What you've been missing

Below are a few posts I made on our previous blog (the one I never really completed). I'm posting them here not really for your benefit, but for mine. I'm happy to have blogger so I'll never lose these little glimpses into our lives.

Posted March 23, 2010: Wednesday

I never know what crazy antics Brandon will get into on Wednesdays. It’s not that he’s historically rambunctious mid-week, it’s just that Wednesdays are youth group nights and Brandon’s in youth pastor mode. For those of you unfamiliar with “youth pastor mode,” just think pizza, loud music, blindfolds, and shaving cream and you’ll be somewhere in the right vicinity. Watching him planning and scheming the evenings events is like opening Forest Gump’s proverbial box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get. Right now, for instance, there’s a lot of jolting movements, rambling sentences, clicking of keyboard keys and toys making farting noises. In an hour or so, I’m sure the jump rope and massive amounts of candy laying on our bed will come into play somehow – I’ll keep you posted.

Posted March 24, 2010: Awesome, I want one.

http://www.travelizmo.com/archives/Hammacher-Schlemmer-Transparent-Canoe-Kayak.jpg

So you can see the sharks jaws rising out of the depths towards you.

Posted March 24, 2010: Elliott Erwitt

Anyone who does not believe in love at first sight has never seen the photography of Elliott Erwitt. I came across the picture below in a random google search and decided to check out the photographer’s website, just for kicks. Can I just say that this may have been one of the most fortuitous moment of my life! Elliott Erwitt’s images have spoken to my soul, and I have listened. They made me laugh, cry, think and laugh some more. I assumed that a photographer of this caliber must be dead, just as all the greatest things are: the Beatles, dinosaurs, Rome. I mean, in an age of fame seekers and underachieving payouts, in a world where more gets you less and good enough trumps never enough, surely no one with this much substance to offer could still exist? But lo and behold, he’s only a quick email away. It makes me smile, like I did when looking at those photos, to know that this man is still out there behind a lens, capturing life and captivating onlookers. What do you think? www.elliotterwitt.com

Posted January 15, 2011: The Myths of Going Green

If you asked me 6 months ago if I was an eco-conscious citizen, I would have whole-heartedly professed “yes.” But after spending the last few months reading everything about the topic, from FDA policies to articles on Treehugger.com, I find myself humbly corrected. This new lens has opened my eyes wide, WIDE, W-I-D-E, and a re-evaluation of my former “green-ness” has me hiding in shame. Let’s compare the Then and Now’s…

Then:
Don’t litter
Don’t cut down trees
Preserve nature (ie, stay on the trails and don’t step on the flowers)
Recycle glass drinks… when an obvious blue recycle bin is present
Buy recycled paper
Buy products labeled “All-Natural”

Now:
First two from above still included
Recycle plastic, metals, papers, clothes, electronics
Read ingredient labels and scrutinize before purchasing
Avoid parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate, mineral oil
Use borax, castille soap, olive oil, & baking soda for cleaning body and house
Compost (I’m still working on this one)
Ask for paper… even though it appears they only have plastic
Choose antibiotic-free meats and dairy products
Look for USDA certified organic labels
Shop at Trader Joe’s for better quality food AND prices!
Repurpose clothes and food containers
… the list goes on and on…

By becoming aware of how UNaware I was, I (and my husband by extension) are living much more responsibly and sustainably. The biggest myth I’ve realized, is that the financial costs of a greener lifestyle are far too exorbitant for the twentysomethings. By contrast, I’ve found that the only cost (other than the obvious one’s to earth and health) is the extra time it’ll take you to Google map an eco-friendly store to substitute the chain you’ve gone to for years out of convenience… and ignorance. And at the end of the day, when I lay down on my super comfy organic cotton sheets (that I bought on sale at Target), I find it’s much easier to sleep knowing we’re living lives of intentionality, and no longer following the path of ignorance.