Kind Words Before Competition

The project: Help others prepare mentally and physical for competition.

Time: Negligible.

Why bother?
Many people become incredibly nervous when they are faced with the bright lights and inevitable judgment of on-stage performance. As we headed into Sweet Adelines International Region 11 competition, it was easy enough to tuck a tag, adjust makeup, provide positive words to others, friends and strangers alike, who were headed for the stage.

Worth it?
A very small deed, indeed. Still, worth it and appropriate to the day's activities.

Photo courtesy Eva Blanda under Creative Commons License, some rights reserved.

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Leaving the Computer Behind

The project: Leaving computers behind.

Time:
Massive time saver.

Why bother?
It used to be that television at up too much of our time. In 1999, we cut the cable, thereby leaving ourselves with three television stations (one in Spanish). We saved a LOT of time.

Sure, we still found screen time ala computer, but at the time, we used it for e-mail, some word processing and bookkeeping. That was it. The computer was on for an hour or two on the days we used it, and we didn't even bother every day.

Things have changed. It seems we use the computer for just about everything. Addresses? check. Recipes? Sometimes, check. Bookkeeping? Check. Encyclopedic resources? Check again. Plus the Internet has expanded its services. Now it's possible to waste spend far MORE time online, reading websites and blogs, watching videos, researching, clicking through, stepping into the infinite void of the Internet.

I have fallen into the void once too often.

Rather than take the laptop with me to access the wireless provided by our accommodations, I opted to leave the thing home, and focus on the events at hand and family.

Worth it?
Absolutely. Did I miss it? Yes, because I SWEAR I'm addicted to this connection to family, friends and the infinite Internet.

I foresee future scaling back in my computer use.

Feeling Insignificant in a World of Significant Problems

The night before we headed out of town, The Husband and I sat down to watch Hotel Rwanda, a film that's been on my long list since it came out in theaters in 2005. This wasn't going to be a joy ride of a film. It would be a depressing, graphically violent reflection of a shameful time in world history. Sure, it's also about one man's contribution to more than 1,000 people's salvations during the violence, but it is, essentially, a depressing film.

It also made my Charitable Deeds project feel INCREDIBLY petty. It's not like I don't KNOW about these things. But like too many in the comfortable parts of this world, I think about it, sometimes even agonize over it, then do nothing about it - what CAN I do? REALLY!? People the world over truly suck. Not all of them, mind you. But too many people just. plain. suck.

The project? Well, it should continue, but doing something nice every day here at home doesn't amount to much. Particularly when people around here really don't need ANYthing in comparison to the people who are suffering from various forms of violence, starvation and deprivation around the world. Yes, the kids in foster homes and shelters would enjoy pajamas, but they have food, shelter, health care.

I'll continue my project, but expect to see the projects grow in scale, or at least importance and scale, as the year progresses. Opening a door here is a drop in the bucket. Providing water, mosquito nets, food, peace - a lifesaver.