Earth Day

Earth Day has came and went. We are doing a lot around the office to promote it.

Yesterday we gave everyone in the office a tire gauge (proper tire pressure=better gas mileage) and a cfl.

We have had 2 lunch talks. One was about native planting. Check out your state department's website for native plants. They use less water, no need for fertilizer or pesticides and generally less maintenance than say the Hibiscus or other non-native. The other lunch was about cheap and environmentally friendly cleaners.

My favorite thing we did for Earth Week was our public display. I am big on making impacts. I like huge numbers that speak or visual aids. Last year we took 332 bottles and strung them up together to demonstrate the average annual water bottle consumption of 2 adults. This year, we saved paper from the recycling bins for one week. We boxed it up and put it in the cafeteria. It looks great. I will post a picture soon.

The theme this year is REDUCE. We are all great about recycling, but we really need to reduce our consumption first and recycle what's left.

Think about what you can reduce. I admit I have back slided and started getting QT coffee on the weekends. My reusable mug is at work so I have been using 1-2 disposable cups a week! Shame on me. I have stopped the practice and am getting an at-home travel mug.

Think about it. Every little bit helps. Sometimes it's not just about saving the Earth, sometimes it's just about the over-consumerism of our culture. What can you reduce?

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Captin Fokk-is

Am I the only one that wants a cape for my car?

That is the coolest.

Captin Fokk-is. Fighting pollution with its tiny engine and a surprisingly large trunk.

Nice Little Weekend

I love a good weekend. Productive, yet relaxing. Things to do, but not hectic.

Friday night, Chuck and I went out to The Stable. They have great beer. The inside seems a little dated even though it just opened this fall, (and gets really loud) but their courtyard is cozy and fun. Easy sandwiches and pizza, all for a good price.

Saturday, I finally got to the Saarinen exhibit. He is an amazing furniture designer and architect (thanks for the Arch). The exhibit was great, I highly recommend it. After the exhibit, we went to the beer festival at Bottleworks. Yum. I had some good beer. I definitely found some new favorites. I was a particular fan of a Nut Brown from Nashville and as always, the Rasberry Hefe from Schlafly. I liked the festival because it was just the right size. The Heritage Festival in Forest Park was too big. I was paralyzed with choices. Leave it to Schlafly to do it right. Saturday night had dinner with my brother Jeremy, wife Kim and friend Angie. Good times, nice to get out without the kids.

Saturday, did what was needed around the house, then went to Cardinal Ritter to help out for a couple of hours with the United Way. I capped off my evening with a farewell party for some friends heading to Cincinnati. I didn't know many people there, so there were a lot of introductions. I was constantly getting comments about how they give to the United Way and how good it is, and what do I do for them (because I had on a UW shirt). It was like I was the charity police and I was coming in to check on their philanthropy. I felt like I was making people nervous. I never get the comment when I wear the Big Bro/Big Sis shirt. It was a little humorous. I wished I would have played with them a little more. I think I make all of Chuck's friends nervous.

It's only going to get warmer! I am ready.

Have a great week. Happy Earth Day!

The man that designed the Arch is also famous for the conversation pit.

We've Turned a Corner

Last night was the Bodily Fluid Dinner Club. I am happy to report that I think we have turned a corner.

Last night was my choice: Tani Sushi in Clayton. We arrived among mass confusion with Joe Biden's entourage blocking all the streets in Clayton. Of course, the one time I schedule something and the freakin' VP shows up. Small snafu, we all got over it.

We sit down and I, of course, sit by Becky. I have diagnosed most of the bodily fluid talk begins and ends with Becky. She also incorporates hand gestures into the conversation too adding to the grossness. I was armed this time. I have a week of mucus and snot to tell. I have been formulating a story of my surgery filled with details of liquid, semi-liquids, and other matter. I was ready to fight fire with fire.

It never happened.

We talked sushi, food, books, Easter, Mass. There was some talk of laundry, house cleaning, but we all have to face that: single, married, young, old, pink or purple. No dirty cleaning stories either, strictly PG.

There was one exception to this, but it was minor, it was expected, and it was after eating. Tara. She always has to bring it up. I can't believe how much bm's and gas are the center of her universe. It was a cute story and the word toot was used, so it was a rated G story, and I was glad I heard it. It was appropriate, and not gross, but still funny that you can't ever get away from it. It's Tara and I think she knows it drives me crazy.

I knew we would get there. I also know there will be a back slide. It looks like it has turned a corner and my stomach rests easy.

Tara, the picture is for you. She is telling you she tooted.

Green in action

Green stories in the real world.

Over the past year, Chuck has been diligently replacing his light bulbs with CFL's as they burn out. Just to set the scene, he does live in a 2,000 square foot 3 bed/2.5 baths two story house (a real adult house). It's definitely isn't as compact as my 12oo square feet 3 bd/1 bath (my little bungalow). He also installed a programmable thermostat last July. In January, Ameren reevaluated his budget building and his electric bill was cut down by more than 40%. Wow. That's impressive.

In SAL's green kick-off for 2008, the green team gave every person in the home office a reusable bag for groceries. We also give a bag to every new employee at the home office (sorry field people and retail locations, but you get short end on this one). As most of you know, there is a grocery store in my building. It's small but convenient. My guess is that a substantial number of the 500 employees take advantage of the mini-store, but I don't have any numbers on it. Since we had a year with the reusable bags, we pulled the numbers to see if plastic bag consumption has gone down in the last year in the mini-store. Well, the numbers came back 22,000 less. We ordered 22,000 less plastic bags. I am impressed and stunned. If this is the impact 500 people can make, what can a regular grocery store do?! It shows that one person can make a HUGE difference.

Next time, you hesitate and think, "Is it really going to make a difference this time?" YES.

Together, we can make a difference.

Post Op Evaluation

On Friday I had an appointment to get my balloons removed. I was very happy.
I arrived at the office, properly drugged at 10 sharp. They deflated the balloons and then pulled them out. They were somewhere from 5-8" in length and in between a regular pencil and a kindergartner's pencil in width. They were in my nose all the way up into my sinus cavity in my forehead. The removal wasn't painful, just very weird and uncomfortable. The lasting effect has been when you get lots of water up your nose, that annoying burning. Then doctor sucked all the snot out of my head. That was the best part. Sorry to gross you out, but it was.
It has been amazing to breathe. I has no idea what I was missing. My deviated side isn't 100%. I am not sure if it will get better or if that's just how it will be. I am probably at 60%-70% capacity now on that side, which is a lot better, so no complaints.
It is so strange, but nice to breathe.
I would recommend this to anyone. I heard the balloons are the least painful to remove so if there is any way you can ask for them, do it.

Observations from the couch

so all went well yesterday. I have a small balloon up each nostril with tubes coming out of it that are taped to my face. My nose is huge and square and it looks like a have a wierd high-tech handlebar mustache. It comes out on Friday.
I can't taste anything because my nostrils are filled. My body is rejecting the balloons so I have an enormous amount of flem trying to fight the balloons. It is hard to remove flem when you can't pass air through your nose. But we'll move on.
Sunflowers are pretty. I had some delivered to my house yesterday.
TV blows, but I have spent the last 2 days sleeping for 20 minutes at a time, so TV hasn't been a big necessity.
I am thankful for Frasier, Will & Grace & Gilmore Girls.
I am thankful for How I Met You Mother dvds.
Sex & The City is on 4 times between 11pm & 4am on various channels.
I finally got my books from Amazon today. I started reading "Happens Every Day." It is really good so far.
My house has been quiet and that makes me happy.
I am excited to breathe.