Finn Riggins

I didn’t know Finn Riggins. But after watching this video over on Stereopathic last week…the accordion, the chips and salsa…I want to hear more! I am going to keep my eye out for them in the future. They made me smile and that is always a good thing!

Finn Riggins from Stereopathic on Vimeo.
“Wake” – Finn Riggins
Finn Riggins-MySpace

I Freeze My Garbage

Not all of it!! But the perishables…yeah, you bet!

It started about 10 years ago when we moved into an apartment that offered weekly garbage pick up. I thought that sounded nice. What I didn’t consider was that the garbage pick up location was located right outside our apartment door….for the entire building!! Another issue with this policy was that the apartment complex did NOT have a dumpster. I couldn’t get rid of my garbage if I wanted to. The rules were that you couldn’t put your garbage out until after 9pm the night before pick-up. Do you think that people complied?? Yeah, no. It was so disgusting I am relieved that we only lived there for a year!

I followed the rules because I didn’t want to bother others with our garbage (I wish everyone was considerate!), but in order to control the odor I started freezing our perishables. Banana peels, apple cores, vegi scraps, meat trimmings, etc (things that didn’t go through the disposer well). I have been doing it for so long now, it has become a habit. I can’t imagine immediately throwing away anything that might rot, fester or attract bugs and rodents!

Since I am also recycling, I usually only produce one kitchen garbage can worth of garbage a week. The idea of leaving smelly stuff in there all week *shudder* well, I just don’t want to smell it or live with it. I guess I could compost it, but I personally have no use for compost. In addition our HOA rules require that we keep our garbage in the garage until garbage day. A smelly garage is no better than a smelly house!

I have a special spot in the freezer for the perishable garbage and I just grab the frozen “goodies” and add them to the bag on garbage day. Simple.

I just did a little Google search on freezing garbage and see that there is a garbage can on the market that will keep your garbage frozen at all times. I think this is overkill and a waste of energy. The perishable parts of my garbage do not take up that much room in my freezer! But then again, it is just the two of us. Or more like just me lately!! Starr is really happy living at the sorority house this semester and has been spending less time at home.

This is a good thing!

Ditching the Phone

My home phone has been ringing off the hook lately. Many calls each day from numbers I did not know. Since I didn’t recognize the numbers I didn’ t answer the phone. It is my philosophy that if they really need to talk to me, they will leave me a message. *shrug*

However, they left no messages. The frequency of the calls increased driving me crazy and increasing my resolve not to answer. I can be really stubborn when I want to be!! I ended up unplugging all the phones in the house except for my office phone and I turned the ringer on that one to low. I was standing firm in my belief that I do not NEED to answer the phone just because they are calling the house. Again, if they needed me, they need to LEAVE A FLIPPING MESSAGE!!

I caved yesterday and I answered the call.

It was a collection agency!!

They have been calling multiple times a day trying to collect a debt from someone who has my name. A very common name! They promised me they would remove my number from the account. We will see.

Then. I answered the next call. It was another collection agency! Apparently this Kelly has many unpaid debts and they are haunting me!

My phone has been quiet for 24 hours. I hope it stays that way!!

Now that I’ve de-phoned the house I am considering turning off the land line all together. Most people use my cell phone number anyway. At this point I think it would be a relatively easy transition. My main issue is that I love my number.

Have you ever had a really great phone number?? I have one and I just hate to give it up. Silly, I know.

Repost: Project Linus

Originally posted May 2008. I was warm and toasty last night watching Lost while wrapped in the bright blue and green blanket pictured below when my fingers brushed the Project Linus label. I never forget where the blanket came from or why, but I was moved to share this post again. I think it is a really really great project:

Starr and I finished moving home the remainder of her things Friday afternoon. There was much more there than either of us thought. After two car loads of crap, and some goodbyes, we have closed that chapter.

Three days later I am still faced with this:

In two of these pictures, I see two things that are very important to us. In the middle photo, there is a quilt on the banister with stars on it. And in the bottom one, there is a cozy brightly colored blanket with flowers and hearts. Both of these blankets were given to Starr last year after the accident. She received one at the hospital and the other at the high school.

These blankets were Project Linus blankets. Project Linus mission:

Project Linus is comprised of hundreds of local chapters and thousands of volunteers across the United States. Each volunteer and local chapter all work together to help us achieve our mission statement, which states:

• First, it is our mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer “blanketeers.”
• Second, it is our mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

Together we have distributed over two million blankets to children in need since our inception in 1995.

The colorful flower blanket happens to have been made by Key Club students at Starr and Sunny’s school and was donated to Project Linus some time before the accident. Key Club is a volunteer organization at the high school that the girls were heavily involved with. It actually means a lot that the Key Club donation came back to Starr in this manner.

Starr and I have made plans to make blankets and donate when we can. The blankets really did make a difference.

Love Your Flaws

Something a little lighter today!! I just love the message of this video:

“Flawz” – Caitlin Crosby

Nothing is Worth This

I have had a few days to think about the tragic death of Starr’s friend and have decided that the message of his passing is well worth sharing.

His name was Devon and he was 22 years old.

I didn’t know him, but I have had the opportunity to view and cry over the pictures and stories on the memorial Facebook page set up by a fellow fraternity member.

As of this moment it appears that he was at a fraternity event watching the Nuggets game in Denver. He apparently drank too much and was asked to leave the stadium. What happened after that is unknown, but he was found nearly 40 miles away, in the middle of nowhere Colorado on the train tracks. He had been run over by multiple trains before being spotted more than a day after he was reported missing. The best guess at this time is that he wandered away from the stadium and hopped a train at the nearby rail station. Did he panic and jump out? Did he fall? Or did he get to the tracks another way? At this point there is just no knowing.

There has been another Facebook page added to highlight awareness of the dangers of drinking and to share the message to always take care of yourself as well as your friends. Always. A tragedy like this one was preventable. I am sure that all of Devon’s fraternity brothers are rethinking their evening and wondering “what if?” I wish that I could ease their pain, as well as the pain and grief that Devon’s family is suffering. The following is posted to the Awareness page and is credited to Devon’s little brother:

I only want everyone to remember Devon for what he was, a special, special person who touched the hearts of many. He was a great, gifted person who loved, and was loved by everyone. He died in the last half of his Senior year, and was such a loss to everyone who knew him. Not for the stupid series of events that led to his death. That said, we want to spread the message of being careful, that you never leave an intoxicated friend alone, because you never know what’s going to happen. Its ok to miss whatever’s going on to make sure they’re taken care of, because nothing is worth this. Absolutely nothing. And thats all we want, because thats all you can do for us, never let anything like this ever happen again. Please just let everyone know.

If you know kids (or adults) of driving age, of drinking age, talk to them. Please! I know I did with Starr, often, and I know (have learned the hard way-which didn’t have anything to do with alcohol) that talking and understanding won’t always prevent tragedy, but it MIGHT! And each and every life saved is oh so very precious.

I was torn between keeping his story private or sharing it, but after reading his brother’s plea I decided that sharing it was the way to go.

Keep the message close to your heart and spread it where possible.

A Reminder

This week Starr lost a friend. One of her Greek Life friends passed away in a tragic and puzzling accident.

This young man’s family needs prayers and support as they move through this forever painful event. My heart breaks for them.

It is all so very sad.

And it is yet another reminder to love…now! Say “I love you!!” often and forgive. Smile and breathe. Laugh and cry. Eat and dance. Be silly. Make art. Follow our passions.

Live…and I mean really live!

…while we have the chance.

Easier said than done sometimes!!

A Saturday Mix

mp3: “Cecilia/Amanda” – Elliott Smith
Unreleased, but provided recently by Kill Rock Stars in anticipation/celebration of their reissuing of Elliott Smith’s 1994 debut album Roman Candle and 2004 posthumous LP From a Basement on the Hill on April 6th, 2010.

mp3: “For You” – Sharon Van Etten
Buy the album directly from the artist: Because I Was in Love
Sharon Van Etten-MySpace

mp3: “Numbers Don’t Lie” – The Mynabirds
Album will be released April 27, 2010: What We Lose in the Fire, We Gain in the Flood
The Mynabirds-MySpace

mp3: “Nervous” – Tessitura
Album: On The Importance of Being Confused available for free download at the link.

mp3: “As Long as We’re Together” – Andrew Morgan
Album: Please Kid Remember
Andrew Morgan-MySpace

Purr

Bella helping me take pictures the other day…she brightens my days!
Even when she is being a pain!!

When Life Was Simple

My brother and me.
Northfield, Minnesota