Money and Poverty

Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you."
~ Hebrews 13:5, NLT

Interesting that this is the daily verse that was sent to me today. Money is such an uplifting and depressing conversation at the same time. A lot can be done with well intentioned money, but a lot of power, and at times abuse of that power, can also come along with it.

It seems to me that people feel that they never have enough, even as I watch so much of it be squandered away by all of us. One idea that I have been confronted with again this summer is how much money I do waste, even on my limited borrowed budget, in comparison to the majority of the world. While I'll readily admit that I am well provided for, it has come to my attention lately how much $30 could provide for an individual living in extreme poverty.

For one of my summer classes, we read the book The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs, an international economic advisor and a well-known academic in his field. While Sachs intentions are well-placed, I couldn't help but walk away from the book dismayed that so many individuals believe that transporting our economic model to "poor" countries will benefit them. Especially in light of how our economic model has been negatively impacting our long-term health, the environment, and increasing financial disparity within our own country. It's in moments like these that I wonder why our Western model of living is still seen as surpassing that of a traditional model found in many of these impoverished countries. Isn't there a better way to endorse their culture and help ease them toward a less impoverished existence without trying to impose our "needed" technological and economic advances onto them?

While I'm sure my viewpoint is far off in its own world, it dismays me that my view is so foreign to most involved in this discussion. So for now, I'll do what I can in my own individual life, trying to minimize the negative impact I have on the world in the hopes that a smaller burden may fall on the shoulders of those who suffer the most by our guilty choices.

Although I do hope for an end to global poverty......

Just Life...

Busyness has resumed. I have been joking (and grudingly) telling my friends that I must check my calendar before I can schedule some social time with them, so finally I dedicated most of yesterday to just being social. I started out with a doctor's appointment, utilizing my great health prevention focus. But after that I was treated to a late brunch with my best Portland pal, as a belated birthday gift. I had always had this great idea of being a "lady who lunched," so we both dressed cute, ordered breakfast food, and drank bloody marys before noon. The restaurant brought us a free dessert before leaving as they overheard the belated wishes given via my friend.

I was able to combine several trips together during the day as both my appointment and brunch were located downtown. Then as I spent the rest of the afternoon with my good high school pal, his wife, and the baby who live just east of Portland, I was able to drop off that bag of donations to the organization on the outskirts of the city. I felt good knowing my items would be given directly to individuals and knowing that I didn't really have to drive out of my way to get the donation there. Plus it was just extra incentive to go see the baby (who is incredibly sweet and in that stage with lots of little rolls)!

However with class all day today and a meeting afterwards, three full days of practicum instead of the usual two, and an equally busy weekend, I'm doing a lot of time behind the wheel of my car and I'm feeling that my time is pretty much mapped out. Welcome back to the "real world," although I keep asking myself why it's even necessary to be a part of it. But until it's actually feasible for me not to be a part of the rat race, then I must conform to some of its aspects I suppose while still trying to be mindful of living with a lighter step.

The move this weekend went well. I am incredibly grateful for my brother, his wife, my father, and my mom for all of their hard work in tranisitioning me between places. Mom finished the packing and cleaned most the apartment, while the four of us hauled items to the truck and cars and then into the new place. Everything ended up fitting up the stairs (although barely!) that I had thought would fit and my leather chair even was given a spot in the living room. The first night was HOT but I survived with the help of two fans supplied by my family. By noon on day two I had finished unpacking and was situated in the space.

And so far it's been great. It's always a transition getting to know someone new, but so far the new house mate and I seem to be getting along fairly well. It helps that we have our own spaces, but we have also had some good chats, meals, and cups of coffee together as well. We have some things in common: both have been teachers, both love travel and good food, both are somewhat liberal and eccletic, but we're different enough to really inspire each other as well. On day one she had purchased a drying rack and she's already taught me a million new things about life as well. And I (and my bed) have even been adopted by one of the cats as well. So hopefully here's to a good and productive (albeit busy) year!

The following are pictures of the space:
So you can see I still have a "sitting room" and a sleeping room. I feel like it's a pretty good deal. I spent Sunday reading for class and sipping tea on the back porch with the cats by my feet. The back porch was utilized yesterday morning as well as we drank our morning perks while watching the rain come down and chatting. The drastic change in weather has been interesting, but has really ripened up the few tomatoes on the vines. Now all I really need to do in terms of housing adjustments is figure out the bus system to campus (as the MAX line is currently under construction) and hook up the internet router so I can have consistent wireless access.

HOPE EVERYONE HAS BEEN HAVING A WONDERFUL WEEK THUS FAR!

Bush Signed Phthalate Ban

Hi "Simply Authentic,"

Last week we asked you to call the White House and ask President Bush to sign the Consumer Product Safety Commission Act and he did! The Breast Cancer Fund released the following statement this morning.

Thanks to everyone.

President Signs Phthalate Ban into Law
Major milestone reached for children's health and for chemical regulation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Bush signed a federal bill today that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products. His signature bolsters Congress' overwhelming support for this legislation, and sends a clear message that toxic chemicals have no place in toys.

The phthalate ban, a provision of the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, will protect children from these harmful plastic-softening chemicals which are linked to breast cancer, decreased sperm counts, birth defects and other health problems. Advocates see this legislation as a first step toward broader chemical policy reform. "Congress got a glimpse into how chemicals are regulated in this country and saw how broken the system is," said Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy for the Breast Cancer Fund. "The phthalate ban is only the tip of the iceberg of what's needed to protect Americans from unsafe chemical exposures."

The Breast Cancer Fund led a national coalition of parents, health care professionals and environmental health advocates that convinced Congress to pass the phthalate ban, despite aggressive lobbying by the chemical industry. "This is a David and Goliath victory," said Nudelman. "Public health advocates and parents were up against big oil and the chemical industry, and we won. This should serve as a wake-up call to industry: chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects have no place in consumer products."

Key legislators heeded parents' and advocates' concerns and brought the issue into the legislative arena. Champions include Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who authored the original Senate amendment on phthalates, as well as Sen. Barbara Boxer and Reps. Henry Waxman, Jan Schakowsky and Diana DeGette, who strongly advocated for the ban among their Congressional colleagues.

This legislative action is a direct response to a growing movement of parents, scientists and advocates who are raising concerns about unsafe chemicals in consumer products. Months before Congress took action, retailers and manufacturers including Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us, Lego, Evenflo and Gerber responded to consumer outcry by announcing plans to phase out phthalates in toys. In the past year, California, Washington and Vermont restricted phthalate use in children's products.

"Public awareness is at an all-time high," said Nudelman. "Consumers are saying that the products we buy must be safe, period. The phthalate ban is a great start, and an indication that Congress is ready to consider the kind of sweeping chemical policy reform that is needed."

This message is brought to you by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.
For more information visit the CHEJ homepage at www.chej.org.

A Hot Moving Day

Tomorrow is moving day. There are still some things left to pack, but more boxes and paper are needed and will be brought tomorrow by my parents. My sister reminded me about using old newspaper, so last night I was able to pack the rest of the "fragile" stuff using newspapers that just sit in our lobby. Over the years, I've gotten good at just throwing the extra odds and ends into something in order to transport them wherever they need to go, so some of what is left will just be thrown in where it can and shuffled over to the new location. On Monday, I changed over my address on bills, voter registration, organizations, and legal documents. The internet should be shut off sometime today and the electricity switches over on Sunday.

I'm lucky that tomorrow my parents, my brother, and his wife will all be here to help; hopefully making the move go much quicker. My nerves are slightly jittery about moving into a new location with someone I don't know, but I'm hopeful the transition and integration will go well. Sharing a home is much different than having a space of one's own however. I also happened to pick one of the hottest days of the summer (or maybe it chose us) to move on. Temperatures are supposed to reach over 100 today and will be in the high 90s tomorrow. Hopefully we can get most of it moved over in the late morning so that we can avoid the hottest part of the day. (Although the space I'm moving into is MUCH hotter than the apartment I have currently been living in.) My mother also easily suffers from heat exhaustion, so she'll need to be watched tomorrow.

I'm supposed to be off to campus today to do some work for my practicum, but have misplaced my water bottle somewhere and am a bit leery about being out in the heat. However I suppose I should attempt to do so while it's a bit cooler at this point in the day, and hopefully I can use my leaky travel mug (I can't throw it away!!) to keep me hydrated instead.

So until I have internet again (it's supposed to be available in the new place, but I'm not sure if it's wireless or not), enjoy the weekend!

Desiring the Simple Life

At the beginning of fall 2007, I wrote about the development of small goals for my health behavior course. Included in my project were goals on creating balance in life, which for me equated to creating time for physical, spiritual, emotional/mental, and social health. The project went successfully, and I noticed how easily I could bog down certain categories. However at the conclusion of the project, I'd made it through the term feeling balanced and at ease. Life seemed simple, but I also had less demanding my time.

As much as I'd prefer not to document and categorize my every choice on paper, I'm beginning to think it might be a good idea to reinstate my little project over the next several months. If there's one thing I'm missing, it's the SLOWNESS of simplicity. With the beginning of the practicum, the summer classes, and the move, life has been anything but balanced. Just the opposite is the normal feeling in fact, as I frequently feel that there is "just one more thing to do" before I can wrap it all up. However at the completion of that one more thing, I realize that tomorrow there is still more to complete.

Part of regaining simplicity needs to come from becoming slightly more organized and through the development of additional small stepped goals. I need to take the time necessary to decide where to focus my energies and how to best schedule myself as I transition into this dual program role. I also need to re-evaluate my needs within the larger picture and feel comfortable with saying no. Being personally micro-managed is something I have avoided for a long time, but I also need to accept that in this phase of my life I might have to let go of some of the freedom and spontaneity I have been able to enjoy in years past. Simplicity has come to represent a looser existence to me, so it's a hard transition to maintain the feeling of being simple, when my days are mostly planned out before I even awaken.

As ironic as it may seem, I have the feeling that reinstating the old project might just do the trick. If I limit myself to fewer choices (such as 1-2 social occasions each week), then I just might end up having greater freedom within those choices. I'll also have to prioritize what is most important, while continuing to put personal balance at the core of my decisions. Something that will in fact simplify and keep me mindful of my existence.

I want my balance back, balance back, balance back......:-)

What do you do to regain balance in your life?

Electronics Recycling

If you happen to live in the Portland, OR area, this announcement came through on my list serv last week:

Take Back electronics recycling event - August 23rd
Wed, 08/06/2008 - 11:31am — seansullivan
Nonprofit News
Take Back electronics recycling event August 23, 2008 Portland Expo Center 9 AM - 3 PM

Sony Electronics Inc. and Waste Management Recycle America (WM) invite the public to drop off any brand of used or outdated electronics for proper recycling at the Portland Metropolitan Expo Center on Aug. 23 for free. As part of their ongoing efforts to help consumers recycle electronic devices safely, Sony and WM are picking up the tab for this event, at which old electronics will be properly collected and recycled. The first 2,000 participants to drop off their unwanted electronics will receive a free eco-friendly cloth tote bag.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2 million tons of e-waste ended up in landfills in 2005, while only about 380,000 tons were recycled. By recycling old electronics products, useful materials - such as glass, plastic and metals - can be collected and re-used in the manufacture of other products.
http://www.sony.com/recycle

Phthalate Bill

More good news: Congress passed a bill banning phthalates and lead from children's toys. However it goes before President Bush now, who is reported to be against the bill. Phthalates are chemicals which help plastics to be soft and are found in numerous products. They have been linked to numerous delays and disorders and seem to be especially impactful toward kids. Several studies have found phthalates to be present in the majority of Americans.

You can read an article about it here: Lawmakers Agree to Ban Toxins in Children's Items

The law is also said to create a better reporting system for consumer complaints and to increase fines for safety concerns found in consumer products. Here's one for consumers...if only Bush will pass it.....

Relief

Good news! I may have found housing! I had been in contact with a woman over the weekend and while chatting with her on Monday afternoon, arranged to see the place that evening. The location is exactly what I was looking for-3 blocks to public transportation and 4 to I-5 access. I will still be able to walk to a grocery store and there is a park down the street. My old running route is nearby and my favorite Thai restaurant is within walking distance as well. (Not that I have the funds to eat there though. :-)) The church were some of my acquaintances go is also just a couple of miles down the road.

The owner is 20 years older than me but a young spirit. It was very easy to chat with her during the 1.5 hours I was there and we didn't run out of things to say. We have a lot of common interests and socially/politically are on the same page. The way she lives seems to be in alignment with what I was looking for and she has two very friendly kitties. There is a peaceful back porch and the yard has raised beds for planting. She cleans primarily with green products and was excited when I asked about a clothes line. The house itself will be just right for two people as the rooms are smaller sized. The space I will be renting is actually two rooms upstairs in an attic space, which will allow me to still have a "sitting" space to have the occasional guest over and out of the way. The only real catch is trying to maneuver my furniture up a 26" wide staircase that switches back on itself. I've been assured a split box spring will make it and the mattress should be able to be smooshed. My love seat should just fit, but one chair won't. I'm trying to devise a way to hoist it through one of the large windows into the space. :-)
Until I'm actually in the space I'm still slightly apprehensive, but I'm hopeful it will all work out fine. The irony of this all is that I was contacted by 3 other great people within 24 hours of meeting with this possibility. Two of them were other incredibly ideal situations. However this space will work out well and I'd already accepted her offer to move into the space. If it falls through, both of the other situations are willing to be recontacted. I appreciate all the continued support on all of this!

I'm finally, after 3.5 weeks of searching, feeling relief. It feels great! My other good news of the day is that I received a small refund from the court because of the parking ticket I got when the whole car registration situation occurred. Sometimes it's worth it to voice dis-satisfaction! Now I just need to do so with AT&T.

It's back to packing and working on my midterm. Hope everyone is having a good week!! Thank you so much for your continued support and concern!

Weekend Relaxation

I'm feeling mighty thankful right about now after having spent a refreshing yet busy weekend. I had a long day at the practicum on Friday, stopped to check out a housing option on the way back into Portland, and then drove out to where I was house-sitting for the weekend. One of my good friends from the program was camping with her husband and kids this weekend and needed someone to water the tomatoes and care for the two dogs and three cats. However, 4 loads of laundry, a good TV show, and a rinsed car later, I feel as if I benefited the most.

This weekend I also spent some wonderful quality time with the family. We had our annual tea party for Granny's 97th birthday on Saturday in which we dressed up, chatted, and sipped our teas while nibbling on our yummy goods. My aunt and cousins let me carpool with them to the party location, since my house sitting gig was in their vicinity in the suburbs. All of my immediate in-state family also happened to be at the tea location at one point or another, so I was able to get some quality time in with each of them.

My sister replenished my strawberry freezer jam stocks (THANKS SIS!) and my sis-in-law passed on the left overs of her scrumptious zucchini bread. My sister also has been jumping on the "green and organic" bandwagon as of late (YEA SIS!) and decided to share the fruits of her Burts Bees order. My father brought me two DVDs worth of one of my favorite TV shows and empty boxes and tape for packing (we have an entire stack of flattened packing boxes we store and reuse). My mother brought me a bottle of wine from her recent road trip to see family in Washington, and instructed me to take the left over organic bread home with me as well. I was allowed to graze the table for left-overs, and then back at my aunt's she stocked me up with finger fruits and veggies that I can include in my packed lunches for the week.

The aunt who lovingly drove me across town lives a couple blocks from another aunt, and I had been instructed to stop by on my way back to house sitting. (All three of dad's sisters live within the Portland area). This stop included great visiting with my cousins that were here from California for the birthday event, and playing "princess" with my little second cousin. I picked produce (zucchini, peas, and blueberries) from the garden, smelled the roses from the rose garden, and was fed a delicious dinner as well.

This morning I attended a wonderful church there locally, filled the car up with gas (while still expensive, the price has at least dropped!), and picked up a couple of items I still needed from the grocery store (peanut butter, soy milk). I chatted with my brother via the phone about using the free tickets I have for a soccer game this week. Then I sat outside in the backyard to do some reading and to enjoy the craziness of the dogs. I could hear the snapping of the bugs, feel the warmth from the sun, hear the swaying of the trees in the slight breeze, and smell the faint scent of the roses. Altogether it's been a very fulfilling weekend, and I am so thankful for the steadiness of my family and friends. Even though there are still uncertainties, I am aware that I have so much....

I hope all of you had a refreshing and fulfilling weekend as well!