Between abbreviated texts, emoticons, monosyllabic
grunts, and facial expressions, we communicate a great deal without so much as
stating a complete thought. Today, May 31st is Speak
in Complete Sentences Day. Besides conjuring up images of my eighth grade
teacher diagramming sentences on the chalkboard at sonic speed, this holiday
got me thinking about how much time we take to fully express ourselves.
Smart phones have made it easy to keep in touch,
via texting and word-recognition software, but can get us in trouble when it
comes to “tone.” When’s the last time you paused at someone’s choice
of ‘Really???’ versus ‘Really?’ Things like irony, punch lines and subtle
teasing can get lost in transmission. And in the end it comes back to a phone
call or a quick visit to check in and lend clarity.
What’s something you’ve been meaning to say?
What conversation have you been meaning to have? Isn’t it time you
got around to it? Not putting anyone on the spot, I too have a
long-overdue heart-to-heart I’ve been throwing on the back burner. And,
actually, in writing this I am encouraged. Deep down I know the calm and
resolution that come from expressing myself far outweigh all the angst and
confusion of remaining silent.
A friend of mine said something simple the other
day. It was one of those statements so obvious as to be greeted with...“DUH.”
And yet it’s amazing how truth can be so plain that we miss the point
altogether. Anyway, he said, “you should say what you have to say and then you
get what you get.” I think the key is accepting/making peace with
whatever happens and taking comfort in the fact that you spoke up for yourself,
or to someone you care about.
HUH? Yes, and ask questions. It
occurred to me that asking questions is also a form of affirmation. So, in
asking for clarification, I care enough about myself to make sure I fully
comprehend what I’m hearing. It is also respectful to the person who’s
doing the communicating.
Ok, I’m off my soapbox for now. Happy “Speak
in Complete Sentences Day.” Make your actions and THOUGHTS count!
Get your shorts on folks! It’s a soupy 89 degrees in the
concrete jungle today, and boy does it feel hot! I always like to brag about
how I can handle the heat after spending 6 years in the desert in Tucson, AZ.
However, it’s pretty easy to handle 115 degrees when you’re either in an over
air-conditioned building, or floating on a raft in a pool with a cool beverage
in your hand. This 80% humidity business is really throwing me for a loop! I’m
finding that I need to get a little more creative to stay cool in the city.
Here’s a few things that I’m doing, and hopefully you’ll
find some of these tips useful no matter where in the world you spend your hot
months.
1. First and foremost – drink lots of water!
I, of course, learned this lesson the hard way roughing it
out in the desert. When I moved to NYC, I was honestly very surprised by how
much less water people are drinking, and how much less I started drinking
myself. But seriously folks, let’s just stay hydrated! Also, throw in some
beverages with electrolytes every now and then, and eat some salty snacks
(healthy ones!) that will help you retain some of that water you’re drinking.
2. Get efficient with your at home cooling methods.
I’m in a new apartment in Brooklyn, and instead of a window I
just have a skylight in my bedroom. Crazy I know! Where am I supposed to put
the window box air conditioner?
This past weekend I broke down and bought a standing fan
that’s energy efficient, and it does the trick! If you are lucky and have A/C,
keep that thermostat at 78! Here are some more tips and tricks about staying
cool in your home.
Living in a relatively small apartment, you quickly realize
that your lights generate a surprising amount of heat. Here’s a quick fix –
turn those suckers off when you don’t need them or when you leave the room!
This will keep you cooler, and happier when you receive your electric bill.
4. Treat yourself to some cooling treats!
I love watermelon. If there was a watermelon contest I could
enter, I know I’d be pretty stiff competition. If you enjoy watermelon half as
much as I do, slice one up and enjoy, and you’ll be hydrating yourself at the
same time.
Spice things up! Eating spicy foods causes your body to perspire,
which is its natural way of cooling itself. So pass that spicy salsa!
Break out the mint! Throw some in a glass of iced water with
some slices of cucumber, or make a delicious mojito. The mint, which has a
natural cooling effect, will counteract the warming effects of the
alcohol.
Check out this site for more great ideas on summer treats!
Staying cool in the summer also means looking cool, which to
me means taking the necessary precautions to protect your skin and eyes from
harmful UV rays. I have pretty fair skin and have known from an early age that
I’m at high risk for skin cancer. I have formed a few good habits by treating
sunscreen like lotion for my face and body in the morning. Just make it part of
your routine, and you’re less likely to forget. Also, keep a travel size of
sunscreen with you at all times, because you never know when you might be
outside for an extended period of time.
Oh yes, and don’t forget your shades. Yes they do make you
look fabulous, but they’re also performing an incredibly important function, so
don’t forget them! Keep a cheap pair in your car or office, just in you’re
caught without them.
6. Have fun outside!
This might just be me, but more than half of the time in the
summer months, it feels much better outside in the fresh air than inside. Especially
in the early mornings and evenings. If you’ve got your sun protection on, go
for a jog, have a picnic in the park, a day at the beach, or an evening stroll.
I hate being cooped up all winter, so in the summer I like to enjoy the
outdoors as much as possible!
7. Go see a movie!
I know this completely contradicts my previous tip but…movie
theatres are freezing! I always have to bring a sweater when I catch a flick!
What better way to beat the heat than by enjoying a summer blockbuster in an
oversized icebox? Save some money and catch a matinee – they’re during the
warmest part of the day anyway, so might as well!
Stay cool out there, and enjoy the summer!!!
Have some tips for me?
Please share, I’d love to hear them!
I have always loved building things. It started as a child. It all came from dad. Dad is one of those fathers that can build anything. Literally. My father once built a dog house that looked like a california mission. No joke.
When we moved into our new place in Northern Cali one of the things that I really wanted to do was have a garden. Growing my own food, helping to lower my carbon footprint and creating my own little slice of life just outside in my back yard. Now the place we live now is super small. Smaller than the last apartment I had in the city but it has a huge front and back yard with tons of space for gardening. So I set out to build some raised garden beds. I love the reclaimed/recycled wood trend that is happening now. Not only does it look awesome but it is good for the environment too. Reusing materials keeps trash out of the landfills and reduces your impact on our earth.
So first thing I called up good ol'dad and said, "what do you have that I could make some raised beds out of?" Of course my dad was like...."Well I got this old box that I built to cover the septic tank at the cabin. You could use that."
Oh boy Septic Tank cover wood. Great. But actually it was perfect! The right size and length, weathered and old but still in great condition. To round out the materials I went to the lumber store and had them cut me some end pieces for the corners and bough a box of galvanized nails.
Now like many I don't have a wood shop in my backyard so I had to somehow cut some of the 8 foot long boards in half so I could piece them together. I don't have any sawhorses so I fashioned some out of the used kitchen chairs that my mother had given me awhile back. They were not perfect but they worked.
The first one took me forever. I did things in such a backwards manner I don't even know how I finished it. But finally it was basically square and looked pretty level. I sat down and drank some water and thought about what I was doing. I thought okay Melissa why did this take you so long? I realized after having done one that there was another way (A better way) to put these together that would be much easier. Thank god the second one only took half the length of time the first one did. Sometimes when you do things on your own you have to struggle to get through it. But if you can make it through the first one odds are the next time you do the same thing you know a little bit more about what you are doing. And that was exactly what happened. At first I kind of gave myself a hard time but after a few seconds I realized that this is how we learn. Do, Evaluate, Do Again, Do Better.
I decided that I also wanted to cover the bottoms of the planter boxes with wire mesh to keep weeds and creatures out of the under portions of my beds so I made the beds upside down first and attached it to the bottom. After that I flipped them over and set them into place. Not the greatest building job ever but they were mine. And they only cost me about 35 bucks to make.
Turns out the hardest part of this whole project wasn't even the building...it was the shoveling!!! Of course after I built the planter boxes I had to fill them with dirt. So I did a couple measurements and walked around the corner to the landscaping store. Yes the dirt store is around the corner.
They sent the youngest kid I have ever seen to drive over with his big dump truck and dumped 2 Cubic Yards of dirt into my back ally. Of course I attracted the attention of half the neighborhood with the teenager driving the huge dump truck into the back ally. But everyone was super nice and a few even came out and helped me move the tarp around so it would hold all my smelly dirt. After about 30 trips in my wheel barrel, 4 blisters, a couple incidents where I had to chase the cats away from my dirt ( they decided it was a very large litter box) everything was in order. I had a homemade garden!!!! Omg...now I have to plant everything!? No one ever said this homestead thing was going to be easy...but it sure feels pretty darn good.
If you are interested in making your own raised beds here is a good resource to check out.
This past weekend was the Letter Carrier Food Drive or Stamp out Hunger. As I went on my daily walk around my neighborhood I started to see all these signs in the front yards letting people know about the event. I thought that it sounded like a great idea. All I have to do is put the food outside my door?! How in the world could you not participate?
One of the things that I am trying to do now that I live in a smaller area I am trying to meet more of the people who are around and help out in my neighborhood. Like my FedEx driver and my letter carrier. So one day before the event when I was out washing my car my letter carrier came by. We chatted a little and I asked how in the heck he was going to carrier all that food. My letter carrier doesn't get a truck so he said he just straps all the bags to his push cart and calls in one of the trucks if things start to get too heavy. I let him know that I was going to participate and would leave my bag on the mailbox. (I live in the back unit of a big house and so I couldn't leave the food on my doorstep).
The next day I went through my cabinets looking for things to donate. I pulled out the most ridiculous grouping of canned goods. A small can of artichoke hearts, some open wheat pasta and some weird old soup I wasn't sure was still good. "Dude Melissa" I said to myself, "I cannot give this to the food donation." So I took a walk down to my local grocery store and decided to get some better items. I ended up with some delicious soup, a couple things of Mac and cheese, some organic pasta and some pasta sauce.
I packed all the items up when I got home and put the food outside on my mailbox the night before the collection. It was so easy. I was shocked that I didn't see everyone out there doing the same. AND...my letter carrier left me a THANK YOU Note!! How cool of him. He was doing all the real work and he Thanked me.
I admit that I am not thrilled with the USPS. There are long lines, the price of stamps is always going up and unfortunately sometimes they have employees who work there that are just not very nice. But this was a great idea. A nation wide food drive that benefits your local community and is so easy to participate in. Good on you USPS. Good on you.
On another note I was also glad that I participated because it was a way to help my new community and feel like I am helping to make a difference in the place I live. I bought products at a local store and gave them to my local letter carrier who helped get it to my local food-bank to help the people that live in my new community. Another step on my little homestead journey. Well that is all for now. See you next week. And remember even if you didn't participate in Stamp Out Hunger your local food banks will always accept food donations and probably really needs them. #bethechange ~ missy
I grew up in California.I considered myself, at my core, a Californian.In 2005 I moved from the West Coast to
the East Coast and moved into a tiny studio apartment in NYC. I spent the next 6 years in New York,
all the while telling people I may live in New York but really I was a
Californian.6 months ago my
husband and I moved back to California, Sonoma County to be exact.I thought moving back would be simple.No change.Boy was I wrong.Total change.Sometime
during the six years that I lived in New York, unbeknownst to me, I became a
New Yorker
While I miss the hustle and bustle of city life and I am slowly
transitioning into a more simple life. A life of living simply, sustainably and
locally.I have started a backyard
garden, am composting, repurposing old items into new items and genuinely
trying to change my footprint and lifestyle.I have always loved these ideas but in the city it was not
always possible to grow a garden, or recycle like I wanted too.Things were just different.
My first journey into creating my little homestead was
working on my very first vegetable garden. Back in February I took the green thumb plunge decided
to start my little seedlings indoors.This was the very first time I had ever done this.(Even though I grew up in California we
never had a vegetable garden.My
mom grew roses, hundreds of roses, so there was never any room.) Since the big move last year I didn’t
really have a lot of money so I was determined to build my garden for as little
money as possible.Since I didn’t
have a lot of seedling holders I tried to find some inexpensive ways of growing
my seeds.I got a few old flower
containers from my mom but that was not enough for the amount I wanted to
start.So I also used egg cartons
and toilet paper tubes in order to start my veggies.This turned out to be very easy and inexpensive.I was surprised at how easy it was to
grow seeds in nontraditional holders.
I cut the egg carton tops off and used the segmented parts
for the seeds.The tops of the
cartons I than used to hold the little toilet paper tubes together.I cut them in 3 sections and then taped
the bottoms down.This worked
great.I highly recommend trying
this method out.
Well that is all for now.Stay tuned for more blog posts updates about building my own
raised beds, creating compost, buying locally, building with salvage etc. as I
work toward my little Sonoma county homestead.
I have always loved elephants. Always. When my sister liked Disney Princesses, I liked Dumbo. I watch the movie now and find it incredibly depressing, so I have to think it was that lovable face and floppy ears that drew me in. I know the story must have registered with me on some level, but there's a lot of "strange" happening in that movie. And, well, I've been known to fast forward through depressing moments. It's safe to say that Dumbo in Mom's trunk through the bars is probably the event that started that quirk. I'm welling up just thinking about it. Either way, it's clear that my developing brain was sucked in to all things elephant. Whether I have Walt Disney to thank or the species itself, I was hooked from an early age.
The Hindu God, Ganesha
My favorite toy from childhood was a yellow stuffed elephant that played Brahm's Lullaby. I have it to this day even if she's a little worse for wear. I also have countless Dumbo figurines and stuffed animals. He was always by my side growing up, and one of the only things that stopped my epic tantrums. I have earrings, necklaces and bracelets. I have stationary and Christmas ornaments. There's just something about them that I find amazing.
Whenever something speaks strongly to me, I'm always drawn to the symbolic meaning behind it. Perhaps it was being raised by a therapist or growing up with a sister fascinated by Greek Mythology, Something rubbed off, and now I am fascinated by symbology and meaning. According to what's-your-sign.com, the reason why I find elephants so attractive is very apropos. The symbology "deals primarily with strength, honor, stability and patience." All attributes I have, or yearn for. And then there's the Hindu god Ganesha. He removes the obstacles that stand in your path, bestows luck and guarantees success and blessings. Honestly, who wouldn't want to have this guy in your corner?
Nicholas at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary
Every time I look into the eye of an elephant, I feel that they see the world differently than we do. I was glued to the screen during the 60 Minutes segment about the extraordinary American scientist named Andrea Turkalo. She has devoted her life to observing a group of wild African elephants. Through her tireless devotion, she has begun to compile a list of their complex and subtle communications. She's turning these into the very first elephant dictionary. If you haven't seen this segment you have to watch it. I mean! Amazing! Click here to watch it.
The more I learn about these creatures, the more I see them as a giant allegory of our times. About removing the ways of the past without understanding the consequences. We're acting without thinking and not learning along the way. Add to that the fact that elephants certainly look like creatures from another era. They look more like Wooly Mammoths than they do to any other living animal. They are giant creatures that need companionship. Loving and supportive beings who have strong emotions like us. They raise their children like we do, mourn like we do and support each other like we do. There habitat is getting destroyed in the name of progress, and we're running out of time to stop it. We have so much to learn from these animals, and I fear that we will lose them before we learn all there is to know.
So now, dear readers, I may have taken you to the murky place that Jessica calls ISD. This place makes me want to crawl under my covers and just cry and cry. BUT that's not what we do here at What You Can Do. We're here to give you simple one minute actions to help. So, instead of burying your head, check this out. One of our favorite organizations, Defenders of Wildlife, has a whole page that shows you what you can do to help elephants, and they're all easy 1 minute steps!
In honor of these beauties, I'm unofficially dubbing this month - Alicia's obsession with Elephants month. I don't think they'll pass it into law, but it seems natural as many of my activities will be focusing on these gentle giants. Throughout May, I will contribute a few entries about various things I've learned and organizations we have worked with.
Mara at PAWS' ARK2000 Sanctuary
First of all - my very good friend Sam and I went to the PAWS Elephant Sanctuary in San Andreas this past weekend for their "Seeing the Elephant" weekend getaway. It was amazing. I learned so much about the conditions of circus elephants and how we need to educate people, so that they will stop using these animals as spectacle. Without getting on a soapbox, I'll write more about this wonderful sanctuary later.
Secondly, Sam and I are going to see Daphne Sheldrick speak at the American Museum of Natural History next Tuesday. Dame Sheldrick founded the The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust with her husband, David, in Kenya. This foudnation rehabilitates orphaned elephants with the goal of releasing them back in to the wild. It's a team effort between man and elephant (the graduates come back to help for the last part of the journey). This place is amazing, and I will fill you in on the information that I learn from Dame Sheldrick after her talk.
Speaking of, did anyone see Born to be Wild? It features Daphne Sheldrick as well Dr. Birute Mary Galdikas who works with orphaned orangutans in Indonesia. If you haven't seen it, YOU GOTTA!! It's narrated by Morgan Freeman, so you can't go wrong there. And for a nature film, it's uplifting and hopeful. Don't get me wrong, I cried at several parts, but not because of horror. It was a "good cry" if you will. So this gives me another topic to discuss as well.
For now, I wanna know what you think? Do you agree with me? Are elephants intoxicating? What's your favorite animal? And If you wanna get involved and help protect these animals right away, consider symbolically adopting one through Defenders of Wildlife. It only takes a minute. Watch the video below to find out how.
Hey guys! Cassandra here - getting geared up for a month of fitness. Hope to make changes I can incorporate into my daily routine. Exercise is fun, but sometimes it’s hard to get going … which is why a great playlist comes in handy. Energizing tunes can make a half hour on the treadmill feel like a piece of cake…. Umm.. cake ☺
Here’s a playlist that helps keep me focused. What’s your favorite workout song?
“Feel Good Inc.” - Gorillaz /
“Vogue” – Madonna /
“Beat It” –Michael Jackson /
“Praise You”– Fatboy Slim /
“I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas /
“Rhythm Nation” – Janet Jackson /
“Fighter “– Christina Aguillera /
“Hey Ya” – Outkast /
“I Feel Good” - James Brown /
“Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
On the Leesh Productions is a New York City based company devoted to the production of innovative, energetic and challenging film, theater, webseries and instructional video. On the Leesh projects range from webseries, theatrical showcases to short and feature length films. Currently we have a wide range of projects in development, including the completion of a number of short films, a feature film in post, a number of plays and theatrical showcases to our credit, as well as a growing number of web series.
On the Leesh has been featured in a number of magazines, websites and/or television, including: Variety, Craine’s NY, New York Moves, Nytheatre.com, the Pixelodeon Festival, Amanda Congdon’s blog on ABC’s website, G4TechTV in Canada, WWSB ABC7, Tampa Bay Media Talk, The Screening Room, Actorslife.com and at over thirty film festivals world wide.
