Photo Project Day 28: Longing

Photo Project Day 27: Adopted?

And we may have been adopted, although the verdicts still out.  At the neighbor's last night, this SKINNY black kitty was meowing outside their window.  It was accidentally let inside and hub scooped it up to give it some food here in our house.  VERY, VERY skinny but loveable....although it's still making its mind up about our dogs and Major.  We put it outside last night with the other creatures, but it made its way back later this morning and curled up with the hub on the futon for a good while.  So we'll see how it goes.  Four creatures is a lot for us!!  We'll give it a few more days....at least for now it knows where it can get some food, as we're pretty sure that the couple that moved out down the way about 3 weeks ago must have left it behind....

Photo Project Day 26: Contentment

Late post tonight since it was my first official day of work and then we went down the road for home made pizzas at the neighbors (they just got their own bread maker and they were delish!).  This is only the 3rd time we've sprinkled cat nip on Major's scratching pad, but I've never seen him so in love with something!! :-)  I'm sure you're all getting tired of seeing our animals.....but they're seriously our best entertainment!

Hope everyone's been having a good day!

Photo Project Day 25: Jump

Technically today is a guest photo, as the hub emailed me this photo he took from their recent jump so I could use it on the blog. For his specific job, they typically have to jump every couple months to maintain readiness.

Gender Roles Rant

I must be thinking a lot about my parents lately because today I was thinking about how glad I am for the flexibility they taught me in gender roles.  Since there are 13 years between my oldest sibling and myself, each of us 4 kids sort of had a different upbringing.  The older two were primarily raised with mom being home--taking care of the kids & house and occasionally working part-time.  My middle brother, closest to me in age, sort of had both worlds.  When I was 9, I went from mom working part-time and running the house to Dad taking over.  Dad retired from the military, Mom went to grad school, and then Mom took on the primary role of bread winner.  Thus the rest of my elementary through high school years, my Dad was to me what most mothers are to their children.  Dad drove me to the places I needed to be, came to all my sporting events, volunteered at my elementary school, prepared dinner for us at home, did all the grocery shopping, did my parent's laundry, kept the home in working order, and did all of "his" typical male duties---mowing the lawn, basic home repairs, etc.  (Although as mentioned--Dad was always big that us ladies know how to do these basic things ourselves too.....he taught me how to build basic items, change filters, do yard work, and thru experience and watching I could probably figure out how to plaster walls, swap out toilets, etc....).  After my high school graduation, Dad did take on a part-time job so that he didn't have to deal too badly with empty nest but for the most part Dad does the house keeping, etc still.

When I was an undergrad student I remember learning about the sociological concept of the "double shift"--women that work full time and then come home to work the second shift of the homemaker.  Even though both husband and wife work the same amount, the wife still is the one who takes care of almost all of the needs at home.  Now I recognize that my upbringing is a little bit different than most (in fact, it pretty much secured the fact that my father and I have an incredibly close relationship....), but it also opened my eyes to the fact that really men can do the chores at home too.  It's always been my opinion that whoever works less should do more at home, but I don't believe that all of the responsibility should lay on the less working partner even then.

My husband and I strike a fairly even balance in regards to housework based on work amounts outside the home, although part of our approach is based on who is pickier about what chore.  I HATE mopping and my husband dislikes sweeping, thus I clean the tile floors until they get to the point that they need to be mopped and then the husband does it.  The husband likes the spices in foods to be just right and seemed pickier about what he'd eat, so for the first 6 months of our living together most of the cooking fell on him (although this crock pot has changed our cooking worlds!).  Since I haven't been working, I've primarily been the person to take care of the animals, clean the bathroom, do the laundry, vacuum the house, and general pick-up around here on a regular basis (although even then, hubby helps out when he sees the need and he has the energy).  I also am more anal about the cleanliness of our vehicle, so more often than not I'm the one who cleans it out.  But from the beginning I've put my foot down that he'll be helping out more with the general routines once I'm working full-time too, and he fully supports this.  I do recognize that for the most part his days are longer however, so if a little more than half falls on me then I'm okay with it.  What I'm not okay with, is when men don't help out much at all.....

It always strikes me as interesting when friends want to know how I got my husband to help out as much as he does, where as I can't believe that other men don't help out as much!!  When we had the other newly married couple living with us, he began their marriage with the expectation that she would be willing to do all the little things that he didn't want to take the time to do (ie get up from the table to get a jar of salsa, even though he was in the same room and the wife a different room).  While there's absolutely nothing wrong with a wife wanting to do the little things for her husband (and vice versa---I mean I would hope that we all want to help take care of each other....), I do think there is something absurd about the expectation that one spouse will drop what they are doing in order to do whatever little thing the other spouse needs/wants done.  Needless to say, that dear husband quickly learned, by my telling him, that he has his own legs to get many of the little things done and the wife learned to have a bit more backbone in her as well.  I can't blame our friend too much, as that was the example set by his father, but I'm hopeful from what I've seen that they've both learned to respect the other a bit more.

I'm hopeful that in time, these gender roles and expectations will lessen, although I know that won't happen unless we let the next generations see that really both male and female can do any of the stereotypical chores of the other.  Really these household routines should be equal acts and demonstrations of our desire to help take care of each other and our homes that moves us to accomplish them.  If we think of household chores as demonstrations of the care and love that we feel toward each other and ourselves, then I would think that we'd each want to be taking care of the other......but maybe this is just my idealism talking......although I hope not. ;-)

Photo Project Day 24: WORK

Since I'm going to have to miss a bit of work to get lab work done and then the medical procedure in the next two weeks, I talked to my boss yesterday about doing some of the online training at home this week in order to compensate.  She was okay with that, especially since the computers at work currently aren't set up for the training to function on them.  Apparently Major thought he was my assistant today.  He kept my computer and work file company while I was still prepping to get to it.  Then he watched as I did the modules online....but eventually he got tuckered out and snuggled on my legs for a bit of a nap.

Resources and the Basics

So sometimes I forget that lots of people that read blogs are at different places of learning about simplicity or "green" choices, as it's dawned on me lately that there is plenty that I don't write about because I just assume that everyone already knows about it.  Although then when I think about this more deeply, I also recognize that I rarely posted when I was finishing my masters of public health---so instead of sharing my education I just sort of shut down in terms of time & resource sharing.  I always enjoy when others share resources on their blogs, so I'm going to attempt to do the same thing.  Thus if I write some posts that are repetitive of what you already know then I apologize, but I also think that there is a lot that I've read & researched in terms of toxic exposures and health outcomes especially that people may be interested in learning.  Not that most couldn't learn these things (or haven't already) by reading any of the books that I've also read, and I can't guarantee that once I start working that I'll be much better about posting routinely.

However in attempt to better share resources, I'm going to add a side bar that lists current things I'm loving--the items listed there might be movies, books, products, companies, etc.....but hopefully it'll be something.

And so here's on thing that I've been wanting to share: TED.  I first was exposed to this in my community organizing course watching a segment on Majora Carter and her greening of the Bronx.

And I just sent this one to my mother who is a Speech Language Pathologist with a strong interest in autism spectrum disorders (plus one of my nephew's is high functioning autistic/Asperger's): Temple Grandin.

If you haven't checked out TED though I would suggest it.  Valuable, 20 minute talks on a variety of subjects.  I actually just shared this with my husband a few weeks ago and he's become a fan too. :-)

Photo Project Day 23: Rant

WARNING: It's time for a public health rant.....

This is the view from my backyard every school day at about 3pm.  What you can't see in this photo are two things. 1) There is another vehicle parked hidden behind the SUV. 2) The street that these cars are parked on is approximately 2 city blocks in length and ends in a cul-de-sac.  Our street Ts into it and is approximately 1 city block in length and ends in a cul-de-sac.  Two additional points: we live on a military post where yes there are concerns about who has been let into the Army in recent years, but no one is allowed on post without having their ID scanned....so at least some sort of filtering is going on. And two, the speed limit is 20mph and is heavily enforced in the neighborhoods.

At about 3pm every school day, 2 buses come through the neighborhoods.  The bus stop you can see in the background of this picture services only our two streets as every street off the main street has its own bus stop.  Every afternoon about 3pm at least 4-5 cars park at the entrance to our streets (most of which are parents that get in their cars from their houses and drive the block to this spot) in order to wait for their kids to get off the bus and drive them home.  When our nation is in the midst of an obesity crisis, when kids don't get enough time outside, and when parents are driving a block and idling their vehicles to release exhaust fumes into the air----its seriously necessary to pick your child up a block or two from home?!  I can understand picking your child up if you live a mile out from the bus stop or even 1/4 mile if you lived in an extremely unsafe neighborhood.....but here?!  But since most the people in our neighborhood get in their vehicles to drive to the mailboxes also in the picture, only to drive home after picking up their mail....then what more should I expect!

Which leaves me with an additional gratitude toward my parents....thank you for making me walk home from school almost every day whether it was 1/2 mile down the street for elemetary school, just over a mile home from middle school in the city, or about a mile from high school!!

Photo Project Day 22: Tired Feet

I love this picture because just as I was sitting down to take it...Anna walked in and laid next to me on "her" sheep skin rug.  So I moved over to take another picture of just my tired feet and at the last second....she snuck her paw in. ;-)  Both dogs got walked today after I went on my usual run---I finally agreed to take Anna on a long walk with her buddy Wall-E and then felt bad about leaving Roxi behind (she's not fixed yet and Wall-E can be a bit more aggressive than Roxi can handle) so took her on a solo walk too.  Needless to say...my feet are a tad sore....although I shouldn't complain.  Hub spent five non-stop days in the field and the last two days were with wet boots....so my feet have nothing to complain about really....

Photo Project Day 21: Altered

Slight changes to the eating area.  The discussed new drapes...and the new light fixture.  There is no overhead light on that side of the long room and I was able to get this paper lattern at a really good price.....I think it looks neat.  We're definitely going to need a colored couch now, as everything's getting a bit dull w/ tan, taupe, brown, and white!

Photo Project Day 20: Running

Photo Project Day 19: Orderly

I once hung out with a guy who mentioned that cops judge vehicles based on their level of care by their owners, as sometimes an unkept vehicle/home/etc can be a sign of an unkept person.  Those words of wisdom have been some I have reflected upon many times.  I've always been an orderly person but ever since then I've definitely made more of an effort to keep my surroundings presentable.  One of the hardest adjustments for me has been sharing what was my car with my husband.  He's been working a lot in the field this last week so I had the chance to give the car a good wipe down and vacuuming--somehow the opposite is true at times---organizing one's surroundings can organize the mind. I always found that statement to be true when I had a big assignment to do---organizing my surroundings allowed me to focus more squarely on my work.

Hope everyone's been having a good week!  It's FRIDAY!

Parental values

The last few days have felt amazing outside--that sunny, glorious, yet still cooler weather.  The type of weather that I'm savoring as I think about working inside all day and about the upcoming hot Louisiana summer.  It's been so wonderful to be out in it whether on my run, poking around in the dirt, or taking the crazies to some new spot for them to run around and explore.  However this afternoon I had some thoughts based on the fact that:

I'm glad that I had the upbringing that I did.  While my childhood may have not been ideal to some, I completely appreciate the multitude of values that my parents  instilled in me (and also the example and values instilled in them by my grandparents).  I have to say that when I did go through my variety of psychology classes,  my parents parenting style was right on the money in terms of it being one of the healthiest types.

These thoughts are some that came to me based on reflection on the type of person I've become (someone I hope and think my parents and family members are proud of) but also as a reflection based on the high numbers of children that are present on most military posts.  The fact that my husband and I plan to wait until my mid-30s to reproduce is pretty strange around these parts, and the fact that I'm not entirely sure I want to have kids (nor biological children) is almost unheard of.  However if/when we do have children, I hope to pass on many of the values that my parents instilled in me.

So what are some of these things that I'm so thankful for?  Well I'm glad you asked because I'm planning on sharing. ;-)  They are:

--INDEPENDENCE---as kids we were always responsible for keeping our own rooms clean and getting our own breakfast; by 10 I was doing my own laundry and helping to mow the lawn; in high school my parents would listen to my predicaments but they always encouraged me to make my own decisions; my parents were always available for advice but they never tried to be my best friend; Dad taught me how to use a hammer, fill a car tire with air, paint a house, and a variety of other worthy skills

--MONEY MANAGEMENT---when they had finances available we were given allowances and we had to save up for items we wanted (I can remember at 8 or 9 saving bday and allowance $ to get the cabbage patch doll I wanted.....they even helped me calculate the sales tax so I'd know how much I needed); at about 12 dad taught me how to calculate sale percentages; in high school I was responsible for budgeting from my allowance (and saved lunch money cause I didn't eat lunch half the time) to pay my way to social events (including buying the dance outfit, etc, and buying bday presents for friends etc); my parents made sure my needs were covered but any wants I had to figure out a way myself; in undergrad my dad payed what was left of my tuition, my rent, and car insurance--I worked 2-3 part time jobs a year to cover my books, 75% of my food, gas (the 1 year I had a car to get to my practicum), and any extras; after undergrad dad did continue to help with my car insurance but everything else was on my own----due to all this I've known how to budget as long as I can remember....

--LOVE BEING/WORKING OUTDOORS---while we never really went camping by the time I came along my parents were always big on appreciating nature whether it was the smell of fresh air or a beautiful sunset;  we were always encouraged to play outside; we always were growing something regardless of where we lived (even if just flowers); from my father I also developed my love of jogging & swimming (until he had knee surgery Dad ran 3 miles 3x a week, often when I really am struggling while running I just think of how much Dad would appreciate the opportunity); and as a kid I remember watching/helping mom with canning, jamming, etc; Dad also taught me what I do know about gardening

--STEWARDSHIP---we were taught to respect diversity (whether SES, ethnicity, ability, etc), to love God, and to help those who need it; in the last 5 years my parents are also some of my biggest environmental encouragers/supporters ;); we also were taught to complete the task whether that was care for a person/pet/commitment; they also taught me to keep in mind the needs of others--whether this is noise level issues, pollution, etc

These are just a few of the things that I can think of, but I wish every child could gain exposure to these values.  While I recognize that we're not always products of our childhood environments, I am so glad in many ways that I really am a composite of both my parents.  Hopefully, just as my parents took the best from their parents, I can pass on the best of my parents to any children that my husband and I do have someday.  Because as my brother so aptly put it yesterday, a parent's role is to produce a wonderful contribution for the world....not always to have their child like them....here's hoping we can rise to the challenge with the right amount of love, grace, and strength whenever that day comes.

Just some thoughts for the day.... ;-)

Photo Project Day 18: Liquid Sunshine

Finished weeding the flower bed, but while I was out there in the last few hours of sun I decided to also make sun tea.......threw about 5 tea bags in an old large glass jar, filled with filtered water, and set it in a sunny spot....In this picture it was about half way done....Delicious!

Enjoying Today

Today was one of those productive days, but before I get into it I really want to say thank you for the responses to last night's gardening post!  I responded in the comments section, but will plan on doing the hanging baskets, probably some long planters w/ herbs, and some pots--all of which can be moved dependent on the sun too.  I'm not sure where I could find a barrel around here honestly, but I do love that idea (the only nearby stores are Wal-Mart and Lowe's--but maybe Lowe's would have one?!)....if anything cause I'd love to do potatoes.  I spent 2-3 hours this afternoon pulling the greenery out of the bed, but have about 6 feet still to go (it was pretty chilly in the shade!).  Will try to plant some (shade tolerant) wildflower seed I got yesterday and probably some corn in that bed.

All of today felt like a fulfilling project, so I'm looking forward to doing a little blogging now, taking my evening shower, and then starting on magazine stack #2 before kenneling the girls and heading to bed.  This morning I checked in with my neighbor gal to see if she wanted to accompany me on errands to our nearby town.  There were several things I've been meaning to do in the last few weeks but had yet to cross off the list....so today was the day.  Dropped plastic bags for recycling, got dog bones, recycled two broken cell phones to AT&T, returned a library book, picked out a couple accessories, got a basketful of groceries, scheduled my referral appointment, and then helped the neighbor gal find sandpaper, paint, and hardware for a dresser she's refinishing.  I then spent the afteroon on a run, playing with the dogs in an empty field, walking Roxi, starting dinner in the crock pot, and then weeding the flower bed.  Pretty productive day!

The nice thing is that since I started blogging regularly again and maybe as I'm acclimating more to being here, I feel that I'm really enjoying the little moments again.  It's definitely a nice feeling to regain.  Noticing the birds outside, the smiles on my dogs faces, the dirt on my hands, and remembering to smile, to feel, to enjoy.  It's a good place to be...let's hope I can hang onto these moments.....

Photo Project Day 17: Afternoon

Major likes to make himself at home wherever he desires during the afternoon sunshine.  We used to really get on him for being on the table but he uses it mostly to get to the windowsill and to get away from the dogs.  As long as we're not eating (and he stays away from my plant and the flame!), he can enjoy the afternoon sunshine....

Photo Project Day 16: Potential (Garden Suggestions?!)

FOR ALL YOU GOOD GARDENERS OUT THERE, I could use some advice!

This is my potential gardening space....

Last year we attempted to grow a few items from baby plants we bought and put into pots, but it was late in the season and whatever did show potential was damaged by the dog before it reached ripeness.  We're not allowed to really alter the yards nor block the lawn crew from mowing, and so this patch of 15 feet by 1.5 feet that you see above is our flower bed that we are allowed to actually plant it.  The catch is that the housing policies state that these areas have/are sprayed by pesticides by the housing company as a means to keep bugs from entering homes via the foundation, etc.  Since we are leaving in a year and we're technically not allowed to alter the beds beyond planting in them, raised beds aren't really an option.  And now with 2 dogs, more pots in the backyard are not really an option.  I attempted planting lettuce and turnips (some of which you can see amongst the weeds that have grown back....) but never really ate them due to the pesticide concerns.  Plus they didn't really produce as expected--probably in part because this bed floods every time we have a heavy down pour.

However my newest idea is to invest in a few more hanging baskets and attempt to "garden" in those using this same area.  I know I could do herbs and a fellow blogger and I discussed strawberries....but I'm not sure what else would do alright in such shallow soil?  I'm also thinking of attempting corn and wild flowers in the actual bed but am not sure if the soil (about 3 inches of sand/dirt and then red clay) would allow for corn or not.  And we'll attempt another tomato plant in a pot on the front slab that gets lots of sun--hopefully it'll produce this year if we start it sooner.  I'm definitely open to suggestions about how to garden in this space though because I'd really like to attempt something.....IDEAS??

The good news is that while helping the neighbor down the street look for bed side table options, I discovered a big bag of organic potting soil that was marked half off due to the bag being ripped.  Deal!  And since I was buying potting soil I went ahead and bought some strawberry starts, corn, and wildflower seed.  We have two hanging baskets already so I figure I can start the strawberries in the next couple weeks, and then accumulate more baskets along the way....  Most the stuff I've seen shows that the planting season for here begins in Feb and/or March....

Other good things about today:

--Pancake breakfast with the hubby & extra bacon for the dogs.

--Stopping by the office to see the coworkers when dropping something at work for the husband.

--The hub found the new thermos he thought he already lost and that we bought him just last week.

--My weekly phone call w/ Granny and the end to phone tag w/ a good friend from back home!

--Email exchanges w/ two of my favorite gals from my MPH program.

--Neighbor & I checked out the on-post thrift store.  Didn't find furniture, but I dropped off a bag.

--Quick & satisfying evening run.

--Called f/ the referral appointment already.

--Discovered that the eco-friendly bed company found yesterday carries an affordable bed of similar design to what we want, it'll still be in stock when we can afford it, they'll ship to us, and my oldest brother is willing to check out the showroom as its 1.5 hours from his house....Deal!

I'd love to hear gardening suggestions!  And I hope you've all had a good day today as well!

Photo Project Day 15: Changes

Living on a military post, there are constant changes.  Someone's always coming and going, so at least once a week we see one of these or a U-Haul in our cul-de-sac area....Some times of the year there are more changes than others however...

Things I'm enjoying this morning:

--a good night's sleep w/ all the bed for my stretching out desires ;-)
--bones crunching in doggie mouths
--doggie play & panting
--Italian stove top coffee
--getting the recycling to the curb
--that ripping down the boxes yesterday really did work and the recycling company actually picked them up
--sunshine streaming thru my windows
--organic children's cereal
--google searches that provide an abundance of information
--my lil' cousin has a blog! ;-)
--new ideas on how to have a garden here
--daydreaming and goal making
--a comfortable home
--my daily Bible verse in my inbox
--feeling connected to something greater
--thinking of family back home
--this article

Hope each of you is having a beautiful morning!  Not entirely sure what the day will hold, but hopefully these moments will stay forefront in my mind throughout the day :-)

Photo Project Day 14: RELAXATION

Breezes and sunshine blowing through the windows today!  The gals and I spent a good chunk of the afternoon hanging out in the backyard-them gallavanting around and I reading eco-decorating magazines while sipping on a glass of Oregon wine.

This is our bedroom currently.  We just got new drapes that I found on clearance for the living area.  We're anticipating the couch we're budgeting for next time it goes on sale and as we currently use a projector with a screen to view movies---the new drapes are darker and more opaque allowing viewing possibilities during the daytime.  It worked out well as the hub wasn't a huge fan of the drapes in our bedroom, so we were able to hang the seafoam green ones in our room (and the other pair will go in the guest room which doesn't have drapes).  Swapping out to our other duvet makes the room so much more inviting and relaxing---we're both enjoying it.

However also in the budgeting plans is a king size platform bed.  We currently have a queen and while I never thought I'd be someone who wants a king....now that I have a 6'4" husband and like to sleep with a knee pulled up too....my sleep would definitely benefit from a larger bed (aka I actually relish some of the nights the poor man has to sleep out in the field for training....as it means I get a decent night's sleep!).  We were going to get a California King until we discovered that while a Cal King is longer, it's not as wide as a regular King...so a regular King it is!  The current frames we're looking at only require a mattress however and not box springs which definitely helps the budget!  Our friends down the road are also talking about going up a size to a queen, and as they currently have two full size beds in their house, I offered to swap our queen mattress and box springs for one of their sets.  That will help with their overall purchase costs and still give us the opportunity to finally have a guest bed too!

I'm purchasing the new, larger bedding in stages....looking for good deals/sales and trying to weigh cost versus health benefits of organic, sustainable etc.  I know the best source is used, but its hard to find stuff that fits our style especially with limited thrift stores in this area.  Eventually we hope to build two matching wall mounted night stands also, and I haven't decided if I want to repaint my childhood dresser or not (this indecision left it white when I painted all the end tables this summer, and truthfully I could strip and restain it....it's mahogny underneath).  The print over the bed is of a beautiful, large painting by my best friend's father....a piece I'd absolutely love to own but have never quite been willing/able to fork over the money for it!  Eventually I'm hoping to transfer photos taken by my husband onto large canvases which we can hang around the house.  But all of these "design" pieces take time, which is okay by me, especially as I don't anticipate us really being in the right financial situation to make many of these purchases (big or small) for several more months.  So instead, right now, I'm just enjoying the little pieces that we do have and the relaxing view of our bedroom that we have upon entering it. 

Photo Project Day 13: SUNSHINE

After a rough morning with Roxi, yet looking at a beautiful afternoon, I loaded the gals up into the car and we headed out for a local lake.  We'd taken Anna there a few times before, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time Roxi had seen that much water and sand in any place-----SHE LOVED IT!  The two of them ran around like crazies, I enjoyed the sunshine and the drive, and then we drove around for another bit checking out a local hard wood furniture store and seeing about a potential farm stand come spring.  Altogether a perfect afternoon and one in which I realized that slowly and surely I'm starting to think of this place as home--albeit a temporary one.

So today I am thankful for a variety of different things:

-BEAUTIFUL sunshine, especially after the snow

-my run this morning, even as my cold's changed into a cough

-warm hearty nut bread fresh from the maker into a sandwich

-cool filtered water filling my Klean Kanteen

-doggie smiles and kisses & seeing their happiness at new things

-the breeze that blew thru the car w/ the windows down

-great music soothing my soul as I drove

-bumpy gravel roads w/ acres of fields surrounding

-my phone call with my father the other day

-a card from a relative of my husband's

-free shipping

-set backs that produce solidified goals

-yesterday's morning of coffee & conversation w/ my gal down the street

-carpet cleaner....

-the continual presence of my husband

Photo Project Day 12: WINTER?

More snow in Louisiana!  Who would have thought that we'd get snow twice in one winter?  Unfortunately the hub and his guys were working out in the field last night, but in some ways snow is better than just cold and rain!  By noon it had melted off but it was a shock to see it this morning for sure!

Photo Project Day 11: Grillin'

Morning Doctor's Appointment

So I just have to say that I had the most wonderful doctor's appointment this morning.  In fact, it was probably the best health care experience I've had in years.  The ironic thing is that I received this medical treatment from what is currently one of the most "socialized" medical experiences available in the United States--the military health system.  I have many friends that are opposed to universal health care and many that have complained about the medical treatment they've received in the military, yet after being uninsured or limitedly insured multiple times I really have no significant complaints.  Sure my first appointment didn't give me the outcome I'd expected (to be discussed below) but I still was seen and my initial concern dealt with....all at no expense to me and in a very professional manner.

I recognize that at times people have to wait longer than they'd like to in order to get in to see a doctor or maybe the physician that is available to see them isn't what they hoped for but I can guarantee you that I've had both of those same experiences in the private sector as well.  The worst medical experience I've ever had in my life was at Planned Parenthood, which serves low-income clients and is a non-profit organization.  In fact I've run the gamut of medical insurance options: military as a child, military currently, private sector through my parents and through my own employment, no insurance on two different occasions for a period totaling about a year, and 3 different student health care plans which allowed me to access the university's health center (never had a complaint here either).  However, today's medical appointment was one of the best I've had.

I was the first appointment of the day for a consult about some moles on my face and neck.  I didn't have to sit down in the waiting room, the receptionist went out of his way to update my information so that I didn't have to take time to do it later, and by the time he was done I was whisked back into the check-in site.  I waited in the actual appointment room for a max of 5 minutes (not enough time to start my newest book!) and then the doctor came in.  Within 40 minutes, I was out of the hospital with two moles removed, and I hadn't even expected to be able to have them removed today!  Through conversation with the nurse, I also discovered that the doctor I had met with today is one of the few on post here who would be willing to insert an IUD for birth control. (I discovered at my annual exam in December that the doctors on post here are more conservative w/ this birth control method for those who have yet to go through pregnancy.  While this may be a conservative mindset and this wouldn't be an issue back in Oregon, I respected the fact that they had their own professional opinions (albeit based on outdated research).  I may not have been overjoyed by the thought of having to consult every physician on the OBGYN staff to see if they would be willing to do it, but at least the military was still providing regular birth control for me and when I felt ready I knew I could tackle the issue.  Plus the professionals at my annual appointment were really wonderful to talk with....)  Today the nurse performed the information consult herself, walked me back to the doctor who agreed to attempt the procedure and wrote the referral form, and all of this was addressed in the same 40 minute appointment.  FAB-U-LOUS!  It also was great to be treated today by three women (the check-in nurse, the doctor, and then nurse who assisted with the procedure and did the consult) who obviously loved their job.

Maybe it's the fact that I have experienced a variety of insurance mechanisms that leaves me more lenient toward variations in care, but really I have to respect the diversity of the professional opinions that do exist out there.  Truthfully I feel that these variations are going to be present throughout the nation regardless of the insurance mechanism.  You'll find conservative and liberal practitioners, those who love their job and those who don't, those that are speedy and those that are slow, those that communicate better than others, and those that are better at empathy than others.  There is no one cookie cutter practitioner out there--regardless of the occupation.  But as long as the practitioner is combating the health care issue effectively then I applaud that individual.

I recognize that I do have choice (although my actual physician choice may be more limited w/ military care I can still request a physician based on name, gender, etc....as long as that physician is available).  One other thing that I guess I feel the need to comment on is that I also understand that I am my own best advocate--although there have been times when I have had a physician who I wasn't a fan of so I kept my own advocacy quiet and instead requested a different individual to treat me.  However as a patient, I always go in with my own thoughts and questions and I make sure that for the most part I get the treatment I deserve w/in reason.  I'm that annoying patient that talks health care studies and stats with my physicians, but always does insist that they share their own thoughts and opinions with me too.  I recognize that many physicians are crunched for time in the USA, but I also recognize that I have the right to continue to sit in their office until my questions feel answered and that I can request not to have a physician who does not meet my needs.  And I recognize that doctors/nurses/NPs etc are people too--we're all bound to have bad days, preconceived opinions and notions, and while professionally we should always try to keep personal issues at bay...we're still human.

And I suppose that ends my rant and rave on health care for the day.  Really I'm just so incredibly satisfied with my morning's experience....and I wish that everyone else in the nation felt the relief that I do...actually having access to care on a consistent basis.

Photo Project Day 10: Laundry

As you can see, this is our make shift laundry line.  Two lines of Army cord strung across our garage.  I hang the husband's shirts on hangers from the garage door railings. Usually it takes 2-3 days for the last of the stuff to dry.  When I do 3 loads of laundry in one day then I do one load of items from all 3 loads that do better in the dryer and then I hang the rest.  You can see the garage door is propped open to allow Major to come and go as he pleases-luckily we can lock it at that height.  If you look closely you can see Major eating a meal on top of his carrier (which we actually were given by friends as their puppy out grew his kennel--it'll be great for the eventual move).

Evaluation Time

Over the last hour or so I took a little trip down memory lane and read through some of my previous posts. I didn't go all the way back to the beginning because I already was aware of how much I've changed since then, but I was again reminded of just how many changes there have been in the last 12-15 months alone.  I went from:
-single to married
-graduate student/assistant to unemployed to on-call/recently employed
-living w/ a housemate to living w/ my husband (plus 1 month w/ another couple w/ us)
-a long-distance-rose-glasses marriage to day-in-and-day-out reality & hard times (but luckily w/ love)
-daily interactions w/ like minded friends to bi/weekly interactions w/ others
-easy routine visits w/ family to monthly phone calls back home
-most things green & eco accessible to limited access
-fulfilling church services to lack of spiritual connection
-daily independence to routine compromise & dependency in various forms
-no pets to three furry companions
-west coast living to southern life (including 2 trips to the east coast)

Many changes in a relatively short period of time.  And I'm sure there are many that I'm not really listing today, albeit they might be more of the smaller things.

Somehow I'm hopeful that the positive growth that has been arriving in recent months in terms of employment, marriage, and personal outlook continues to head in the "right" direction.  So with all of these changes in mind, I took some time today to sort of reassess the goals and simple pleasures I have listed on the right hand sidebar.  Wording changed on some of life's pleasures, as my approach and thoughts on some of those have also changed.  And some of the goals that I have achieved were given completion dates, while other goals were slightly altered.  Two goals were also moved to the bottom as those two are some that I feel would be incredible to achieve but not necessarily at the top of my list.  Most of these small changes are based on the fact that we're all continually evolving people.  Hence our "reality" is different today than it was yesterday, and thus some of our perceptions of our lives past, present, and future will continue to change as well.

I also have had to laugh to myself as my photo month project and recent postings in 2010 have already produced about half the number of postings I did during the entirety of 2009.  It's definitely one way to get back "on the ball" of blogging.  And I also realize that divulging a bit more of my personal life here does allow me to write more freely, although for the time being I still try to keep many revealing facts and photos absent from this blog.  One thing that I did realize though in evaluating the previous year is that I spent too much time wondering if I was "green" enough or worrying about being too far from where I should be environmentally.  I also noticed that generally speaking, I seemed to be more spiritually connected to others and to engaging in awareness of my surroundings--something that obviously needs to be re-implemented.

So sometimes, at least sometimes, it's good to take a moment to sort of re-evaluate where we've been, who we've been, and how we & our surroundings have changed.  In doing so, we allow ourselves to re-evaluate the direction in which we want to continue to go.

Hope each of you is enjoying a beautiful day!

Photo Project Day 9: HELPER

We've just given the dogs bed priveleges during the day.  At night the dogs sleep in kennels out in the garage and the cat goes out too, but for the most part the animals are out and inside throughout the day.  Initially we didn't let Anna get up on the bed, but in the last few weeks we've become okay with the dogs hopping up there if we're doing something in the room...and Anna has fallen in love.  I spent part of today talking to my best friend and then my granny on the phone.  Since I haven't been feeling too great I laid down on the bed during the conversations and Anna relished the moments curled up next to me.  She's also decided she's the ultimate laundry helper....whether it's with hanging some of the clothes out on the line in the garage or watching me fold the clean laundry.... although last week I did find one of her toys tucked into the husband's shirts when I was putting them away. ;-)

Photo Project Day 8: REVIEWS

Over the course of the last few weeks I have read and watched quite a few interesting items.  The husband and I aren't big TV viewers (except for sports and the occassional Netflixed show), and it's always interesting when we're around other people who watch a lot of TV.  We hear a lot about random, brain-numbing shows, and then it's always entertaining to watch their eyes glaze over as we talk about the latest documentary we've viewed. ;-)  And speaking of documentaries, we just watched The Cove this weekend.  If you haven't seen it, it's definitely worth watching.  It's about the hidden dolphin industry in Japan.

However beyond documentaries, I've also been reading quite a bit again and several have been really interesting books.  Although I must say I was quite disappointed in both the book and the film on No Impact Man.  After following his blog over the course of the year, I felt the book was not easy-to-read and unorganized.  The way the chapters were put together did not create for an easy flow of his story, and I felt the same way about the film.  In fact, my husband did not know much of the background of No Impact Man and he felt that much was assumed to be known about it.....meaning that we both walked away from the film before it ended. 

But back to the other books:

If you are at all interested in the recent health care debates, I highly suggest Reid's The Healing of America.  After going through the public health program, I feel that this book would be an excellent addition to many of the courses and I learned a lot about health care systems throughout the world.  Reid takes a global comparative glance of health care systems including their insurance mechanisms, as he searches for a solution to a personal health care issue.  His initial discussion gives an overview of the four primary health care systems that exist in the world (which all are used in the USA), and he searches out examples of each throughout the world.  Regardless of one's take on the current debates, it's an educational read.

Currently, I am in the process of reading Half the Sky: Turning Opression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Kristof and WuDunn.  Another incredibly interesting read centered on the various ways that women are oppressed and struggle throughout the world including: lack of education & rights, rape as a tool of war, lack of health care access, poverty, enslaved prostitution, etc.  At the end of each chapter, there is a discussion of someone or program that is attempting to help that particular situation however.  The book is to empower others to create change.  While my reactions have been mixed, I've definitely increased my knowledge on these issues more than I ever could have imagined. 

I also recently read Pollan's In Defense of Food.  Between this book & the documentary Food, Inc the United States "should" learn to change the way it eats.  I walked away after reading this newest book of Pollan's less weary of eating whole fats, less concerned about individual nutrients and instead reminded more of the benefits of eating whole meals, and more into reading the ingredient labels of the processed foods we do eat.  Definitely a read that everyone should tap into.

And within the last few months, I finally conquered The Confessions of An Economic Hitman.  While this book will leave you annoyed with the author by the end, the information and his confession discussed in it (primarily in the first half) leave you with a new understanding for the mess of the world, thanks to our nation's business and government interests....

Two books that leave you feeling amazed at the capacity of individuals: The Beautiful Things that Heaven Bears and Strength in What Remains.  And as mentioned in a previous post, the documentaries The Garden (the struggle over an inner city garden in a food desert of central Los Angeles) and Dear Zachary (murder, emotion, legal systems, family) were incredible.

I always keep a running list of books that I want to read.  I usually add to it by titles mentioned in books that I'm currently reading, mentions from friends, or reviews from magazines.  And since I don't seem to be getting called to sub, I'm relishing these final weeks by reading, cooking, relaxing, and hanging out with the dogs. ;-)

What are you reading?  Any good suggestions

Photo Project Day 7: VIEWS

Dreamy Daytime

Double-View Evening

Photo Project Day 6: Edible

EDIBLE

Two things that now get used most frequently in our kitchen: the bread maker and the slow cooker.  This last week alone we made a loaf of white/wheat bread and wheat pizza doughs in the bread maker.  The slow cooker concocted butternut squash soup, Italian soup, French lentil soup, and BBQ pork roast--all in the last week too.  We've fallen in love....

Photo Project Day 5: WELCOME

WELCOME

This is from the front entry as you look at our living room.  I always feel that it's so important to have a home that's organized, picked up, and welcoming for when those expected or unexpected guests do arrive.  Since my husband enjoys a change of pace in his environment, this is about the 6th furniture lay-out we've had in this room already!  But I have to admit....I'm a big fan of this currently....

Gifts and Such

When I first started out on the simplicity journey, I spent two Christmas mornings in tears due to the fact that my family had provided gifts for me under our Christmas tree.  It seemed unfair and un-necessary that people bought me items at a pre-determined time of year (and generally stuff that I didn't need nor usually want) rather than provide items for people that truly could use them.  I've always felt more comfortable with the idea of providing items for people when they need them or when the time is right, rather than purchasing gifts for birthdays and other holidays.  And this is something I still struggle with when it comes to buying for my siblings children.  I've come to recognize and appreciate that my family just wants to provide and they've done a pretty good job of gifting things that are actually warranted w/in the last year or two.  (Although its been interesting watching my husband attempt to accept this too, as he's not a huge fan of celebrating his birthday or accepting gifts for other reasons....and my family is HUGE into the celebration of life...)

However this attitude toward gift giving is one thing that I really appreciate about my husband.  When it comes to "holidays" or celebrations neither one of us feels inclined to have to purchase something for the other person.  In fact, I'm pretty sure we've never bought anything for the other person for a pre-determined holiday.  Last year for his birthday, it just happened that he was given a four day weekend finally and my work/school schedule was flexible enough that I could fly out for a visit (the first time we'd seen each other in 2 months).  The month after my birthday, my favorite band happened to reunite and we attended their local concert, but he would have bought us tickets to that regardless.  We didn't buy each other anything for Christmas, but we did happen to pick out Roxi around that time..again something that happened due to timing rather than the season (our housing company started requiring pet deposits at the 1st of the year and we wanted a companion for Anna w/ both of us working).

Throughout the rest of the year we never really feel the need to make purchases following the Hallmark calendar either, which has been an interesting comparison to many of the other couples that surround us.  Several of our friends feel the need to buy big gifts for each holiday, whereas my husband and I prefer to listen to what the other wants and needs and attempt to purchase what is plausible based on funding & timing considerations.  I can think of a couple of different items that he surprised me with before I moved down here: the webcam that arrived on my doorstep and allowed us to see each other for the rest of the 4 months that we were apart, the new cellphone he got me when we became eligible and mine was so damaged that I seriously held it together to make calls, the potted Easter lilies that arrived and thrived for many months.  Yesterday I finally drank the peppermint flavored hot chocolate (my favorite!) that he'd discovered at the grocery store in December, we finally got him a new cell phone now that he was eligible and after he's been using an old one of my SIL's that functions but had issues, and we've both been enjoying the recent crock pot and breadmaker that we picked up for each other (thanks to the gift card from my sister and free gift cards from Sears!).  Small things, big things---but things we think of and are tailored to the other person.

However, I will say that thanks to our friends, my husband did recently get one gift that he's been desiring since we moved into our own place.  Most men want a grill, but sometimes they're rather specific about the grill that they want.  It just so happened that the wife down the road purchased a grill for her husband for Valentine's Day....it happened to be gas when her husband prefers charcoal.  My husband and I were in the store where she found it and mine began to remark on what a good price for the product that the grills actually were.  Since it was a good deal, since we could finally afford it, since the husband has been waiting for months, and since it would be helping out our friends down the road...we purchased the charcoal (same price) and swapped it with them for the gas she had already bought.  While my husband probably would have preferred charcoal himself, we decided on gas since it'd be much easier for me to use if he's gone for any long periods of time.  And if this summer is anything like last...these grills will get used at least 50% of the evenings during any given week.

I rather prefer our life this way.  Taking care of the other's desire by considering numerous factors rather than by the flip of the calendar pages.  While in the long run, we probably still are spending a chunk of change on each other, its nice to know we're spending moments together and purchasing (for the most part) useful items toward our life together.  I'm definitely glad I found a companion who has a similar stance on at least this issue---life's too short and debt gets too high to fret over what we "have" to get each other next!!

Photo Project Day 4: Satisfaction

Satisfaction in a Cup

25 RANDOM THINGS

Since I appear to be sharing a bit more of my personal life and making this blog into more of a brain dump, I figured why not share 25 things about me.  I'm always intrigued when other bloggers do this sort of thing, and it seems the perfect ending to a morning of losing myself in reading through others blogs etc.

1) Before August of this year, I really really did not like dogs.  I could tolerate them but was never a fan of having any near me.  Now I can't imagine not having our 2 furry gals to greet me every morning.

2) Besides the fact that my parents produced me, the most influential person in my life was probably my paternal grandfather.  Poppa was an incredibly wise and thoughtful man.  He had a heart for the world, a passion for education, and a witty humor that he was quick to share with those he held most dear. 

3) Ironically, it took Poppa's passing to create a wonderful relationship with my Granny, who I now hold most dear to my heart.  Sometimes I think it is our major similarities that made it so difficult for us to get along for many years.  I feel so grateful for the incredible relationship and life's lessons that I now share with this woman.

4) Two of my biggest environmental slights are that I eat a banana every morning and I finish every day with a hot shower.

5) I positively love the smell of sheets after they've hung on the line outside--a smell that we don't have due to having the clothesline hidden in the garage.

6) Being from Oregon, I absolutely love the rain...except for now having to wipe the feet of the dogs every time they come back into the house.

7) The colors purple and green together make my stomach curdle.

8) I am the youngest of 4 kids with 13 years between my eldest sibling and myself.  I love my siblings dearly even though we're about as diverse in our viewpoints and choices as you can get.

9) I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to education.  I used to think it was weird when people had 5 different degrees w/in their lifetime....but now I'm pretty sure I'll have at least 4 before I die. 

10) I don't believe that formalized education deserves the current weight and status that its given however.  I think there is a lot to be said for life experience, on the job training, and self-instruction.  Having the degree means nothing.

11) My two best friends are both people that I strongly disliked at one point or another.

12) Whenever I have to stand in front of a crowd, I never know what to do with my hands if I have nothing that I'm holding.  So I usually do one of the following: cross my arms on my chest, put my hands on my hips, or pop my knuckles.  The first two I'm sure do wonders for making me seem approachable! ;-)

13) I love to read but it has to be completely silent for me to retain information.  Even then I will never have very good recall in life.

14) I never in a million years thought that this would be the life I'm living, yet in most moments I feel that its playing out exactly as it should.....

15) I'm considering piercing my nose.  Just one of those little faux diamond studs.  But I can't decide which side it should be on.

16) I'm an avid night-time dreamer and they're usually pretty interesting.  In the last 6 months I constantly dream about people I know, whereas before then it was rare to see a familiar face in my dreams.

17) I believe in international travel where tourists attempt to become part of the culture rather than take advantage of it.  As horrible as major travel is for the environment, I am hopeful that eventually the husband and I will be able to make travel a more regular part of our life and be able to participate in humanitarian trips as well.

18) I have had the wonderful fortune of living abroad twice (my family was stationed in the Philippines when I was a young child and I was a Rotary Exchange student for a year to Argentina) and spent six weeks of college in London.  Thus I would say that my number one passion is culture.  I absolutely love learning about people.

19) Since I was 3 I have always lived within a couple hours drive from a coast.  I love the beach and sometimes wish that I would have followed through with a marine biology major.

20) I'm not a big fan of attending life change celebrations.  I've always felt uncomfortable at weddings and I hate attending baby showers cause it means I have to hold my public health lectures in check.

21) Non-professionally, I wear my heart on my sleeve.  This means I'm sensitive and can be easily riled at times.  It also means that in my personal life, you can almost always read the expression on my face.

22) I'm a fruit addict also (who has never had digestion problems with this either).  I seriously can't imagine going more than a day without fruit and by the end of fruitless day one I'm craving it anyway.

23) I have a competitive spirit but I hate to compete.  I was the girl in high school who played sports just for fun and to be physically active.  I never understood/stand when people get bent out of shape about sports.

24) I love seagulls.  Most other people find them annoying...I am amazed at their determination.  Plus they always get to live by water and you almost always seem them in a pack.

25) I'm not one of those people who ever really follows Hollywood and it drives me crazy when that's what a lot of people choose to talk about....but secretly I've always wanted to be a lil bit like Angelina Jolie w/o the super skinny part, being a husband stealer, and someone else raising my kids.. BUT  I've always appreciated her role w/ UN Humanitarian aid and her commitment to international adoption...and the fact that like most of us she's just a lil bit crazy.

Photo Project Day 3: Follower

Today is two-for-one, but both demonstrate the relationship of our animals.  The first is a picture of Major following the dogs and I out to the field where we let the dogs run off the leash.  "His" woods are in the back ground of both photos.  We've recently started letting him be an outside cat except for when he wants in, and he loves the big patch of woods across the street from our backyard.  He spends hours out there and apparently he's made friends! (The husband saw him with another cat this morning.) 

The second picture is of Anna and Roxi watching Major as he enters into his woods.  Both girls love Major (maybe a little too much sometimes....) and always anxiously watch his approach and leaving through the chain length fence.  When Major feels like its payback time for the overabundance of love that they bestow upon him, he likes to walk along the fence just outside their reach.  Thus they each gets turns being both follower and leader.

Photo Project Day 2: Expansion

WORD: Expansion

Additional thought: I'm so completely glad I found the library on post.  One nice perk of the military library is that they can interlibrary loan any book I want to read from any other library in the nation.  So at least some of your tax dollars are going to a good cause!! ;-)

February Photo Project

At the very end of December I checked in on Sara over at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly and discovered that she was just wrapping up a month of daily photos.  She was participating in the December Photo Project hosted by View From the Prairie Box.  I thought it was a wonderful idea to demonstrate a snap shot from each day and summarize it with a word or two.  Thus since I missed the concept in December, I've been holding off to attempt my own lil' month of photos and with February being the shortest month... ;-)


My intent is to take a variety of pictures throughout each day and choose one to post in the evenings.  Some days there may be a paragraph about the photo, other days I'll just leave it with one word of what that photo summarizes for me.  At the very least, I'll be accountable for actually posting every day! ;-)


So here is today's photo:

Word: HOPE


We've definitely had our struggles with how to "parent" our newest addition and how to get her to keep from having piddling and peeing accidents on the floors.  She is such an unusual looking animal, but the minute you spend any quality time with her you can't help but love her.  She is the ultimate loving animal and will cover any kind soul in kisses.  With her personality and sad background, I can't help but dearly love this gal no matter how frustrating the individual behavior.  So today's word is HOPE.  Hope that we can help train each other and hope that Roxi continues to love and trust us as her future with us progresses.


Over the last few days I've also reflected upon the hope and joy that our animals bring me.  When I was unemployed, they gave me a set routine I had to follow.  They provide me with an outlet for additional love I have to give and give back love in so many ways.  Some moments there is nothing quite as satisfying as Major purring upon my lap or Anna & Roxi's initial tail-wagging when one of us first walks in the house.  In the happy moments, they join in and during the difficult moments they provide hope for tomorrow.  Aren't pets grand?!

Three Years Later...

Last night I watched the movie Blood Diamond again.  It was the first time I'd seen it since watching it in the theatres.  This is the movie that changed my life, changed my choices, and changed my mind upon that first viewing.  I still vividly remember coming home to my parent's place after the movie and crying my eyes out at the injustices that exist in the world.  That movie was the catalyst for my interest in the simplicity movement.  The rest of that year included considerably down sizing my possessions to only what was needed, donating time and money where I could to those in need, and avoiding anything that appeared to be a waste of money, time, and/or mental energy (things that represented to me a continuation of the injustices of the world).  It also was the year that I read an incredible amount of books with social justice, environmental, and simplicity based themes.  And it was the year that I finally read through the entire Bible.

There has been a lot of talk lately on blog land about whether or not living a more enviro-simple existence is in itself a religious, philosophical undertaking.  For me, my political and social views come directly from my interpretation of what Christianity is supposed to be, and those views only became more solid as a direct result of reading the Bible.  I recognize that the world is an entirely diverse place and that we've created a government and economic system that does not work very easily in conjunction with the principles of Christianity.  But regardless, my political and social mindset is more of the "give freely to the poor, don't save up riches for yourself, God should come first, and put all your neighbors before yourself."  Throw in there some "as Christians we are to be stewards of the earth and of each other" and the concept of "LOVE not judgement", and you've pretty much got my beliefs in a nutshell.  Although I still struggle in my own daily demonstrations of this as well. 

So come back to the present, where although I have the same mindframe, I had wondered how much my recent transitions and adjustments would impact my reactions to the movie.  (One more side note: The first time I had watched this movie, I was appalled by the journalist's ability to re-integrate into sipping lattes back in the US.....who would waste $4 on a cup of coffee when peoples arms were being cut off?!)  In all honesty, I still cried during the movie in regards to greed, political corruption, human suffering, and the reality that so many in the "developed" world really just don't care.  But this time, I also ended the movie feeling a bit more hopeful than last.  Although fictional and Hollywood based, I was moved by the ability of Leo's character to put a family's happiness before his own life, and I recognized that this movie did open the eyes of many in the developed world...even if for just a moment. 

However I did note how like the journalist I have become.....aware of and appalled by many of the injustices of the world but back to purchasing that occasional $4 cup of coffee or that cheap pair of Target earrings.  I still don't know in my heart whether or not this is the "right" life to live, but somehow it's a bit easier to be back closer to some aspects of the mainstream.  (Although ironically in many ways, I was the most at peace with myself during that initial year of simplicity & anti-materialism than I ever have been.)  So somehow I feel myself in the same conumdrum as many.....still integrated in Western society w/ vehicles in the garage, a warm house for our families, and a pot of coffee near the stove....but maybe wondering in my heart whether or not this is really the right way to live yet unsure of how to be both inside & outside the mainstream.  Ironically last time I watched the movie, I went through all my belongings and donated anything I didn't need or actively use to others who could use those things.  This time as I watched the film and I reflected on that prior choice, I realized that almost all of what my husband and I do have.....we use.  Sure we have a few extra books on our shelves, but for the most part all our kitchen appliances get used, our linens get used, our candles get used, the stuff in our garage gets used....and at the very least, that was something I felt glad about. 

With this first paycheck though, I do plan on getting back in the habit of financially giving.  Thus I'll be sending a check in support of Haiti and one in support of Dinner & A Movie which provides services to the large street youth population in Portland.  During my initial conversation with my husband about Haiti, I was a little nervous of his potential response, especially since there's been a lot of Facebook talk from the more conservative side about providing for others globally rather than here at home.  My hope for both sides soared however when my husband responsed that its great that people are giving to Haiti, but wondered why we're continuing to turn a blind eye to Africa.  My solution is..... let's provide where and how we can.  As one of the richest nations in the world, let's forgo 5 lattes and send the money to others with no roof, no food, no water, and limited clothes...regardless of whether they're located here or anywhere.  Let's give because we're human and because we can (but don't want to) imagine what it must be like to be in another individual's shoes.  Let's give because we can.  I like to believe that we each should look out for our fellow human regardless..... I recognize that I continue to be an idealist in a realist world, but all I can do is hope...