small things you can do to change your perspective that don’t cost the planet

inspired by Keri Smith

(an ongoing list)

1. Change the height at which you perform everyday tasks. (i.e. brush your teeth while on your knees.)

2. Look under every object you encounter for a week.

3. Wear sunglasses all day (inside and outside). Notice how it feels to take them off.

4. Alter your body somehow so as to impede your motor function slightly. i.e. tie two fingers together.

5. For one day greet everyone you encounter with “top o’ the morning to ya!”

6. Speak through a tube (paper towel tube, then recycle it when you’re done).

7. Move frequently used items (i.e. salt and pepper shakers) to places they are not normally found.

8. Place something small behind your ear for an entire day. See if you forget about it.

9. Cut your food into new and interesting shapes. Arrange your dinner (or your table items) into a “grid” formation.

10. Exclude one vowel from all of your emails.

11. For one month create all of your correspondence on an outdated form of technology. (i.e. typewriter, pen & paper, dictaphone).

12. Add something to your name. (“the 3rd”, “the great”, “the illustrious”) Alternate: Add some letters to your name but don’t tell anyone.

13. Sponsor a contest based on an everyday task. (i.e. “Contest for person whose socks stay up consistently”)

Now to muster up the courage to do at least one of them (without getting fired!)

Halloween is a holiday with lots of creepy wildlife associated with it, but are they really so creepy? From toads to bats to owls, the National Wildlife Federation shares the facts about these animals and what they are up to at this time of year, which might dispel a few myths.

Bats

 

Blood sucking vampire bats are real – but they mostly feed on chickens and cows and only live in Latin America. Most North American bats are insect eaters, feeding on everything from moths to mosquitoes to beetles. They use echolocation to find their prey, which is kind of like radar, rather than eyesight. They tend to have beady little eyes and weird-shaped faces which makes them look scary. But those faces help capture sound waves bouncing off of prey and other objects and funnel those waves to their ears.

Many bat species are entering into hibernation in caves or hollow trees, but some fly south for the winter just like birds.

Spiders

Spiders, with their eight legs and multiple eyes, are creatures right out of nightmares—and their sticky webs and venomous fangs don’t help their public image either. But even though they might look scary, spiders are actually extremely beneficial predators of all sorts of insect pests. And only three species in the U.S. that have venom considered strong enough to hurt people: the black widow, the brown recluse and the hobo, and spider bites from these are very rare.

In the fall, female spiders are guarding egg sacks which hold the next generation of spiders.

Toads

Toads are not just a key ingredient in witches’ brew, they are important environmental indicators. All amphibians are susceptible to environmental toxins because of their sensitive skin. They are usually the first species to die out in polluted areas. If you have healthy toad populations in your area, it’s a good sign that your neighborhood is fairly unpolluted. And no, you cannot catch warts from touching a toad.

Toads are voracious pest predators in the warm months, but go into underground hibernation by late fall and won’t emerge until spring. Click here for fun toad and frog facts!

Wolves

The howl of the wolf can cause either heart-rending terror or spiritual inspiration. People have either vilified or glorified wolves throughout history, but the real life wild canines are neither hounds from hell or spiritual guides. In reality, gray wolves are top predators that play a key role in balancing the ecosystem. They control deer and other prey populations as well as other predators lower down on the food chain, like coyotes and raccoons.

Once found throughout North America, the only remaining gray wolf populations live in limited regions of the United States and Canada in wilderness areas. They go out of their way to avoid humans. At this time of year, they are in the process of growing their thick winter coats to guard against winter’s bitter temperatures.

Snakes

          

The slithering, legless body. The forked tongue. The lidless eyes. Everything about a snake is decidedly non-human. But even though they strike fear in many people, most snake species are completely harmless. In fact, snakes are enormously beneficial, helping to control insect and rodent pests. The only time a snake will try to bite is if it’s cornered or startled. The natural reaction of all snakes to people is to get away or hide.

By late October, most snakes are moving to their underground hibernation grounds, where they will doze away the cold months waiting for the warmer days of spring.

Owls

The nocturnal habits, glowing eyes and utterly silent flight make these predatory birds the epitome of eeriness. It turns out that all of those things are simply adaptations for survival. Owls are nocturnal to avoid competition for prey with day-flying hawks. Their giant eyes and the fringed feathers that make no noise when the bird is flying allow them to hunt in the darkness.

Most owls are year-round residents and don’t migrate. Listen for the hoot-hoot-hoot of the great horned owl or the whinnying shriek of the screech owl when you’re trick or treating this year!

Now that you know the truth about these valuable wildlife, get outside and look for these cool animals.You might consider attracting them to your yard (except the wolves) The National Wildlife Federation shows you how to turn your property into a wildlife habitat at http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife

© 2008 Newswise

The other day I was out for lunch with my significant other (S.O.) and his mother, who was visiting from France. We went to a mom-and-pop sandwich place we frequent often, so we are on friendly terms with the owner who works behind the counter. 
 

That wasn’t the first time the outspoken restaurant owner asked this type of question. She has asked me in roundabout ways several times before. She’s also not the only person to do so. We have quite a few friends and family with small children, so I get a lot of, “So, when are you having kids?” When I gain a little weight and they jump with excitement because people think I am  WITH child. I have to inform them, “Nope, just WITH Cheeseburger!” When I say I’m nauseous, they say, “Are you sure you’re not pregnant?”  Maybe I just don’t feel good.  Response to that, “Oh, you never know!” rather than, “Oh, I’m sorry, are you okay?” 

My S.O. and I fall into the non-breeding category. We are child free by choice. This is a concept many people cannot grasp. When I tell people I am not having children they give me a sad look as if my child-to-be had lived and died, and  say, “You can always adopt” or “Nancy from choir is 47 and has a five year old!” Good for her, but it’s not for me.  It’s not that I can’t have them, I don’t want to have them. I’m all for everyone else having them, don’t get me wrong. Have as many as you like. I just don’t want to be the one giving birth.  And then I get the old, “Oh, you’re the type of person who will regret not having kids.” and “Having kids was the best thing I ever did. I don’t know how I’d live without them!” Again, your story, not mine.

Just FYI, I am not a fat person. I am 5’9″ and weigh 140 pounds – see? I am not ashamed of my weight. 
I am not in shape and have a  few love handles, but what 30 plus person doesn’t ? Just anorexics or the rare naturally thin folks that everyone loves to hate.

These links are taken from the website Childfree.net to learn how to cope with the idiotic questions and comments we get from the conservative mainstream: 

You’re Being Selfish  http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_selfish.html

Preparation for Parenthood http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_prep.html

This one is from Ann Lander’s Childless Couple – very witty http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_annlanders.html

Why is it so important for you to have a baby? http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_whybaby.html

How Childless couples get the short end of the stick when it comes to benefits http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_lift.html

Couples in no-kid marriages happiest http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_couples.html

Celebrity/Notable Child-Frees http://www.childfree.net/potpourri_celebrity.html

* Article taken from Vegetarian Times at http://www.vegetariantimes.com/features/672

Copyright © 2008 Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. | an Active Interest Media Company