Hello Tuesday!

Hi everyone, happy Tuesday morning!

What plans have you got for today?

Tuesday is really not the most popular day of the week. 

There's not a lot to remember it by. Reasons like, it's not a weekend, It's not the first day of the week nor is it the last, its not even the middle. It's a working day..., a school day..., for some, it's a day when they could not drive to Makati because of MMDA's coding scheme. For most it's just Tuesday.

 But really if you think about it, some people can get a lot done on Tuesdays.

Monday is usually crazy (and lazy)... it is when you would normally organize the week ahead. Normally, it's when people wrap up unfinished tasks of the previous Friday and it's the day people would list down (mental or literal) their to-do's for the week. So by the time it's Tuesday, people are supposed to be more relaxed and proceed with their day with a bit of direction.

Our Tuesdays are supposed to be made clean for us by our Mondays. So technically, we can get a lot of things done!

Now let's see... What have i got to do today?

) Go to the bank.
) Run errands for a family reunion on Sunday. I need to have these items done but actually i have these tasks spread over the whole week. This includes

• designing the shirt, banners, photowall
• gathering props for the photowall 
• putting together a video 
• draw up a program 
• go to the printer

) Check my online stores and see how many pageviews i have :). Go through the products and see what else I can add.
) Check my emails and respond accordingly.
) Check the kid's homework.
) Playtime with kids.
) Sleep.
) I normally do my crafting in between these tasks.

Is that busy enough? This is how my Tuesday looks like (today). How about yours?

Ways to go green (part 1)

"Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference." - Jane Goodall


Ever heard of carbon footprint and how crucial it is to have one's footprint lowered to save Mother Earth from further destruction?  It's good to know that there are several industrial entities doing such.  But here are some tips on how to reduce our own carbon footprints and take lighter steps on earth.


Keeping our homes clean is a noble idea, but a lot of cleaning agents actually contain materials (toxic-corrosive) that can do more harm than good in the longer run. 


From the Greenpeace website, here are some green ways to clean our homes.


Let's start with the drains.  It would be best to follow two simple rules.  NEVER pour grease down a drain and always use a drain sieve to keep food scraps from being washed down.   In our household,  we periodically pour boiling water down the drain as we wake up in the morning when the drain  pipes are most dry.  And then I have learned that it is best to add baking soda and salt for best results.  (mix 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup salt - pour over the drain, then follow with a pot of boiling water).  Done once a week, this should keep the drain open and odor free.


For clogged drains, once again, Baking Soda helps.  Pour in 1/4 cup (60 ml) baking soda, followed by 1/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar.  Close the drain until the fizzing stops and flush with boiling water. 

And for hair that comes off while showering, don't let it wash down the drain.  Just leave it over the drain, and throw it afterwards. 

For bathroom cleaning, use a firm bristled brush with either baking soda or a mild all-purpose cleaner and baking soda. Rinse with hot water.

For hard-water areas use vinegar or lemon juice to dissolve the mineral build-up. For really tough jobs, saturate a rag and lay it on the problem spot for a few hours before rinsing.

For mold and mildew, rub tiles and grout with a cloth which has been moistened with vinegar and scrub with an old toothbrush. 

These simple alternative cleaning solutions are just some of the baby steps we can take to treading our Earth with lighter feet.  

Reducing carbon footprint is not as technical as it seems.  Every individual's collaborative effort can offer results of great proportions.  

   

Making a list for 2011

Happy New Year everyone.  I hope everybody had a grand time during the holidays.

Well, most of us has gone back to work and school fresh and recharged!   Have you drafted your resolutions for 2011?  I haven't.  Not because I do not have bad habits to break and goals to make.  I have 'em too just like you.  I just don't conceptualize it as a New Year's resolution.  To me, everything we need to do to improve our lives need not wait for New Year.  It has to be within us everyday of the year.  So, if we feel that we have been procrastinating a task sometime June, we have got to do something about it by June! not January, not December.

But then, having said that, I wish everybody's New Year's resolutions be favorably resolved!  Have a blissful year ahead!

psyching myself for another run

Last night, my husband told me that he signed me up for another 5k run.  I thought it was sweet of him.  Then I asked "when's the run?"  "on Sunday", he said with a smile.  Now here is what went on inside my head.

"whaaaa!!!!  Sunday is a few days from now!  I need to train!  It's been months since I last ran 5k!  Last Saturday, I did some running but that was not close to 5k!  I am not ready! what if I don't break my PR?! what if i don't finish it?! what if i walk half the time?! - that would be one hell of a blow for my ego.  No way will i walk half the time!  well, I can use a little breather... but only for a few seconds... great! I hope they have water stations!... what will I wear?... i just got a haircut, now I need hairpins!"


these thoughts run wild inside my head while I silently start panting. "huff... huff.. huff.." I am way too proud to admit my panic. Oh dear...

Now, here's the plan:

-  I only have Saturday to practice.  I will try to do two laps around the oval, I know too well that I should not get too tired if I were to run a race the following day
-  I will not think about breaking my PR, that's way too much competitive thinking.
-  I will run for myself.  I will not try to think about outrunning the person in front of me.  I will run at my own pace and enjoy the wind on my face
-  I have to find my i-pod! I enjoy running with music, I last longer when I have them on.  where is my i-pod? guess, its time to clean my closet :)
-  buy pocari sweat!  and gatorade for my husband.
-  I will read the Runner's World magazine lying around the house just to see if I can get any last minute tips for an anxious runner like I am... now, where did i see that magazine? hmmm
-  and last but not the least...  I will remember how it always feels to cross the finish line  whew!

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to Rodic's tapsilog after the practice run on Saturday.

Cheers!!!

John Gerzema: 2011: The Year Of The Artisan

John Gerzema: 2011: The Year Of The Artisan

go handmade!