Greener Living #47 Get an Electric Lawn Mower

Surrender your gas lawn mower. Gasoline lawn mowers are among the dirtiest of modern machines. A study funded by the Swedish EPA found that using a four-horsepower lawn mower for an hour causes the same amount of pollution as driving a car 93 miles. The trouble with gas lawn mowers is that they not only emit a disproportionate amount of CO2, they are also responsible for releasing carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into the air. Retire the noisy monster and buy an electric or manual model. Better still, reduce the number of times you mow per season and let some of your law grow wild, which has added benefits for bugs, butterflies, and birds. For more information, visit greengrasscutters.com.

Oscars and Arbonne...a perfect weekend

Although my Oscar party was smaller this year than it has been the past couple of years, it was very nice and relaxing in that I actually got to sit down and watch the arrivals and enjoy myself. We had lots of yummy food. Thank you to everyone who brought stuff. It was much appreciated! As for the awards, I was so excited that The Departed and Martin Scorsese won. My big upset was that Pan's Labyrinth did not win best foreign language film, but I guess I should be happy with its other 3 wins. Overall, the show was fun and entertaining, minus the two times we had a power outtage. Can you believe that? The one day I look forward to vegging in front of the tv all day and the power goes out twice. I guess that's a sign that I should stop watching so much tv.

Another story I'd like to share with you is I went to an Arbonne training in Arizona on Saturday. Kristi, Sara, and I drove to Phoenix on Fri and came back after the training on Sat, so it did make for a long two days, but it was TOTALLY worth it. The training was awesome! I love working with Arbonne, truly an amazing company. The registration fee for the training went directly to the Sojourner Center. Our president Rita Davenport has raised over a million dollars for the Sojourner Center, which helps victims of domestic violence get a new start on life. Because of all of Rita's hard work and dedication to raising money for the Center, they are going to dedicate a section of the new apartment complex they are building to Arbonne. I am so proud to work for such a giving company.

As for the training, we heard from 8 of the top National Vice Presidents who all have amazing stories to tell. It re-affirms my belief that if I dedicate myself to building my Arbonne business for the next 5 years, I too can build a life for myself and my family that I would never have imagined. All I have to find are people who want to change their lives by sharing this incredible business opportunity, not always an easy feat but one I have faith in because this business is truly the way to gain financial freedom and security. After teaching for 6 years and being a slave to time and those in charge of my life, I now know what it feels like to have my life back, to be able to do what I want when I want, and to be able to share this gift with others is an honor. I'm telling you you have to read Why We Want You to be Rich by Trump and Kiyosaki. It will scare you and motivate you to change your life now. I'm so grateful for Arbonne and how I can use it to enrich my life. The training motivated me and I've got that fire under me to get parties booked and to talk to everyone about Arbonne, especially now that I've got a baby on the way. I never want to have someone else raise my kids while I'm working a job that does not value me and instead only sees me as an expense. I want to be financially secure so that money is not something to stress over. I want to own my own time and not be a slave to a timeclock. I want to know I can change a family's lives for the better. These are thoughts I could have never imagined if it weren't for Arbonne. Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far with my business. I can't wait to invite you all to my car presentation one day. It's going to be awesome!!!! Gotta go start booking some parties. Talk to you all soon!

Greener Living #46 Discover Your Carbon Footprint

If you think you are already pretty green, determine your carbon footprint: a measurement of how your lifestyle choices affect carbon emissions. Your footprint will take into account your habits, the food you eat, your gas and electricity usage, your car and air mileage. Your score will be compared to the average figures for your county. These online tests aim to help you estimate your own carbon emissions and calculate how much of the planet's resources are required to sustain your lifestyle. They may motivate you to make changes, helping you set simple goals to reduce your negative impact on the planet. To learn more about your carbon footprint, go to carbonfootprint.com/calculator.html.

And the Oscar goes to...

As I gear up for the Oscars, I usually find myself asking such questions as "Are they going to give it to the old guy just because?" "How did Judi Dench get nominated again?" "Are they going to snub Martin Scorsese AGAIN?" This year is no exception. I'm hoping they don't award the Oscar to Peter O'Toole just because he's never won one, and he's getting pretty old. I will be so shocked if they snub Scorsese yet again. The man deserves an Oscar already. I mean come on. He's the man behind Goodfellas for god's sake. Of course, I have my favorites who I know will not win, like Leonardo DiCaprio, who I think is deserving based on both of his performances in The Departed and Blood Diamond. Kate Winslet is another of my absolute favorites, and while she was good in Little Children, I don't see that as her best performance. I know she's got a long career in front of her, and she will definitely win in the future. Hollywood can't deny talent like hers. Here are my picks for who will go home with the golden statuette this year, some of which are my hopefuls and not necessarily the forerunners. Based on all previous awards and, quite honestly, worthy performances, Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren will win best actor and best actress. I won't be surprised if Dreamgirls' Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy take the honors for supporting acting roles. However, a part of me is rooting for Mark Wahlberg for The Departed. (How funny would it be to hear the phrase Oscar Winner Marky Mark?) I'd like to see the adapted screenplay award go to Children of Men (an underappreciated film) and the original screenplay go to Pan's Labyrinth, also my choice for best foreign language film, art direction, and make-up. As you could have probably guessed, I am crossing my fingers for Martin Scorsese to win the best director--finally. And the grand award for best picture I'd like to hear The Departed called out. (Can you tell I like this one?) I don't think Little Miss Sunshine is worthy enough for a best picture. It was a cute film, but not worthy of a best picture recognition. I'm worried since this may be the upset of the night, although it does speak for independent, low budget films, which in the end could be a great message to send to producers, writers, and directors: sometimes small is good.

Greener Living #45 Biofuels 101, Part 2

Bioethanol is an alcohol-based fuel. A 5% blend of bioethanol can be included in ordinary gas and used by any car in the US that runs on unleaded gas. You may be already using bioethanol-blended gas, as the 5% version is now being sold in the US through unmarked unleaded-gas pumps. Saab and Ford both have a flex-fuel model available, which can run on bioethanol-based fuel or on straight gasoline. If you drive an older model, you can still use biofuel if you are willing to have your car converted to flex-fuel.

Relay for Life Update

I will be setting up the team online early next week, which is where everybody will be able to register. One thing I need help with right now is a team name, so put your thinking caps on and post any suggestions you come up with. Once I get the team registered, those of you who have expressed interest will be receiving an email invitation to join the team. I'd love for everyone to participate, so keep an eye out for the email invite.

Back from the dead

Yes, that's what it felt like for the past two days, but I'm a new woman now and feeling 100% better. This ugly stomach flu thing sucks, so take care of yourself so you don't get it. My body is still a bit sore from the ringer it went through all day on Tuesday, but no rest for the weary. I've got to get ready for my busy weekend. Kristi, Sara, and I are leaving tomorrow morning for Phoenix, Arizona for an Arbonne training. We'll only be there for one night, heading back after the training Saturday. I must be home before Sunday to prepare for the big Oscar party. I am breaking tradition this year and not doing themed dishes for the Best Picture nominees, primarily because I won't have the time to cook a feast, plus this year's crowd is smaller than in the past, so I'm just making a couple small dishes and breaking out the chocolate fountain. Yes, just what I need after puking my brains out earlier in the week. At least the rest of the girls can enjoy it, right? I gotta make sacrifices for the team. I'll post my Oscar predictions later today when I get a chance to look over the ballot.

Greener Living #44 Biofuels 101, Part 1

Have you heard of biofuels? Biodiesel and bioethanol are alternative fuels dreived from crops such as sugarcane, oilseed rape, and used cooking oil, which are generally blended with diesel fuel or gasoline. Biofuels are available in a range of different blends--for example, 30% biofuel and 70% gas or diesel. Biodiesel is generally appropriate for any diesel vehicle designed to run on low-sulphur diesel. Biodiesel blends are becoming more widely available in the US. Check biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/distributors to find out about local availability.

Ugh!!

I'm pretty sure that all of you blog readers now know that I'm finally pregnant. Yay!! Unfortunately, right now I'm not all happy go lucky. I ended up with the stomach flu and have been rather sick since yesterday at 4am. It's tough because when you're pregnant you can't really take anything for the flu. The doc said I just have to let the virus take its course. The main concern is with all my trips to the bathroom that I and the baby may get dehydrated, so I have to double up on the liquids even more than I already was. Well, back to the couch to rest. When I feel better, I'll post more happy stories about being pregnant. Thank you to everyone for all the congrats cards and emails. It means a lot to us that our family and friends are as excited as we are. I can't believe I'm going to be a mom!

8 Important Lessons Learned from '80s Cartoons

This is a funny article for all those of you who loved cartoons in the '80s which should be everyone. Funny life lessons indeed.

http://www.cracked.com/index.php?name=News&sid=815

What went on this past week

Last week was a good one. First off, my neighbor Tammy has signed up to do Arbonne with me. Yay!! I've been trying to get Tammy to come to a party for over 8 months now because I know she'd be great at the business. She always flakes on party invites, but I never took it personal. I knew her time wasn't right. She approached me one day about doing the business and has now signed up. Great thing is she may already have her first business builder as well. Her friend Candice is interested in the business opportunity, which is good news for me because then I have two new people to launch in March. Then I got an awesome email from my friend Tony, who started talking to a friend of his about Arbonne. I spoke with her last week, mailed off a sample and some information, and am now hoping to meet up with her later this week. I love referrals!! I told Tony I owe him big time for recruiting for me. What a great friend!!

In music news, Elizabeth and I went to see Incubus last Tuesday in LA at the Wiltern. I hate driving LA freeways, especially at night, and just as I expected, we did get lost at one point, but we made it to the show with enough time to get our seats before Incubus went on. Now, I'm not super impressed with their new CD, but I'm a still a big Incubus fan. We're not talking Pearl Jam level, but I do like them. Plus, I've had a crush on Brandon the lead singer for quite some time. This show was decent, not the best one I've seen from them. I think the show at the Pond a few years back was much better, more rocking and pumped up. This set was more mellow. I guess if you were high you would have liked this set, but it was a bit too mellow for me. Then there is my whole concern with Brandon's withering body. The boy looks like he may weigh a buck ten. I could see his ribs pushing out of his wife beater. I'm just not all that turned on by skinny boys like that. Brandon is now slipping down my hot guy list. Elizabeth, he's all yours.

Did you watch Jimmy Kimmel Live on Friday night? I was excited Masi Oka was on the show. He plays Hiro on NBC's hit show Heroes. I adore Hiro and might even have a little crush starting on him. He's just so darn innocent and cute. I never knew Masi Oka works for Industrial Light and Magic on top of acting. Talk about a talented guy. The musical guest that night as you probably know was The Colour. I was bummed by their performance. One because they did their two overplayed songs. Two because the lead singer changed the vocals for Devil's Got a Holda Me, which I was not impressed with. I wish they would have done one of their newer songs instead, one that better showcases their talent. I love Black Summer live and think that's one of their best songs. I also think Dirge to Earth & Sky would have been a better choice for it's different from what's out there right now. I would think they would have wanted to stand out and peak people's interests, but instead they played it safe. The best thing about their performance was getting to see Sierra in the crowd. While I was watching, I played can you spot Sierra and was so excited when the camera zoomed in on her a couple of times. Yay Sierra was on TV.

Saturday was a fun day in that we got to help Jason move--again. I think there is now a competition between Jason and Elizabeth on who can move the most. I don't mind helping friends move though because I know how much it sucks to move, especially if nobody helps. (Shawn and I helped unload Thane and Kristi's huge U-haul when they moved from OK and that wasn't fun with just 4 people.) I really like Jason's new apartment and think it's his best one yet. When you stand on the balcony, you get to look out over a pond. It's really quite beautiful. I'd love to sit out back, feet propped up, and read on the balcony. I can see why the view won him over. Plus, the place has more storage than even my parents' house has. Now let's hope Jason invites us over to hang out so I can appreciate the place even more. (Hint, hint)

Yesterday I had an Arbonne event. My friend Sinnary who I met at a Chamber of Commerce mixer organized what she called a lifestyles party. She had reps from different companies there to showcase their products. I was the only skin care person so that was good. Unfortunately, she was expecting 15-17 people who had RSVP'd but only 6 showed. It wasn't bad though since I had one purchase, one person interested in signing up as a wholesale buyer, and two people who are considering hosting a party. Not bad for such a small showing. It was good just to hang out with Sinnary too. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met and am thankful to have her as a friend now.

Well, it's almost 10 o'clock. It's cold and rainy outside. A perfect setting for staying indoors and grading homework today. Plus, I want to read the Oscar Awards issue of Entertainment Weekly today with a nice cup of hot cocoa. One week until my favorite day of the year--Oscar Day. It's just a great excuse for hanging with my best friends and mom and mom-in-law really, but I look forward to it every year. Take care everyone.

Greener Living #43 Buy a Hybrid

Hybrid cars, which run on a combination of a gasoline engine and an electric motor, are all the rage these days. They get up to 50 miles per gallon, while a typical SUV might travel around 15mpg. Hybrids can offer substantial savings, and you may qualify for a one-time tax credit of up to $3400. For information on US hybrid-car incentives, go to hybridcars.com/tax-deductions-credits.html.

Greener Living #41 and 42

I start off with another one of those odd tips. Remember, these are from a manual I picked up and not from my own creation.

Greener Living #41 Bat Boxes: Want to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your backyard? Then invest in a bat box. One bat can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes a night. You will also be making a contribution to our country's temperate biodiversity: bat populations in America and around the world are declining, especially in urban areas, where they have few roosting spaces. Ideally, group two or three boxes together, place them as high as possible, and face them so the sun directly heats them for six to seven hours a day. If you are making a bat box yourself, use untreated and unpainted wood. It is essential that bats not be disturbed, so make certain your bat boxes cannot be reached by any local cats.

Greener Living #42 Walk or Bike: Always consider alternatives to driving, especially for journeys under two miles. It's better for the environment to walk, cycle, or even take the bus than to hop in your car. Currently, only 2% of employed adults walk to work in the US. Walking adds to life expectancy, is safe, helps with mental and physical health, and, best of all, is completely free. Cycling is another way to get around and has recently become more popular, what with more bike paths and cool new gadgets like LED lights for riding in the dark. New kinds of folding bikes have been specially developed for the commuter. Surprisingly, recent studies have shown that bicyclists in cities are less exposed to air pollution than people in cars and taxis.

Tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Set your tivo to record Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight on channel 7. The band The Colour will be tonight's musical guest. To remind you, Sierra's cousin is the bassist. This group is starting to get some attention. I mean heck, they got booked on Jimmy Kimmel. It's no Letterman, but it's a definite start. You're going to start hearing more of them. I guarantee it. You can pick up their CD at Best Buy for $8 right now. I believe the show starts at midnight tonight, which is why I'll be recording it. This old woman can't stay up that late. I'd love hear what you think of them.

Last night's trip to the gym

I went with Elizabeth to 24 Hour Fitness last night. She has a membership and I got a guest pass. I am glad I went because it makes me feel much better about paying big bucks for my membership to Los Cab, a private gym. 24 Hour was pretty busy and super hot and stuffy. I hate the way the cardio machines are set up and crammed together. I felt like a robot with all the other mindless droids staring at the tv sets dangling from above. However, I did have a great time working out with Elizabeth. I know she is trying to lose weight and get in shape, so it felt good to be there to encourage her. I even showed her a dozen or so free weight workouts and exercises she could do on the Swiss ball. It felt so good to be able to show somebody else things I have learned in the past year. This was another sign for how far I've come in my new fitness lifestyle.

Greener Living #39 and 40

Greener Living #39 Recycle Your Newspaper: There are 63 million newspapers printed each day in the US; 44 million, or about 69%, of these will be thrown away. Recycling just the Sunday papers would save more than half a million trees every week.

The next tip is a bit odd in my opinion, primarily because it may cause more problems such as snakes, wasps, and toads on your property, but here we go.

Greener Living #40 Avoid Pesticides: Use natural methods of pest control. Form a log pile--dead wood provides a habitat for many kinds of wildlife, such as snakes and ground beetles. Both are natural predators for snails and slugs. If you create a small pond to encourage frogs and toads, they will help mop up the rest of your slug life. In the short term you can get rid of slugs using beer traps (slugs are attracted to yeast). To get rid of whiteflies, buy Encarsia formosa, small parasitic wasps that eat whiteflies. Grow flowers such as marigolds to attract lady bugs, hoverflies, and lacewings, all of which protect against aphids.

Greener Living #37 and 38

#37 Create a Living Fence: When replacing yard fences, instead of building a wooden fence, opt for a living fence. A living fence is a hedge or row of trees, which can be groomed to maintain appearance. Not only is a living fence less expensive than a traditional fence, it also never needs to be painted. This saves you money and time and keeps harmful chemicals out of the environment. Try to use native flora and to avoide hedges comprised of only one species.

#38 Plant a Tree: It's the simplest thing in the world to gather acorns, chestnuts, sweet chestnuts, and sycamore seeds in the autumn, plant them immediately, and forget them until the following spring. The success rate for acorns is not as high as for the other three, but in a good year about 40% germinate into oak trees. There's litte that will stop the others from growing into healthy trees within the first year. Start saplings in Styrofoam coffee cups, which can be split with a knife so that the roots aren't disturbed when you plan them outdoors. Keep the saplings for four or five years, then plant them in your own garden, offer them to friends, or return them to nature. It may seem like a very small contribution, but if 5% of the US population were to germinate one tree in one year, there would be almost 15 million extra trees absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. For more information, visit arborday.org.

Greener Eating

Here is an article explaining how the environment benefits when we go vegetarian. Who knew chicken and cattle were such a big contributor to global warming? But after reading the article, this will make much more sense and hopefully encourage you to go vegetarian if not all the time at least once a week as was previously recommended.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3853.cfm

Greener Living #36 Conserve Water in Your Garden

Attach a barrel to your downspout that will collect rain from your roof's eaves. Your plants will thank you: rainwater is better for your garden, as the chlorine in tap water can inhibit plant growth. You can also save six gallons every minute of watering simply by attaching a trigger nozzle to your hose so that you use water only when it's needed. In addition, if you grow your grass a little longer, it will stay greener and require less water than a closely mowed lawn. (Visit www.watersavers.com for rain barrels. This is a great idea for preserving water and relatively easy to do as well. Once we buy a house, I will definitely do this.)

Tired of junk mail?

Visit www.optoutprescreen.com to have your name removed from the four major credit reporting agencies' lists.

Greener Living #35: Print Double-Sided

American businesses throw away 21 million tons of paper every year, 175 pounds per office worker. For a quick and easy way to halve this, set your printer's default option to double-sided (duplex printing). This has the added advantage of halving the paper pile on your desk. To further cut your paper wastage, make sure you always use "print preview" mode to check that there are no overhanging lines and that you print only the pages you need. Other ways to cut down on paper before you get to the printing stage include using single or 1.5 spacing instead of double spacing, and reducing your page margins. (For my classes this semester, I'm actually going to require them to print their essays on both sides. Not only will it cut down on the paper used, but it will also cut down on the weight of the essays I have to carry around. Also, why not use the back of copies for scratch paper? When I was working at BN for the holidays, I was appalled by the amount of copy paper I saw tossed in the trash every day, especially since the employees at the info desk were always scrambling for paper to write on. A lot of recycling centers will even take copy paper now, so why don't businesses consider doing this?)

Music makes me happy

First off, I have to share this article with everyone on The Colour. If you're at Best Buy this weekend, please pick up their new CD. It's only $7.99, a steal for a CD of good stuff, plus you get a bonus track. In case you don't know, The Colour is Sierra's cousin's band and Sierra is one of my bestest friends. The article is pretty good telling all the drawbacks of being a struggling band.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/music/features/article_1569854.php


The other music related story is kind of lame, but I can't help being a girl some times. I watched Ellen's show yesterday because Gwen Stefani was on. While I was watching her perform, I got all sad and teary-eyed because it made me think back to when I first met Gwen and fell in love with No Doubt. That band reminds me of so many special people in my life and a crucial point in my life: college. My brother and I became such huge fans of ND and it became a bonding experience, one that played a role in the close friendship I have today with Michael. I also can't not think of Tracy Hess, now Nicholson, when I hear ND. We used to always listen to them when we were in college. I know she got to hang out with them more than I did, but the few times I got to hang with Gwen and/or the boys, Tracy was there with me. I'll never forget when we saw ND and Sublime play together. That's still one of my all-time favorite shows. While I don't love all the music she's doing on her solo CDs, Gwen will always be special to me. She's like a big sister I've watched grow up and admired for all she's been able to accomplish.

Greener Living #33 Turn Off Your Computer When You Leave at Night

While computers do require a power surge when you first turn them on, they don't need enormous amounts of electricity to function for lengthy periods. Also, you can set your computer on "sleep" mode, which uses about three watts per hour, if you are going to be away from your desk for more than 15 minutes.

Greener Living #32 Recycle Your Batteries

Although the number of electrical gadgets that use disposable batteries is on the decline, each person in the US discards eight batteries per year. Overall, Americans purchase nearly three billion batteries annually, and about 179,000 tons of those end up in the garbage. Batteries have a high concentration of metals, which if not disposed of properly can seep into the ground when the casing erodes. Avoid disposable batteries by using your outlets whenever possible. If you can't do without batteries, use rechargeable and recycled ones. You should also have your batteries collected and recycled. Go to rebat.com for a list of companies that participate in battery reclamation.

Update on Relay for Life

I ran into Cassandra from the American Cancer Society at yesterday's Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I talked to her and got more info on the HB Relay for Life. She said she's doing a presentation at the Chamber breakfast this Friday, so I'll get more specifics then. I found out early bird registration is March 16th and I need a team of 10-15. So far Shawn, my mom, my brother, my cousin Kim and her fiance Danny are interested. I'm looking for more people to join the team. The relay is June 9 and 10. In case you are unfamiliar with the Relay for Life format, we need to have somebody on the track at all times during the 24 hour period. I know that can be tough, but if we pull together and work as a team, we can do it. I want to make sure I have at least 10 people committed before I register for a team. Please let me know if you can commit as soon as possible.

Greener Living #31 Turn Off Your Chargers

Most cell-phone chargers continue to draw electricity even when the phone isn't plugged into it. If your cell-phone charger averages five watts per hour and is plugged in all the time, that means a total of more than 40 kilowatt-hours every year, or about 93 pounds of CO2. The same problem applies to your other electronic equipment--your laptop, iPod, digital camera, and Blackberry. Unplug all your chargers when they are not in use. (This is one Shawn and I have already started to do. If you stop and think about it, it really isn't necessary to keep chargers plugged in to begin with. Also, unplug unused appliances such as blenders or toasters which are still sucking electricity even when not in use. Like I've said before, there are little steps we can take to make a difference. Spread the word.)

Greener Living #30 Standby No Longer

Electricity "leaks" are no laughing matter. Televisions, video and DVD players, cable boxes, and other electronic equipment found in nearly every American home are wasting huge amounts of energy. When these devices are left on standby (the equivalent of "sleep" mode for computers), they use about 40% of their full running power. Every year, the energy wasted in this way is the equivalent of the annual output of 26 power plants. To avoid the drain of these "energy vampires," plug them into a power strip and turn it off when they are not in use.

Article on 46 nations protecting the planet

Here's an article I read on Yahoo today about the joining together of 46 nations to help protect the environment, inspired by a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The most important statement from the article is the following: "Despite the report's dire outlook, most scientists say the worst disasters — huge sea level rises and the most catastrophic storms and droughts — may be avoided if strong action is taken soon." I love the phrasing "dire outlook." Now ask yourself, "what actions am I going to take this year?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/france_climate_change;_ylt=ApvHw5e0gyTdL58MqiGKCBNrAlMA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Greener Living #29 Switch to Green Power

The leading cause of industrial air pollution is electricity production. According to the American Lung Association, more than 50,000 Americans die each year from air-pollution-related causes. If available, get your electricity from renewable energy sources such as wind, sun, water, and biomass, all of which generate electricity with fewer environmental impacts. With utility companies in 35 states offering green-power pricing plans, around half of all electricity consumers could buy green, yet only half a million do. Does green power cost more? Yes, but barely. For example, New York's Con Edison charges an additional one-half cent per kilowatt-hour for its green-power products. To see if your energy provider offers green-power options, visit eere.energy.gov/greenpower.

2 New Movie Reviews

Yesterday I saw The Last King of Scotland, and I now see why Forest Whitaker has won so many awards for this performance. He is great in this role, primarily because the character is so evil. I hate the fact that we don't hear more about these horrible events that occur in other countries, like Idi Amin's reign in Uganda to the genocide in Rwanda. No, instead our media focuses on Brittney's new man or Lindsey Lohan's drinking problem. Seriously that's what we should be concerned with?Do we not realize that if we don't learn from history, such as Amin's dictatorship, then we are doomed to repeat ourselves? I mean look at Darfur today. Why aren't we more informed about this genocide? People need to wake up, including leaders of the free world.

This leads right into my second movie review. I finally watched Inconvenient Truth last night and half of it again today. I think this should be mandatory viewing for all Americans, starting with high school students. I recently heard that MTV polled visitors to their website asking what was the greatest concern for today's teenagers. I was surprised and thrilled by the response. Teens today fear global warming and the destruction of the environment because this issue really is going to fall on their shoulders considering today's politicians are turning a blind eye to it thanks to the deep pockets of big business and oil producers. Shawn and I read up on global warming and are very concerned with the future of the planet, especially since we want to be parents and hopefully some day grandparents. I don't want to imagine my grandkids not being able to play outside because temperatures are at an all-time high or that Florida, Manhattan, or the Netherlands are disappearing because the sea level is increasing. These are scary thoughts for our future generations and we must do anything we can. Every little bit helps whether it's recycling cans and bottles, walking to do errands one day rather than driving, or replacing lightbulbs in our house. This movie only enforced my drive to educate people through things like the greener living tips. I STRONGLY recommend for everybody to see Inconvenient Truth as soon as possible. You won't regret it for your mind will be opened on a crucial issue. If this movie doesn't drive you to do more reading on your own, open up discussions, or take action, then I don't know what will.

Greener Living #28 Carbon Offsetting

Air traffic is the fastest growing source of greenhouse-gas emissions, so when you do fly, consult a carbon-offsetting organization such as Climate Care to "carbon-offset" your journey. Climate Care determines your flight's emissions and the cost to offset the CO2. For example, to offset that round-trip flight between New York and Los Angeles, you would pay about $10 to Climate Care, which invests in forestry and energy-efficiency projects. For more information, visit climatecare.org.

Today's fun agenda

Today is a hang-out-with-girlfriends day. Yay! Sierra, Elizabeth, and I are going to see Last King of Scotland (we're walking to the theater across the street from my place), then we're going to a yoga class (I love yoga), picking up something healthy for dinner (can't defeat the yoga workout), and heading back here to watch another Oscar-nominated film on DVD. Sometimes we just need a day with the girls. Shawn decided to head up to Pasadena to go hiking and then hang out with the boys, probably playing his new favorite game Stratomatic. Guess he didn't want to stick around for the girl day.

Greener Living #26-27

#26 Buy Recycled Products: There has to be a market for products made with recycled products. Support this movement by purchasing recycled goods--you will save virgin materials, conserve energy, and reduce landfill waste. Recycled paper products include toilet paper (which is no longer scratchy like it used to be), copy paper, paper towels, and tissues. Look for garbage bags and liners labeled "recycled plastic," and buy recycled toner cartridges for your fax machines and printers. (Now we don't all have to be like Ed Bagley, Jr. who's white picket fence is made of recycled milk containers. His show Living with Ed is pretty funny but informative too. The easiest ones to use are copy paper and toner/ink cartridges. Think of all the printer paper we use that ends up in the trash. Office Depot's recycled cartridges are just as good as new ones, plus they give you credit if you bring in your empty ones to be recycled.)

#27 Plane Better: Air travel is currently responsible for 3.5% of the global-warming gases from all human activity and is growing fast. Cargo transport by air is increasing by about 7% annually and passenger air travel is up in the last few years by between 4 and 7%. The impact of air travel is enormous; a round-trip between New York and Los Angeles emits one ton of CO2 per passenger. (To determine CO2 emissions for your next flight, go to co2.org.) Try to limit the number of flights you take. If you're traveling within a country, why not take a train? (Air travel releases at least three times more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than rail travel does.) If you're planning a business trip, consider whether a video linkup or a conference call will suffice.

I'm a big slacker

I haven't posted anything in a few days, so I figured I better get off my big butt and write today. Actually, the good news will explain my slacking. I am teaching a class at OCC this semester. To make a long story short, I got hired last Wed and class started this Mon, so I only had a couple of days to prep. I took over a class for an instructor that went out on medical leave. The only problem is the books had already been ordered, so I have to use them. Unfortunately, I did not get a copy of the books until about 30 min. ago, which means I need to scramble these next couple of days to read ahead in the books and plot out reading assignments for the next couple of weeks. Good news is the students seem to be a good group this semester. They actually answered questions and seem to have a pulse. Let's hope they stay this way and don't end up like my class from hell last Spring.

I forgot to post my review of Pan's Labyrinth, which a group of us saw last Fri. I highly recommend this one. It's awesome!! I know Jason didn't seem too impressed with it when he saw it awhile back, but I think his reaction was influenced by the 10pm showing. This movie is visually stunning with some of the best sets I've seen in a long time. The main character Ofelia is adorable. Without giving anything away, I have to tell you by the end of the movie I was crying. Shawn asked if I needed a kleenex I was crying so much. He then turned to Greg and asked if he needed a kleenex too. Greg said yes to wipe all the blood off his face. Yes, this film has a lot of blood and violence to it, and there were a couple intense scenes that I had to turn away from, but don't let that discourage you from seeing it. Yes, it's subtitled, but it doesn't take away from the film. Or maybe it's just that I've seen quite a few foreign language films, so I'm used to reading subtitles. Overall, I am thrilled that this film earned so many Oscar nominations.

In case you don't know what a big geek I am, it is always my goal to see as many of the Oscar nominated films before the awards show. I am so excited that I have seen a good majority of them this year, which will probably be my last time doing this if I have a baby this year. I saw Dreamgirls on Tues, which was one I really didn't want to see for the longest time, but I'm glad my brother talked me into seeing it. One question I have though is why in the heck would Jennifer Hudson be nominated for Supporting Actress when she is the whole movie. She totally overshadows Beyonce, so I understand why Beyonce, the diva she is, is upset that Jennifer's getting all the accolades, but you know what that girl can sing! I was also excited to see Eddie Murphy doing something good for a change. This weekend I hope to see The Last King of Scotland since Forrest Whitaker is the front runner for Best Actor. I'm also hoping to rent An Inconvenient Truth and Jesus Camp, both up for best documentary. I know Shawn wanted to see both, so hopefully I can get him to watch these at home with me. I also want to see Letters from Iwo Jima, and hopefully Half Nelson, United 93 and Volver.

Lastly, has anybody been watching Heroes? If not, you are missing out on the best show on TV period. I love this damn show. I hate that I have to wait a week to get a new ep. I'm anxious to find out who Claire's dad is now that we've seen her mom. What's going to happen with Peter Petrelli? Is he going to explode? The characters are so awesome, but there are two in particular I love more than the others. Hiro and Ando are my favorites. I wish there were more TV characters with such heart and charisma. Plus, they have the best facial expressions. I can't wait to buy Season 1 on DVD, so I can loan it out for people to get hooked before Season 2. (Hint to Elizabeth. Wink Wink.)

Greener Living #23-25

#23 Don't Just Dump: Envelopes come in huge quantities for free every day. If you are careful when opening letters, you can use the envelopes again by simply putting a label over the original address. This saves money and trees, while reducing waste. Try to re-use jars and plastic containers--for example, when taking your lunch to work. (Doing so prevents waste, and making your food at home is less expensive than the alternative.) Ask your office manager to buy re-useable mesh coffee filters instead of bleached paper ones, which may contain dioxins. They are tree-free and should save your company money.

#24 Avoid Disposable Goods: Institute a mug policy in your office. Americans throw away some 25 billion polystyrene cups each year, most of which end up in landfills. Refill your water bottles once or twice, and make your coffee in a ceramic mug. If you bring in cutlery from home, you will also cut down on those pesky plastic forks, knives and spoons.

#25 Grow Your Own Garden: In 1826, J.C. Loudon wrote in An Encyclopedia of Gardening, "For all things produced in a garden, whether salads or fruits, a poor man that has one of his own will eat better than a rich man that has none." To start a vegetable garden costs nothing but a few packs of seeds and rudimentary garden implements, and it saves enormous amounts of money, to say nothing of food miles and the packaging that go into supplying you with fresh fruits and vegetables. Of course, a vegetable garden is only productive for part of the year, but it is amazing how long that growing season lasts and how much you can produce from one small patch. (My grandpa has always had a garden, and my Paka had a garden too. One of my fondest memories was picking veggies at Nana and Paka's house. My dad has planted tomato plants a few times. Now my aunts Eliza and Katie have started their own garden at home, including various herbs. I hope to follow in their footsteps one day as soon as I have some space to plant the seeds. I doubt my landlord would appreciate me uprooting the plants in front of the apartment to start my own garden.)