I've just read "No et moi" ("No and me"), a book about a young girl who doesn't want to accept things as they are, and tries to make a difference in a homeless girl's life.
Where I live, there aren't a lot of visibly homeless people, but there are definitely more people with cardboard signs asking for help. Not very many (maybe three or four?), but I don't remember any about five years ago.
I don't like seeing them on the street, partly because I'd like everyone to have a safe and comfortable home, but also because I feel guilty when I see them, and I don't like feeling guilty!
I think that I should help them, but (being honest here), often I can't be bothered, and I know that really helping them would mean giving lots of time and energy, and I'm not committed to doing that.
When I was at university, I went to a local group that works with homeless people, and asked if I could help with street kids. They wisely said that my skills might be better used somewhere else, so I ended up helping out in their office so that someone else could use the time that I freed up to provide valuable help for Samoan people. THAT was a good way to help.
I still help that organisation by helping a little bit with their second hand bookfair, which is their main fundraiser for the year, but I could do more.
I'd love to think that I could be part of a supportive community welcoming people into their homes when they don't have one, but I'm not even very good at welcoming my friends into my home!
I told myself a few years ago that I would help people begging on the street by giving them the contact details for the Downtown Community Ministry. That's a great idea, but even then I'm sometimes too scared/lazy to do that.
I guess I'm just suffering from middle class guilt, aware of how much it costs to really do something about it, and not sure that I want to pay that price.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Monday, 11 October 2010
Caught stealing
I was up late last night because I was watching some exciting cycling. And then once I had gone to bed, I then woke up to find Trevor stealing my pillow! I tried to get it back, but he was very determined and I didn't want to wake him up (he was very tired), so I let him have it. I told him about it this morning and he now feels very guilty! I think it is funny, particularly because he doesn't even LIKE my pillow (he likes flat ones and I like puffy ones).
Sunday, 28 February 2010
A Christmas Story from the Parchemina Family
A while ago, my Mum thought that she'd quite like to have a copy of the Edmonds Microwave Cookbook, and then she thought it could be a good Christmas present.
She happened to be in town a little while later, so she bought a copy and then gave it to Dad to give to her for Christmas (I guess that's one way of doing things - I wonder if she wrapped it first?).
She suddenly realised in January, while he was away, that he had forgotten to give it to her. (He did give her other much-appreciated presents, several of which he chose and bought by himself).
The best bit - she has no idea where he's hidden it, so she'll have to wait until he comes back to get it!
And my parents have been married for 37 years :)
She happened to be in town a little while later, so she bought a copy and then gave it to Dad to give to her for Christmas (I guess that's one way of doing things - I wonder if she wrapped it first?).
She suddenly realised in January, while he was away, that he had forgotten to give it to her. (He did give her other much-appreciated presents, several of which he chose and bought by himself).
The best bit - she has no idea where he's hidden it, so she'll have to wait until he comes back to get it!
And my parents have been married for 37 years :)
Monday, 25 January 2010
Something Fantastic
My Mum has multiple myeloma. So does the Hot Awesome Dude, boyfriend of the wonderful blogger Brandy. Some of Brandy's Interweb friends have got together and done something fantastic:
from http://www.kylaroma.com/
Our friend Brandy is a brilliant writer, a wonderful teacher, and a generous friend. And she is in love with a man who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
We are raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund in his name. For the price of a cinnamon dolce latte, half-caf, hold the whip, you can be part of an effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide.
http://www.loveharder.org
Every dollar brings us a dollar closer to a cure. And every donation brings a sliver of hope to a girl who needs all the hope she can get.
Love Harder,
Kyla
What You Can Do
* Give. Be part of a worldwide effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide. Every dollar helps.
* Pass it on. Forward this story to five people. Share this blog post. Become our fan on Facebook.
* Love harder. Life is short, love is unbending, and no one knows what could happen next. Tell someone you love them today.
Where Your Money Goes
* The American Institute of Philanthropy recently named The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation one of the best organizations to give to in terms of their accountability and use of resources.
* By working closely with researchers, clinicians and partners in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the MMRF has helped bring multiple myeloma patients four new treatments that are extending lives around the globe.
* The MMRF has advanced twenty Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. They need your support to advance these clinical research programs and accelerate the development of better, more effective treatments.
* The MMRF’s Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative recently became the first to sequence the multiple myeloma whole genome in its entirety.
* A whopping 98% of your donation to the MMRF will be used immediately to support high-priority multiple myeloma research.
* With diminishing funding for early stage drug development and the next myeloma treatments not expected to be approved until 2011, the MMRF desperately needs your help.
DONATE: http://www.loveharder.org
CONTACT: theloveharderfund@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.loveharder.org
MORE INFO: http://www.themmrf.org
from http://www.kylaroma.com/
Our friend Brandy is a brilliant writer, a wonderful teacher, and a generous friend. And she is in love with a man who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
We are raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund in his name. For the price of a cinnamon dolce latte, half-caf, hold the whip, you can be part of an effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide.
http://www.loveharder.org
Every dollar brings us a dollar closer to a cure. And every donation brings a sliver of hope to a girl who needs all the hope she can get.
Love Harder,
Kyla
What You Can Do
* Give. Be part of a worldwide effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide. Every dollar helps.
* Pass it on. Forward this story to five people. Share this blog post. Become our fan on Facebook.
* Love harder. Life is short, love is unbending, and no one knows what could happen next. Tell someone you love them today.
Where Your Money Goes
* The American Institute of Philanthropy recently named The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation one of the best organizations to give to in terms of their accountability and use of resources.
* By working closely with researchers, clinicians and partners in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the MMRF has helped bring multiple myeloma patients four new treatments that are extending lives around the globe.
* The MMRF has advanced twenty Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. They need your support to advance these clinical research programs and accelerate the development of better, more effective treatments.
* The MMRF’s Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative recently became the first to sequence the multiple myeloma whole genome in its entirety.
* A whopping 98% of your donation to the MMRF will be used immediately to support high-priority multiple myeloma research.
* With diminishing funding for early stage drug development and the next myeloma treatments not expected to be approved until 2011, the MMRF desperately needs your help.
DONATE: http://www.loveharder.org
CONTACT: theloveharderfund@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.loveharder.org
MORE INFO: http://www.themmrf.org
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Listening
Happy 2010!
I read this today and it just made me laugh. There are bits of the Bible that really ring true and remind me that people can relate to each other even if they live thousands of years apart.
8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
Today's New Internation Version (TNIV) © Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society from Bible Gateway
I laughed because I thought "Yep, even the Israelites at the time of the Exodus didn't listen to God very well" and then I also thought "Yep, when people are worked too hard (such as in sweatshop factories) it's very hard for them to think about anything outside their immediate situation."
And, for something completely different, some time soon I will share a funny story about my Mum & Dad.
Sarah, if you're reading this, I hope everything is going well for you!
I read this today and it just made me laugh. There are bits of the Bible that really ring true and remind me that people can relate to each other even if they live thousands of years apart.
8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
Today's New Internation Version (TNIV) © Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society from Bible Gateway
I laughed because I thought "Yep, even the Israelites at the time of the Exodus didn't listen to God very well" and then I also thought "Yep, when people are worked too hard (such as in sweatshop factories) it's very hard for them to think about anything outside their immediate situation."
And, for something completely different, some time soon I will share a funny story about my Mum & Dad.
Sarah, if you're reading this, I hope everything is going well for you!
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
IUD update
I have had my IUD for almost a year now.
When I got it, I had been on the pill for a few months, started having sex and started using a Mooncup, so it was really hard for me to know what my "normal" period was like and which changes might be due to the IUD.
Anyway, after a year I can report a few things. Firstly, what the information I got described as "spotting" (quite common after the IUD is first put in) is actually a little heavier than spots. I guess most women who have IUDs have had children, and so may be familiar with "spotting", but I wasn't.
My periods before I started messing about with them were quite light, lasted about 4 days and were not usually painful.
My periods definitely got heavier and longer with the IUD, and I would have several days of "has it started?" before it got heavy and sometimes quite painful. I also got quite grumpy and irrational. I was starting to think about giving up on the IUD.
However, I figured that my body was not used to heavy periods and was probably feeling a bit depleted. I started taking a women's multivitamin and that helped a lot with the pain and the general grumpiness - Trevor is very grateful to the makers of multivitamins! When I mentioned the grumpiness, the nurse at Family Planning was quite surprised about that, because of course there is nothing hormonal in my IUD. She did suggest iron pills, but the multivitamins seem to be fine.
My last period was much more like what I used to have - lasted for about 4 days and was not very painful and lighter than it has been for a while. If it stays like this, I will stick with my IUD and get another one when its five years are up. I will also keep taking the women's multivitamins just before and during my period for a while. I might try not taking them some time in the future and see what happens.
Most importantly I suppose, I have not had any pregnancy scares, so it seems to be carrying out its primary function very well.
I will try to write about something else at some stage!
PS The Mooncup has survived overnight hiking and cycle races. I just worry that I'll drop it into a toilet at some point and then a) have lost my expensive investment b) not have anything to deal with my period
but since I've had it for a while it's kind of paid for itself by now.
A friend of mine burnt hers to a crisp while boiling it recently, and almost set fire to her kitchen, so try not to do that!
When I got it, I had been on the pill for a few months, started having sex and started using a Mooncup, so it was really hard for me to know what my "normal" period was like and which changes might be due to the IUD.
Anyway, after a year I can report a few things. Firstly, what the information I got described as "spotting" (quite common after the IUD is first put in) is actually a little heavier than spots. I guess most women who have IUDs have had children, and so may be familiar with "spotting", but I wasn't.
My periods before I started messing about with them were quite light, lasted about 4 days and were not usually painful.
My periods definitely got heavier and longer with the IUD, and I would have several days of "has it started?" before it got heavy and sometimes quite painful. I also got quite grumpy and irrational. I was starting to think about giving up on the IUD.
However, I figured that my body was not used to heavy periods and was probably feeling a bit depleted. I started taking a women's multivitamin and that helped a lot with the pain and the general grumpiness - Trevor is very grateful to the makers of multivitamins! When I mentioned the grumpiness, the nurse at Family Planning was quite surprised about that, because of course there is nothing hormonal in my IUD. She did suggest iron pills, but the multivitamins seem to be fine.
My last period was much more like what I used to have - lasted for about 4 days and was not very painful and lighter than it has been for a while. If it stays like this, I will stick with my IUD and get another one when its five years are up. I will also keep taking the women's multivitamins just before and during my period for a while. I might try not taking them some time in the future and see what happens.
Most importantly I suppose, I have not had any pregnancy scares, so it seems to be carrying out its primary function very well.
I will try to write about something else at some stage!
PS The Mooncup has survived overnight hiking and cycle races. I just worry that I'll drop it into a toilet at some point and then a) have lost my expensive investment b) not have anything to deal with my period
but since I've had it for a while it's kind of paid for itself by now.
A friend of mine burnt hers to a crisp while boiling it recently, and almost set fire to her kitchen, so try not to do that!
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Go ahead, say hello
There is an office building which I walk past most days on my way home from work.
Through the window, I can see a huge poster on the wall that says,
"go ahead, say hello"
I assume that the poor people in that office are telemarketers or some other lucky people who get to talk to people on the phone all day, and who are just waiting to be given permission to say "hello."
Then again, I have a friend who does work in a call centre and who is not allowed to say "bye" - it has to be "goodbye."
If I worked there, I think I would mention that poster in my resignation letter. Or, if it didn't cover a whole wall, perhaps use it as stationery for my resignation letter.
Through the window, I can see a huge poster on the wall that says,
"go ahead, say hello"
I assume that the poor people in that office are telemarketers or some other lucky people who get to talk to people on the phone all day, and who are just waiting to be given permission to say "hello."
Then again, I have a friend who does work in a call centre and who is not allowed to say "bye" - it has to be "goodbye."
If I worked there, I think I would mention that poster in my resignation letter. Or, if it didn't cover a whole wall, perhaps use it as stationery for my resignation letter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
