The Story Of Stuff

Meet Annie Leonard, my new hero.... well, one of my new heroes. There are many wonderful people out there working to make this world a better place and she's one of them. Please watch this video she's made. It's only 20 minutes long and very entertaining and informative. I urge you to watch it and then pass it on. Please watch it. Thanks.

Click on this to watch her video.

Hard At Work Or Hardly Working?!

I like to read on my lunch breaks at work. For this reason Saeed likes to tease me that I go to work so that I can read my books all day long. One morning as I left for work he asked what book I'd be reading that day at work. Very funny. I am almost reluctant to post these pictures because they will add more ammunition to Saeed's arsenal of jokes about how I don't work very hard at work! But the weather was so lovely today that we decided to have our lunch meeting outside, sort of a picnic in our back parking lot. Once it gets a bit hotter that asphalt will be too hot even to walk on, but it was in the 70's today - perfect. In addition to a nice lunch (well, not nice for a vegetarian, but, it's not all about the food, right?) we discussed the issues on the agenda and played some team building games.

We each brought a deck chair.

Linda and Patricia are settled and ready for some grub.

The lady with the purse was a pharmaceutical rep. She provided lunch which included barbeque, potato chips, cole slaw, iced tea, and cookies. What did I eat? A vegetarian "chicken" patty on one of their buns and a spoonful of coleslaw. Man, by 3:00 I was starving and had to eat some edamame (brought from home for emergencies like this!) for my snack. There was also an ice cream cake which Jackie provided for the January-May birthdays.

Here, Linda (different Linda - we have three Lindas) takes my picture while I take hers. See my reflection in the window on the right?

Jackie leads a game in which the team on the left, lead by Patricia, competes against the team on the right, lead by Jennifer. I was on Patricia's team and we won by finishing first, but the other team felt we had used some non-qualifying answers and took issue with that win. The game showed two things: 1) how we needed to work together to come up with the answers 2) how competing can make you do things that may not always be nice or fair.

Melvette, Debbie, Rita, Angel, Stephanie, Angela, and Rosa watching as Jackie referees the game.

Laura and Stephanie then each represent their teams in a yoyo competition. Stephanie's yoyo was dysfuntional, so Laura helps her fix it. What a nice competitor!

Laura won anyway! Carol, Jennifer and Gina cheer her on.

One of the other games we played was to line ourselves up according to our birthdates, but we were not allowed to speak to each other. At first it was challenging but we soon figured out how to communicate using our fingers to indicate the month and date. We have about five people born in June and amongst themselves they got all mixed up, but the rest of the line was in the correct order. Before long we had to clean up and go back inside for the patients on the afternoon schedule. Yes, Saeed, we worked the rest of the afternoon.

The Lure Of The Collard

Say what? That doesn't sound near as romantic as the lure of the strawberry, yesterday's title. But I got a call from a friend with a garden who had more collards and cabbage than he or his family could possibly eat. Yesterday after work I went to his back yard and picked 4 or 5 cabbages, red and green, and three grocery bags filled to the top with collards. He gardens organically too, so I was happy to relieve him of his burden! Saeed has already made something yummy (Persian dish with lentils, can't remember the name) with one of the cabbages. Yum! Maybe I need to ask my gardening friend to plant some organic strawberries too (just kidding!)

The Lure Of The Strawberry

Yesterday I was at the grocery store and walked past a display of strawberries. The smell was incredible, and I wasn't even that close! Those of you who know me well know that I won't buy strawberries unless they're organic. Strawberries are one of the "dirty dozen" which is the list of the worst contaminated produce items (see below.) Yesterday though, I caved, and they were delicious! It's not always easy to find organic fresh strawberries (frozen are always available) but now that I got my fix I won't cave again... at least till next year!

The Environmental Working Group has a nearly complete list of produce items and where each item falls in relation to its level of contamination from pesticides. More and more I'm reading that this issue is not going away. Years ago when I spoke of organics people looked at me like I was a fanatic; now, research continues to support the idea that organic food (and not just produce; this includes things like meat and coffee) may be more nutritious. The whole environmental reason for avoiding chemicals is obvious, so I won't even go there in this post.

Here's a great link to a "greener" diet that gives you some real step by step advise. The more you read about the possible harm from the chemicals in our diet the more all this makes sense. And if you think organics are too expensive here's a link to an article with tips on saving money while shopping organic. Here's another. Now for that dirty dozen list:

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58

A Spring Walk

The weather has been too beautiful for me to exercise indoors, so yesterday I took a walk in the neighborhood. I don't think I got much exercise, though, because I found myself slowing down for every blossom and blade of grass. Perhaps now that I've taken some pictures I'll be able to take a walk and actually get some exercise.

It started with the incredibly blue sky as a backdrop for my neighbor's tree. I did not saturate the color on this photograph.

Although our dogwood tree is not yet in bloom I believe this neighbor's tree is a type of dogwood. If anyone knows otherwise, please correct. (please see comment #5, where I correctly identified this tree as a Bradford Pear tree.)

The next two are natural wild groundcovers.

I'm happy that our neighborhood has many natural little creeks.

Each time I take a walk she barks at me the first time around the block, but not the second or third.

This is a pinecone wannabe!

Down below the wannabe are last year's cones. I wonder if the wannabe gets creeped out by all the dead bodies below her? Perhaps, instead, she gets encouragement since her ultimate quest is to be a pinecone too.

I looked up to see the other pinecone wannabes and saw what looked like a bed made with the needles from the very same tree. I half expected a chimp to settle into the bedding for a long, lazy nap. I wonder who built that and uses it. Squirrel nests are much more compact. Hmmm?

Lovely forsythia.

And then there's always the rude awakening. Usually it's a beer can. Yesterday it was a condom wrapper. I guess I should be happy someone's using protection, but I feel like my walk through paradise has just been forced into a reality check.

Next door to the yard with the condom wrapper are some children playing. The little girl in the middle wanted to know if I was taking their picture. I said yes, I had taken one. She said, "Ok... I just wanted to know." Cute, pre-condom kids.

Back to paradise with some narcissus.

And some vinca.

Hopefully today's walk will actually get my heart rate up; I'd better leave my camera at home.

Nowruz At The White House?!?!

Yes, it's true. This is the Haft Sin table at the White House, yes the White House... on Pennsylvania Avenue... in Washington D.C. .... It can mean one of several things:
*they finally realize what a great holiday it is and want to get in on the fun
*they have persuasive Persians working in the administration
*they are extending an olive branch (or sabzi platter) to Iran
*V.P. Cheney is out of town... (when the cat's away the mice will play)
*all of the above :-)



A traditional Haft Sin table celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is seen set Wednesday, March 19, 2008, in the State Dining Room of the White House. Nowruz is, in Persian and some other cultures, including Kurdish culture, a family-oriented holiday celebrating the New Year and the coming of spring. The Haft Sin table has seven items symbolizing new life, joy, love, beauty and health, sunrise, patience and garlic to ward off evil. White House photo by Chris Greenberg.

In addition, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has written a very nice letter wishing the Iranian-American community a Happy Nowruz and acknowledging the contributions of the Iranian-American community to our country. For once our government is showing some respect towards Iranians, if not Iran. More of this and the average American may be willing to open their minds and hearts to the country Bush calls evil.

Gandhi said, "It may be long before the law of love will be recognized in international affairs. The machineries of government stand between and hide the hearts of one people from those of another." So I'm not foolish enough to think anything will change any time soon... but I'm an optimist and think things will change one day. Gandhi also said, "Be the change you wish to see."

Let's do that.

Happy Norooz! Happy Nowruz!

Tomorrow is Persian New Year and I would like to wish all my friends and family a happy new year:

Eid-e Shoma Mobarak!

For those of you who have never heard of this holiday or have heard me speak of it and would like to know more about it please go to the "Iran Chamber Society" or "Persian Mirror" or "Farsinet" which are just a few of the websites that describe this wonderful holiday in detail.

Mother Nature's Designs

Nature produces the most beautiful patterns. I often stare at the pattern of a butterfly wing or a multicolored flower and marvel at the pure beauty of it all.

Man can also create beauty and often mimics Mother Nature to do so. This photograph struck my eye; a mackerel tabby print posed against a giraffe print. Both beautiful.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day, celebrated every year on March 17, is a holiday honoring Saint Patrick, the missionary credited with converting the Irish to Christianity in the A.D. 400s. Saint Patrick's real name was Maewyn Succat. For his first 16 years, Maewyn lived a normal life as the son of a wealthy landowner and magistrate in Britain.

At 16, Maewyn was captured and sold into slavery by a group of pirates who raided his village. After six years of herding sheep, Maewyn escaped, went to France and became a priest, adopting the name Patrick.

During his training, Patrick discovered that his calling was to convert Irish pagans to Christianity. He returned to Ireland, established monasteries across the country, set up schools and churches, and converted many with his winning personality. Patrick carried on a very successful mission for thirty years. When he died on March 17, that day was commemorated as St. Patrick's Day.

Originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. In America, in fact, St. Patrick's Day is basically a time when everyone becomes Irish, wears green and goes out to party.







Fun Facts
Did you know...

That green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it's the color of spring?






That the shamrock is a traditional symbol because Saint Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to represent how the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit could exist as separate elements in the same entity?





That the first St. Patrick's Day in America was celebrated in Boston in 1737?
(Ok, so this is the Chicago River dyed green, but I couldn't find any suitable images for Boston!)





That the following things on St. Patrick's Day will bring you good luck? Finding a four-leaf clover, wearing green and kissing the Blarney Stone.

(all above text obtained from Care2.com)

Irish Recipe

In honor of St. Patrick's Day you may want to make Colcannon, otherwise known as "Smashed Potatoes"!
Ingredients :
2 cups - Green cabbage, shredded
2 cups - Mashed potatoes
1/4 cup - Green onions, sliced
1/8 tsp - Pepper
Butter or margarine
Parsley

Preparation :
Heat 1/2-inch water to boiling. Stir in cabbage, cover and heat to boiling. Cook 5 minutes, drain. Prepare mashed potatoes, fold in cabbage, onions and pepper. Dot with butter, sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4.

Irish Sayings

The Irish are famous for their sayings. Some are more like well wishing prayers:

And others are funny despite their resemblance to appeals/prayers to God! These next two sayings are my favorite. I've heard them before and some years ago I posted this first one above my desk at work.

May those who love us, love us
And those who don't love us,
May God turn their hearts
And if he can't turn their hearts,
May he turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping!

May you be in
Heaven a half hour before the
Devil knows you're dead!

May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.
God is good, but never dance in a small boat.

So, to all my loved ones out there:
"May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future!"

Care2.com

I'd like to introduce you to care2. com, a website that has so much to offer in the areas of health, human rights, the environment, animal welfare, and other issues the socially conscious individual cares about. I invite you to explore this site. It has lifestyle information, political action venues, petititions to sign, recipes, ecards, email service, links to socially conscious stores, blogs, photographs, tips for green living, links to activist groups, etc., etc.. I have yet to explore everything myself! I hope care2 has won some kind of internet award; it deserves it.