The 10,000 Step Program

December 30, 2007

All I wanted for Christmas was a pedometer. . . yes, a little doo-dad that clips to my waistband and records all the steps I’ve walked in a day.

I’m not normally a gadget-y type of person, but, I thought it’d be interesting to see how close I get to the 10,000 “recommended steps” a day.

I am failing miserably:

Day One: 3,602
Day Two: 3,755
Day Three: 1,011
Day Four (today): 2,189 (so far)

OK, first: what the hell happened on Day Three? Second, did you do the math and see that it takes me four days to get to my “10,000 recommended steps a day”?

I thought that a pedometer would be validating—it would show me that all those flights of stairs I climb every day, all that running after the kids, all the cleaning, cooking, laundry, errand running. . .all these things were adding up to a healthier me. Instead, I see that I am a long way from my goal.

So, if you see me, and I’m pacing back and forth like a stressed-out tiger, please understand that I’m just racking up the miles. . .er, steps.

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Filed Under: Fairly Odd Me 13 Comments

Philanthropy Thursday: Counting on Change

December 27, 2007

Chances are you have it: a bucket, container, shoe box or dish where you throw change found in your pockets at the end of the day. We have two: “his” and “hers”. I’ve been collecting change in mine for a couple of years and had filled a half-gallon size jar.

I know some people who have very specific plans for these change jars. The money is being used for a family trip, or to buy a piece of furniture, or for the kids’ college funds. However, I had no plans for this change. It was just ‘fun money’.

But, as I brought the jar downstairs and started to divide the coins into piles of quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies, I had a thought. Turning to my little helpers (Belly and Jilly), I told them they could decide how to spend a third of the money. However, instead of spending their portion on themselves, the money had to go to helping someone else. We would each get one-third of the total coins rolled.

Belly, in full American Girl Doll mode, said she wanted to help a place like the one that helped Kit’s father. The story of Kit is set during the Great Depression when her father had to visit a soup kitchen. We decided that Boston’s Pine Street Inn was pretty close, so we will be sending them a check (and since Fairly Odd Father’s company has a matching gift program, we can double our donation).

Jilly had to think about where to send her portion but decided she wanted to help animals. We will send her donation to our nearby MSPCA which has a nice new cat room to showcase the older cats.

The number of charities I would like to help is endless. However, I was touched after reading this post about the number of schools and libraries that lost all their books to Hurricane Katrina. Books, to me, are one of the most important things a child should have, and therefore, I will be purchasing some items from this wish list.

If you have a jar of coins with no plans attached to them, consider donating them to a cause that speaks to you. Chances are someone else will see your quarters, nickels and dimes not as change, but as gold.

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Filed Under: The Outside World 10 Comments

When Regifting is Acceptable

December 26, 2007
The stockings are no longer hung by the chimney with care (they are crumpled on the floor with little gifts strew about them), and St. Nicholas is long gone, but I’m in a giving mood.
A little while ago, the ever-so-thoughtful and kind Robin gave me this award:

I now want to regift this award to some people and have decided to select the ten people who made a comment to my last post. This post was about my dad’s death which is never a fun topic; it also comes at a time of the year when most of us are in full “chicken-with-heads-cut-off” mode; the fact that you not only took the time to read my post, but to also comment, is so very appreciated.

So, Another Mom Creation, Tree, Robin (I can give this to you, right?), Summer, Mary Alice, Mrs. Chicky, Oh, The Joys, Shannon, Blog Antagonist and Mrs. Q (get a blog already, won’t you?): thank you all for your kind words, your support and your virtual hugs. I cannot adequately express how much they meant to me, so let me just pass on the shiny pink “I’m Fabulous Award” for you to proudly show off for all to see.

OK, off to eat more Christmas cookies and little chocolate balls. I’ll even raise my glass of eggnog to toast you all.

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Filed Under: Blog Love 8 Comments
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