The Life I Can Save?

I recently read a book recommended to me by my longtime friend Nathan.  He's really a wonderful human being and sometimes he has interesting things to say, or at least can direct you to someone elses interesting things. 
The book he recommended is about donating to charity.  Specifically the who, what when where why and how of charitable donations.  It is called "The Life You Can Save", written by Peter Singer.

There it is!  I signed a pledge today. Through their website To donate at least 1% of my income this year.  Believe me, it's not a lot, and hopefully it will do some good in this world.  Just a lil bit.  :)
I've decided to donate the rest of this years quota to The Central Asia Institute.  I'm not gonna lie, i think their name sounds dodgy- but it's a wonderful charity.  Greg Mortensen ('Stones into Schools') And his team are truly shaping the future of Pakistan and Afghanistan by building schools in remote central asian areas

"Peace and Hope Begin With Education: One Child At A Time

Central Asia Institute is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. "
- Central Asia Institute

I dig it. 

Guess Who finally Drank The Olympic Punch?

Well, well well. Look who's back after a month of hellish work weeks, ACTUAL weekends off, and whole lotta 180 degree opinions on the Olympics. I've done it. i drank the punch and I liked it. i liked it so much that not only do i want more, i readily admit how wrong i was to doubt it's incredible qualities, and even urge others to have a drink.
The crowds... are incredible.  Everyone is happy, and wonderfully foreign. People are using transit, and one can only imagine that once they realize how easy it was they will continue to ride it. The streets look cleaner than ever each morning after looking like crap the night before. Pubs are everywhere. People of all backgrounds are on the same Canadian team, and proudly wearing their Canadian colours. I've witnessed the best hockey playing of my life, and we're not even at the Gold Medal game yet.
It HAS cost a lot of money, and most likely, after the olympics, financial support for sport will dwindle once again, and no one will care until we do poorly in medal counts in 2014 (Sochi!). Sad but true. I'll put money on it.
I have taken VERY few photos of my olympic wanderings, but here are a couple:
Me at Grouse: (I randomly decided to spend an afternoon helping out up there... they REALLY didn't need me but it was beautiful)

Me being HI-larious with Kevin:

The flame, in all it's Glory at The convention centre. (there was a 45 min line to see it up close.  I passed.  )

 

Me trying  failing to make a heart out of my olympic mitts

  

 That's really it in a nutshell.

Some other things that have been on my mind as of late.
Eva
Sewing
Baking
Babies
Love
Love
Love
Family
New Westminster!  I love my city!
Now back to Eva.

She was not doing very well for awhile there, and everyday i check her blog, hoping to read that her pager has gone off and she's getting the transplant.  She posted this post o n Feb 11th saying she was near the end of the road.  it broke my heart, but opened it and the same time.   i'm not the only one.  Since then there have been literally thousnds of posts in support of her and her loved ones.
Anyhow, I'll post more about the other things another day. 
xox

...ON LOSING MY EVERYTHING

i have a serious problem. i am a perpetual loser... of things. i am a trusting individual, and tend to leave my things unattended in places i shouldn't.
i'm especially amazing at losing 2 things: my glasses, and my wallet.
i usually get them back, but not this time. my wallet was stolen from a pub in abbotsford, and i'm absolutely sure i'm not getting it back.
it's really sad for me. i can't even imagine finding a wallet and NOT returning it to its rightful owner. WHAT IS WRONG with the person who found mine?! seriously! she needs her head examined. (i say "she" with certainty because i left my wallet in the ladies washroom)
i know it's completely my fault that i'm now without any id, banks card/visa/discount cards, but i can't help but be a little angry that anyone would be so dishonest.
i guess i need to grow up.
bah.

i should mention though, that the rest of the evening was wonderful; filled with great food, and amazing friends.
xox

how much is enough?

i gave what i can afford to the redcross to help the relief efforts in haiti. a measly hundred bux. i know every dollar helps, i really know that, so why don't i feel good about helping? because i'm not there?
giving money just doesn't seem like enough. if i give more money will i feel better about what i'm doing for them?
it may be the whole "helping the masses" concept- where they say people are more likely to donate to a cause if they can put a face to the person they are helping...
i am experiencing this lack of connection with these people for the first time. i assume other people are feeling this as well, and hope that they are not a lot less likely to donate.
THAT'S ALL FOR NOW...

afghanistan

i have nothing intelligent to say on this matter, other than i've come to a new personnal level of sadness regarding afghanistan, and our involvment over there. i work in news and am therefore very aware of each canadian soldier who loses their life. i see the pain of their families in each repatriation ceremony.
when i started my job, in local tv news 3 years ago, the canadian death toll in afghanistan was 78. as of today, it's 138. we report on a lot of ugly things, but most of the time i am able to filter it out.
not any more. each time i hear of another i.e.d. taking a soliders life, i am overcome with sadness and tears for their families. for the tragedy of young lives lost. it's been 9 years since the taliban regime fell, and 8 years since canadas ever increasing role in afghanistan started taking lives. harper has called for most candian soldiers to be out of afghanistan by 2011- which is a relief to me. i am curious to hear the thoughts of the soldiers themselves. will they be happy to come home? satisfied with canadas role in building a democratic afghan nation?

on losing my eye glasses

the funny thing about losing your glasses, is that it's especially hard to find them again, being at a loss of sight and all...
ha.

rad chick i've never met.

i've been too busy to write. the weird thing is, the busy times are actually the most important times to write and reflect. a forced slow down. when i say busy- i mean that in the most wonderful way. "busy" celebrating life and love with friends and family. "busy" eating holiday meals and cookies. (nom nom) "busy" spending time with as many people as i can while they have some time off. "busy" enjoying my cozy home and the crisp sunny days.
i am so so so thankful (read, VERY thankful) for my friends and family. for love. for my health and theirs.
You know you're healthy when you are not thinking about your body. right?i vividly remember being 10 years old and stuck in a full leg cast for 6 months- i remember promising myself that once i was better i would appreciate my healthy leg, and the lack of pain each time i moved it. i was young! how was i to know it's almost impossible to take time every day and appreciate your body? that is, until i started reading this blog.

this woman is not only an inspiration to me, she's an inspiration to people across the globe. i'm not going to try to tell her story here, she does it far more eloquently- just read a little bit of her blog and you will see why i have become passionate about organ donation, and why i, who has never been religious, tried praying for her. i know- it's ridiculous- for so many reasons. most of all though-if there is a god- wouldn't he be pissed at me for not talking to him for 28 years and then asking for a huge favour for a stranger? or maybe not, because he's supposed to be god right? so he'd know that praying for eva is totally worth it. if her blog comments read true he's already heard about her.
this is ridiculous, but i would do just about anything to help this chick get lungs. i even wondered if i could survive with just half my lungs and give her my other half. this is apparently not an option. i checked.
anyhow, her heart shines right through her blog, and although i've never met her, i think she should be knighted or something for being awesome.
ps: are you an organ donor? unless it's against your religion (i'm pretty sure god doesn't actually care btw)please go here and check to see if you are registered or need to register.
mmmkay?