When we are on track, living close to the things we deem important-the things we value-we feel
happier. This isn’t flash happiness, it isn’t the kind that lasts for a few minutes when we get a
new toy, or enjoy a concert. This is the kind that lingers in the background of our lives. The kind
that even in moments of sadness or frustration, never completely disappears, because if we are
living a values based-life we are also living with meaning and purpose.
-Polly Campbell
Buy grass-fed, hormone-free,organic, and free-range meat, dairy and eggs. Many grocery
stores now have organic sections with produce that doesn’t contain chemical fertilizers,
pesticides, or herbicides. These choices are better for you and the earth because no chemicals
go into the soil or water. These items cost a little more but for the sake of your health-and taste
buds!- it’s worth the price. Human-made pesticides and fertilizers require energy and resources
to be manufactured and distributed; they also pollute the air, soil, and water, and have been
shown to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in many cases. Vegetables that are grown
organically require less fossil-fuel energy to be grown, pollute less, and are far less likely to
cause any health issues. Prevention Magazine (prevention.com) offers lots of good information
about food safety and what to avoid. Healthier is also happier!
Author Art Plotnik helped revive this word in his book Better Than Great: A Plenitudinous
Compendium of Wallopingly Fresh Superlatives. Simply put, “ripsniptious” (rip-snip-shuss) can
be used to express something or someone that is wonderful and highly spirited. Today, you will
be ripsniptious and notice all of the other ripsniptious things around you. Let this be your word of
the day and let it embody you-and introduce others to ripsniptious of the word ripsniptious! It’s
fun to say, isn’t it? It’s even better to be it. It is also a wonderful compliment and I think you are
pretty darn ripsniptious for reading this book!
Try paying bills online. By some estimates, if all households in the US paid their bills online and
received electronic statements instead of paper, we’d save 18.5 million trees every year, 2.3
billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and 1.7 billion pounds of solid waste
(50waystohelp.org)
When I lived in the Panhandle District, I would occasionally wonder to myself from whence the name came from. It is actually a skinny strip of land at the end of San Francisco’s spectacular Golden Gate Park, like a handle on a skillet or big pan. But with so many down and out, there is a good bit of panhandling. In fact, it sometimes seems overwhelming, especially when, on any given day I might be asked for money over a dozen times. I noticed that after 9/11, it became especially grim, as there was a scary economic downturn that accompanied all the other chaos. So I developed a system of my own:I always keep change in the little pocket of my driver’s side door handle. And I prioritize giving it to moms with kids, children, and amputees-anyone who really seems in need of help right now. When I’ve been driving an author around on tour or out- of-town visitors, they have been startled when I mutter, “Oh, an amputee; let me see what I have on me.” I explain my seeming rudeness by explaining that this is my personalized system for giving to panhandlers, and that I was almost an amputee. A few years back, I was hit and run by a drunk driver, which terribly injured my leg. My doctor suggested amputating-but I managed to talk him out of that idea. I had to learn to walk again. It took a looong time and caused a lot of pain. So I always think, “That could have been me!” and I want to help. Many a vet who served their country come back without a limb. This really is the least I can do and wanting to do more is one of the reasons behind this book.
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| https://feedprojects.com/ |
My favorite kinds of gifts are the ones that keep on giving. The FEED Project has many cool
options that are made in America and crafted with love and pride. A beautifully carved cutting
board for your best friend’s birthday from FeedProjects.com will not only impress them but help
feed the hungry. I love their FEED bags, which are a handy way to ditch the plastic and the
paper, too.
Upon learning about the Veteran’s History Project, I was reminded that our servicemen and -
women are doing just that: service. And they should be thanked for it. Many of these noble souls
are very far away on active duty and receive little mail to their camp or barrack. Take a few
moments to acknowledge their contribution and offer a friendly hello back home in the USA. You
can learn all about Operation Write Home at operationwritehome.gov. I have heard of great pen
pal relationships that result from this gesture of gratitude.
