Puppies and Kitties are Standing By: Click for a Cause

I've always been an "if it sounds too good to be true, than it probably is" kind of girl. Snackwell cookies, permanent waves, the Cutco knives sales job, Splenda, vegetarian bacon. I'll take a Pass on all of those, thank you.

But when it comes to animals--especially, sad puppy dogs and kitty cats--all bets are off. Cue the ASPCA commercial with Sarah McLachlan or Willie Nelson and I'm a puddle of emotions ready to hand over my AmEx card. Wishing I could be more of a help.

I can't remember who sent it to me, or how many years it has been, but some time ago a friend sent me a link to the Animal Rescue Site. Along with it came a simple plea to click on the site every day. In exchange for my clicks, the site's advertisers would donate food to shelter animals. It seemed simple enough, and I hated to think that any animal--or any living creature for that matter--might go hungry. The Animal Rescue Site says my daily click is the equivalent of .6 bowls of food. Every little bit counts, right? Even though it sounded too good to be true, I kept clicking. Just in case.

In time, I noticed the other tabs at the top of the page: Rainforest, Literacy, Child Health, Breast Cancer, and Hunger. They, too, tugged at my heartstrings so I incorporated all seven pages in my (almost) daily click routine. Then my practical side got ahold of me: What exactly is this site that I'm so devotedly clicking on every day? How do I know it's on the up-and-up?

Enter my favorite rumor-debunking website, Snopes. I'm pleased to report that the Animal Rescue Site (and affiliates) are for real. Check out what the snopes folks have to say. I'm also pleased to report that the Animal Rescue Site amassed enough clicks in the last six months to equal more than 40 million bowls of food. Most impressive, fellow clickers. Most impressive . . .

So, is there a cause for which you are an avid clicker? Did you hop on the L'il Green Patch bandwagon on Facebook, too? (Note, evidence is inconclusive whether L'il Green Patch is accurately capturing everyone's clicks; however, they have made at least one nice-size donation to The Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre program.)

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--for all creatures great and small--to live happily ever after.

The Lost Art of Writing Letters

 

Here’s what I received in the mail yesterday: catalogs from Crate & Barrel and L.L.Bean and a coupon from Bed, Bath & Beyond. The day before that it was grocery store circulars, something from American Express, and a postcard from Lucky Brand jeans. In all, a whole lot of nothing. If the U.S. Postal Service is going to cut back on its delivery days, that’s fine by me.

(Insert wistful sigh . . . )

I love both sending and receiving letters in the mail. But with cell phone use, e-mail, text messages, IM, Facebook, and so on, I fear the days of sitting down to pen a letter are long gone. Even when we do “care enough to send the very best” usually that means just picking out something with a canned sentiment and just jotting our name to the inside. Does that make you sad? It makes me very sad. 

In my bedroom closet, I have boxes full of letters and cards that I’ve received over the years. Each one a snapshot of how our lives converged. Each one a bit of history. In my old-fashioned opinion, an online folder full of e-mails simply doesn’t make the grade. There’s just something about having the paper in hand, words inked, that gives the message a greater sense of value. It’s why I can’t send a card without adding my own touch. It’s why I have a drawer full of stationery.

While watching all of the news coverage on the late Senator Ted Kennedy, I was pleased to learn that he too was an avid letter writer. From notes of congratulations to the coaches of Boston’s sports teams to annual letters of condolence to Massachusetts’ families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks–and much more–here was a man who understood that well-chosen words are a lasting gift.

It need not be a whole “Dear so and so” type of letter with paragraphs. Even just a personalized sentence or two inside a store-bought card is meaningful. Or a postcard. Heck, even a Post-It note can be special. Just as long as they’re your own words.

_________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Because less (fleeting, electronic correspondence) really is more. Though, on occasion, I’ve been known to send a few of these delightfully sarcastic e-cards. (Image courtesy of Timothy Lloyd via Creative Commons.)

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Ice Cream Cones Are Eco-Friendly (and Other Thoughts on Precycling)

Think before you spend. I've heard it before, a thousand times over, and I bet you have, too: this concept of pausing before making a purchase in order to avoid buyer's remorse.

A couple of weeks ago, while flipping through an issue of TIME, I came across a word that puts a new spin on this old adage. Have you heard of precycling?

Simply put, precycling is a way of reducing waste by limiting consumption. But it's not just a way of saying, "Hey, don't buy that." Rather, precycling encourages you to consider the packaging whenever possible and make the most environmentally responsible choice. Let's take ice cream as an example:

You're next in line at your favorite ice cream shop and have your heart set on some cool, creamy hazelnut. "Cup or cone?" the guy behind the counter asks you. Assuming the temperature is not in the triple digits and you're not going to be walking along cobblestone streets in high heels, you go with the cone for its edible receptacle. No paper or (gasp!) Styrofoam cup, no spoon, no straw, no lid. Just a little, biodegradable paper wrapper.

There are countless (easy!) ways to bring a precycling mindset into your daily life:

• Bring a travel mug with you to the coffee shop (or take a seat and enjoy your java in a ceramic mug)
• Buy the whole head of romaine lettuce rather than a cellophane sack of pre-cut leaves
• Squeeze your own orange juice (so much better than the stuff in a carton)
• Use the reverse side of your print-outs as scrap paper rather than buy a new notebook
• Say no to paper napkins, plastic forks, and wooden chopsticks with your take-out (You do have your own travel utensils, right?)
• Choose bar soap over a plastic bottle of shower gel

Maybe, like me, you're already an avid precycler and didn't even realize it. Just having a name to put to it makes it even easier to think of all the ways you can reduce excess waste or increase the return on your original investment. Really, the opportunities are endless.

What environmentally minded, economical changes have you made in your own life recently? Please, do tell. It's the little things, I believe, that really add up!

P.S. Speaking of little changes, I highly recommend Vanessa Farquharson's blog, Green as a Thistle,  for oodles of inspiring eco-minded things you can do to greenify your life--including sleeping naked. Check it out.

_________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Because less really is more. (Image courtesy of mollypop via Creative Commons.)

My Time Out

It came out of nowhere as the workday neared its end. One minute I was making progress on my to-do list; the next I was in complete meltdown mode. Inconsolable, indefatigable, petulant.  I needed a time out--or a miniature Milky Way Midnight.  I called my boyfriend at home and explained, with all the ration I could muster, that I did not want to grill seafood for dinner, nor did I want to eat any vegetables. I did not want to go to the grocery store, cook dinner, or pick up something ready-made. I was hungry and  just wanted dinner to appear without either of us having to cook. I blamed it all on my lunch: a lovely pocket sandwich filled with a homemade bean dip, sprouts, cucumber, red pepper, carrots, avocado, and tomato. And now I had bacon on the brain. Or maybe an ice cream sundae.

Somehow, I made it to the grocery store. I staggered through the aisles, managed to run over my own foot with the cart, and left the store with an odd assortment of food, including a few mozzarella sticks from the prepared foods counter--which I ate before even leaving the parking lot.

Once home, I collapsed on the couch and ate slices of Swiss cheese and Sun Chips while watching that awful show about the Kardashian sisters on E! I didn't feel any better. I puttered around upstairs. I hovered over Andrew. I hovered over the cat. Finally, at my wit's end, I cleared a space in our spare room, swung my legs up the wall, and closed my eyes.

Twenty minutes later I reemerged, a whole new Holly. It wasn't long before I was in the kitchen running a knife through some fresh herbs and zesting a lemon for this delightful lemon spaghetti dish (how I managed to pick up parsley and cream in my state of mind earlier, I do not know).

So, did I learn any lessons while in my self-imposed time out? Glad you asked!

While a Milky Way Midnight (or 17) would have been delightful for a moment, what I was really craving most were a few slow, deep breaths. With all systems a go, go, go--and a to-do list that was growing by the hour--I had flat-out forgotten to pay attention to myself.

Viparita karani (a.k.a. legs up the wall, one of my favorite yoga poses) has a magical way of soothing my nervous system and draining tension from my limbs. Lying still and with my eyes closed, the deep breaths I needed a few hours earlier suddenly flowed easily. No fancy props needed (though they're nice), this pose is completely worth you clearing a place along the wall and giving it a try at home.

• Sit parallel to the wall with your hip right along the baseboard, knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Turn your hands so that your fingertips face the wall
• Begin to lower your back to the floor as you raise your legs up the wall
• Give yourself a little wiggle so that your backside is in nice and close to the wall
• Rest your arms by your side--above or below your head--with your palms facing up
• Give your shoulder blades a little tuck, rolling them back and down
• Exhale

With your eyes closed and nothing to do and nowhere else to be, use your breath to sweep away whatever it is that's cluttering your mind or weighing you down. Feel your chest rise and fall as you recharge your mental batteries, breathing in just as deeply as you let go on the out breath. Maybe you even choose a short little mantra to repeat to yourself, letting it absorb into your psyche with each inhale annd exhale.

If the logistics (i.e., working in an office) get in the way of you being able to slide your leg up the wall, just work with the breath component of this pose. Even if it means you have to hide out in a bathroom stall. Save the chocolate for another time when you can truly enjoy it. For now, just find your breath . . . perhaps for the first time today.

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after. Ahhh, the power of positive thinking and deep breaths. (Photo credit: Debra McClinton)

The Blind Spot in My Kitchen Cupboard

For as long as I can remember, Andrew and I have had a can of store-brand peaches in our cupboard. These peaches were so old that they predated our relationship. So old that the grocery store they came from had since changed its name--twice.  So old that "in heavy syrup" once had some appeal. If I had to guess, I'd say they were purchased around the same time that the Presidents of the United States of America were singing about the sweet orbs. In other words: these peaches had no right hanging out in our cupboard.

Growing up, I remember there being an ancient box of rice pudding in our pantry. "Nope, not that," my mother would say when my brother and I were trolling around for something dessert worthy. That box dated back to their newlywed days. It was a relic--and so too would be our can of peaches if I hadn't thrown them out this evening.

I had just finished watching Hoarders, a new show on A&E about people on the verge of crisis because of an inability to part with their belongings. One of the women featured had an inordinate amount of food in her home--most of it inproperly stored, forgotten about, and seriously spoiled. It turned my stomach just to watch. The whole time, I kept thinking about our peaches--envisioning the nastiness inside that can--and that they had to go. Now.

I pitched the peaches, can and all--my recycling feathers all a ruffle. To my suprise, I noticed a number of items in the cupboard that were past their prime. A can of tomato paste that was meant for a pasta fagioli recipe I last made in 2004. Three bags of slivered almonds best used by August 2008. More canned fruit. An imported can of Bachelors mushy peas. Raisins from our west coast road trip trail mix two years ago. One of my best friend's half-used bag of lentils from 2006. All of it now in the trash.

I knew that some of these items were in our cupboard; others were a complete surprise--even though I'm in there daily. Huh. Makes me wonder: What else is lurking in all those other blind spots in our home? And what ever happened to the Presidents of the United States of America?

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after (and eat more peaches of the non-canned variety).

Capture Memories, One Sentence at a Time

I have a thing for remembering dates and events, big or small. Some people take oodles of photos, piece together artsy scrapbooks, or maintain detailed journals. I, however, store most of my memories on a little mental calendar in the deep recesses of my brain.

I like it that way. Memories are my absolute favorite souveniers. But I'm getting older and I can admit that my once-photographic memory occasionally goes on the fritz. So, I'm thinking it's time to do something about it. Enter Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project and her ideas for keeping a non-journal. Or, as I prefer to call it, a memory calendar.

The concept is about as low-pressure and easy to maintain as they get. Not to mention, it takes up practically no space. Simply:

• Buy a datebook with the month and day (no year) printed at the top of each page. (Or create your own using a nice notebook. Just make sure it has enough pages!)
• Write a one-sentence entry for each day that has an event or memory that you'd like to hold on to over the years.
• Keep adding to it until the book is full.
• Repeat.

Just one sentence. That's all it takes to serve as a rich memory jogger. A few words that can transport you back on a multisensory journey to that table for two on your first date ten years ago. From his adorable smile to his expressive eyes to his chatty personality. All as vivid as if it took place yesterday. All still true today.

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after. Even more happily ever after than Shrek and Fiona. (Image courtesy of Y0si via Creative Commons.)

The Facts of Life: Good Weekend, Bad News

The good: A funny yet elusive letter inviting me out for a special evening with Andrew. A chauffeured ride into the city for a late-afternoon yoga class. An impromptu overnight stay at a swanky new hotel. Living large. Al fresco waterfront dining and a movie by the moonlight. Laughter. Reminiscing. Riesling. An impromptu celebration to acknowledge a milestone anniversary. Lemon raspberry pancakes in the morning and an afternoon spent wandering a museum. Rejuvenated. Grateful. Living for today. Living happily ever after. The bad: My beloved old cat is not well. Barely eating. Throwing up when he does eat. Losing weight fast. Sad meow sounds. Missing the litter box. Worrisome x-rays. Blockage in intestines. A mysterious mass clouding his abdomen. Ultrasound scheduled for Tuesday. Heartbroken over my little furry guy's declining health. Hoping he's okay for the cat sitter.

There you have it. So, what to do? Bad news happens. Without it, good news gets taken for granted. Not appreciated quite as much as it should be. Same thing goes for fancy celebrations and impromptu getaways. Balance is important. You take the good with the bad. The bad with the good. That's life.

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Because less really is more--bittersweet as it may be. 

Note Worthy

Last summer, I spent a leisurely long weekend in San Francisco where I filled my days with fresh air and sunshine, good coffee and good wine, and the company of one of my best friends. It was delightfully restful and not the least bit touristy. On my last day in town, while walking back from a yoga class at International Orange, I spotted a piece of paper nestled in some leaves alongside a chain-link fence separating a schoolyard from the street. Noticing a child's penmanship, I stopped to give it a closer look.

What a simple and profound message to come across! And written by someone so young. Heavy and light all at once. I snapped a photo and left the index card right where I found it.

A few steps later, I spotted this:

And then this:

Was this part of a school assignment? Remnants of the previous school year? Were they planted here as a pick-me-up for unsuspecting folks such as myself? Hands down, these three photos--and the experience of coming across these messages one at a time--were the best souvenir I could imagine bringing home back east.

I was reminded of this exquisite experience this afternoon when I came across a post on a very cool blog called Operation NICE that encourages individuals to be proactively nice. It's creator, Melissa, is brimming with heartfelt enthusiasm. Today on Operation NICE, she talks about leaving NICE notes, which are simply a few kind words penned for the benefit of a stranger. Much like those schoolyard notes I found at the intersection of Pine and Steiner, I have no doubt that a NICE note can have a profound impact on its passersby.

"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I cannot take it, like my heart's going to cave in."                                                                                                                    -- American Beauty

Have you ever come across something random and profound when you least expected it? If so, please share. I'd love to hear your stories.

 _________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after. Tangible souveniers are so 1984. (All three photos are © Holly Sivec)

Maybe I Was Born to Run

Personal productivity experts say that one of the best ways to help you achieve your goals is first to put them in writing and then to share your plans with others. So, that's exactly what I'm doing, right here and right now. I am going to start running.

I had pretty much written this off a no-go quite a few years ago, remembering how silly I looked running (or so I was told) as a child, and later as a teen. With my legs flapping and my arms flopping, I too believed it wasn't a pretty sight. No big deal though; I had plenty of other activities to occupy my hours and never gave running a second thought.

Exercise has never really been my thing--that is, until I discovered yoga back in 1994. Heart-thumping, liberating, acrobatic, and introspective all at once, this package deal clicked with me and my long limbs right away. I quickly subscribed to its noncompetitive spirit and never looked back.

However, my body is calling out for some cardio--and my soul is begging for more time outdoors. I enjoy my alone time, like listening to eclectic music, and am inspired to introduce another healthy habit into my life. I need balance. So what if I have floppy arms? So what if my stride makes me look like I am hopping over puddles?

"You achieve much once you stop telling yourself you can't do things."                                                                                   -- Elizabeth Kadetsky

Here I go. I'll start this weekend; one foot in front of the other, one minute at a time. Cool Running has a Couch to 5K running program for raw beginners. In two months--with a commitment of training just three times per week--I should be able to run a 5K (that's just over 3 miles for those of us who never really learned the metric system) by the beginning of October. Just as the air starts to develop its New England crisp and the leaves begin to change colors. All the more reason to be outside.

I've satisfied the productivity experts by declaring my plans. Next, it's time to answer to the fitness pros and register for a race. My favorite part of this assignment is that so many of them are tied to some sort of charity or nonprofit cause. So, pick your platform and let that serve as motivation and inspiration to kick butt.

The plan:

• Get fitted for a new pair of sneakers from the pros at Marathon Sports. Resist the nagging temptation to purchase a heart rate monitor or a cute running skirt.
• Take a nice, long walk in my new sneakers to break them in. Load up the mp3 player with some good, rollicking music.
• Sign up for an upcoming 5K run/walk. (I'm eyeing one in my old neighborhood that benefits the Travis Roy Foundation; I wish the Boston Race for the Cure was a bit later!)
• Begin the Couch to 5K program, starting with 60 seconds of jogging followed by 90 seconds of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.
• Keep at it--three times a week for the next two months, along with twice weekly yoga.
• Celebrate!

Can I do it? Of course I can. Not only am I really looking forward to spending more time outdoors--and getting in better shape--but I'm excited to carve out this additional 90 minutes per week to do some additional mental housekeeping. To-do lists, goals lists, daydreaming, story ideas, more daydreaming . . . bring it on. 

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© 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after. (These two photo copyrights are not my own--though I wish I could claim them. Don't you just love that dog face?)

Luck Be a Lady(bug)

How many times has a bug landed on you and you just swatted it away without thinking twice? Or do you--like me--discriminate against certain bugs? (Spiders: bad. Ladybugs: good.)

If a ladybug lands on you it is considered to be good luck. And that little ladybug that landed on my right ankle this afternoon got me thinking about all the times I've found myself swatting away people. (Literally, not figuratively--of course.) Who are you? Where'd you come from? You're not a part of the plan. Shoo.

What would happen if I turned that perspective around and considered it a small stroke of luck each time a new person crossed my path? No, not every one of these people needs to play a starring role--or even a protagonistic role. But more and more so, I'm starting to realize that every one and every thing is here for a reason. Perhaps it's to inspire me in some way. Or he or she references a band that becomes a new favorite. Or challenges me. Maybe he or she simply offers up a kind smile or a good laugh when it's most needed.

It is also possible that I might be the one who has something to offer that person. There's no telling, really, what the reason for the encounter may be. Perhaps hindsight will offer up a few clues. But more often than not, these people come and go in our lives with no more than a second's thought.

I am certain, however, that the more often I make an effort to see the good fortune, the more likely I am to hit the jackpot.

_________________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space--mentally and physically--to live happily ever after. (Ladybug photo from Alex Bruda @ stock.xchng)

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