How has Composting changed your life?
beermaninpa
14 years ago
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heirloomjunkie
14 years agoeyesofthewolf
14 years agoRelated Discussions
Life Lessons/Life Changes and the Stuff
Comments (8)Thank you for sharing your story, Gayle. You were very brave to get out of that relationship. It must not have been easy. What you are saying makes sense to me. Stuff has a way of exerting control; of owning its owner, if we let it. I have sometimes used the idea of the Amish as an ideal. Some of the things they do don't make sense to me, but the general idea is that they live without many of the things that we take for granted, such as telephones in the home, electric devices, and other trappings of civilization. So I have distilled down their idea. If a technology stands in the way of happiness, then I can live without it. (Your short essay has helped me to see how I have expanded the idea of "do without' to include the layer of unneeded stuff that seems to coat many people's lives in an obscure grunge.) I make little efforts to simplify my life, even if it means a bit of inconvenience. I'd rather have a little inconvenience than be at the beck and call of a technology or possession or any other inanimate object that has the potential to rule my life. My happiness is so much more important then the illusion of security created by an insulating blanket of stuff. I hope that you are able to find a new balance in your life. Like you said, you'd rather fill your mind with happy things. That is a good goal for any of us....See MoreIt only takes a moment for your life to change forever...
Comments (4)In the past I found a couple of sites that claimed to help vet care, but none of them had any money when I was looking. DH was out of work, we had spent over $3000 to try to save Kang, and found Ana who needed major orthopedic work in both rear legs. We never got anything, Kang died, and Ana is still deformed in both rear legs. Pet insurance is something everyone who doesn't have $2000-3000 for emergencies should have. There is CareCredit at many animal hospitals, but in my experience people who really need it don't qualify. Some people keep a credit card open just for their pets in case of emergency. I personally am in a really good position for paying for vet care since in 3 weeks I'll be a vet. But I can't do some things like major orthopedic surgery or neurosurgery. So I'd have to pay for those things, but I'd probably get an industry discount. Not everyone is so lucky, so people have to be careful to have only the pets they can afford. Being financially responsible keeps people from losing their home for vet care. Watch Michael Moore's Sicko if you want to see what the USA SHOULD do in regards to human medicine....See MoreHow has the color of your soapstone changed over time?
Comments (11)california-dreamer, I've been following your saga with interest and worry. I don't know the answer to your question but if it were me, I'd call one of the big soapstone places and ask the question. Green Mountain, M Tex, Vermont Soapstone, that Tom guy in California who everyone raves about...I got mine from M Tex in NJ and I know they are well aware that they are discussed on this forum; I am sure that if you say, I was referred to you by someone on the Kitchen Forum and I have a question about soapstone veining changing color over time, that they will be happy to tell you what they know. I believe one of the owners of M Tex in NJ is Roberto and he is very knowledgeable. The person who sometimes answers the phone is a bit of a ditz; you need to get past her. Maybe floridajoshua will weigh in on the question. I have to say, though, that if you are buying this stone on the hope that it will change, then it is probably not the right stone for you. I think you need to love it going in. Good luck!...See MoreName one person who significantly changed your life.
Comments (21)For me, it was the people I met while working my way through college. They did not change my direction, but supplied inspiration for me to endure to graduation. The first of these was a Thermodynamics Instructor. He was disabled with MS, but set a great example by soldiering on. Also, he he was one the best instructors for that difficult subject. There were times when he was in pain and shrugged it off to make it though a lecture. All of his lectures were delivered from a wheel chair. Extensive use of the chalk board was needed. He could reach only the bottom half and he made good use of it. He died a few years after I graduated in 1960, but his memory remains with me to this day. What an inspiring instructor! The next are two students who lived in the Men's Residence Hall with me. The first was blind. He had to depend entirely on his memory. He could not pick a book off his shelf and refer to it to consult about a problem. He recruited fellow students who lived on his floor to help him. He needed help with the laundry and with his studies. We students read and recorded text from his books. I was one of those. The next resident was born without any arms, and yet here he was taking college level courses. All of his manipulations were performed with his feet. His toes became his "fingers". He kept his physique very trim and limber to the point of being a contortionist. He wore slippers and kept his feet cleaner than many of our hands. At meal time, he'd sit in the chair and unnoticed, his foot came on top of the table. He could grab a fork or spoon with his toes and feed his face! This act was done so quickly and without fuss that one did not notice until you took a second look. He was amazing and very agile. The University had a group of barracks left over from past wars. These were scheduled to be replaced, but meanwhile, these were used to house handicapped students. Many of these had lost limbs in war. They were the wheelchair brigade of the campus. What struck me was that they did not bemoan their situation and were always seeking ways and occupations to make a living and to become contributing individuals. Many became acrobats with their wheelchairs. Some could mount a street curb. The first time I saw it, I gasped. This person gathered speed as he crossed the street, tipped back in the chair raising the front wheels off the ground and raced toward the crub. The front wheels would clear the curb and when the rear wheels hit, he would lean forward and the chair would hop up up to the new elevation. These students played wheelchair basketball on Saturdays. That was sight to behold. I first thought it would be a mild game - Not so! It was as rough and tumble as you could imagine with plenty of crashes. Each player had a 'pit crew' of wheelchair mechanics on the sidelines who made repairs during a match. These people inspired to to shut up, stop complaining, and finish my degree. These......See Morejeremyjs
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