Slowly but surely I’ve been moving the blog into the realm of social media. First a Twitter account, and now a Facebook fan page. All this social networking has made me contemplate where exactly all of this is going, and I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m going to maintain the “mission statement” of the blog as I wrote originally. Parenting. Environmentalism. Balancing life and work. These are still our main topics. And we’ll keep on keeping-on.
What’s next? I figure a giveaway is in order since I personally love blog giveaways (especially winning them). Here’s the plan – once we hit 50 fans on the Facebook page, we’ll do an eco-home giveaway. The first one? Reusable shopping bags. Because everyone can use those!
So if you’re a fan via Google Friend Connect (GFC), make sure to become a Facebook fan as well in order to help us get to our first goal (and to be able to enter into the contest!).
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Disturbed. (Not the Band).
Sometimes I feel like I live in a bubble because my brain has so many things going on that I can’t pay attention to every detail that passes by. I used to be able to, but then I started my Ph.D. program, moved, had a kid, got foreclosed on (and worried about money), etc., and yeah, my brain’s a little shot to you-know-what right now. So sometimes things stick. Sometimes they do the proverbial wash – in one ear and out the other. Or as psychologists talk about, lack of concentration on stimuli leads to lack of storage. My husband talks a lot about different things (this morning was…oh what was it…oops lack of storage), so the next time he asks me if I remember him saying something I’ll have to tell him, “Lack of storage, sorry.”
But I do remember one thing he was talking about a week or so back. Some guy in NY, he said, lit his tap water on fire. Don’t ask me how or why (why would you have a lighter near your water unless you were looking for it to light on fire), but his tap water literally lit up. Mike (my husband) didn’t know why but he was sure it was due to chemicals in the water, which makes sense.
Now I’ve been trying (TRYING) to keep up with life outside this house (and my office) this summer because I have a little more time, and I’ve been blogging (as you see) and reading a lot of other blogs. A week or so ago Diane at Big Green Purse wrote about “fracking” and I read her post and thought, “WTF is fracking?” My educated brain said that from the looks of the word it had something to do with fracturing land perhaps. After that, I got nothing.
Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing. I won’t go into the details of how it works because you can learn more from Josh Fox’s movie “Gasland.” But what I will tell you is this – companies dig wells and pump large amounts of water, sand, and chemicals into the well. This creates pressure which fractures the Earth, sending the oil and natural gas up into the well. Sounds kosher so far (well, I guess). But then those chemicals end up seeping into other areas, such as, oh, the water table and into wells. That water flows to where? Eventually, your house (and that guy who lit his water on fire, his house too obviously). It waters the plants that animals eat (that eventually become your food). Hell, it even waters your produce. *Awesome* <<-- sarcasm (I hope you got that). So what chemicals are involved you ask? Good question. It’s a secret (shh). No really. According to Barry Estabrook, the chemicals used are considered a trade secret. Really? But animals who have drank contaminated water have foamed, bled at the mouth, and died. So there’s something more than, oh, sodium going on in that water. Are you pissed yet? You should be. I am.
Over 35 states allow fracking while certain countries including France are talking about banning it or have banned it according to Theodora Filis. The Environmental Protection Agency is now looking into certain counties in the US and some of the practices, and will include a pre-test/post-test design of sorts to study the environment before and after fracking occurs in an area, according to The Huffington Post. Texas recently became the first state to require (starting in 2012) companies to disclose the chemicals used in fracking (according to The Huffington Post), and hopefully this will start a trend in other states. While it’s not stopping the entire process, at least it’s a step (right? Kind of?). States like NY are currently battling over this issue, and I encourage anyone who lives in a state that practices fracking to petition their leaders against it.
What do I see here? I see money. I don’t see people and their welfare. Humans, animals, ecology, the Earth, I don’t see those things as being important in many of these decisions. I see money (and natural gas and oil, hence money). I am well aware that our current economy and ways of life need these things. But continuing this behavior, even though we know it’s detrimental to animals, the Earth, and humans, indicates to me that money and resources have gained the stronghold in many decisions, and that disturbs me.
Well, I’m off to try to light my water on fire. Got my fire-resistant gear on and fire-extinguishers at the ready. Wish me luck.
This is ridiculous.
But I do remember one thing he was talking about a week or so back. Some guy in NY, he said, lit his tap water on fire. Don’t ask me how or why (why would you have a lighter near your water unless you were looking for it to light on fire), but his tap water literally lit up. Mike (my husband) didn’t know why but he was sure it was due to chemicals in the water, which makes sense.
Now I’ve been trying (TRYING) to keep up with life outside this house (and my office) this summer because I have a little more time, and I’ve been blogging (as you see) and reading a lot of other blogs. A week or so ago Diane at Big Green Purse wrote about “fracking” and I read her post and thought, “WTF is fracking?” My educated brain said that from the looks of the word it had something to do with fracturing land perhaps. After that, I got nothing.
Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing. I won’t go into the details of how it works because you can learn more from Josh Fox’s movie “Gasland.” But what I will tell you is this – companies dig wells and pump large amounts of water, sand, and chemicals into the well. This creates pressure which fractures the Earth, sending the oil and natural gas up into the well. Sounds kosher so far (well, I guess). But then those chemicals end up seeping into other areas, such as, oh, the water table and into wells. That water flows to where? Eventually, your house (and that guy who lit his water on fire, his house too obviously). It waters the plants that animals eat (that eventually become your food). Hell, it even waters your produce. *Awesome* <<-- sarcasm (I hope you got that). So what chemicals are involved you ask? Good question. It’s a secret (shh). No really. According to Barry Estabrook, the chemicals used are considered a trade secret. Really? But animals who have drank contaminated water have foamed, bled at the mouth, and died. So there’s something more than, oh, sodium going on in that water. Are you pissed yet? You should be. I am.
Over 35 states allow fracking while certain countries including France are talking about banning it or have banned it according to Theodora Filis. The Environmental Protection Agency is now looking into certain counties in the US and some of the practices, and will include a pre-test/post-test design of sorts to study the environment before and after fracking occurs in an area, according to The Huffington Post. Texas recently became the first state to require (starting in 2012) companies to disclose the chemicals used in fracking (according to The Huffington Post), and hopefully this will start a trend in other states. While it’s not stopping the entire process, at least it’s a step (right? Kind of?). States like NY are currently battling over this issue, and I encourage anyone who lives in a state that practices fracking to petition their leaders against it.
What do I see here? I see money. I don’t see people and their welfare. Humans, animals, ecology, the Earth, I don’t see those things as being important in many of these decisions. I see money (and natural gas and oil, hence money). I am well aware that our current economy and ways of life need these things. But continuing this behavior, even though we know it’s detrimental to animals, the Earth, and humans, indicates to me that money and resources have gained the stronghold in many decisions, and that disturbs me.
Well, I’m off to try to light my water on fire. Got my fire-resistant gear on and fire-extinguishers at the ready. Wish me luck.
This is ridiculous.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
A Fun Fourth
This past weekend we spent Friday through Monday with Mike’s Mom, step-father, sister (Missy, my BFF) 
and her husband Jerry, brother (CJ) and his fiancé, Christina, along with Missy and Jerry’s daughters Ember (19 months) and Brinley (4 months) and CJ and Christina’s son Logan (18 months). Plus of course Silas, our 14 month old. As you can tell, it got kind of crazy.
On Saturday Mike’s mom Bettie had offered to take care of all four grandkids so the “adults” could go out. We didn’t know what to do (and didn’t know what to think of being called “the adults”), so we went to Chili’s for dinner and ended up being “those loud people” in the back corner. We had a lot of fun though, and then we played pool for a bit until 11. Mom texted us that all of the kids had fallen asleep. When we got home Logan and Emmie were asleep in the “big kid bed” (the bed Mike and I sleep in) while Silas was sleeping in his Pack N Play.
Mom said they were up for at least an hour giggling and tickling each other (well the bigger kids were) until they passed out from exhaustion. I’m betting Silas was standing in the PNP watching them and wishing he could play. Once he learns to be able to get off the bed safely, he’ll be up there playing.
Sunday the “boys” pulled and repaired a well while Missy, Christina, and I hung with the kids by the pool.
Silas had his first ice pop while Ember was a pro.
Silas practiced stairs with Grandma’s suggestions of holding on to the railing.
The boys ran around in their diapers until we threw them all in the pool (Logan still with his clothes on).
We finished the afternoon with some watermelon.
The kids had a blast and we got to relax and hang out for a bit.
While we didn’t get to stay to see the fireworks (they were after dark and we needed to start the 2.5 hour drive back to San Antonio before then), hopefully we’ll get to see them next year and Silas will be able to enjoy them. We did show the kids some sparklers and they enjoyed that. The most important part, for me, was the fact that the kids got to play together. They had a fantastic time. All of the “adults” said they wished we all lived closer so that we could spend more time with the little ones together. Watching the kiddos hang out and have fun was definitely better than any fireworks.
and her husband Jerry, brother (CJ) and his fiancé, Christina, along with Missy and Jerry’s daughters Ember (19 months) and Brinley (4 months) and CJ and Christina’s son Logan (18 months). Plus of course Silas, our 14 month old. As you can tell, it got kind of crazy.
On Saturday Mike’s mom Bettie had offered to take care of all four grandkids so the “adults” could go out. We didn’t know what to do (and didn’t know what to think of being called “the adults”), so we went to Chili’s for dinner and ended up being “those loud people” in the back corner. We had a lot of fun though, and then we played pool for a bit until 11. Mom texted us that all of the kids had fallen asleep. When we got home Logan and Emmie were asleep in the “big kid bed” (the bed Mike and I sleep in) while Silas was sleeping in his Pack N Play.
Mom said they were up for at least an hour giggling and tickling each other (well the bigger kids were) until they passed out from exhaustion. I’m betting Silas was standing in the PNP watching them and wishing he could play. Once he learns to be able to get off the bed safely, he’ll be up there playing.
Sunday the “boys” pulled and repaired a well while Missy, Christina, and I hung with the kids by the pool.
Silas had his first ice pop while Ember was a pro.
Silas practiced stairs with Grandma’s suggestions of holding on to the railing.
The boys ran around in their diapers until we threw them all in the pool (Logan still with his clothes on).
We finished the afternoon with some watermelon.
The kids had a blast and we got to relax and hang out for a bit.
While we didn’t get to stay to see the fireworks (they were after dark and we needed to start the 2.5 hour drive back to San Antonio before then), hopefully we’ll get to see them next year and Silas will be able to enjoy them. We did show the kids some sparklers and they enjoyed that. The most important part, for me, was the fact that the kids got to play together. They had a fantastic time. All of the “adults” said they wished we all lived closer so that we could spend more time with the little ones together. Watching the kiddos hang out and have fun was definitely better than any fireworks.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Organic Food Poll Closed
66% of respondents last week said they look specifically for organic foods but can’t find everything they need in organics. 33% said food’s food whether it’s organic or not.
At our house we are the “I look specifically for organic foods but can’t find everything we need in organics” type. My husband would love to be able to grow all of our own vegetables at least, but we have a hard time doing that with the soil in San Antonio. One of my goals for the summer is to get him a composter (the round bucket that you can rotate) which would help with the soil problem.
I think another difficulty with buying all organic is that since the food isn’t treated with chemicals, it doesn’t last as long. I don’t know about everyone else, but I hate to grocery shop (and farmer’s markets usually are Fridays here when I’m working). So when I do shop, I try to buy for the week (or longer if I could). If I get organic fruits and veggies, a lot of them end up going bad before they get eaten because they don’t last as long as the other stuff. So it’s hard, and I think it’s especially hard for some folks because the organic stuff is a lot more expensive – thus it doesn’t last as long and it has a higher cost. I can see why people wouldn’t always buy organic.
I do wish that more people would grow their own produce though. What do you think holds people back from doing that?
At our house we are the “I look specifically for organic foods but can’t find everything we need in organics” type. My husband would love to be able to grow all of our own vegetables at least, but we have a hard time doing that with the soil in San Antonio. One of my goals for the summer is to get him a composter (the round bucket that you can rotate) which would help with the soil problem.
I think another difficulty with buying all organic is that since the food isn’t treated with chemicals, it doesn’t last as long. I don’t know about everyone else, but I hate to grocery shop (and farmer’s markets usually are Fridays here when I’m working). So when I do shop, I try to buy for the week (or longer if I could). If I get organic fruits and veggies, a lot of them end up going bad before they get eaten because they don’t last as long as the other stuff. So it’s hard, and I think it’s especially hard for some folks because the organic stuff is a lot more expensive – thus it doesn’t last as long and it has a higher cost. I can see why people wouldn’t always buy organic.
I do wish that more people would grow their own produce though. What do you think holds people back from doing that?
Friday, July 1, 2011
Feed Your Stash Friday?!
Diaper Junction does a giveaway each week starting on Friday where you can win diapers to feed your cloth diapering stash. It's called Feed Your Stash Friday (or FYSF). This week they're giving away a Flip system (2 covers and 6 inserts). Rules for entering are here. I don't know about you, but I'd love to win some free fluff and try a new diaper out. Plus the Flip covers can be used as covers over other things (such as flats which I'm trying out soon), so winning would definitely be useful.
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