Take a Bridal Party Photo for Strangers

The project:
Borrow the photographer's camera to take a photo that INCLUDED.

Time:
30 seconds

Why bother?
How many times have you looked back at family trip photos, special event photos, only to discover that, as far as the photographic record shows, you weren't THERE! As official family or friend photog, maybe you don't get a chance to get in the group shots, and even when you do then some OTHER group member is missing.

While at a bonfire at the beach this evening, the neighboring bonfire was host to a bridal party having one last beach hurrah before the Bride's Big Day. The ladies were taking a group shot, so I stepped in and offered to take it so they could ALL be included.

Worth it?
Yes - I love taking photos anyhow, but the ladies were super appreciative of the offer.

Recycle Our Glass, Plastic and Alumninum

The project:

Turn in the plastic, glass and aluminum beverage containers collected at our home over the past several weeks.

Time:
15 minutes, excluding drive time. (The recycling center was super busy today!)

Why bother?
No need to use earth's limited resources when we can reuse the materials, so we make a habit of collecting recyclables. Why turn it in TODAY? Our bin was overflowing, plus we needed milk money.

Worth it?
Yes - saving resources AND just enough for a gallon of the good stuff. :)

Organize an Educational Tour

The project:
Organize and see through an educational tour for more than 70 people.

Time:
About an hour for reservations, publicity, communications related to RSVPs, responding to questions and sending reminders.

Why bother?
Some organizations offer tours only to groups. While I am sometimes granted access as an author writing about these organizations and their special places, it feels better to go with flow - to share the places. We know lots of folks who are interested in the things we do and the places we go, so I thought we'd make this a shared experience.

Worth it?
Yes. We got to see the place, but so did the families who showed up for the day - plus we played at the beach all afternoon with friends.

Organizing events has been an education. I've learned not only to ask folks for confirmation of their participation, but to confirm again within days of the actual event. In this event, for instance, 77 people initially responded that they would take part. In the week leading up to the event, I asked for confirmations. Of the 34 children and 19 adults who confirmed they would be there, 21 children and 10 adults showed. I've heard that charging fees helps because folks are more likely to show up for things they've already paid for, but I'm hard pressed to charge folks for something that costs me nothing except time. Sure, my time's worth something, but other families like mine probably appreciate no-cost programs, too.

Compliment a Woman

The project:
Give an honest compliment to a woman.

Time:
Moments

Why bother?
This morning, while at the theater for a family matinee, the girls and I ran into a friend we don't see often enough. Though she has more children than I do and a busy calendar, she always manages to look fantastic. Before we went our separate ways (we in search of adjacent seats, she headed to the lobby) I told her as much.

Funny...I didn't think of it as a charitable deed until later when she found us in the theater and told me that compliment was definitely today's good deed. (Our local paper ran a story over the weekend about A Year of Living Charitably. Word is getting around!)

Worth it?
Absolutely. I think too many people are so afraid that simple compliments will send some "wrong message" that they simply keep to themselves. What a shame! A compliment can be simply that; and I find that most of the time people appreciate being noticed.

Donate with the Click of the Mouse

The project:
Donate food to Feeding America through Kraft.

Time:
30 seconds

Why bother?
Kraft is giving boxes of its brightly colored macaroni and cheese away to Feeding America, but it's using the giveaway as a marketing opportunity. See, they're only going to give away as much as site visitors TELL them to give away. If we don't visit (and thereby get a visual reminder of what Kraft has to offer us all), then click the giant button, the promotion/donation project doesn't work. So...I took part.

The site allows one visit/click per day per computer, so I think I'll check back daily 'til the program ends July 31. The company aims to donate a million boxes, but is only at 579,148 tonight.

OH, and if you're really into the mac 'n cheese, you'll be glad to know there are printable coupons on the site, too.

Worth it?
Sure. By taking a few seconds to look it up and click (they don't even ask for your e-mail address or ask you to sign up for an "account" or any other such rubbish to take part), I helped donate 10 meals to families in need. If I do this every day 'til the promotion ends, I will have "donated" 50 boxes all at no expense to me but a few seconds a the computer.

Go ahead - you know you want to lend a hand. And it won't cost you a dime! :)

Mosquito Abatement

The project:
Dump yucky water and refill containers for horses. Move a goldfish from a clean trough to one with lots of wigglers (mosquito larvae).

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
As I placed a halter on the rack after yesterday's ride, the rack tore free of the wall. We were on the way into town for an appointment, so we had to take off, but I left word that I'd fix it in the morning.

This morning I headed out into the morning mist only to find that someone else had already fixed it, and cleaned up that corner of the tack shed.

Rather than turn around and head for home, I looked for some other way to contribute during the time I'd already set aside for my project. I greeted the yawning horses, then checked their waters. Some had run far enough down to be dumped (whisker droppings and all), and refilled. One of the largest troughs, however, had too much water for a complete rotation. It also had LOTS of mosquito larvae, so I transferred the goldfish from another trough into this one to do in in the bugs and make for one happy little orange fish.

Worth it?
Yes. Anything I can do to help. All my time out here feels so relaxing, and there's so much work to be done help is welcome and appreciated.

Photo courtesy Álvaro Rodríguez under Creative Commons license.

Donate to Local Thrift Store or Shelter

The project:
Donate some of our belongings to the local thrift store that benefits various shelters in the area.

Time:
90 minutes including going through belongings with our children (THAT will slow anyone down), sorting clothes, and delivery

Why bother?
While the media continues to holler about the tough times the world is experiencing, we do, indeed, continue to live in a age of plenty, in a society of too much, and, in most cases, homes too too small to continue collecting stuff, whether useful or not. Go ahead - argue the point. But look around you first. Are you online? Are you sitting at your OWN computer? In your OWN home? Did you eat well tonight? Perhaps far too well? Do your closets contain more than a week's worth of clothes? How about your children's collections of books and toys, not to mention your own collection. Honestly, unless we're living on the streets out of a shopping carts, or in shelters, or in a home housing several families, we're still living in plenty despite economic struggles relative to our recent pasts.

Our kids recently received some clothes from friends. Before going through the new things, the kids and I went through their closets and drawers, pulling out stained, torn and incredibly worn things, clothes they'd grown out of or which, for whatever reason, they didn't like anymore. They received new things one-for-one. While I did not receive new items, my collection of clothing, however simple, has grown. It seemed only fair (and logical) that I should go through my things as well. I went through my clothes, but also my bookshelves and kitchen, plus the garage.

One of the girls saw a shirt I handed off.

"Mom! I thought you liked that shirt with the flowers on it!"

"I do. But I don't have room for everything I like. I don't have room for everything I want. So, I have to make choices, just like you're making choices. I chose to keep the things I like even better. Someone else will like this shirt, too."

Is it wasteful to give up things that are not yet worn to the nubbins? Perhaps, if you're throwing them away. I don't think so, however, when we donate them to someone else who may be able to use them. (Ratty clothes, worn clothes, stained clothes, however, find their way to the recycling and trash bins.)

Worth it?
Yes - I feel a bit more relieved now that our clothes can more easily be put away, and the house feels slightly less cluttered. I'm fairly certain we could do a better job in the future.

No good deed goes unpunished?

Or so the saying goes. That's a bit how I'm feeling tonight about my July 16 pool recycling project. I felt great about spend 30 minutes tearing this pool into bits and pieces that would fit in our recycling bin. It had a tear in the bottom, and as brittle as the plastic was, seemed irreparable. (I still maintain that it was.)

I figured I'd recycle that one, then find a new pool for the kids. (I know...plastic bad. But the pool lasted us several years before it was recycled, not sent to the giant flotilla of plastic whirling at sea.) WRONG!

It seems there are no hard-plastic pools to be found this year. (OK, I DID find the typical round one that's about 3' across, but with two girls, one of whom is approaching 5', that's just not going to do it.) Our last pool also had a slide, a place to plug in the hose to create a sprinkler attraction (which landed in the pool) and a river/waterway molded along one edge.

I'm super bummed about the loss of pool. But, really, it had to go. :*(

(Strains of "Memories" here.)

Scoopin' Poop

The project:
Scoop horse poop.

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
While our shared lease on the horse we're riding this month doesn't require us to do the everyday chores, it seems to me that's part of horse time. If you have a horse, you need to clean up after it, care for it properly. The woman who maintains these horses has more than half a dozen to deal with, plus lessons to give, her own family to care for, horses to train, oh, and a life to live. The poop needed scoopin' and it was my turn.

Worth it?
Yes - I even got a nice comment from another of the horsey folk out there while I was scoopin' away.

Listen to a Cancer Patient

The project:
Take time to compliment a cancer patient on the regrowth of her hair, and to listen to her talk about the latest in her treatment.

Time:
30 minutes

Why bother?
I met this woman about three weeks ago, the day before she was to go in for a double mastectomy. Family history has given me some lessons in what comes along with this surgery and related treatment. Today, while passing by her place, I stopped in to check on her. She greeted me on the porch, without her wig. I quickly noted with excitement the new hair that was adorning her previously BALD, bald, BALD head. She was as pleased as she could be that someone noticed, but surprised that I did, being so new on the scene.

Then we sat on the porch and visited, first about her latest, then moving on to the more relaxing themes of kids and neighbors, animals and the fair.

Worth it?
Yes!

Support Independent Business

The project:
Choose locally owned businesses over massive chains for today's business.

Time:
Same as if I'd ventured into the mega brands.

Why bother?
Mega stores, chains, they come and go. When they come, the kill off local shops that, in so many cases, have been here for decades, even generations. When they go, they leave us nothing. Plus, have you ever thought about just how ridiculous it might be to be purchasing produce shipped by planes, trains and automobiles from half way around the globe when we're growing them RIGHT HERE? HOW can it be less expensive?! (I know - cheap labor. But still...)

I do believe in the free market society, but little shops that offer customer service and quality goods just don't seem to be able to survive quite as well in a world that values rock-bottom prices over any sort of quality, let alone customer service. By supporting our locals, perhaps they'll survive long enough to see the chains give way to locals who value service and quality over saving a dime.

Worth it?
Yes.

Photo courtesy Dave Olson under Creative Commons License.

Water Horses

The project:
Water a plethora of horses after our afternoon ride.

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
While I put away the horse, I noticed its water was low. Rather than just water our horse and move on, I opted to check the other horses' waters. Some were low, so I filled them, too.

Worth it?
Sure! It's not a big deal - we had time - and the horses need water. They really don't care WHO waters them. And someone else would have gotten to it, but maybe I saved that "someone else" some time.

Photo courtesy Michelle under Creative Commons License.

Give the time of day to a homeless man

The project:
Take a few minutes to talk to a homeless man.

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
This isn't something I normally do. Sure, I'm cordial when our paths cross with those of homeless people, but I don't typically have a conversation.

Today, however, I'd stopped by a convenience store to grab a quick drink no my way north for a speaking engagement. When I came out, there at the busy gas pump was a 1934 Ford roadster built to the max - rumbling engine, flames, wheelie bar, even a parachute. Even if you're not that into cars, you couldn't help but notice it. And if you ARE into cars, you couldn't help but understand and appreciate the kind of time and effort that went into the build.

The wizened homeless guy on the curb just next to where I'd parked my own standard, modern minivan and I were in the same boat on this one. Both of us were gawking. He started the conversation with, "Ain't that a beauty?" Then he filled me in on the car's details.

Turns out his dad was a mechanic, so as a young guy he'd had the shop at his disposal. He built a Chevelle (427) to the max and made some money racing it in the Central Valley back in the day. He'd wanted to drive it up the twists and turns of Highway 1 with the woman who became his wife, but she knew how he drove and wouldn't have any of it. (Not sure I blame her.)

He never asked me for anything. When another homeless guy drunk off his derriere walked up to us both and asked for 50 cents, it was the auto expert living out of his backpack who was first to his pocket. He pulled out the contents of his pocket and handed it over.

Worth it?
Yes. People end up on the streets for lots of reasons: mental illness, addictions, poor financial decisions, terrible luck, even choice. Regardless of what got them there, I believe homeless people, like most people, want to be acknowledged. I know it can be scary, and in this instance I felt not like I was talking to a homeless man, but to a man with a shared interest in an amazing vehicle - nothing more.

Recycle Plastic

The project:
Recycling our ubiquitous plastic bags and related materials plus the plastic bags we gathered throughout the week from neighbors' and floating around in parking lots and parks.

Time:
Moments to drop off. Negligible time collecting others in our path.

Why bother?
See any of these reasons - we seem to be doing a lot of this.

Worth it?
Yes.

Photo courtesy Omar Eduardo under Creative Commons License.

Recycle a Swimming Pool

The project:
Cut up our kids' sun-damaged, leaky swimming pool and recycle it.

Time:
35 minutes.

Why bother?
The pool was made of #2 recyclable colored plastic. Our curbside recycling program accepts #2, but only if it fits in the bin. My other option was to put it in the back of the van and drive it to the recycling center (where staff doesn't even know about recycling batteries or CFL bulbs, let alone bulky things) or drive it to the dump where I'd pay a tipping fee to leave it in a landfill for decades to come.

Using a combination of vehicle (my Jeep is a great #2 plastic crusher), garden sheers (to cut apart the broken pieces), and brute strength (sometimes you just have to go there), I managed to break, cut, tear and otherwise reduce the pool to pieces small enough to fit in the bin.

Worth it?
Yes. It was kind of fun, actually. I don't get to destroy things very often, and since this was already useless at that point, the destruction was nothing but productive. Plus, the pool's been awaiting a decision for months since becoming useless as a water-play area. Now the side yard is clear, the plastic is on its way to becoming something new, and the neighbors are CERTAIN I'm crazy.

OH, and the youngest daughter who didn't know there was a leak is probably emotionally scarred. I walked into the house where she had been watching out the window as I drove over, cut and tore the pool apart.

"You know it had a leak, right," I asked her.

"No."

"OH! Well, it wouldn't hold water anymore. We tried to fix it, remember? Now it's time for a new one."

"OH," she said more brightly. "OK!"

Photo courtesy giveawayboy under Creative Commons license.

Holding Open Doors for Men

The project:
Hold open doors for men who follow into and out of various stores, offices, etc. for a day.

Time:
Minutes

Why bother?
We've held doors open for just about anyone following us through them, but today I focused on doing this favor for men. WHY? I kind of feel sorry for them. I mean, while we all know that there was a time when men held doors open for women, there came a time when women wanted to hold open their own doors. Some women were just plain rude about it. So now men don't know whether you're one of those women who WANT the polite door holding or one who will grow a horn on your forehead if he so much as OFFERS a hand.

Today, I turned the tables, and most of the men greeted the favor with high eyebrows, a smile and a word of thanks.

Oh, and for the record, while I'm quite capable of opening my own doors, men are welcome to open doors for me anytime. I'll even say, "Thank you."

Worth it?
Yes - a fun social experiment.

Connecting Pets with Homes

The project:
Help find a home for one of man's best friends.

Time:
10-15 minutes or so.

Why bother?
There are lots of great pets looking for homes. Some have been abandoned; some lost; some turned in because they just didn't get along with their hosts/hostesses. While puppies are cute, there just doesn't seem to be a reason to farm dogs while there are so many in shelters awaiting good homes.

Rascal, who I spotted on the slide show in this blog's left column, seems like a keeper, so I helped to spread the word further and found a potential new home - pending local SPCA approval of the proposed new home.

Worth it?
If Rascal gets a new home, then absolutely! If you look at that banner and help spread the word about these pets in need, EVEN BETTER! :)

Right a Trailer

The project:
Help right an upturned trailer.

Time:
15 minutes

Why bother?
It's what you do when you're traveling with someone else - help.

We had gone over some pretty hair trail, but the trailer opted to bounce itself right upside down in this mild spot! Go figure. I backed down, turned around, and provided winch support, though the cable sorting and heavy lifting was done by others in our group.

Worth it?
Certainly!

Clean Up Camp

The project:
Clean up after the campers who came before us.

Time:
A few minutes here and there over the course of two nights' stay.

Why bother?

The campers before us were pigs. Really. They were the prime example of why public access becomes limited. Trash in the fire ring, trash spread around the site, trash bag semi-buried.

Seriously, People!

If you're going to &*$# in the woods, bury it properly. No plastic bag!

Worth it?

Absolutely - but a shame we had to do it.

Putting out the fire: Even ashes need to be cooled - completely soaked - DEAD OUT!

Flag Down Dad

The project:
Flag down Dad after his trailer hitch failed and the load began dragging on the freeway - then stand by and help unload/load tools while he performed the roadside emergency fix.

The story:
We were headed out of town for a family camping trip. I was following Dad/Grandpa who was towing a heavily laden trailer. As we crossed through a construction zone, sparks started flying from under the trailer. I pulled up alongside and saw the sway bar grinding along the pavement, the pulled up to the tow vehicle and signaled for him to pull over.

While he performed welding surgery on the trailer, the girls and I stayed out of the way, then we guarded the Jeeps while he delivered the truck and trailer home before returning to us and carrying on with the weekend's plans

Why bother?
The trailer was basically ripping off the hitch. Had he not stopped, this could have been disastrous. As it was, he had all of his safety elements in place. And he may have stopped on his own - he heard the trailer dragging.

Worth it?
Yes.

Help Load the Heavy Stuff

The project:
Help another shopper move her heavy load from cart to trunk.

Time:
Perhaps 3 minutes.

Why bother?
Not that this much older woman couldn't have done it herself, but these loads of groceries from the bulk store can be tough. We were on our way in to the store. It took only a couple of minutes to offer help, give it, receive a "thanks" and smile in return, then return the cart to the storefront.

Worth it?
Yes!

Recycle yet more plastic

The project:
Gather the plastic bags and related materials from throughout the house and turn it in to the recycling spot.

Time:
10 minutes including driving time.

Why bother?
These pretty much sum it up.

Worth it?
Yes, but I wish these bags wouldn't creep into the corners and multiply! THIS effort certainly has raised my awareness of just how prolific plastic is! WHEW!

Driving Courteously

The project:
Let people merge in, even when they pass that long line to "get ahead." Leave openings for big trucks. Wave others through four-way stops first. Pass kindly. In general, drive courteously.

Time:
We spent about 12 hours in the car this week getting to points south, then north, then home again. All of them involved putting other drivers first.

Why bother?
Makes the drives so much more relaxing, and probably safer for us all, too.

Worth it?
ABsolutely!

Remembering Others

The project:
Remember an acquaintance, her details and, especially, her children during a chance encounter so many years later.

Time:
10 minutes

Why bother?
We were hiking in West Marin when we ran across a local. I hadn't seen her in more than a decade, so she was shocked when I remembered her, and details, and particularly her children. (What mom isn't happy to have their children remembered?)

Generally, I'm terrible at remembering people's names or details. It's one or the other for me, for some reason. But people feel so great when they're remembered for the good stuff. I know this is something I need to work on, and today was the perfect example of just how much we can brighten others' days by remembering them.

Worth it?
Yes!

Photo courtesy ChicagoGeek under Creative Commons license.

Store Help

The project:
Pick up parking lot trash, help clean freezer, restock shelves, take out trash at family member's store.

Time:
Hmmm...an hour total perhaps

Why bother?
In order:
Trash in the lot never looks good, yet people figure SOMEONE will pick it up. Today, that someone was me.

Freezer cases need maintenance. It's not too tough to lend a hand.

Stocking shelves, alphabetizing anything really, is right up my alley.

Taking trash out has arisen as a major theme of this blog; clearly a great need in our society.

Worth it?
Yes, on all fronts, because any effort is much appreciated by this recipient.

Photo courtesy Jacob Christensen under Creative Commons license.

Guests serving guests

The project:
Make dinner for our hosts' guests.

Time:
30 minutes including prep, but not bake time. I mean, come one, does visiting while the OVEN does the heavy work really count!? ;)

Why bother?
The relatives hosting us this week are really busy, too. Today, they all happened to be at work while we, one set of guests, welcomed another set during an overlapping visit. I know where (some) things are in the kitchen, and we'd packed some groceries for the visit, so this seemed like the perfect day to put dinner on the table.

An added plus: when our hostess returned home from work, her steaming plate of scrumptious dinner was, quite literally, on the table for her.

Worth it?
Yes. We shared a family favorite, and everyone reaped the benefits.

Feeding Cats

The project:
Purchase cat food and feed the cats at Mom's house while she was away.

Time:
Finding a store that carries cat food open that late - 30 minutes.
Feeding cats - 10 minutes.

Why bother?
In their rush to get out of town, Mom n' Grandpa D realized they were out of cat food. We were staying at their house for a night (recovering from late night at the birthday party), so it seemed like a need we could easily fill.

Worth it?
Yes.

Photo courtesy Sapphiren under Creative Commons license.