*we* scare me

I am having a good day. Met Olia, my former co-worker, for a short hike in Griffith Park. We continue to joke about training for a marathon to combat our unemployment depression (have I talked about this already??) It is more than apparent to me that I need to walk before I can run :) So, I am walking and hiking and I am developing the farmer's tan to prove it.

It is the time of year when I wish I had a yard to plant a garden. For the first time I am trying tomato starts in pots. Wish me luck. The basil from seed is getting its booty kicked by the basil start from the farmers' market. My neighbor's mom was here from Holland for a few weeks, and so now there are a dozen new starts that need tending. I don't mind, it feels like the least I can do. Sofia would be proud of me. I still have her garden up to remind me what is possible.

Speaking of the least I can do... I am terrified watching today's Oprah. It is about families that cut out stuff like tv, video games, computers, iPods, cell phones, Starbucks, bottled water, eating out, paper napkins, etc. for a week. ONE WEEK. That was all, it is was crazy hard for people. I saw the ad during the debate last night and I was interested to see what it was about. When I was working at the shop, I didn't even have to watch because someone was sure to provide the play-by-play details from the interesting shows. Now I have to make a point of watching if I want to know what's happening. Anyway, back to my concerns; how do you use more than a roll of paper towels a day?! Are *we* really so wasteful?? I am shocked. Really shocked. People are throwing away soooo much food. I always feel like I am consuming more than I need to, but sheesh! I am scared of the thought that there are kids who freak out without tv and computers for a couple of days. Is it really "normal" to cook multiple meals so each kids gets to eat what they like? I don't think we all need to be freegans, but come on.

I don't think I have ever thanked my parents for making me do stuff. We played board games and read and cooked for fun. Thank you, mom and dad! I know there are lots of great parents out there who are making the effort to fight the trends. I read Henry's blog and love seeing his mom create these fantastic activities. A while back they made edible people out of half a canned peach, celery, raisins, etc. I did that as a kid and there was some comfort in knowing that those things still happen at kitchen tables in this country.

Yes, I know that all I have to do is spend an hour checking out mom-blogs, to be convinced that women everywhere are crafty, creative, eloquent, and using their mad camera skillz daily. Maybe my real concern is that the bar seems really high and on the rise due to the abundance of rockstar women who bake and sew and have amazing jobs and still read and look beautiful while they work in their gardens in between writing letters to friends and re-upholstering the furniture. How does one reconcile this kind of life with what is evidently taken to be a collective *we in this country* who burn through everything disposable (whether or not it actually is) and drive around in the temperature controlled isolation of SUVs?

Ok, now just let me put away my soap box. After all, "clean apartment" is on my list right after, "stay outside until I feel better about life." I am afraid I have just become the worst version of my blog-self: preachy, self-indulgent, typing to the choir. sorry. I take comfort in knowing that the common denominator, no matter how polarized we may become, is knitting. And that taking bags to the store does count, even if it is the least I can do.