Day 45 (or: Walk it, Baby, Walk it!)

Yep.  It's valentines day again.  Can't seem to avoid it.  At least once a year, inundated by pink, and red and sugar and mooshy love. 

Meh.  Forget that.  I'm'ona eat steak, drink bloody mary's and shop.

And once again pledge to walk to raise awareness and funds for the National MS society.

In April, darling child and I will be walking in the area "walk" with our friend the who shouldn't be suffering from this terrible illness on the "Sole Sisters" team.  Nobody should be suffering with it.  Least of all, someone who's spunky. 

Day 45 of One Thousand Days, I do exactly what I was doing about a year ago on day 28. I pledge to walk.  Want to join us?  Or fund us?  Or point and laugh at us?  Just click the links below to check out the possibilities.

45 down, 955 to go.  

Day 44 (or: Great Gulping Gargoyles, What IS That?)

Todays thing is mildly disgusting.  And sort of amusing.  And enlightening.  And disgusting. 

It's the fridge, you see, it's a massive vortex which sucks in leftovers and doesn't give them back until they're completely unidentifiable.  Sometimes it sucks in non-leftovers.  Actually, a lot of the time it sucks in non-leftovers.  Something that went into the fridge red, comes out green, something that was yellow is now black.  It's sort of scary.  Really, worse than the results of a few weeks time spent in the fridge, are the statistics about food waste.  According to Next Generation Food, and Jodie Humphreys, the following disturbing food waste statistics are worth a second look:

• In the US, food waste has increased by 50 percent since 1974
• 40 percent of all the food produced in the US is thrown out
• Food waste accounts for more than a quarter of freshwater consumption and 300 million barrels of annually.
• Food is the third largest waste stream after paper and yard waste
• 8.3 million tonnes of food is thrown away by households in the UK annually
• In the UK, city dwellers generally waste the most food, with the worst culprits being single men, aged between 25 and 35

Blech.  Really?  Well of course, really.  Judging by the contents of my fridge, I'd say that all sounds about right.  And is also fairly disturbing.  Especially given the hunger in the world.  What's left out of this nice little list, is the dollar amount associated with these statistics of waste.  Maybe a realization of the hit to the pocket book would help? 

Might help me, anyway, as I have been a horrible, wasteful, mindless and absurd glutton.  And it must stop. 

So here it is:  According to the Stockholm International Water Institute, all that food waste amounts to 43.8 billion bucks in the U.S. alone.  Gack!

So, after recovering from sticker shock, I cleaned the fridge, and now the garbage can is halfway full, even though pick-up day was yesterday.  And today, Day 44 of One Thousand Days, I pledge to not throw any food away for the next 7 days.  I figure this is a good start, and gives me a chance to report back at the end of said days.  I'm well pleased with my progress today, and now my fridge looks like this: 

44 down, 956 to go.

 

Day 43 (Or: Sell All The Things!)

New!  And improved!

Me, that is.  Did you know, that since my last post (in November - wow, does time fly) I began living my 40th year on this planet?  That is to say, I turned 39.  I'll celebrate the 40th anniversary of my arrival on this green and splendiferous earth next December, but in fact, I am now living my 40th year.  Weird. 

What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?  A heck of a lot!  You try turning 40, and tell me that it's not a seriously important and momentous thing, full of yearning, and joy, strife and struggle, excitement and promise. 

The whole tenor of my "Things" has altered.  I'm feeling rather self involved about my "Things."  For example, I've been leaning toward tattoos and piercings, and image issues such as:  Why the heck don't I wear my strappy sandals more often?  or:  Does my hair really need to be the color of a field mouse?   I imagine doing "Things" like taking up sky-diving as a hobby, or running for office, or walking from the West coast to the East coast.  "Things" that are momentous and reputation building, and life affirming and loud and colorful. 

I guess that's what you do when you turn (or at least are looking at turning) 40.  I know, I know, it's really very typical and boring, isn't it.  Would you like a little mid-life crisis?  Yes indeed, I'd love some, thank you.  And if you could throw in some bristly hairs on the chin, a nice crop of crows feet and a gray hair or two, I'd think myself the luckiest woman in the world!

Well, it's not all tragedy.  I finally did something that I've been wanting to do since I turned 18.  I opened a store, and I'm selling vintage, kitsch, retro, interesting, quality, fun things.  And better yet, before I sell said things, I get to SHOP for said things.  Okay, I admit, it's an eBay store, but still!  I get to shop!  And maybe I'll even make money!  Don't let me fool you, true to self, I've planned the heck out of this endeavor, devised several pretty serious mathematical tables and algorithms to ensure success, and I've given myself 3 months to make a go of it or else I'll drop it flat, which is the joy of eBaying (instant start and instant stop!)

Day 43 of One Thousand Days, I'm proud to announce Diamond L Co. Vintage and Eclectic.

May it be fruitful!

43 down, 957 to go.