Our First Christmas

This post was written from a prompt by Community Human Services Holiday Gift Drive in partnership with Pittsburgh Tweetup. To learn more about the CHS: Holiday Gift Project and how you can get involved visit: http://bit.ly/CHSHoliday2013.  View all the posts here.

 Prompt: “What is the nicest thing that someone has done for you during the holidays?”

When I first moved to Pittsburgh in 2004, holidays were pretty lonely for me.  Sure, I went home to visit my family for the actual holiday, but I always knew I was returning to an empty apartment.  When I had my own apartment in Ohio, I always decorated for holidays, because I knew my friends would come over to hang out and I would be able to do holiday entertaining.  But being new to Pittsburgh, and not really having anyone to entertain, I stopped decorating.  In fact, I left my Christmas tree and all my decorations back in Ohio, with my parents.

Fast forward to 2008.  Back then, Hubby was still newly acquired Boyfriend.  We had been friends for years, but only had been dating for a few months.  We already knew we were really serious about each other, so we were pretty stoked for the holidays that year.  Because Boyfriend and I lived about an hour apart, we would typically try to meet up once during the week, then he would come spend the weekend with me.  Around Thanksgiving, Boyfriend asked me when I would be putting up my Christmas tree.  I explained to him that I no longer had one, and I did not have the money to buy a tree and decorations.

The next weekend we made plans for him to come to my apartment after work.  He sent me a text letting me know he would be running a little late, and not to worry.  At that time, I lived in an apartment with a security buzzer, so I had to ring him in when he got there.  When he got to my door, I quickly realized why he had been running late.  He had stopped to buy me a Christmas tree.

He explained to me that we had to have a tree for our first Christmas together.  Once he got the tree inside, he told me that we were going shopping for ornaments, and he was buying them.  It was so important to him that our first Christmas together be perfect, and money was no issue.  I was pretty stunned at this highly romantic, totally selfless act of kindness.  He even made sure we got an ornament that said Our First Christmas.

This will be 6th Christmas together, and each one has been romantic and special.  But I will never forget what he did for me that first Christmas we were together, making sure it was perfect.

35 Day Project: Love to Boston

Like the rest of America, and perhaps even the world, I am completely heart sick over what happened during yesterday's Boston Marathon.  I cannot comprehend it; it simply makes no sense to me why this would happen.  Why someone would do such a senseless, reprehensible act.  At some point, I had to walk away from social media, and mainstream media, before I lost all home in human kind.

All day long, I wondered how I could use this project to try to be a tiny light in this situation.  Me, little old me, with my silly little birthday kindness project.  Would it really matter?  Would it make a difference?  With just a few days left in the project, I could not turn back now, nor could I turn my back on such a huge wound in the heart and mind of our country.

So, after a lot of thought, I did some research, and found out about The ALLY Foundation.  This is one of the charitable organizations who had a team running in the Boston Marathon yesterday.  The father in law of one of the runners is in critical condition as a result of the bombing.  They need love, and prayer, which I freely and willingly give.  The ALLY Foundation is dedicated to "ending sexual violence through science and innovation."  Since April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, this seemed like the perfect organization for me to use for today's act.

So, I made a small charitable donation to The ALLY Foundation.  And I offer them, as well as all those affected by the Boston Marathon bombing, my love and support.  This particular act of kindness is as much for myself as it is for them.  I need to remind myself that goodness still exists.  I need to be the change.

We love you Boston, and we stand with you.

35 Day Project: Adopt a Room

I first learned of the Light of Life Rescue Mission a few months ago, when the Pittsburgh Bloggers banded together for the Giving Skivvies campaign.  This campaign helped raise money for new socks and underwear that the Mission would hand out to the homeless.  Since then, I have followed them on Facebook, and always look for ways that I can help them.

A few days ago, I saw that April was "Adopt a Room" month at Light of Life.  They were accepting donations of paint and home decor items to help decorate the rooms, making them warm and comfortable for the people who would stay there.  I knew that this was something I could help with.  When we did the great living room change earlier this year, all my old home decor from our yellow and burgundy color scheme no longer would work.  I decided to hold on to it, for some reason, and now I knew why.  I was going to donate it to Light of Life.  So this morning, I boxed up several items and shipped them off.  Sadly, I did not get to send as much as I wanted, because I could not find a box that was the correct size and shape to accommodate some of the larger pictures.  Still, I hope that my donation helps in some small way.

35 Day Project: Planet Aid

We all have things in our closet that we no longer wear.  Either the size, or style, is wrong, or it is a little too worn.  Or you simply may have tired of it.  So, you purge your wardrobe, even just a little.  You put the clothes in bags.  Now what?  There are a multitude of worthwhile next steps.  Salvation Army.  St. Vincent DePaul.  Local thrift or consignment shops.  A friend in need.   So many options.

As you may be able to tell, my act for today was in the form of a clothing donation.  Over the past months I have been slowly trying to reduce the amount of stuff we own.  It is difficult, believe me.  Sometimes I have strong nostalgic connection to clothing, even when I no longer wear it.  But I feel a little guilty, holding on to something I do not use, knowing someone else would gladly use it.  I have been working on a bag for a while, and today I finished it up and took it to donate.

I donated it at a Planet Aid box in our town.  You have probably seen these yellow boxes scattered about.  The accept donations of clothing and shoes, to eventually be resold both domestically and internationally.  I think there is something kind of cool about the idea that a sweater I no longer wear could be helping someone on the other side of the world.

April Fools! Guest post by Will Reynolds Young

Happy April Fools!  My April Fool’s Day post comes from Will Reynolds Young, and is part of a special day of shenanigans in the form of April Fools Guest Blogs from other Pittsburgh Bloggers. You can see MY post over on Ya Jagoff!, where I talk about a bothersome resident of Lawrenceville.  A special thank you to Alex for organizing this fun blogging event!

In today’s age we all understand that Social Media is becoming more and more a part of everyday lives. Social Media is often looked at an excellent opportunity for business and personal branding experts to spread their knowledge. However, over the last few months I have had the pleasure of  Social Media being put towards plenty of Social Good.

Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to engage in many campaigns for social good that create social change and awareness. I have seen some incredible showings of support for organizations in need. One of my favorites goes back to September for Light of Life.

This fundraising effort started by Jessie of Light of Life posting in the Pittsburgh Bloggers group sharing the need of socks and underwear.

From this post came an outpouring of support from the community lead by Lindsey from I Heart Pgh who created a Crowdrise campaign. Eric Williams imagined the hash tag #givingskivvies and from there it spread like wildfire through local social media channels. A simple Google search of the hash tag #givingskivvies yields over 500 results. So many people contributed to this campaign through tweets, Facebook and blogs posts. However, it was a simple organizations needs and the love of community that helped Light of Life reach 140% of the Crowdrise Goal!

Another incredible example and showing of support comes from Facebook with the Western PA Humane Society. The Western PA Humane Society has a very active page and one day they posted a need for Iam’s Dog Food. There supplies of dog food were dwindling down and they were in need of more. With-in hours they had an out pouring of support, shares, comments and people looking for a number of ways they could help.

Often times Social Media is regarded as a fun or business platform but it truly can be used for incredible amounts of social good. This kind of social giving came simply from the needs of a charitable organization providing for the community. When the community saw the organization in need people stepped up to help and provide how they could. At the end of the day this is what society is all about, helping folks when they are down and the same should apply to the organizations that play such a vital role in our society.

Will Reynolds Young is a Social Media Freelancer and Chief Digital Officer of Climb On! Products, Inc. In his spare time he is a social media fiend, co-organizer of PghTweetup and a internet and music addict.

Making the Holiday Season Full

Last month, I talked about my family's Polish Christmas customs, and what a huge part of my identity this is. I cannot imagine a Christmas without these traditions.  But for so many, Christmas is yet another day full of hunger.  So many Americans have difficulty having any type of holiday meal, let alone one that honors their cultural history.

Over the last couple of years, I have gotten to know some amazing folks, thanks to social media, who run a project called The Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project.  The goal is to collect reusable bags to help individuals visiting food pantries to safely, efficiently transport food.  We all know how flimsy plastic and paper bags can be (not to mention the scourge plastic bags are on the environment); imagine trying to carry those flimsy bags across several city blocks, or taking them on public transportation.  Tote bags are collected and distributed to food banks.

In addition, The Pittsburgh Tote Bag project helps raise awareness about various needs of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food bank, about hunger, and about recycling.  In short, this group does a whole lot of good.  As part of their 2012 Holiday Project, they decided to specifically raise awareness about the culturally diverse impact of hunger.  Imagine not having your favorite food, a long standing family tradition, as part of your holiday meal.  The 2012 Holiday Project suggested that people donate ethnic food items, along with a reusable tote bag.

I talked a lot about this last month, and encouraged my readers to donate.  Now, I put my money where my mouth is.  Tonight, I am attending an event where folks from the Pittsburgh social media set will gather together to celebrate the holidays.  We are using the opportunity to also donate tote bags and food items.  The food items I chose to donate are Hispanic food items, including rice, several types of beans, chicken stock, corn meal, coconut milk, tomato sauce, and peppers.  As I shopped, I could not help but think about the people who would receive these items.  I can only hope that this donation will help to honor and bless them as much as being a part of this project has blessed me.

Please consider donating to your local foodbank this holiday season, and take some time to check out The Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project. They are just good people.

Thankful for... giving gifts

Photo Courtesy of Andy Noren

We are a family of gift givers.  Sometimes we give gifts for no specific reason.  For example, yesterday, my mom gave me 3 sets of body wash and lotion from Bath and Body Works, just because.  She knows I like that stuff, and that was reason enough.  We also love giving gifts for holidays.  Today, I did a lot of shopping online for Christmas, and cannot wait for the recipients' reactions when they open the gifts.  But beyond all this, my family has a history of giving gifts to people we do not know.  We have always gotten Christmas gifts for kids in need.  Two years ago, I filled my entire car  with toys with the help of my friends and family, and delivered my haul to the Stuff a Bus event in Pittsburgh.  So, yes, we like to give.

There are plenty of people in our communities who could use some cheer during the holiday season.  For example, an organization in Pittsburgh, Community Human Services, provides a variety of services to people in the community, with the purpose of strengthening health and well being.  Some of the services include homelessness assistance, mental health services, family services, and health related services.  This organization helps an under-served and often impoverished group of people, people who rarely get to experience a truly happy holiday.

Doesn't everyone deserve a little something special during the holidays?  I think so.  In an effort to help brighten the holidays for nearly 200 children and adults, Community Human Services (CHS) has a gift project organized.  They are seeking donations of gift cards and cash contributions to help provide small gifts for individuals and families who participate in the CHS programs.  One has the option of donating directly to the project on the organization's website.  Additionally, there is a large fundraising event scheduled at 6 pm on Thursday, November 29th, at Hough's, located at 563 Greenfield Avenue in Pittsburgh.  Admission to the event is a giftcard or cash donation to the CHS holiday project.  There will be drink specials, free cookies, and prize baskets for auction.

As you rush out to get those last minute Black Friday deals, and shop for Small Business Saturday, and click your online shopping carts for Cyber Monday, join me in being thankful for giving gifts.  And please consider helping provide a gift for someone else, giving them a truly happy holiday.

Post script! I have joined in the fundraising efforts over on CrowdRise! You can donate directly through my widget!

Thankful for... holiday traditions

Photo Courtesy of ccho

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and like most families, we have our own traditional foods.  Thanksgiving traditions seem to be a regional thing, around here they include green bean casserole, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and of course, turkey.  But every family has their own traditional dishes or desserts that make the meal complete.

For my family, our more ethnically tradition centered holiday meals are Christmas and Easter.  You see, we are Polish.  Unless you live in certain parts of Pittsburgh or Chicago, you may not be aware that there are some pretty serious Polish traditions for the holidays, and for my family, they are what make the holidays complete.  At Christmas, we do the traditional Christmas eve Wigilia dinner, which includes several kinds of fish (no meat), and other Polish dishes, including my personal favorite, pierogi.  On Easter, we make Polish beet borscht, and have several other Polish traditions within our menu.  I cannot imagine celebrating these holidays without my favorite traditional foods.

Yet many people go without their favorite traditional foods during the holidays.  Many people go without any food at all.

In light of this, I am proud to be partnering with the Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project as a sponsor during their holiday project this year (see the button in my sidebar to the right).  This year they are focusing on collecting ethnic holiday foods, to help support the culturally diverse people of the Pittsburgh area.  They have made it so easy to help support this project.  They list different ideas for how you can get involved, include shopping lists of ethnic food items that are in need,  discuss different ways you can become a sponsor, and even list donation drop off locations.

Imagine your absolutely favorite holiday dish.  Now imagine you had to go without it.  That is a pretty terrible feeling.  Imagine how incredible it would feel to know that you, YOU, made someone's holiday special by providing their favorite dish.  During your celebrations tomorrow, and throughout the month of December, please consider getting involved with this truly phenomenal organization and help fight hunger.

I am truly thankful, on this Thanksgiving eve, for the holiday traditions celebrated in my family.  I am equally thankful for the chance to help a family in need get to enjoy holiday traditions of their own.

 

Thankful for... a warm bed

Today, I went grocery shopping.  When I came back out to my car, the temperature was noticeably lower.  Temps had been slowly falling over the last two days, but by the time I was putting my bags full of canned goods into the hatch of my car, I was shivering.  All I could think about was sliding into my nice warm bed.

With winter knocking on our back door, my thoughts turn to the members of my community who are in need.  I cannot imagine not having warm clothes, and a warm bed, to comfort me during cold winter nights.  Yet for many people, this is the reality.  I think many people have a misconception about the homeless, assuming that they are lazy, or addicts, or mentally ill.  And while some of the homeless may have dependency or mental health issues, many many more have simply found themselves in a bad situation.  Think about what would happen if  all the breadwinners in your home were laid off, and were unable to find new full time work.  At first, you might subsist on unemployment benefits, personal budget cutting, and savings accounts.  But what happens when all of those resources dry up, and your mortgage payments come due?  Sometimes, things happen, and people end up in bad situations.  Sometimes, people just need a little help.

There are many wonderful organizations that provide different types of shelter and housing assistance.  Among the other wonderful programs they offer, the East End Cooperative Ministry offers a wide variety of housing related assistance, including emergency housing, bridge housing, and special housing support for individuals with dependency and mental health issues.  The organization is an interfaith ministry that provides for various needs of the residents in the East End of Pittsburgh.  What a worthy organization living out real Christian ideals.  

Many people have no idea where they will sleep tonight.  Many will be sleeping on the streets, in the cold.  So tonight, as you snuggle under your warm covers, take a moment to be thankful.

Thankful for... animal lovers

Not everyone is a pet person.  Some people are cat people, some are dog people, some are animal people, and some are none of the above.  Hubby and I are clearly animal people.  In our lifetimes, between the two of us, we have had cats, dogs, ducks, rabbits, fish, and a newt.  At current count, we have two mini dachshunds  Dexter and Chloe, and one cat, Nora.  Town ordinances prohibit us from owning livestock, otherwise, we would have ducks and a goat too.  Hubby is currently pushing for a hedgehog (I know right?) and I am rallying for another dog, or a turtle.  So, yes, we are clearly animal people.

Many of our pets, past and present, have been obtained through breeders, or purchased through other retail means.  But some of our pets have been rescue or shelter animals.  While many retailers are in it for money and money alone, reputable breeders, rescues, and shelters are often in it for the animals.  

Our local animal shelter is called Orphans of the Storm.  It is a no kill shelter, and like many no kill shelters, it is always in need.  Each year, the shelter has various fundraisers for money and collections of supplies so that  it can continue to function.  During the holidays, you can sponsor an animal, and donate food, toys, litter, and other necessary supplies to the shelter.  Several of our friends have adopted wonderful animals through this organization, and we have donated to them several times in the past.  

I am so thankful that organizations such as this, as well as the ASPCA, not only exist, but are filled with lots of animal lovers.  I am thankful that there are people who will rescue animals from dangerous and abusive living situations.  I am thankful for generous hearts who help support these animals, giving them love, homes, and new leases on life.

I am thankful that I am an animal person, that I married an animal person, and that we have such amazing pets as a part of our little family.

Thankful for... mustaches

I am really blessed to have some fabulous men in my life.  Of course my main man is Hubby, but I am equally blessed to have my dad, brother, brothers in law, nephew, extended male family members, and many many truly wonderful male friends.  I love a lot of really great men.  And I want to have them in my life for many many years to come.

While women's health issues get a lot of spotlight in October, with breast cancer awareness and such (and rightly so), November is all about the men.  So much so that a fantastic event goes on each year called Movember.  This is where men pledge to not shave during November, and instead grow a flourishing mustache all in the name of charity.  The idea is that these mustaches will be conversation starters, to allow these men, and the women who support them, an opportunity to talk about the importance of men's health issues, specifically testicular and prostate cancers.

Several of my fantastic social media friends are participating in Movember, and to them, as well as all other participants, I say a great big hearty thank you.  I might not be able to sport a mustache without the help of makeup or markers, but I am fully able to support such a great cause and the men who undertake it.  Thank you for caring about yourself, as well as then men in my life.  Because, I love my men, and I want them to stay healthy.

So today, I am thankful for mustaches, and the men who are sporting them for such a worthy cause.  If you can, spread the word about Movember, and please consider donating.  A man's life may depend on it.

Thankful for... birthdays

Courtesy of Will Clayton

I have been pretty fortunate in terms of birthdays.  I have had an opportunity to celebrate 34 birthdays of my own, as well as countless birthdays for those I love.  Whether the celebrations were large or small, whether they included cake, cupcakes, presents, balloons, or games, each and every birthday has always been about celebrating.  Birthdays are meant to be celebrated.  You celebrate the life of the person being honored, and all the wonderful contributions that he or she has made to the world.  Because we all contribute, and we all are worth celebrating.

Unfortunately, there are tons of kids out there who do not get to celebrate birthdays.  These are kids living in poverty, or shelters.  Can you imagine, for one moment, being a child who never had a birthday cake, or never got a birthday present?  For some families, these things are luxuries.  When you have no home, or no idea what you will be eating that week, baking a birthday cake is simply not on your radar.  So, for one moment, think back to your least happy birthday.  The year that you wanted a big party and had a sleep over instead.  The year you got an iPod nano instead of an iPhone.  The year you were on a diet and had to skip your own birthday cake.  Now consider how much joy your least happy birthday would have brought to a homeless or at risk child.

There is a wonderful organization in the Pittsburgh area called Beverly's Birthdays, which partners with local emergency shelters to provide monthly birthday parties for the children residing in the shelters.  What an incredible act of love this is.  Imagine the smile on a child's face when he or she tastes their very own birthday cake, or opens a birthday present, perhaps for the first time ever.

For my local readers, you have wonderful opportunities to get involved with this organization.  They are always in need of volunteers and donations, and their website has information on both.  Founder Megan Yunn also has lots of great fundraisers throughout the year at the Beverly's Birthdays Blog.

For my non-local readers, if this is something that touches your heart, see if there is a similar organization in your area.  If there is not, why not start one?

Today, I am thankful for the birthday celebrations I have had, and have attended for the people I love.  And I am thankful that I have a chance to bring that joy to a child in need.

Thankful for... being spared

Image Courtesy of CBS News.

This time last week, the entire eastern seaboard was bracing for Hurricane Sandy.  While western Pennsylvania rarely feels too many effects from hurricanes.  But the implications for the so called Frankenstorm were far more widespread than most hurricanes and tropical storms.  Plenty of great online articles talked about all the factors contributing to the fact that Sandy was going to be so awful.  The anticipation was that there would be power loss in the entire state of PA, record high winds, and widespread devastation.

Despite the fact that I was still really sick with a terrible cold, I dragged myself from bed early Sunday morning, and got some supplies.  Flashlights, water, candles, bread, food that we could cook on the grill.  I was hoping for the best, and preparing for the worst.  Luckily, we were spared from the awful effects of Sandy.  We did not lose power, we did not have high winds, and we did not see much flooding.  The worst thing we experienced was a little bit of basement dampness and the fact that Trick or Treat got rescheduled. Minor inconveniences.

So many people were not so lucky.  Residents of New Jersey and New York  weew hit extremely hard.  The Outer Banks had some damage.  Thousands of people are left with out power, and shelter.  Time and money will be needed to rebuild all that was lost.  So, today, in my thankfulness for being spared, I encourage everyone to donate to a reputable organization involved in relief efforts, such as the Red Cross.  Probably the easiest way to donate $10 is to text REDCROSS to 90999.  You can also donate to the Red Cross on iTunes.

Be thankful, and be generous

.

Thankful for... reading

Anyone who knows me knows that reading comprises a huge portion of my life.  From the youngest age I can remember, I have read pretty much anything and everything I could get my hands on.  Sometimes this got me into trouble, and I almost always spent my entire allowance on books.  It is no surprise that, as an adult, books fill many corners of my home, and much of my time is spent reading and reviewing books.  It is not something I get paid to do, it is simply something I do because I love books so much.

I cannot imagine a life that does not include reading.  Between books and social media, I spend a large portion of my day reading.  Heck, we even turn the subtitles/closed captioning on when we watch tv and movies at home.  It is an odd quirk that started when I lived at home and my dad was working midnight shift.   I would turn the captions on so that I could turn the volume down and not disturb him while he slept.  It became a habit, one which Hubby has since picked up, and we now have subtitles/captions on whenever the option is available.  My point is, I spend a significant amount of time reading.  It is something that I take for granted.

It is hard for me to put myself in the shoes of someone who has problems with literacy.  Yet millions of Americans are functionally illiterate.  Stop and think about what your life would be like if you could not read. It would affect your ability to work, to drive or navigate your surroundings, to interact with others.  Think of all the activities you do each day that are based on your ability to read and write.  Now think of what you would do if none of those activities were possible for you because you were illiterate.  It is no surprise that illiteracy is closely tied with poverty and incarceration.

There are wonderful organizations out there to help people improve their literacy skills.  One such organization is the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council.  They offer all kinds of programs to help people with varying degrees of literacy issues, and offer fantastic volunteer opportunities to people who would like to help.

So, today, I am taking time to give thanks that I am a literate adult.  I am thankful for the ways reading has enriched my life and shaped me as a person.

 

For the Love of Books and Children

Most people who know me know that I am a voracious reader, and always have been.  Reading was something I learned to value as a child.  When school was out for the summer, the first thing I did was head to the public library with my parents.  And when school was in session, I often relied on the school library and bookmobile to provide free books.  Any extra money or allowance I got as a kid was often spent on books, but it was never enough, so libraries have always been near and dear to my heart.  I am still a big fan of local libraries, and this summer alone, I read 7 library books.  Last year, in my quest to read and review 200 books, I relied on quite a few library books and librarian recommendations.  I attend library books sales to help support the libraries.  And, when I have books I no longer need or want, I often donate them to our local library.

In short:

libraries = books = awesome.

Which is why it totally broke my heart to hear that Manchester School in Pittsburgh had less than 40 fiction books for the entire school to use.  40 total for grades pre-K to grade 8.  40.  I have easily read that many library books in a year, even as an elementary student.  This really needs to change; this is an urban school, serving urban kids, most of whom are minorities, many of whom are in need.  While other schools have state of the art technology labs, this school is struggling to even have a library at all.  This needs to change.  These kids deserve for it to change.  These kids deserve to know that they are worth the very best, that they can become the very best.  It is not just about books, it is about empowering these children with knowledge and self worth.

Since the story first got out, several people have written about it, the details have been shared by an award winning author (I love you Neil Gaiman), and  the response has been overwhelming.  But we cannot let interest wane.

Today, millions of people payed mega dollars for the newest iPhone, some skipping work to obtain it.  For millions, money is not an issue.  But for these kids it is, which is why I am asking for your help.  For 2% of the cost of the new iPhone, you could buy a book for this school, maybe even two.  And it could help make the difference in the lives of countless children.  Can you please help?

If you are interested in helping Pittsburgh Manchester school, there are a couple of ways you can help.  You can send donations directly to the school at the following address:

Pittsburgh Manchester PreK-8 (label packages for the Library)
1612 Manhattan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233

or, you can actually order directly from the school's Amazon wish list, and have it sent to the school.

I just had a book sent to the school.  Will you?

Thankful for.... socks and underwear: Project Giving Skivvies

How many of us, as children, had that one relative, possibly even our parents, who insisted on giving us socks and underwear for Christmas and birthday gifts?  What we really wanted was the newest Transformer, or that sweet day-glo New Kids on the Block t-shirt (or was that just me), and instead we got crew socks and tighty whiteys.  To say we were disappointed would be a great understatement.  One of the greatest indicators of reaching adulthood is the day we actually get excited about new socks and underwear.

Most people take these things totally for granted, myself included.  I have never had to worry about having the very basic necessities in life.  Often, we forget how much we are blessed.

Today, on a facebook group, I was gently reminded to be thankful for socks and underwear.  I saw a post talking about the Light of Life Mission, a rescue mission helping to serve the homeless in Pittsburgh.  One of the things this organization provides is clean socks and underwear to individuals (men women and children) in need.  Except, lately, they have had nothing to give.  The organization has been completely out of these items, and had literally been turning away people in need.  They desperately need new socks and underwear for men, women, and children.

There are some ways in which you and I can help.  If you live in the Pittsburgh area, and have some time to stop by, you can drop clean, new, unused socks and/or underwear off at the mission, any time day or night.  Their address is 10 E. North Ave Pgh, PA 15212.

Another option would be to donate online at www.lightoflife.org and put "SOX" in the designation field.

Yet another option would be to purchase items online at a place like Amazon, Target, or Walmart websites, and have them shipped to the mission at Light of Life Mission, 10 E. North Ave Pgh, PA 15212.

Yet another way to donate is through a crowdwise fundraising page set up by another blogger in the Pittsburgh Bloggers community.  The widget for the page is here:






The final thing you can do would be to spread the word to others about this need.  Share this info or blog post on Twitter, Facebook, or blog about it yourself.  If you share it on Twitter, please use the hashtag #givingskivvies

Please consider helping out with this worthy and wonderful cause.  One dollar would buy a pair of socks or underwear for a person in need. Use social media for the greater good.  Help us all be thankful for socks and underwear.

Thankful for... having my heart humbled

Today, I had an experience that has humbled my heart beyond belief, and reminded me of the bountiful blessings in my life.

I decided to strike out today to visit my old coworkers, and then go buy food to take to a tailgate at a baseball game this weekend, where I will be hanging out with my social media friends.  After visiting with my old coworkers, I headed out of town.  As I passed a local intersection, I noticed 3 young people, 2 boys and a girl, with a sign, and 3 large leashed dogs.  This intersection is at a shopping plaza, and often people will panhandle there.  I was struck immediately by how young these kids were, late teens to early twenties, and the fact that they had dogs with them.  I knew that there was no way I could just drive past.

I turned my car around at the next parking lot, and headed back to find them.  They were hurrying toward a car that, while probably as dependable as they could afford, was not in the best condition.  I pulled into the parking space next to them, and asked them what their sign said.

The one boy quietly responded that they were just passing through, and down on their luck, needing a little help.  He quickly followed up with the statement "but we are leaving now, because some woman just yelled at us and threatened to call the police".  My heart was breaking.  I told them that I did not have any cash, but would it be ok if I took them to a store in the shopping plaza to buy them some food, and food for the dogs.  They seemed so amazed that I was willing to do this.  One boy stayed at the car, with the dogs, while the other boy and the girl came with me.

As we walked to and around the store, I got a little bit of their story.  They were homeless.  They travel from place to place, trying to find work to make enough money to take care of themselves, and the dogs.  The dogs all had tags on, and they told me that they made sure to keep up with their shots, that the dogs were microchipped, and when things were really tough, the dogs always ate first, even if the kids did not.  I was amazed.  They had just returned from New Orleans, where they had been working on houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina.  They said the devastation down there is still quite bad.

In the store, I asked them what they wanted, and they basically told me they were happy with anything.  I wanted something that would provide them with some nutrients and calories, so we opted for bananas, wheat bread, and peanut butter.  I asked if there was anything else they wanted, but they were so happy with just that.  I also got a 15 pound bag of dog food for the dogs.  They were so grateful and appreciative of this small token; I wished I could do more.  $23 dollars was what I spent.  Such a small amount, but to them it seemed to make all the difference in the world.

We walked back to the car, they loaded the groceries into the car and dog food into the trunk which contained only a gas can, sleeping bags, and a couple of backpacks.  I wished them well, and safe travels, they thanked me, and waved goodbye with huge smiles on their faces.  The whole thing lasted less than 30 minutes.

Living in a small town, homelessness is not visible to me.  I know it exists, but I do not see it first hand very often.  Before people become homeless, they have lives just like you and me.  They have families, and friends, and pets.  People forget that.  I imagine that when faced with homelessness, people try to hold on to what little they can.  I bet plenty of homeless people have pets that become homeless with them, yet we really never hear or see that.  These kids were doing the best they could to keep their little family (that is what the 6 of them were, you know, a family) afloat.

It saddens me that they had encountered someone who was cruel to them, just before I stopped to talk to them.  They told me it happens all the time, and that breaks my heart.  People have the misconception that the homeless are lazy or crazy, or that panhandlers are just trying to make an easy buck.  These kids were thrilled with the fact that I offered to buy them food, and that I treated them with respect.  They struck me as hard working, and kind.  I hope I showed them some kindness in return, because there, but for the grace of God, go I.

I live a comfortable life.  What seems so common to me would be a luxury to these kids.  Me, with my iPhone, my full cupboards, my soft bed. You can bet, when I came home, I gave my dogs lots of extra snuggles.  Please note that I do not write about this situation for praise or accolades.  I just want people to think a little about how they view those who are homeless or in need.

So many things had to fall into place perfectly for me to encounter these kids today, I know it was God, speaking to me, and humbling my heart.

Explorations: Northern Nightmares

Each year, Hubby and I try to do something spooky during October.  In the past we have gone to Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood. , and last year we went to the Scarehouse.  So we were looking for something new and different to do this year.  Boy howdy, did we find it.

While doing some online searching I located an attraction in Butler County called the Northern Nightmares Tour.  This trolley tour went all over Zelionople and Harmony, pointing out allegedly haunted sites, and telling local ghost tales.  This sounded right up our alley, so, on Saturday afternoon, we headed out.

Since we headed out early, and planned on being gone for a while, we started with dinner at The Harmony Inn.  For any local folks reading, if you have not tried this place I really urge you to go.  We went last winter for lunch, and we were impressed then.  We were doubly impressed with their dinner menu.  Really unique menu items, and the food was delicious.  Plus, the ambiance is really cool.

 The Harmony Inn is a haunted location, and after we ate, the staff let us explore, even allowing us in the attic.  It was really spooky.

After we were done with dinner, we headed off to catch the trolley tour.  It was a nice, small trolley, and was really comfortable.  The spooky tour guide was the executive director of the Strand Theater, and he told us lots of amazing and creepy tales along our 45 minute tour.  I do not want to spoil it for you, since I really hope  my local readers will go next year, but there were some interesting twists along the way.

Our last tour stop was the Strand Theater.  At this point, for most, the tour was over.  But for Hubby and I, we still had a bit of excitement.  You see, that night, the Strand was showing Night of the Living Dead, which many know was filmed locally in Evans City.

 The proceeds went to a group trying to save the Evan's City Cemetary Chapel, which you see in the film.  I love horror films, particularly ones filmed locally, and I have visited the Evan's City Cemetery to revel in the movie nostalgia.  So, we decided to go to the viewing.  Imagine my surprise when we learned the 3 original cast and crew members were there to speak to us.  How exciting.  Russell Streiner (Johnny), his brother Gary Streiner (a sound engineer on the film) and Ella Mae Smith (an Evans City resident who played a zombie).

It was so amazing to be there to hear them speak, and this moment right here made it totally worth it:

The theater has been restored beautifully, and we loved seeing the movie on the big screen. We got to sit in the balcony, which in and of itself was a really cool experience. Finally, we were ready to head out, but we had one last thing to do.  Out admission also gave us a free raffle ticket for a raffle of some movie posters.  Guess who won a poster?  Hubby!

All in all, the had a magically spooky night, one I am not likely to forget for a long time.

Notice two of the pictures are full of fuzzy orbs.  As much as I would love to say this was spectral evidence, it was merely fog and mist.  For more pics, go here.

I love a good library sale!

As part of a jam packed weekend, Hubby and I got up early to go to the annual Kittanning Library book sale on Saturday.  Since funding for the library has been cut so much in recent years, this is a huge fundraiser for the library.  Who would not want to support their local library and get some great book deals in the process?
Last year was the first year I ever attended a book sale, and I was ridiculously happy with the deals I got on books.

This year, I did even better.

Because we went on the last day of the sale, prices had been drastically reduced.  We walked in the door, and the lady at the front table informed us that it was $3 a box.  Blink blink.  Are you SERIOUS?  This could be dangerous.  I decided to restrain myself, but trust me, it was not easy.

Hubby and I split up and started looking.  I grabbed a box first thing, and starting putting things in.  The tables were organized only into general categories (romance, fiction, history), so it was hard to have anything specific in mind to look for.

With the rows upon rows of books, my strategy was basically skim the titles and get anything that stood out to me.  It did not take long for me to fill a box, and by that time, Hubby was done looking, so I sent him to get a second box.


When we filled the second box, I made the executive decision that we were done, because we already have no room for more books at our house (the joyous problem that occurs when two book nerds marry).  I handed over my $6 and out the door we went.

Not a bad haul for $6.

Best part is, once I read them, I can always donate them to the next library sale!

Thank your teachers today

Well well well friends, it turns out this week is National Teacher Appreciation week!  Who knew?  And of that week, TODAY is Teacher Appreciation Day!

Kierkegaard once said that "what the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches".  I have found this to be true, for better or worse, with every teacher I have ever know.

I am very proud to say that several of my friends are or were teachers, and my sister is studying to be a teacher as well.  Teachers have such a tremendous impact on our lives, even if we do not realize it at the time.

For me, the teacher who really had the most impact on me was one of my college professors.  He ended up being my academic advisor, and later we did some research together.  Had I never taken a class from him as a sophomore, I never would have changed my major, I never would have gone to graduate school, and my life would have been so different.  I greatly appreciate the impact he had on me.

So, whether you are a mommy dealing with your child's teacher, a mommy who IS your child's teacher, or simply a former student yourself, take time to thank those who have taught you and your loved ones.