
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