Sun Chips – Compostable Bag

This ad doesn’t sit well with me.  And here’s why…

• Great – compostable bag.
• Why does the time lapse show the bag decomposing in what looks like a park?
• Does this imply to the viewer it’s OK to litter in the park.  Who the hell cares, it’s only going to return to the earth? 
• Why not show a bunch of these bags coming together in a compost pile?…That compost gets used in a local farm….Producing veggies or fruit to be sold at the farmer’s market, donated to food shelters, etc…show how it comes back to the earth in a more realistic fashion
• And it’s still a year out?!  How does that help Sun Chips or the effort in a Twitter age?  Companies need to react so much more quickly, in a way they didn’t exist even a few months ago before Corporate found Twitter.

Yep – when I rule the world – things like this would have been thrown up against a cynic like me.

Stupid Things – The Sanitary Oxymoron

If you haven’t heard, don’t closely follow Microsoft or otherwise care…recently the company has taken on a Green/Environmental Strategy approach to reducing our imprint on the earth. 

I heralded the announcement to replace all cups, plates & bowls with compostable varieties.  Rejoiced in the corn-based utensils which are the thorn in many sides (the new “towel” issue).  I was exuberant to hear the cooking oil in all our gazillion cafes would go to bio-diesel.  And let’s not forget the countless Pri-I shuttling employees around campus so we don’t use our own cars.

Then a month or so ago, we got the announcement about the hand dryers.  I was honestly not excited by this.  In any fashion.  I believe I even groaned.  You see, I’m one of those obsessive germ-a-phobes of public bathrooms.  I flush with my foot (i.e. shoe).  I get towels before touching the faucet, leave the water running while I scrub & dry, then turn it off with the used towel when done.  I take that same towel to open the door and throw out the towel elsewhere.  I’ve been known to return to a table at a restaurant with the towel and wrap it up inside my napkin.

You might be laughing at me now.  But actually SAW with my OWN eyes TODAY – a woman that walked out without washing her hands.  ARGHHH!!!

Anyhoo…I’m getting to the oxymoron, promise.

The hand dryer went into the women’s restroom in my building on my floor 2 weeks ago.  It’s one of those new-fangled Dyson kind.  The super dryer that doesn’t use as much electricity as the kind Madonna used to dry her pits back in the 80s (obscure reference).  I used it once or twice since then.  Pulling my shirt sleeve over my hand to open the door.  Kinda defeats the cleanliness purpose huh?  The original towel dispenser is still there.  Looking with shame at those of us too good or lazy or paranoid to use the Dyson thing.

Today, Monday, I walk into the bathroom and notice a NEW towel dispenser.  On the wall.  Right before the door.  As if to say, “Good job for using the automated hand dryer.” brief pause, “Now, take one of me so you don’t have to soil your freshly washed hands with a diseased door handle.” 

Really?  …  Really?!

Someone should get demerits for this.

Appearances

By this point in the week, if you haven’t heard of Susan Boyle, you must live under a rock.  This article, Is Susan Boyle ugly? Or are we?, gives a great, direct thought on the double standards of men and women (thanks Jen Zug for the link)

Just had a team pizza lunch and this news story came up in conversation.  It actually arose by someone commenting on the song she sang from Les Miserable (one of the best songs ever!!).  Another person jumped in saying it took her until yesterday to get over her anger at why this is so amazing.  She’s right.  There are millions of talented people out there and not interested in the public (i.e. celebrity) stage. 

The post above gives some examples of “ugly” men that have risen to fame and their appearances weren’t a shock.  Or – it didn’t stand in their way.  It feels like the never-ending, ever-increasing uphill battle for equality and unrealistic body image.  Is there any question why so many are fucking messed up on body image?!

Personally, I’m happy that Susan is pursuing her dream regardless.  And that her dream is quickly coming true.  I think she’ll be very solid in what she will and will not do with her personal life to maintain that success.  So go Susan!

Never Again

There are few issues I associate myself with in the world.  There truly are so many needy people, so many that deserve protection, so many lacking basic human needs.  Yet, I’m not a god/goddess/all knowing power that can help them all.  So, I pick my passions and contribute where I can. 

Genocide is one of my topics.  As a teenager supporting Amnesty International engaging in letter writing campaigns and protests, rallies, etc.  Now, through contributions to stop genocide in the world (hello?  Darfur?  Sudan anyone?).

Today, while working, I got the “red tab” on my IE window alerting me to some important, breaking news story.  “Alleged Nazi guard gets stay of deportation to Germany” on MSNBC.  I will not say I know a lot about this story.  Nor about this particular human being and crimes he did or did not commit in the world.  Regardless of innocence or guilt, I’m glad he is going to stand before a court and be tried.  I don’t care if he is 19 or 99 – I don’t care how frail or sick or healthy he is.  If there is evidence, and Germany is looking to have him stand trial, then get him over to Germany!

What saddens me, what prompts me to write this post, is the comments at the end of the article.  Many people stating (paraphrasing here)…

• Let It Go
• It was 70 years ago
• Who cares?
• He’s so old and sickly, leave him be

How can people say this?  Can they even imagine for 30 seconds what it must be like for a Holocaust survivor, an orphaned Sudanese child, a raped & tortured Rwandan woman…where is their justice?  Who is standing up for these people?  Who the HELL cares about pure bred puppies or procrastinating tax payers or Miley Cyrus being a role model or not – why are we hiding behind more trivial stories and water cooler discussions?  I know it’s an uncomfortable topic.  I know it’s politically heated and not truly water cooler discussion topic.  But – Damn it!  There are people that fear for their existence on a daily basis.  Fear the reproach for declaring a religious belief.  Hide physical aspects of themselves to not catch notice of those who don’t approve and stand to hurt.  Are persecuted for the mere fact of being born into particular circumstances they have no control over.

I get being casual and dismissive around the water cooler.  Let’s not be dismissive when basic human rights are at stake.  Because you never know who is next.  Never.

Never Again: What You Do Matters – 2009 Days of Remembrance – April 19th – 26th

Working Moms – Stay At Home Moms

I watched Oprah’s show on Moms this evening.  Most of it made me laugh.  Hearing the stories, the true confessions of moms…makes me feel a little less alone.  And that was the point of the show.

Towards the end there was some discussion about the Working Mom, the Single Mom and the Stay At Home Mom.  One person shared her view that it’s a war between them.  A friendly war, a self-imposed war…yet a war. 

This is so core to the tapes of inadequacy running through my head.  One of my best friends, our daughters are in the same class.  She’s a SAHM.  I’m not.  We’ve talked a few times about the differences, the challenges, the pains and successes. 

Recently, the Kindergarten Moms have been having monthly coffee time after a drop off.  Those of us working outside the home might or might not be there.  I desperately want to be at one.  I want to know these women better.  Their kids and my kid will be in school together for many years to come.  The last two gatherings have been on mornings I’ve had a recurring meeting that I just could not miss.  Guilt tapes play…

So I was talking with my friend about this, how I so badly wanted to come.  I don’t remember how, we got on the topic of things I do she finds as creative, great mom things.  Like “Orange Lunch Day”.  The truth – I was packing A’s lunch one day, and was actually disturbed that everything in the pack was orange – mac & cheese, carrots, orange and nilla wafers (OK, not orange, but up against the others my mind just said orange).  So to turn it around, I wrote A a note “Happy Orange Lunch Day A!” with smileys and hearts she would love.  The feedback?  Seems Orange Lunch was a hit with a few of the kids.  Another mom had to come up with “Green Lunch Day” for her son, resorting to food coloring.  Wow.  N-e-v-e-r saw that coming. 

It made my day.

So, I go forward working to silence the tapes and trust more.  Believe more.  Engage with that secret Mom Community for strength and reassurance.

Great Packaging

I have a soft spot for beautiful packaging.  Particularly wrapped gifts.  I love spending time making gifts look unique.  I love studying other people’s wrap, design, creative process.

Recently, I bought a great pair of earrings from alibli on Etsy.  They arrived in the mail today and I’m SO excited how they were wrapped up and sent off.  I took pictures to share with you all…

The box out of the envelope

Note the special tag “just for Jen…” how awesome!

Underneath it all, to show the designer

Open the box – note on the jewelry design and construction, earrings wrapped carefully in individual packets
 

And a Thank You note!

Finally, as they are meant to be, hanging from my ears…

Thank you Alice, you totally made my day!

Fixed

I have started numerous posts in the last few weeks.  And deleted them.  Gotten weirded out about what I was saying, perhaps too private.  Just finished Heather Armstrong’s new book.  Quickly reset my dials – duh – it’s my blog.  So let’s go…

Four weeks ago, I went heavily drugged (Xanax) into my Gyno’s office and had my tubes tied.  Technically, a new procedure called Essure.  At my post-op I was informed that during the procedure I told the doctors/nurses my pain was at a 7.  Out of 10.  To me, that doesn’t seem high.  But they were all shocked at since I was on relaxants and had 5 locals before they started.  OK – girls – if you have ever had your uterus/tubes manipulated – it hurts like…jeez I cannot even find some witty way to describe the immense, blinding, debilitating pain that ensues.  My dear friend brought me home, tucked me into bed, left 4 trashy magazines and let herself out.  I slept most of the day.  Hobbled around the next day and a-half.  Had unrealistic expectations of how much it would knock me on my ass.  Granted, my Gyno told me many of her former patients went to work after the procedure.  Yeah right!

So – here I sit.  Gotta wait for 3 months for the tubes to scar over.  Then get an HSG (another uterus manipulation event that I’m not looking forward to) and it’s done.  No more babies.  No more hormones.  One less drug on my list of daily events.

I don’t regret it for a minute.

I used to think I wanted 2 kids.  After a year of trying, acupuncture, doctors, tests and fertility exercises, I realized I didn’t want another.  Sure, it would be great for A to have a sibling.  Someone to grow with, then rely on as an adult.  At the same time, how was I going to live with another child?  I daily feel the balance between work, home and sanity to be a tentative exercise.  At that time in our lives, I felt I was finally getting the rhythm down, felt some sense of regularity.  It was a very hard decision.  A Very Hard decision.

I’ve always been the type to have certainty when I make a decision.  Sure, it could take weeks, months, eons…for me to get there.  But once that decision is made – no holding me back.  Went back to my Gyno, got on the pill and told her I’d take a year to think about it.  All the while knowing a year later I’d be sitting in the same office asking for the permanent solution. 

I love my child dearly.  Parenting is as much rewarding as it is challenging, learning and growing. 

My point?  I don’t regret it for one minute. 

Not one.