NRDC: Trashy Habits — Reducing Your Waste

NRDC: Trashy Habits — Reducing Your Waste.  So, everything is about the “Green Life” these days.  Linux themes, many blogs, and even some green washing.  One of my favorite sites for information is the Natural Resource Defense Council.  And, it looks like they’ve picked up on the demand for Green Life blogs (linked above).  Today’s blog was on Trash.  A favorite topic of many the greeny.   How do we dispose of our waste in a more responsible manner so that we’re not sweeping the issue under the rug?  The author-urbanite provides some quick logic and a no-nonsense look at what we waste, why, and how to reduce it.

Organization Statistics By Category

Organization Statistics By Category.  Support the Social Bottom Line.  Give!

BPA in Everything

5 years ago, the only studies we could find were wacky folks testing their lab mice. Now, the evidence is clear and people are listening. So the question really just is: how do we get away from BPA and other things that lessen our quality of life?

http://rss.sightline.org/daily_score/archive/2009/11/30/bpa-babies

The Accidental Husband

Image via Wikipedia

I recently watched The Accidental Husband snatched straight from my Netflix queue.  I picked it because it starred Uma Thurman, Colin Firth, and it was new – and I hadn’t watched a relatively new movie lately.

The premise was interesting, albeit written weakly.  Man (played by Mr. Richard Dean Morgan) is slated to get married, bride-to-be has cold feet and calls in her favorite radio-talk show host, Emma Lloyd.  Ms. Lloyd listens to what bride-to-be says, and strongly discourages her from getting married eluding to the responsibility of Man or lack thereof, suggesting that neither are ready to be married.  Man, heart-broken and beaten, strives for revenge – which offers its cold hand.  So, ensues his revenge, but unbeknownst to either Man or Ms. Lloyd, the two fall in love – calling into question all that Ms. Lloyd holds dear in her search for REAL love with Mr. Responsible.

Thanksgiving Menu

The ideal would be the sustainable/local menu.  But that’s not what we have as in doing that the economic side of the budget would tip over.  Our goal is to have a plentiful garden, and then my goal is to have a true harvest dinner for Thanksgiving.  Or as close as we’ll get with our city-garden and lack of farm animals.  Regardless, I like sharing my menus, so here it is:

• Roast turkey brined for 20+ hours in water, salt, rosemary, oregano, and coriander
• Dressing (I actually dislike stuffing!) made from homemade bread
• Roasted garlic
• Sweet potatoes
• Green beans
• Green bean casserole
• Cranberry sauce, made fresh with orange juice
• Mashed potatoes with garlic & Parmesan-Romano cheese
• Bread, fresh baked yesterday
• Apple pie, with homemade crust
• Pumpkin pie, with homemade crust and fresh, pureed pumpkin
• Whipped cream, homemade and fresh at time of serving

To drink, we will have a choice of:

• Water
• Milk
• Juice
• Coffee
• Wine
• Beer

Although our meal won’t be the most sustainable with food-transport calories used to get to our plate, it is all home cooked and home baked.  The only items that will be processed on our menu would potentially be the cheese and beverages.  I hope everyone enjoys!  I’ll update with pictures later.

Nuked

I took the I-131 therapy (a capsule) Friday.  Its strength was 8 mCi (millicurries).  I enjoyed, very much, my ‘forced vacation’ so I wouldn’t irradiate my family.

Rockaway was fabulous, despite the high winds and scary storm because I was out of my element.  The beach, though, from the storm the night before was fabulous.  I hope that comes across in the select photos.

It’s Time

Image by Major Clanger via Flickr

At 4pm today I will swallow the pill necessary to irridiate my thyroid.  It feels strange, and I’m nervous.  I will be driving to the coast for the weekend so as to not expose my husband and child to radiation.  (Although no one really says what the exposure does to me, ironic isn’t it? We use radiation to cure yet it can also cause.)

I’m nervous about the rainy weather and driving in the dark, but am hopeful for a relaxing weekend, alone.  Really, it will be only one day of ‘relaxing’ as the hotel does not allow a late check out, unless you want to pay $20/hour.  Part of me is tempted to just buy another night, it would be cheaper.

What you need to know about radiation & hyperthyroidism, link.

 

Is it a SCAM if?

I’ve been looking for work for some time.  I’ve been out of school since June of 2008 with a graduation in August.  I’ve been looking for work since August 2007 when I was let go from the Forest Service.  I watch my son every day, so on one hand it’s no bother that I do not have a job.  But, on the other, it’s frustrating because I have school loans we want paid off.

I’ve been using Craig’s List lately for my job search.  And, until yesterday, I have refused to send applications to companies that post anonymously.  Yesterday, I decided that I would apply for these jobs, but I would not include my address, only my email and linked in profile.  I did include my home number in the body text of the email for interview contact.  I hope that was not an unwise decision.

I’m sorry

How old should a child be when they learn, “I’m sorry”?  I’ve told Levi sorry when I’ve made mistakes or blamed him for something he didn’t do or didn’t mean to do.  I’ve tried to tell him whenever it was appropriate, whenever I was sorry.  Levi is now 2 years and almost 9 months old… 33 months, almost 3 years.  Shouldn’t now be a good time for him to learn to say, “I’m sorry.”

Well, it better be.  He has a bowling ball for a head, or rather it’s that hard.  He tripped and fell today, and while I was consoling him on my lap, he whacked his head back and smacked my nose.  This was the hardest he’s ever smacked it before.  Instantly I cried, it hurt that bad.

I made him stay in his room until he said he’s sorry. He came out every so often, which we allow, but wouldn’t apologize, so I sent him back.  By the third time, we had a short (as in low to the ground) eye-to-eye chat and he mostly said sorry.  By mostly, I mean he said it and had some eye contact.

Is this the right time?  It seemed effective 2 days ago.  He’s got to learn, sooner rather than later, how his actions affect others.  So, now seems like a good time to me.