Monday, November 28, 2011

Peep this as well...


Visit Temple Illuminatus

handmade stuff

Now that the holidays are here, craft shows are popping up everywhere.  My dear friend Jax took me to my first show several years to while we were still living in TO.  I remember buying a ton of soap.  I've also been checking out Etsy - it's this site where you can buy all sorts of handmade stuff.  Get this - you have to pay (???) to upload your stuff then they take a cut of what you sell.  Dunno bout that.  Why not set up a free Weebly site & get a PayPal account?  Just sayin'.

I'm going to start a collection of craft show artisans.  I've got a few business cards from the last show I went to.  This way, if I ever need a gift for someone, I can choose from local & national artisans.

Oh yeah, I am green!

Look at me!


Visit Empath Community

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

links, blogs & more

I spent some time earlier today on LinkedIn - a rather poncy version of Facebook.  LinkedIn is supposed to be for professionals to connect with other professionals wanting a piece of the 1%'s pie.  I'm not sure why I'm on it, to be honest.  I'm so not the corporate type.  In fact, I don't know why I'm on it.  I've made great connections without it... maybe it serves its purpose for others - just not me.

Just saw an ad for Netflix.  Why pay $8 per month when you can get whatever you want for free on the Internet?   Just sayin'.

I've also been cruisin' the blog scene.  I consider myself a blogger - perhaps more of the non-profit variety.  Didn't know that bloggers charge $$$ to promote stuff on their blogs...?  I need to get on that gravy train! Then again, my blog isn't exactly mainstream.  I have no idea if anyone is even reading this blog.  I've got  less than 10 followers on Twitter.  Come to think of it, I'm not sure if I even want to go mainstream.

Speaking of Twitter, I got a retweet from Michael Phelps last week.  Yup - the Olympic gold medallist himself!  For those who haven't heard, Michael Phelps is the new face of Head & Shoulders.  As you all know, I'm an eco-warrior.  I don't believe in crap products peddled by multinationals.  So as you can imagine, I was surprised to see Mikey was even paying attention!  Please don't sue me.  As the leader of the #BrokeFolks revolution, I got nothin'.


Friday, November 11, 2011

green or what

Ethan and I have decided to "go green" with things around our house and with personal care products.  So far it's going really well!  We've saved a ton of money making our own stuff from scratch.

During this process I've turned to Google to search out natural shampoos, etc.  I cannot believe how much stuff claims to be "natural", "organic", "plant-derived"... not to mention what's in stuff you buy in the drugstore!  Next time you see a commercial with a stick insect model with hair waving in the sunlight, check out the ingredients in that product.  Shite.  Yes, folks, most of that stuff is nothing but shite.  Artificial suds, things to make your hair look shiny, adhesives - best of all, there's no regulations to how much shite a company can put it its products.

Not too long ago Johnson & Johnson got busted for its shite-filled baby products.  We've all grown up with that baby powder smell; even gone so far as to equate it with all things newborn.  Too bad things like   fragrance (aka a whole mess of toxins that smell good), sulfates and FD&C colours haven't turned our babies into the three-eyed fish from The Simpsons.

What's worse is that green is the new black.  Everyone is hopping on the green-fueled bandwagon to get a piece of the pie.  The general public is indeed becoming more aware; yet I fear they are falling for the greenwashing phenomenon.  Just because it says green or has a green label doesn't make it so.

Read labels, kids.  Ask questions.  Find out where your product comes from.  Demand better for yourselves and your family.  Buy local!   During the holiday season, go to your local farmer's market for the best in-season produce.  Check out an arts & crafts show for great gift ideas.  One merchant I've come to love is CurlyCanadians.  They have amazing stuff for curly haired people like me!  They sell Canadian-made hair products.  Also look at OrganicOlution from LA.

We can be really green.  It is easy, after all.

Monday, November 7, 2011

eleven eleven eleven

Yes folks, it's been exactly 2 months since I've been here with my running commentary on life.  It's 11/11/11 and there's so much going on - the Occupy movement, Europe's debt crisis, nastiness at Penn State and much, much more.

Today marks a new chapter in my life.  I now know what direction to head in.  I don't know where it's going to lead me - the fear of the unknown is unbearable.  Yet I have to have faith that there won't be anything in my path that I can't handle.

Now I rant.

Props to the Occupy movement!  I feel like I'm part of it just by speaking my mind here on this blog.  People gotta wake up & realize all is not what it seems.  Just the other day I was speaking with my brother about his job in a major bank.  While the bank takes in billions in profits, he works his ass off for a $1/hr raise.  Sad thing is he's actually happy about it!  For those of you out there Occupying your town, keep fighting the good fight.

I'm sure you've all heard about what's been going down at Penn State lately... disgusting shite.  A football coach has a football camp for kids and starts sexually abusing them.  Miscreant. So the head coach finds out about it and tells school officials who decide not to do anything to protect the school's name.  The head coach got fired not too long ago and people are up in arms about it.  Frankly, I see why he got fired. He didn't call the authorities to alert them of this sexual deviant.  Granted, he did tell somebody however I do believe his actions, along with the rest of the school's actions were carried out in the sheer interest of protecting the school's name.  May shame befall you, Penn State.  These victims' lives will never be the same thanks to your inaction.  Sick bastards.

Finally, this heifer who says Justin Bieber knocked her up is a perfect twit.  Clearly her lawyers neglected to advise her that if what she's alleging is true, then she faces charges of sex with a minor.  Of all the celebrities in the world, you say it's 17-year-old pubescent Justin Bieber that's your baby's father?!  His voice is changing for God's sake!  Maury Povich, only you can help us now.