A Week of Positive Blogging

I was invited (mass invitation, I'm not that special :) ) to participate in a week of positive blogging. Since this was this idea behind Rainbows and Butterflies, I have to participate. Here are the details if anyone else cares to join in.

"The purpose is to show the world that good things are happening all around us even while bad things are happening. There is also the idea that each of us has a role on this earth, and each of can do something to change the world. Pictures, videos, etc. that help tell a story are good. You have complete freedom to write about what you like."

I joined through Hochmah and Musar. If you decide to do this, let him know on that blog. He will post links of everyone participating.

There is a logo there to use on your blog for that week (pictured above).

Here are the themes for each day that week. You do not have to do every topic if you don't want to or don't have time.

Nov. 4th 2007 (Sunday) Post with discussions of your positive memories, writings, thoughts, and images that you have come across in your life. It could be a place, it could be a photo, it could be a film, it could be anything.

Nov. 5th 2007 (Monday) Posts about a person who inspired you to excel in life or who actually saved your life.

Nov. 6th 2007 (Tuesday) Post about some good news that has taken place in your city, community, etc. that has happened in the last 3 months?

Nov. 7th 2007 (Wednesday) If you had 3 months with which to spend $ 30 Million in order to change the world what would you do?

Nov. 8th 2007 (Thursday) Discuss a time in your life when you helped someone or saved someone's life.

Nov. 9th 2007 (Friday) Before you take your last breath in life, what words of wisdom would you want to impart to the next generation.

Nov. 10th 2007 (Saturday) After blogging about positive things for a week, what affect has it had on you and your life? What blogs that took part did you find the most inspiring? What do you plan to do to inspire the world going forward?

I have FOF

Fear of Flying...

I've never had a phobia that just freaked me out by thinking about it like many people do. Until now - I've never flown before. My boyfriend and I have always said we will take a train and do a cruise for our honeymoon because he is pretty nervous, too. For a Christmas present, his grandparents are booking us a hotel in Florida and the whole family is flying. Yikes. I suggested driving but even the boyfriend overruled me on that, surprisingly. It would take 2 full days of our vacation just being in a car. I have never been so afraid in my life! The vacation isn't until March but when I think about it, I get so nervous.

I always hear planes are safer than cars. But... if your plane goes down your chances of survival are oh... ZERO. In a car you might get banged up, but you're much more likely to live (especially if you drive as slow and cautiously as me).

I also always hear about small ones crashing. Guess what we are on... a small one.

Then I worry about terrorism. I know it's been a long time but I will be profiling people wondering if they're terrorists or not.

I think it was an Alanis Morrisette song (sp?) that said: He waited his whole damn life to take that flight, and as the plane crashed down, he thought, "Well isn't this nice?"

That is my luck, the odds of bad things are tiny, unless I'm involved.

Is anyone else afraid to fly? Does anyone have any advice to calm my fears?

A Growing Panda

I got these pictures in an e-mail of a baby panda growing and had to share. They are adorable!

And the full grown ones are cute, too :)

Unhappily Hypocritical

So I was very excited to wear my new "Mean People Wear Fur" shirt today. My first "statement." But, as I was putting on my jeans that are now way too big now that I've lost seven pounds since starting this vegetarian diet ( appro. 3 weeks ago), I reached for a belt.

Genuine Leather - Damn! I only have one belt but it's leather. So, I decided to sag today. I ended up rolling down the top :). Then I grab for my White Sox bracelet and what do you know?

Genuine Leather, again! What the!? So I take that off, too.

I go to put shoes on. Every pair of probably seven or eight are all leather.

Then I grab my purse and I'm out the door. But, wait a minute? Is that leather, too? Not sure - it doesn't brag about it anywhere on the purse so I will assume it is imitation, but it is Liz Claiborne so it's highly likely that it is also leather.

I have been paying extra money for leather all my life.. and why? I have got myself into a lot of work now. I have to find animal friendly belts, shoes, and accessories. Does anyone know of any good online stores? What are your favorites? I found a couple but they were both very limited in selection. I will have to put this lovely shirt away until I get rid of my leather... don't want to be a hypocrit and everyone who reads it will probably be looking for other animal products on me. And yes.. my car has leather seats, too :( .

I know it is virtually impossible to avoid all animal products, but doing so when you can is also helping! I'm not going to throw away any of my leather things - that would be pointless since the animal has already died for them. In the future, though I will make sure not to buy more.

A surprising person has joined the PETA fur campaign, see for yourself:

Desktop Tagging

I have been tagged! (which means I'm supposed to show you my desktop?)

I was tagged by sleeping beauty.
Here is my exciting desktop - showing support of the ASPCA with neatly arranged icons that don't overlap the cute kitten :).



Now I am supposed to tag four more people back. So if your name is on here and you come to my page, you have to post your desktop, too. Well you don't HAVE to, but I want you to :) .

Joanne
Guitar Keaven
LeighM
Drowsey_Monkey

If you do it make sure you comment me so I know to check our ur page and see what it is!

Ellen DeGeneres

I just wanted to write something to show my support for Ellen DeGeneres. I have always loved her show and she seems like a great, caring person. She's actually an animal lover and has won a Founder's Award from the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). If you look at her website, she has ads for HomeAgain, which keeps you from losing your pet as well as promotions for Susan G. Komen.

She is in trouble with a dog rescue agency called "Mutts for Moms." She adopted a dog from their agency and apparently spent over $3,000 to train the dog to get along with her cats. It was unsuccessful though so she did what most people would think is a good thing, she found it another good home. After giving it to her hairdresser, the agency found out and repossessed the dog from her home like a car. I guess the hairdresser had two kids that were attached to it and now


Ellen feels guilty for causing them that pain. She had a huge display of tears on her TV show to give the dog back. I feel so bad for her and the family that lost the dog.


Do you think they should give the dog back to the family, given it's deemed a safe home for the dog? Or should it just go by the rules? It would be better for the dog to be in a home with a nice family than locked up at the rescue organization, so why not give the hairdresser a chance to adopt it?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

We all seem to know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. If you've ever participated in Race for the Cure, you've seen hundreds of people racing in memory of someone they've lost to the disease. It is a horrible thing that affects many women and sometimes even men, too. Remember to always do monthly exams and get mammograms once recommended by your doctor. It is important to remember them, even if you're still young because cases have even been reported in teenagers. Remind family members and those you want to be around for a long time to do them, too. They should be done at the same time every month.

Anybody can get the disease but here are things that increase your risk for breast cancer :

• Smoking


• Drinking


• Family history


• Poor diet and obesity


• Being 55 or older


• Race- white women have the highest risk, then African Americans, then Asians, Hispanics, and Indians.


• Starting menstruation before twelve also has a correlation, but I would think that would also be a link towards obesity, too.


• Not having children before age 30
  
• Breast feeding slightly lowers the risk, since it decreases the number of periods a woman has.


• Walking 2 hours per week reduces the risk approximately 18%.

Visit http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/.
Clicks add up to them giving away free mammograms. You may also register and get a free pink ribbon pin to wear in support of those who have previously experienced or currently have breast cancer. They have informational resources as well as pink ribbon gifts and e-cards.

Another great site to support is http://www.komen.org/. They fund things like breast cancer research, prevention, new ways of detection, and new treatments.

Has anybody had to deal with breast cancer either yourself or a loved one? Share your story.