I care about strangers. « Ever zigged when you should have zagged?

#ChristmasCardDrive

November 7, 2010 at 8:08 AM | Posted in I care about strangers., What's up? | 1 Comment
Tags: (in)courage, Christmas cards, Compassion International, correspondence, DaySpring Cards, Ecuador

I clicked on a link over at Simple Mom and landed on a post over at (in)courage. I read the story of the importance of correspondence to the children and I was moved to contribute. It’s that simple.

I made two cards with different designs but the same photo of us and the same sentiments:

You are unique and wonderful.
You have gifts for this world that are special and only yours to share.
You may become anything you want to be — whatever you can dream, you can do.
You are making an impact.
Thank you for that.

Much love and best wishes,
William, Sacha, and Anna

These organizations are steeped in Christianity. I am not a person who follows the faith but I don’t see that as an obstacle to my participation. I just chose designs that weren’t particularly Jesus-y (or even Christmas-y) and words that convey encouragement regardless of religion.

Pop over to Studio DaySpring, add a card to Compassion’s basket, and let (in)courage deliver it this holiday season.

Press Release from Indiana Tree Alliance

October 30, 2010 at 8:08 AM | Posted in I care about strangers., What's up? | Leave a comment

Today I received the following press release, which I am sharing here as a courtesy to my friend Charlie Goodman (links added):

This past week the co-founder of the Indiana Tree Alliance, Charles Goodman, was honored to participate as one of seven panelists invited to Washington, D.C., by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to review vegetation management practices (tree trimming) across America.

It was made clear in this review that FERC regulations apply to only a very small number of utility lines in the state of Indiana, and unfortunately, Indiana lacks any uniform utility vegetation management policies and practices for lines not regulated by FERC. Instead, Indiana allows its utilities to set their own policies, some of which violate the state’s Constitution and the rights of private property owners when takings occur without due process, consent, or compensation. Furthermore, some Indiana utilities defend their practices by incorrectly claiming that FERC not only authorizes but requires such takings.

The potentially improper influence of some utilities on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) remains a concern and was highlighted when the governor was forced to demand the resignation of the chairman of IURC.

Basic property rights, common sense, and even simple courtesy are the issues at stake. Most Indiana utilities are vigorously fighting to maintain the status quo, spending your money to influence candidates and elected officials, while property owners place their hopes on those in our state legislature who have been leading the fight for utility reform.

The upcoming election could determine the future of policies and practices for utility vegetation management in the state of Indiana.

With this in mind, the Indiana Tree Alliance strongly urges you to vote on November 2nd to retain our friends and allies on these issues in the Indiana state legislature, State Senators Jim Merritt, Mike Delph, Jean Breaux, Sue Errington, Pat Miller, and State Representatives Cindy Noe, Phil Hinkle, Cherrish Pryor, and Dennis Tyler.

Please do not mistake this post as my personal endorsement for any particular candidate.

#worldmsday

May 26, 2010 at 8:08 AM | Posted in I care about strangers., I have MS., What's up? | Leave a comment
Tags: MS, multiple sclerosis, World MS Day 2010

The last Wednesday in May is here, which means World MS Day is upon us. You knew that, right? This will be my first World MS Day since my diagnosis so, predictably, I am totally unprepared. I’m not sure what I think I should be prepared for but I definitely feel some pressure to support any sort of MS awareness/treatment/research/cure movement. It’s self-induced pressure, yes, but that makes no difference whatsoever.

I’m not planning a get-together at the house with food and drink and educational literature. I am not soliciting charitable donations. I am indeed using the appropriate hashtag in this entry’s title so it gets picked up in Twitter, so that’s something. And I am telling you this: life with MS is unpredictable.

I don’t have some of the terrible symptoms, like blurred vision, weak limbs, pain, loss of balance, or incontinence. My disease is relapsing and remitting, not progressive. So far the treatment is worse than the symptoms most of the time. Yes, I have less energy than I should. Yes, the medicine depresses me. But the scariest part of having multiple sclerosis, for me, is the fact that I just don’t know what’s going to happen. There is no way to predict how the disease will alter my life and that’s hard to think about sometimes.

So here’s my very-small-scale PSA to you: Learn something about MS, more than the teensy bit that I share with you. Check out the National MS Society and the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Get involved in World MS Day. Think global and act local.

POM354

April 29, 2009 at 8:08 AM | Posted in I care about strangers. | Leave a comment
Tags: POM354

I heard James Brett while listening to The Spendid Table podcast and immediately looked up POM354. Good stuff. Before I could stop myself — although, why would I? — I adopted a tree for £8.00 (AKA $12).

Pomegranates are yummy. Poverty and heroin are not yummy. Adopt a tree and help the world move one step closer to yumminess. What goes around comes around, people.