You do what you can.

Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity", in the sense of "what it is to be human", the essence of our humanity. In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of life"—balancing the social-scientific aspect emphasized in the twentieth century, with the long-traditional and original humanistic core of the word's ancient coinage.

Put simply, philanthropy is the pursuit of excellence in every facet of human life, for every human life, by imagining and implementing new systems, to bring that philosophy to fruition.

An important distinction should be made, that whilst admirable, charity is not the same as philanthropy. Simply argued by the concept that an implemented philanthropic idea may make its owner rich, if he or she so wishes. Compare this to the singular act of giving money away, associated with charity, the two concepts almost oppose each other. (Source: Wikipedia)

As someone with limited time and relatively limited finances*, I have to get creative (literally) with my philanthropy and charity. While I might not have the time to devote to helping out at an event, I will likely be able to donate a tray of cookies or cupcakes, and just because I can’t afford to write you a cheque for $150, I can probably give you a piece of art or a pretty scarf for your raffle.

I am sure that as I get older and wiser and wealthier (that’ll happen, right?), I’ll be able to contribute more, but for now, I'll be keeping my eyes open for opportunities to give.

I do what I can.

It’s not easy drinking green.

Spirulina powder doesn’t really have a taste or a smell, but what it lacks in both of those, it makes up for in colour. To call it “green” would be an understatement. It’s Green with a capital G. It’s green with an attitude. It’s green on steroids. It’s so green that it is impossible to hide.

I started out by putting it in chocolate protein powder. It looked like whatever the Creature from the Black Swamp crawled out of.

I mixed a teaspoon with my vanilla protein powder, added water and shook well. It was greener than Kermit the Frog’s…well…let’s just say it was greener than Kermit.

I tried it in blueberry juice. It was frightening. Really frightening.

But, here’s the thing: as bad as all three concoctions *looked*...they all tasted great. Like, really great. It was just the fact that they looked gross that I either had to deal with or get over.

And, it’s not like I have anything against green stuff. I love green stuff. I eat a pillowcase-sized bag of spinach a week. I just don’t like to drink creamy, sweet green stuff first thing in the morning.

So, you know what I did? I bought a green bottle for my protein shakes/smoothies. I’m apparently very easy to fool because…you know what?...it worked.

The Green Monster

Last week, while I was on a nutrition website ordering a vat of chocolate protein powder, I noticed that they were having a sale on organic spirulina. I had heard good things about it in the past, (and far be it for me to pass up a sale), so I clicked "add to cart" and set out to do some more research.

What I found out was that spirulina is actually quite amazing.

- Considered a "super-food", this nutrient dense blue-green algae is a complete protein and the highest source of plant-based protein, with a whopping 60% protein content.

- Spirulina is high in anti-oxidants and contains: vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cobalamin), vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folate, vitamin K, biotin, pantothenic acid, beta carotene (source of vitamin A), inositol, calcium, manganese, iron, chromium, phosphorus, molybdenum, iodine, chloride, magnesium, sodium, zinc, potassium, selenium, germanium, copper, boron, phycocyanin, chlorophyll, carotenoids, myxoxanthophyll, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, echinenone and other xanthophylls, gamma linolenic acid, glycolipids, sulfolipids, polysaccharides, isoleucine, phenylalanine, leucine, threonine, lysine, tryptophan, methionine, valine, alanine, glycine, arginine, histidine, aspartic acid, proline, cystine, serine, glutamic acid, tyrosine.

Not bad for a single-celled organism measuring .0196850394 inches in length!

Although it was the high-protein content that had originally piqued my interest, through my research I discovered that Spirulina is thought to reduce cholesterol and support cardiovascular health, improve eyesight, stimulate the immune system, improve digestion, promote detoxification, and aid in athletic endurance and recovery. Three words: sign me up!

So far, I have only taken my Spirulina once, but as I continue to take it, I plan to (hopefully) report back on its effectiveness. I would love to hear from others who are using it, as well, so please feel free to share your experiences!

The lucky one.

Last night, the mascot and I went for a late dinner with my mom on Corydon. After we said our goodbyes to Mumji, we walked hand-in-hand back to our car.

While we were cutting through the 7-11 parking lot, a guy in a truck leaned out his window and yelled "LUCKY!!" This, of course, made us both burst out in a fit of giggles. After we regained our composure, the mascot said, "Wow. That guy thinks I'm lucky to be holding hands with you!"

As flattering (ha!) as being hollered at is, I couldn't help but think that I am the lucky one. As far as kids go, I think I really lucked out by ending up with that one. He's smart, funny, sensitive and cool (but not too cool to hold hands with his mom once in a while). He gives me strength and a reason to be strong. I know that as long as we stick together, everything is going to be a-ok. Yup, lady-luck was definitely smiling down on me 12 years and 10 months ago.

We spent the next couple minutes in silence. I looked over at the mascot's freckled face and wondered what he was so deep in thought about.

He looked back at me, eyes sparkling, and said:
"You know who *is* lucky? Babies. They get to look at boobies."

:sigh:

Tomato, tomato!

I checked on the garden this morning and discovered a tomato in a very preliminary stage of redness. Considering the fact that my tomato crop was a bust last year, this is very exciting news. I could be eating a caprese salad by this time next week!

In other horticulture news, the basil is doing very well (despite its numerous attempts to bolt), the strawberries have been surprisingly abundant (if you consider a dozen off one plant "abundant"), and there is a gigantic butternut squash blossom lighting up the garden. I am concerned that the squash won't have enough time to grow, but then again, I'm not completely against eating babies.
Baby squashes, that is.



(x-posted to Relish!)

Map My Run...and tell the world.

What’s as much fun as running? Mapping it and seeing how far I’ve gone, of course.

I am a huge fan of Voomaxer to keep track of my running logs and post them to Facebook (& Twitter), but lately their routing function has been on the fritz. I don’t want to stop using Voomaxer, though, because the more people you tell about your run, the more calories you burn. Trust me…it’s scientific.

Now I’m using Map My Run to calculate my milage and I am loving it. Other than the general ease-of-use, the really cool thing about the mapping function is that it lets you “bend” your lines. This means less clicking and more accuracy…especially when charting runs down bendy streets. Try it yourself: Map My Run

* Yes, it’s a little goofy to have to use two sites, but I’m already goofy for never running the same route twice…and for mapping it after the fact. So, shush.

Dig!

This past weekend, the mascot and I finally got the chance to plant our herbs, veggies and annuals. With the exception of the rock garden (RIP), which didn't have enough of a snow-cover to protect it, all of our perennials came up beautifully. The only thing that was missing was a little colour and a little flavour.

We added crazy-coloured Coleus to the front and back perennial beds, planted the pots on the front steps with petunias (thanks to our friends Em and Jason!), and brightened up the garden along the back of the house with a riot of annuals. That garden is also home to 7 or 8 tomato plants (early girl, tiny tim, yellow, sweet 100...), a new blueberry bush (what?), strawberries, and one, lone butternut squash (the mascot's addition). There are also random herbs, here and there; a rosemary in the old rock garden, thyme in a planter, and basil beside the tomatoes.

I can't wait to see everything fill-in and bloom!

Today's Meditation

Have I posted this one before? I don't think so, but if I have, it bears repeating.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. ~ Buddha

...and breathe...

Today's Meditation

Love is patient.

(Or, the way I see it - “to love is to be patient”.)

me & my boy

me & my boy
Originally uploaded by zenbecca

“Everybody wants to save the earth; nobody wants to help Mom with the dishes.” ~ P.J. O'Rourke

Ah, but Mr O’Rourke didn’t know my kid. You see, in our house there is a well-balanced system of “I’ll load, you un-load” that a) keeps me sane and b) lets the boy earn his keep.

It’s not without its faults (90% of the items make it back to their correct spots and don’t make me mention the state of the Tupperware drawer) but, hey, it beats having to do it myself.

So, with Mother’s Day two short sleeps away, I would like to give a quick shout-out to the mascot; I wouldn’t be a mother without him, after all!

Today's Meditation

Let your love flow outward through the universe, to its height, its depth, its broad extent; a limitless love, without hatred or enmity. ~ Sutta Nipata

I think everything that I know about love, I have learned in the last 6 weeks. It all comes down to this: in the presence of real love, nothing is insurmountable or impossible to overcome. Give as much as you expect to get back and you'll have your bases covered.

Today's Meditation

The light at the end of the tunnel will continue to grow brighter as long as you stay on track.

Good lord, I hope so.

Today's Meditation

Just as the highest and the lowest notes are equally inaudible, so perhaps, is the greatest sense and the greatest nonsense equally unintelligible. ~ Alan Watts

Oh, I am going to have to spend some time wrapping my head around that one...

holly go-lightly

holly go-lightly
Originally uploaded by zenbecca

This past Sunday, R and I were planning to go to a movie, but decided at the last minute to go for a bike ride instead. It was such a nice day; it would have been a crime to waste it by sitting in the dark. Even the promise of popcorn, Milk Duds and a soda the size of my head wasn’t enough to lure us away from the sunshine. After a quick detour to pick up my bike (the lovely Holly go-lightly, pictured above) and then back to R's to put a little air in our tires, we were on our way to the Forks.

I was so happy to see that the rest of Winnipeg was on the same wave-length - people were out in droves! Besides the sunshine and good-karma, it felt so nice to be on a bike that was actually going somewhere for a change. In 3 months of spinning classes, I have probably logged hundreds of (theoretical) kilometres. Sure the bikes at the gym have brought me closer to my goal of better fitness…but they don’t take me to the yummy rum punch that R and I had on the patio by the river.

Today's Meditation

The most important things are beyond language.

Today's Meditation

It's more important to acknowledge things as they are and not as you want them to be.

Today's Meditation

You can make your day-to-day existence easier by accepting the futility of resistance.

...and breathe...

Flowing Gracefully

Have I mentioned how good my new yoga class is? So good.

There are a lot of vinyasas; but there’s plenty of time to really sink into the asanas, too, which is what I’m all about. I was worried that I would be a little rusty after my 18 month hiatus, but that wasn’t an issue at all - I’ve still got it! Whatever “it” is. (I think in my case, "it" is surprisingly good balance, better-than-average flexibility and freakishly-long arms, which are a huge help.)

My personal goal for the next 9 weeks is to concentrate on “graceful flow”. I know, right?

25 things we can live without…or can we?

I found this list on the Planet Green website and thought it would be fun to post...with my comments, natch.

Plastic wrap -- Instead, use a container with a lid.
Agreed. I haven’t bought plastic wrap in, like, forever. I do heart ziplocks, though…and I reuse them to death, so it's ok. Ish.
Tin foil – Use an oven-safe pot or dish with a lid.
Disagreed. I heart foil. Used judiciously, it's a big help in the kitchen. It makes clean-up a snap…and it’s recyclable, too.
Disposable cleaning cloths, dusters, etc. – Use a microfiber cloth that can be washed.
OMG! Was there life before the Swiffer?!?! (Yes, yes there was. When I was a kid we would cut up my dad’s old t-shirts for dusting.)
Paper towels – Use a tea towel, instead.
Ermmmm…guilty as charged.
Disposable pens – Buy a good pen that only needs the ink well changed.
Ok, yeah no. I’m not there yet. I do, however, try to buy better pens so that I’m not constantly chucking out duds.
Paper plates – Washing dishes may be an effort, but it’s worth it.
Yup. And, really, if you have a 12-year old kitchen slave, it's no effort at all.
Plastic cutlery – Use the metal stuff.
Ditto. (Although I will admit that I have a secret fetish for plastic spoons.)
Disposable razors – Invest in a razor that only needs the blades changed.
I have a bone to pick with the razor companies – their constant “innovating” has left me with a box of obsolete razor handles!
Packaged fruits and vegetables – Produce does not need to be packaged.
Yes and no. I buy a lot of bagged/boxed produce that I wouldn’t buy if it was sold “loose”…like snap peas and baby spinach. Some stores (I’m looking at you T&T) go beyond silly with their saran-wrapped styrofoam trays of, well, everything.
Individually wrapped snacks – Snacks travel better anyway in a hard container.
Yes…and the same goes for individual yogurts.
Juice boxes – Put juice in a reusable container (not plastic).
Juice? Apples and oranges are full of juice. Eat one.
Electric pencil sharpeners -- Use the hand-crank version of days gone by.
Oooh...now I want a hand-crank sharpener. (Although, I guess my sharpening needs aren't that great...I've been getting by with one of those little hand-held ones.)
Disposable diapers -- Cloth diapers aren't that much more difficult to use.
(Says the person who has never washed a bucket of dirty diapers or traveled with a baby.)
Disposable cloths – Fabric cloths can be washed regularly to avoid bacterial or viral build-up.
Key words – wash regularly.
Paper or plastic single-use grocery bags – Get a few reusable bags.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Bottled water -- Install a water filter on your tap or pick up a water jug with a filter.
We have broken ourselves of the bottled water habit. It helps that Winnipeg tap water is good.
Non-rechargeable batteries – Make the investment for rechargeable batteries and you’ll save money in the long run.
Will do…just as soon as I get through this case of IKEA AAs.
Electric can openers – Use a little muscle.
Lol. Again, is this an issue?
Single-serving pudding or yogurt cups – Buy a large container of yogurt or make your own pudding, and send it in a reusable container.
Oh, I spoke too soon. BTW...the big yogurts are cheaper, too!
Plastic cups – Stick to reusable cups.
I’ll see that...and raise you a coffee cup!
Disposable table cloths – Spills are a reality of life; just clean them up as they happen.
Better yet – wipeable placemats.
Antibacterial wipes – If you must, use a gel hand sanitizer.
I disagree, but for a different reason. I'm not big on anti-bacterial products. Just use soap and water.
Facial tissues -- Unless you have a bad cold, a handkerchief will work just fine.
Ermmmm…or a sleeve, if you’re 12.
Paper billing -- Switch to e-billing for your bank statement, credit card bill, utility bill, etc.
Or, better yet, pre-authorized payments. I have a problem with the “out of sight, out of mind” thing. I like to stay on top of my bills, but emails are SO easy to ignore.
Plasticized sticky notes -- Use the original paper sticky notes; they can be recycled when you're done with them
What? Is there such a thing? Are they for leaving notes in the shower?

Parting Words

Every morning, as I'm flying out the back door (literally), I tell the mascot "Ok, I'm outty...don't forget your lunch, your key, your bus pass...turn out the lights...lock up...set the alarm...have a great day...be good to people...I love you...bye!"

Today after "be good to people", I tacked on "...don't take any crap..."

I think we'll keep that one in there for a while.