Welcome lori!!!

While taking my recycling yesterday I saw a woman with a grocery cart sifting through the misc. stuff in the goodwill bins. I asked her if she needed a ride somewhere or if there was anything I could do for you. She looked confused so then I offered her what little cash I had. She laughed and declined. She then told me that she was just sorting the stuff out. A lot of people just leave trash around these sights and she was just trying to keep it nice. Well, you can imagine how I felt......

I told people about the incident and a few had the reaction that they cannot believe she was honest enough not to take the money. I think there is a bigger lesson to take away from this: maybe we need to be a little more trusting and a little less apprehensive....

Any thoughts???

I know things are busy for everyone. It is such a beautiful time of year, I hope you all slow down enough to enjoy it. People are reluctant to post here, but I still look for it. I know you are out there doing things, because that is the kind of people that are JJ fans.

With that said here is my recent inspiring story:

My son has a bleeding disorder called hemophilia so during the 1st few years of his life we were at the hospital frequently. We were seen in the oncology and hematology center. At first I could not go in there and look these families in the eyes for obvious reasons. My son had a manageable disease, while most of the other families there had children with cancer. 
These families were in general very strong and in most cases the friendliest people I have ever met. So I have been inspired by these children. After our last visit to the hospital I signed back up for school I am going for nursing. I graduated from college 8 years ago with a degree in wildlife sciences, I am looking forward to learning and hopefully helping people in the end.

So I ask again, have you done or witnessed anything inspiring lately??????

Nogali, I am so glad you keep on posting.  It makes a difference to me, anyway.  I think it is great you are going back to school, too many people are afraid to think outside the box or just change directions.

So, thanks.  I’ll continue to keep checking and posting when I have something!!

I just wanted to check back in and let you guys know some things that I have been doing/working on.  Well, first off I have started learning how to sew.  I have several friends with birthdays coming up, and of course Christmas is coming(we’re still a long way off of course, but I like to plan really early).  So I have decided to make cute and unique tote bags for people for gifts to use when they go shopping for groceries.  So that’s one small thing I am doing for myself and for friends/family.  Also, I have contacted some people through the carpool part of the site and will be driving to the Columbia Meadows show with my boyfriend and two other people.  Save on gas, make some new friends, and carpool!  I am still smoking, unfortunately, that one’s not as easy to stop as we would all like it to be, but I am still hopeful and continue to make efforts to quit that habbit for me, family, friends, and the environment.  Sorry for the long post, but let’s keep this topic alive and continue to inspire one another!!!!

About a month back, I traveled down to Slidell, Louisiana with my church to help to rebuild the still-devastated New Orleans region. Honestly, some areas looked as if Katrina had hit only a week prior. I helped to rebuild a man’s house. This man, unlike many, came back after the hurricane to try and rebuild his home. He worked alone every day for almost 2 years until he suffered a heart attack. His doctors told him that if he worked any more on his house, he would die. He thanked me for helping to bring his house back to the way it used to be so he could see it as it was before he died. Generally, as we walked around the city, people who drove by honked as a sign of appreciation for what we were doing. One man actually got out of his car to thank us personally. “We need more people in the world thinking like you,” he says. Around town, many of the houses are empty and broken, many with demolition orders. Most houses have X’s on them, denoting when they were searched after the hurricane, and how many people were found dead.

You guys have to realize that the media didn’t show the real devastation that Katrina caused. In fact, just me describing the atmosphere can’t do it justice.

Alright, today I started school, I am happy to announce that I was not the oldest 1 there. Yeah. It is funny, when I attended college 10 years ago I remember complaining about the early classes. Now I have to pack lunches, get 4 kids ready and get them to school, before I attend my, now what seems late, 8:00 class. Perspective sure is a funny thing.

My inspiration: nearly everyday there is a man who is picking up trash on the side of the road about a mile from our house. He can barely walk, but there he is.

I am attending a training at our local homeless shelter. They listed that they were looking for someone to pick up their recycling. What a neat opportunity. I will let you know how it goes.

Okay, this is kind of a new challenge. I was made aware that in many places they measure your trash, like you can only have one small bag, etc.  So my question to you is how much trash do you put out?

This past 2 weeks I have hit my record. We have 6 people in our family and we had 1 small bag of trash for 2 weeks. Yes, I was beaming. My kids think I am a nut. I am now telling my husband we are also helping b/c the trash truck only has to stop here once every 2 weeks. I would go once every 3 weeks, but the bugs start to get out of control.

I know, I know, but think if we all did it............

wow, that’s impressive.  We have 2 people, and 6 animals and use 1 1/2 bags of trash per week.  the bad part is, that it’s mostly paper towels and cat litter… trying to find a better way, but with the pets and my idea of “clean” it’s tough..

Nogali- you may find this interesting, this man is saving his trash up for one year to show how much is generated.  He also vows to recycle everything when the year is through.  He also has worms (hehe)

http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/

We used to have trash pickup twice a week (we live in the city), but we switched I guess about a year ago to trash on Fridays and Recyclebank on Tuesdays.  Recyclebank takes most all recyclables, except plastic bags, and we don’t have to sort.  Most people I know comment that they have way more on the recycle days than on trash days. 

I think a huge issue is education/awareness.  So many people just aren’t thinking about trash, where it goes, etc.  I think Jack and Kim have it right by educating kids (Kokua Hawaii Foundation).  If you are aware, especially from a young age, and you get into the habit of paying attention, you are likely to continue to pay attention—and produce less trash and recycle more.

I have to tell you I have not given up on this, and to be truthful, it is not hard to find people doing the small inspiring stuff that keeps me smiling everyday. I thought maybe it was just getting old, but I have decided I don’t care. This is a lot of what makes me hopeful, seeing that there is still good in most people.

The little stuff is what we all are capable of. Holding the door for people, helping and elderly person load their groceries, SMILING, are all little things, but these things snowball. I might be only 1 of 10 or so visiting this site these days, but I still tell people about it. I still think it has a bunch of great ideas. I am still a 100% believer in the All At Once philosophy.

What are your thoughts these days?

Anything new? Are you ready to vote?

Have you seen anything that worries you? Why is that the easiest one to answer?

Did anyone else do the plastic bottle pledge thingy? What a good idea. I made my husband do it, against his will, but he is getting better. Okay, I will quit rambling.  Have a good morning/afternoon/evening!

Ok, R, here’s a good one for you!  I’m gonna ramble a little, so hang in there…

We had our 20th anniversary in 07, and we decided that rather than going on a trip or buying something, that we just wanted to throw a big party and have a great evening with our friends.  We happen to love The Iguanas (band from New Orleans)and we were able to get them on a Sunday night to come play at our party.  It was really awesome.

So, since then we have been scheming to figure out how to get them back to town.  My husband also has kept in touch with them, and found out they were passing through this month.  So, back in the spring, we were talking about how they would be great at a fundraiser.  We talked to a friend who is involved with Girls on the Run (http://www.girlsontherunde.org) and she thought they might be interested.

Long story short, this snowballed into an event we had on Oct. 9.  The City closed off a block of Market St. downtown, we had a girl-band open (they were amazing - Sugr Hi from Norristown, PA), we had over 600 people and a really diverse crowd, with tons of young girls out.  They netted about $5000 and with the money, they are going to sponsor the GOTR program at two city schools.

It felt really good, all those people pulled together for such a good cause.  And, selfishly, we got to see the Iguanas!

this is inspiring...i think just about every one has said it is inspiring…

Every Firday when I go in to uni there is a guy selling a ‘big issue’ out side the train starion.  ‘The big Issue’ for those that don’t know is a mag sold by homeless people with all the proceeds going to them…

anywho Instead of buying a coffee I bought the mag…

I’ll try to keep doing that...better a homeless man has 5 bucks than me full of caffeine…

Keep doing good, spreading the love, and making the world a better place one action, one word at a time…

That is awesome JLC. You are amazing, I always feel like those big things are beyond my doing, I need to get past that. I have never heard of Girls on the Run. It seems like a very cool idea. It is scary being the parent of a girl, okay boys too.

Matty, thanks for the kind words, I think it is great to share inspiring things. What you did was very kind, and it means a great deal, not just for the man you bought it from. It is a whole mind set. Doing for other instead of yourself (not you necessarily, Matty).

Speaking of inspiring things, I was so excited last Tuesday. It was so amazing to see such huge numbers show up everywhere. I am so excited to be here, in this place where we get a choice. Unfortunately, we have a long way to go as a country. This is a great step forward.