A Tupperware Party With A Reusable Twist

Saturday my plans for a new kind of party came to successful fruition. I've always enjoyed planning and having parties, especially when they go off without a hitch. I'm not talking large raving, drunken parties - I never have enough energy for those, for hosting or for cleaning up after them. But small dinner parties and the like... much more fun.

So my latest plan, which came to me in a flash, like intuition or an epiphany, a lightning bolt sent from the heavens... you get the idea. Anyway, all of a sudden, I thought, what a great way to update and clear out my wardrobe, by throwing a party and exchanging them with other peoples' unwanted clothes! Voila'! The Thanksgiving Clothes Swap was born.

Ayah. Some people, not into the idea of reusing other peoples' clothes, might not appreciate how brilliant my idea was. Others might like to try it for themselves.

Five of my girlfriends came over, with bags of clothes they didn't wear anymore, and I put some wine on the stove to mull while we chatted and I created a hasty party soundtrack. We thought about some different strategies for the exchanges, and ended up with the easy, chaotic, and fun idea of just tossing the clothes out on the floor and just going for it. Then, we spent an hour trying on multiple pieces of clothing, and picking out what each of us liked best. One of the most useful things about trying on clothes with girlfriends is the way they'll tell you when things look good, and when they don't.

Some guidelines that we found useful, though not entirely necessary:

1. Everyone must have fun.
2. Everyone must bring something, and exhanges only are to be made. You must end up with exactly the number of things you brought, unless at the very end people still want to give items away and there aren't enough things left over to exchange.
2.5. Exchanges should be made at an even ratio, so everyone ends up with a similar number of items at the end
3. There will be no negative judging of clothing
3.5 Clothes must be tried on and viewed by others, who may comment on how well it fits (or doesn't). Honesty is strongly recommended.
4. There will be a contest at the end to see who can come up with the most outrageous outfit created out of the items that everyone has brought. I will work on a prize for this.
5. Leftovers that are not exchanged may be given away (see rule #2) but everything must go to charity, which is not exchanged or given away. No throwing away any items of clothing will be permitted!

6. There will be gossiping. We will require full disclosure.

The best perks? Free clothes that have been reused, giving clothes a second chance, seeing the delight on friends' faces when they try on a flattering piece, and the gossip and good times that accompany the swapping.

Oh yes, and the "craziest outfit" included a beret, a sparkly black top with a cut-out back, a teal knee-length skirt with a flower print, and cowboy boots. Unfortunately the words don't do the outfit justice, but I hope to get a picture up eventually.

THE Musem of American History, Renewed - For Better, or For Worse?

The National Museum of American History just re-opened on the National Mall in Washington, DC this past Friday. As part of the Smithsonian Institution, it has an excellent reputation to live up to - even though reviews it received before remodelling were negative.

So I've been looking forward to this re-opening for months now, cultural history being the most interesting kind of history in my opinion.

Then, I read something like this.

I never read movie reviews before I go see a movie because I'm very easy to please when it comes to moving pictures entertainment, and often the critics are, well - very critical. So I will go see this museum, even though I've read a disappointing reveiw of it. And what do you know, I may like it. I'm sure it will be an educational experience no matter what impression I end up with.

A Day in the Life of a Young Granny

Last night the Caps played again in California. This time against the LA Kings. Originally, the game was scheduled to start at 10. I'm pretty positive about that. But it's like those dreams I sometimes have, where later I convince myself what happened in my dream happened in real life- only it didn't. Conversations about those dreams are super-fun and occasionally awkward.

To get back to the point, I found out last night at 10:04pm that I had to wait "another 26 minutes" until the game started. Blargh. I have enough trouble staying up to watch the first period when the game begins at 10. I pretty much had no chance last night. Because I'm a granny, and I need at least 7 hours of sleep to function properly the next day.

Lately I've been getting annoyed with the Capitals announcers, because they're all about "color", I think it's called. Sure, the trivia and jokes make the game more entertaining to watch when the games themselves lack action and excitement, but seriously, they almost never announce the actual plays in the game. So, based on my experience when I was out at IKEA last week, I tried to listen to the radio coverage of the game. (Last week I was at IKEA again, my favorite store. We were out late, and then with traffic and accidents on the Beltway would have missed most of the game were it not for the AM radio.)

Turns out the radio is a few seconds ahead of the TV.

So I watched some of the first period, and when the little voice in my computer screamed "he scores!" I looked up, only to think I'd missed the play. A few seconds later I saw the goal. Duh.

After the first period I turned off the TV and got ready for bed, listening to the game in my room. Tried to stay awake another 20 minutes, which isn't that long... and completely failed. I'm going to blame my new down comforter.

So I hear that the Caps were still in the game in the third period, which is good to know considering the final score of 2-5.

More on My Love/Hate Relationship with Heating Appliances

It appears to be a bad winter for heaters.

I probably shouldn't count my own situation at home, because my little space heater is doing just fine. Brought my room temp from 58 to 68 this morning. I'm so proud. But that I had to buy one adds to the instances in which heaters have appeared in my life. They haven't played a big role before this year.

Heat at the museum, where most of my coworkers spend their days, is non-existent. Luckily my office isn't as cold, but I've heard stories (and seen evidence firsthand) about blankets used to keep warm at desks. I have a space heater in my office (slightly illegal, as we all know) and so do half a dozen others I know of.

Just had a story this morning about a friend whose heater died last night, and then was revived, only to overreact in its new lease on life and stay on for two straight hours, making the room temperature a steamy 98. She said she opened her front door to bring in some cold air; I would have opened my windows, too.

Now. It might seem to some that I'm a little hung up on these heating appliances, but I'm not. I swear. I predict that my next post will have an entirely different subject.

Space Heater Part 3

So I bought my space heater last night!! I'm very excited. I tried it out, and my room was 68 degrees Fahrenheit! Instead of the 55 it had been before I turned it on.

Started out at Home Depot, but they had a pretty pathetic selection, so on my cousin's suggestion we went to Target, luckily not that far away. Ended up with a Honeywell, with a digital display, and it oscillates, and it was inspected and tested by Underwriters Laboratories, which I wanted in my space heater. It's reassuring to know that the heater has been tested for safety by a recommended laboratory. I won't go into it, but it had everything else I wanted, too, except maybe a remote control. How decadent would that have been.... Sigh.

Because space heaters make me nervous (and I know you're going to laugh when you read this) I also purchased a smoke detector for my room, a carbon monoxide detector (both of which I'll install this weekend) and.... a fire extinguisher! As my coworkers have just told me, Fire Marshal Bill and Smoky the Bear would be proud of me. Shiny.

Postscript: Space Heaters

Some websites to check out if you're in the market for a space heater. Besides the ones mentioned in my last post, there's also a great review on ConsumerSearch.

Then, for a cute picture and another list of top space heaters, read this. Although it's a little disappointing, because I expected the reviews to have some green basis and that doesn't appear to be the case, still it's worth a look. Some of the favorite types overlap on both websites.

Some of the reviews mentioned on both of the above websites are Amazon, Viewpoints and Epinions, for reference purposes.

Problem: Being Cold. Solution: Space Heater

I hate being cold. Period. If I'm out of doors, having fun, say playing in the snow or something, then I can tolerate it. I tolerate being cold in the winter on my walks from work. I can't stand being cold indoors. There's just something inherently wrong, in these days with heating units and indoor temperature controls.

I live in a sunroom. It's a beautiful sunroom, and warm during the day when the sun coming through the windows heats the room beautifully.

NB: If you get direct sunlight through a few windows, it might help keep a room or two warm in your house/apartment if you leave the windows clear. On the downside, when they're not covered and the sun is not shining light directly through, it will be colder. In which case, you might want to cover it with heavy curtains or plant some shrubberies outside for insulation.

So, if you're like me and you hate being cold, live in a sunroom, and don't live in the tropics, you might be interested in space heaters.

First step, in my hunt for a reliable, safe, high performance, shall we say perfect, space heater, is to research safety. And what I should be looking for in the perfect space heater. I found a brilliant website earlier this week, but managed to lose it - here is another, an article produced by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in February 2001, which seems to be the latest edition.

But I'm very into this safety-of-product information, especially when such a high percentage of house fires are caused by space heaters. "For the years 1999-2002, there were about 9,900 residential fires per year and about 190 deaths per year associated with portable and stationary space heaters " (CPSC 14 Dec. 2005). Pretty scary.

Here's to being an informed consumer - Powers That Be willing, I will not burn down the apartment.

Organic Dairy, Organic Meat, Organic ... Beer?

True story! According to the Green Guide (here), the next big organic product is beer. Well, I might be exaggerating. But Anheuser-Busch, Miller and New Belgium have already brought out organic products. There are also a number of microbreweries and smaller labels that brew organic beers.

Read a pretty thorough article on why one should drink organic alcoholic beverages (yes, it includes wine and even "teetotalers"! Also has a section on buying local beer, as opposed to imported or mainstream American labels.

Read this article (also by the Green Guide) for more information on buying local and the reasons to drink organic when you want to get foxed. Or buzzed, if you're like me. This article includes some pretty creepy and unsettling facts about non-organic beer and other spirits.

Here are some things I learned: Reasons to drink organic include saving birds and fish that die after ingesting pesticides and fungicides sprayed on fields. If you're democratically minded and would like to see small family owned and local organizations gain more business, instead of financing large corporations (which are rarely well-read on ethical behavior, IMO), buying local, which can also be organic, wins. Lastly, they taste good! Perhaps it's similar to the difference between tap water and filtered water. Though last I checked tap water doesn't cause cancer...

To Do List: Taste organic beers.

Read these informative articles and enjoy, maybe with an organic brew in hand!

Responsibility

Is recycling a responsibility? Yes. To nature, to all living things on Earth, and to the future generations of said life.

For whom should recycling become a responsibility, and who should recycle? Individuals, corporations, government - everyone plays a part.

Is it always convenient, or an easy responsibility to perform? No. Sometimes counties, cities, municipalities, apartments, condominiums, or neighborhoods don't have the most convenient or complete recycling programs on offer.

Does this mean that people should only recycle when it's convenient? Emphatically, no! If everyone only did what was convenient in every aspect of his or her life, then our societies would be in chaos. Imagine a father not caring for his children because it's inconvenient. Or a daughter not looking after her aging mother because it's not convenient. Try employers not going to work because it's inconvenient. What about corporations who don't look out for their employees because it's easier and more convenient to look out for the big head at the top? Or people as a whole not participating in government elections and procedures because maybe it's not convenient to stand in line for four hours just to cast a vote. There are other examples I haven't listed, but I'm sure the idea comes across.

I have now taken on the responsibility of recycling for my whole apartment (that's three people total, and a lot of recycling!). Because, my roommates don't worry about recycling - it's not a concern of theirs, that the landfills grow bigger every day, that toxic chemicals are left sitting around, that plastic and styrofoam are left to decay over thousands of years. Granted, I'm not perfect - I bought a coffee this morning that came in a styrofoam cup. Had I thought of that as I passed Starbucks, I may have changed my mind and bought coffee there. I didn't.

What bothers my roommates are appearances. So having bags of recycling in the kitchen and the living room bothers them, because it doesn't look pretty. Nevermind that the landfills are much, MUCH uglier than our crowded kitchen. The other reason for their lack of motivation to recycle is that our apartment has just the bare minimum of recycling bins set out in the basement. So in order to recycle most of what we don't throw away (which is paperboard, as opposed to glass and plastic, and white paper, as opposed to newspapers) must be recycled at the local recycling center. Read here to find out more about recycling in your area. Our center is only about four blocks away, a two minute drive... a trip I can't make by myself, as I don't own or have regular use of a car. Though I am going to look in to Zipcars. Someday. I may be able to walk to the grocery store, but there's really no practical way to walk to the recycling center, with all the recycling we have.

But. My roommates don't care to drive there. Because they just don't want to. Personally, I think sorting and throwing things into bins and or dumpsters is kind of fun, especially if you're along with a friend. I'm not the only one, either. Well, I've looked for the quote and can't find it, but to paraphrase: Will Ferrell has said he looks forward to driving up to the recycling center in his plug-in hybrid.

They don't have the time, yet there are 24 usable hours in every day (watch Empire Records to find that quote). Sure, subtract some hours for sleep, and on weekdays some for work, and for hanging out - how many people don't have downtime during the week? An hour? That's all it takes.

So, even though I'm not as concerned about appearances as my roommates, I am the only one who cares about the future of the planet. Did I mention I turn off lights we're not using? And I make sure the TV and cable are off when we're not using them? And I unplug appliances that aren't in use, even if they're off. Pat yourself on the back if you do, too. Because degrees of cleanliness reflect on one's immediate surroundings, and on a small, small part of our individual worlds, but recycling positively affects our entire Earth, and everyone in it.

Dear Readers,

I know I've been absent for awhile. I thought I'd research for the next post I wrote, but have definitely not been motivated. Instead, I've been getting stuck into researching my family history. Luckily for me, through the Navy, I have free access to some websites that have US Federal Census records, as well as Draft Registration records from World War I ... it really is fascinating. I'm so interested, I'm re-thinking that thought I had about not being an historian when I grow up.

Autumn is definitely my favorite season of the year, but I just re-discovered the reason I don't like running in cold weather: the cold air burns the throat, and causes congestion to loosen. I survived, though, and even had a great, challenging run. The trees are beautiful in their red and orange and yellow coats, and my feet make soothing noises as they tread on the trees' lost leaves.

The greenest news I have is that I planted trees again this past Saturday, with Casey Trees and some very lovely people. I enjoy it so much that it doesn't really matter that I have to get up at 7am on a Saturday morning, or take public transportation and walk to the site, which involved an hour each way last weekend. I think I might become a Citizen Forester, which is a person who knows enough to lead groups in the planting of trees. Apparently there's no commitment - they give you the training, and then they shoot you an email, "if you'd like to come out this Saturday..." which is my kind of commitment!

I'll work on that interesting topic I've been meaning to discuss.

That is all,
Your lazy blogger.

P.S. Another great man who feels the way I do: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Yes We (Still) Can Change

I suppose I'll jump on the bandwagon (read this and this) and cheer for Obama, who as President-elect of the United States of America, is our hope for the future.

I would like to mention that expectations for his success are extremely high. In Obama's own words, we as an American people, can change the course of the future. He has just accepted one of the most powerful positions in the world, and from there will have ample opportunity to create positive change, but he won't succeed without help. Sure, he'll have his advisors - but let's all ride the wave of enthusiasm, participation and hope by continuing to act. Voting Yes to Obama was only the first step. Don't lose momentum now!

I know as a young professional, I personally felt more involved and important in this election than I did four years ago. Whether that's due to an individual adjustment, or the historical aspect of this campaign, or even Obama's appeal to the youth of our nation, I'm not sure. Most likely it's a result of all three. Perhaps it also has something to do with my being in the country.

At any rate, as a result, I followed the campaigns, and the election. I voted. I know many other contemporaries who did as well. I intend to continue to participate in creating our future, and I hope others feel the same. We can notify our congresspeople of changes we want and problems we see; applaud or protest actions taken (or not taken) by the government. By continuing to act, we can continue to make a difference.

There is no better time than now. Actively support this opportunity, and we will BE the change.

In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, who needs no introduction: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Halloween History Lessons

Conversation I had on the street in Dupont Circle on All Hallows Eve:

(Random, to me): What are you?

(Me): Artemis

(Random): I have no idea what that is.

(Random on other side of me, as I walk past): Greek god! Man, go to history class!!