Nike has recycled over 20 MILLION sneakers in to tennis courts, running tracks and basketball courts!
I have a pair in my bathroom right now that are too gross for the Vietnam Vets, and I just can't throw them in the trash with any real delusional conviction that they will just somehow vanish in to thin air via the black bin on Wednesday.
Nope they'll go to a big whole in the earth. In this beautiful earth created by some magical event with forces much beyond my comprehension.
Just mail them to Nike:
Nike recycling center
c/o reuse A shoe
26755 SW 95th Ave
Wilsonville, OR 97070
http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
LGBT
Driving home from my very crowded exercise class today, filled with many New Years resoluters like I, I found myself once again lecturing to the dash board. I do this on dog walks, in the shower, anytime I am alone really. I think that makes me a born blogger although I have so little time to sit down to type and reread endlessly as to not embarrass myself.
I thought I was really on to something before I gave Abri the summary of today’s soapbox and he then did something he is very good at, and one of the reasons I married him, he made a very simple astute observation and it also made the need for this rant obsolete. BUT I'm going to try to not let that stop me as I dream so of being a bloggermiester .
So the first thing is I have to be exceedingly careful about what I say about this season's True Blood plot lines, but Alan already made a comment about Pam's sexuality so I think I am not giving any spoilers and am safe to say that this topic of LGBT is on my mind more than usual. In California we also heard a lot about the issue of equal rights in the area of marriage at ballot time. And I also was lucky to be able to get married last year. Albeit to say, this topic has been more on my mind.
And I don't think that One) I have any right to comment intelligently as I have never walked in the shoes of someone who is LGB or T. Two) It doesn't seem as if giving my humble (yeah, right) opinion will be of service. I think it is impossible to convince anyone of anything really. I’ve never seen a liberal and a conservative change the other one tiny iota in endless debates. My views would only increase affinity in those who share a similar outlook and increase animosity in those who... well, have differing points of view. And Three) who the hell cares what I think? I am an actor and a painter, so far (starting to write too). That does not make my opinion have the weight of people who are thinkers for a living and who I love to read, like Joseph Campbell or Noam Chomsky. Right?
So what I can hopefully comment on safely is the fascination I have on what we choose to focus on or care about. It says boat loads. I know I focus on things that others might think are insignificant, a waste of time, or completely non-existent entities. I think what people choose to focus on, or even more interesting, what we choose to be passionate or even angry about!
I can become absolutely fit to be tied by some unobservant selfish unconcerned fellow throwing his McDonalds trash in my greens bin! I go nuts. I spray painted my greens bin with words like "No dog poop!" "GREENS BIN, meaning GREEN THINGS!" My neighbors thought I had been tagged. I said, "I have, by a crazy lady." It makes me NUTS!
And this week buying the perfect rain boot was an endlessly passionate adventure my husband survived with grace.
I tend to agree with Thomas Jefferson who said something like "Those who don't get the news are uninformed and those who do are misinformed." And I'd also ad those who watch the news are bummed the F out! In other words I try to get information from books and not daily news, AND STILL I can't help but know that the polar ice caps are melting. I know that many many people died in Haiti this week. I know that 5+ million sweet animals die every year in pounds because they don’t have papers and people don't know that puppy mills supply pet stores. I know that high fructose corn syrup is a genetically modified frankensoup that in an IV (I read) can kill you but it's in everything. I know that many people lost their homes last year and I have spent hours worrying I might someday too at times, being an actor. I think if you are alive on earth and still have one eye open you can't avoid the endless list of things to fix here. Of the astounding level of suffering and hunger that is occurring as I type, what I find fascinating, is how, with so much truly sad shit happening, that one could really care who plays doctor with whom. I find that very interesting! And that that passion could even make people campaign or yell, or organize about who loves whom and under what agreement. That level of passion can be exciting and can move mountains. So why pick that particular ”mountain” to move?
I mean, ok, view points aside, once everyone can read, and eat everyday, and no one cares if a four legged has a pedigree to live, and once whales are actually finally saved and children are not sold as slaves, etc. then maybe we could be so bored as to spend our days wondering what consenting adults are doing with other grateful adults behind closed doors and start debating with them under what arrangements others think others can live, I mean, just out of sheer mischief created by a Utopian listlessness, but that is just not the world we live in and we may never if we don't applaud love where ever it can bloom in this troubled world.
And I guess that is my point. And I am not so hot on history, but kindness, tolerance, and that kind of mundane thing - didn’t some other kind of cool persons talk about that too throughout time? Personally, I hope to get better and better at it. It’s a challenge to all of us in some areas.
Abri, pointed out, I think very accurately and adroitly, that most people really don’t have a problem with other’s personal choices, it's usually a vocal minority. But as I typed, maybe I got to what I was really trying to say to me and to you. Kindness is under rated. I hope it made sense. It helped me. Thank you.
I thought I was really on to something before I gave Abri the summary of today’s soapbox and he then did something he is very good at, and one of the reasons I married him, he made a very simple astute observation and it also made the need for this rant obsolete. BUT I'm going to try to not let that stop me as I dream so of being a bloggermiester .
So the first thing is I have to be exceedingly careful about what I say about this season's True Blood plot lines, but Alan already made a comment about Pam's sexuality so I think I am not giving any spoilers and am safe to say that this topic of LGBT is on my mind more than usual. In California we also heard a lot about the issue of equal rights in the area of marriage at ballot time. And I also was lucky to be able to get married last year. Albeit to say, this topic has been more on my mind.
And I don't think that One) I have any right to comment intelligently as I have never walked in the shoes of someone who is LGB or T. Two) It doesn't seem as if giving my humble (yeah, right) opinion will be of service. I think it is impossible to convince anyone of anything really. I’ve never seen a liberal and a conservative change the other one tiny iota in endless debates. My views would only increase affinity in those who share a similar outlook and increase animosity in those who... well, have differing points of view. And Three) who the hell cares what I think? I am an actor and a painter, so far (starting to write too). That does not make my opinion have the weight of people who are thinkers for a living and who I love to read, like Joseph Campbell or Noam Chomsky. Right?
So what I can hopefully comment on safely is the fascination I have on what we choose to focus on or care about. It says boat loads. I know I focus on things that others might think are insignificant, a waste of time, or completely non-existent entities. I think what people choose to focus on, or even more interesting, what we choose to be passionate or even angry about!
I can become absolutely fit to be tied by some unobservant selfish unconcerned fellow throwing his McDonalds trash in my greens bin! I go nuts. I spray painted my greens bin with words like "No dog poop!" "GREENS BIN, meaning GREEN THINGS!" My neighbors thought I had been tagged. I said, "I have, by a crazy lady." It makes me NUTS!
And this week buying the perfect rain boot was an endlessly passionate adventure my husband survived with grace.
I tend to agree with Thomas Jefferson who said something like "Those who don't get the news are uninformed and those who do are misinformed." And I'd also ad those who watch the news are bummed the F out! In other words I try to get information from books and not daily news, AND STILL I can't help but know that the polar ice caps are melting. I know that many many people died in Haiti this week. I know that 5+ million sweet animals die every year in pounds because they don’t have papers and people don't know that puppy mills supply pet stores. I know that high fructose corn syrup is a genetically modified frankensoup that in an IV (I read) can kill you but it's in everything. I know that many people lost their homes last year and I have spent hours worrying I might someday too at times, being an actor. I think if you are alive on earth and still have one eye open you can't avoid the endless list of things to fix here. Of the astounding level of suffering and hunger that is occurring as I type, what I find fascinating, is how, with so much truly sad shit happening, that one could really care who plays doctor with whom. I find that very interesting! And that that passion could even make people campaign or yell, or organize about who loves whom and under what agreement. That level of passion can be exciting and can move mountains. So why pick that particular ”mountain” to move?
I mean, ok, view points aside, once everyone can read, and eat everyday, and no one cares if a four legged has a pedigree to live, and once whales are actually finally saved and children are not sold as slaves, etc. then maybe we could be so bored as to spend our days wondering what consenting adults are doing with other grateful adults behind closed doors and start debating with them under what arrangements others think others can live, I mean, just out of sheer mischief created by a Utopian listlessness, but that is just not the world we live in and we may never if we don't applaud love where ever it can bloom in this troubled world.
And I guess that is my point. And I am not so hot on history, but kindness, tolerance, and that kind of mundane thing - didn’t some other kind of cool persons talk about that too throughout time? Personally, I hope to get better and better at it. It’s a challenge to all of us in some areas.
Abri, pointed out, I think very accurately and adroitly, that most people really don’t have a problem with other’s personal choices, it's usually a vocal minority. But as I typed, maybe I got to what I was really trying to say to me and to you. Kindness is under rated. I hope it made sense. It helped me. Thank you.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
meter "maids"
There you were just living the life you were meant to live. Or at least driving around, running errands, buying the things your life needed to live. You circled the block, read the signs, recalled high school drivers Ed and did a perfect 10 and 2 parallel park, then you installed about 8 pounds of change for an hour and thirty minutes of parking time and head off on your happy merry way to buy cat food, a chai tea latte, or get your teeth cleaned. One hour and twenty nine minutes later, there you are marching back to your car toting cat food, jacked on caffeine, or licking your teeth when you see her....the Meter "Maid." She has about eight inches of bleached white hair on the ends of nine inches of black roots teased up like cotton candy. Pink lip gloss and false eye lashes. The perfect look for a day of betraying your fellow man. You think I'm joking? Nope, I saw her on Monday at about 3:29 pm in Encino.
The next thing I noticed was that her waist line was about eleven inches smaller than the space only two inches below that. How is that possible? Well, I can only surmise that it had something to do with that rather ordinary looking belt she was wearing that must have been reinforced with steel. And that poor poor zipper on those uniform pants. My God Ive never seen tongs holding on to each other like that. Those tiny little brass teeth hanging on for dear life. That zipper flap, that usually shields them from the light of day, pulled back like a snarling dog. About the time I recover from this harsh assault on my eyes, the ozone layer and my entire childhood I realise that this honey has a job to do...and my innocent car is within reach of those little legs of hers but of course she can't have gotten ME. I circled the block, I read the signs, I plugged in fifty pounds of coin! She must have gotten some other poor unsuspecting good hearted soul but No! GOD NO! I squint and see in the distance that white square shape near my windshield wiper! For the love of all that is Holy! In my confusion and burgeoning irritation I lose all rationality and speak to this meter...person. "Did you give me a ticket? And out of that pink glossy area I hear something about blah blah blah tow zone blah blah after 3:30 blah blah. And thanks to that aforementioned upbringing, and the technology of blogging (so I can go home and rip this poor woman who's just trying to pay her bills to the shreds I imagine she deserves) I said nothing and just stood there mouth agape searching the horizon for the missing sign that would have imparted this knowledge to me and will hopefully make me right in it's absense and thankfully I see NOTHING. So in all good kindness (I am sure) this flower of a girl grunted and threw her substantial arm out in the general direction of north. I looked and looked, then walked around a tree and there it stood like the Holy Grail, mocking me - it said, 2 hour parking M-Friday 8 am-6 pm, except Sunday. No parking 10-12 Tuesday for street cleaning. No parking 6 pm- 6 am. Permits exempted. and then...No parking 4 pm- 7 pm Mon-Fr TOW ZONE.
She had won. I skulked to my car. I am fairly sure I heard a cackle from behind me. I pulled the ticket off the car and looked. One hundred and fifty f-ing dollars! And all I could do was tell myself that the zipper on my pants was as lazy as a Sunday afternoon, drive home, pay the ticket and then blog! Ha Ha! And she thinks she got me!
But seriously, what would this lady be doing if the great state of California hadn't sought her out? And I am not just picking on this one, we've all seen them, none of them are prepared for any other profession that's legal...and you can do alone.
But seriously. You know how they list the highest suicide professions and how shrinks are usually up there if not number one - which really breeds confidence huh? That's like going to a hair dresser with a comb over, or a winded personal trainer. Dentists are on that suicide list too (which is sad because I love my dentist!). I wonder if its because no one ever wants to see the dentist and they often have to hurt people. But if that theory holds true then meter "persons" should be the top of the suicide chart. They would actually be the entire chart if my theory were true. In fact it wouldn't even be called "suicide" any more, we would all just say, "Did you hear blah blah meter maided?" But noooooo. Meter people are not even on the list. Not even number 87. They're fine! They feel good and they know they look good!!!
And you know what? I guess we should all be so lucky.
The next thing I noticed was that her waist line was about eleven inches smaller than the space only two inches below that. How is that possible? Well, I can only surmise that it had something to do with that rather ordinary looking belt she was wearing that must have been reinforced with steel. And that poor poor zipper on those uniform pants. My God Ive never seen tongs holding on to each other like that. Those tiny little brass teeth hanging on for dear life. That zipper flap, that usually shields them from the light of day, pulled back like a snarling dog. About the time I recover from this harsh assault on my eyes, the ozone layer and my entire childhood I realise that this honey has a job to do...and my innocent car is within reach of those little legs of hers but of course she can't have gotten ME. I circled the block, I read the signs, I plugged in fifty pounds of coin! She must have gotten some other poor unsuspecting good hearted soul but No! GOD NO! I squint and see in the distance that white square shape near my windshield wiper! For the love of all that is Holy! In my confusion and burgeoning irritation I lose all rationality and speak to this meter...person. "Did you give me a ticket? And out of that pink glossy area I hear something about blah blah blah tow zone blah blah after 3:30 blah blah. And thanks to that aforementioned upbringing, and the technology of blogging (so I can go home and rip this poor woman who's just trying to pay her bills to the shreds I imagine she deserves) I said nothing and just stood there mouth agape searching the horizon for the missing sign that would have imparted this knowledge to me and will hopefully make me right in it's absense and thankfully I see NOTHING. So in all good kindness (I am sure) this flower of a girl grunted and threw her substantial arm out in the general direction of north. I looked and looked, then walked around a tree and there it stood like the Holy Grail, mocking me - it said, 2 hour parking M-Friday 8 am-6 pm, except Sunday. No parking 10-12 Tuesday for street cleaning. No parking 6 pm- 6 am. Permits exempted. and then...No parking 4 pm- 7 pm Mon-Fr TOW ZONE.
She had won. I skulked to my car. I am fairly sure I heard a cackle from behind me. I pulled the ticket off the car and looked. One hundred and fifty f-ing dollars! And all I could do was tell myself that the zipper on my pants was as lazy as a Sunday afternoon, drive home, pay the ticket and then blog! Ha Ha! And she thinks she got me!
But seriously, what would this lady be doing if the great state of California hadn't sought her out? And I am not just picking on this one, we've all seen them, none of them are prepared for any other profession that's legal...and you can do alone.
But seriously. You know how they list the highest suicide professions and how shrinks are usually up there if not number one - which really breeds confidence huh? That's like going to a hair dresser with a comb over, or a winded personal trainer. Dentists are on that suicide list too (which is sad because I love my dentist!). I wonder if its because no one ever wants to see the dentist and they often have to hurt people. But if that theory holds true then meter "persons" should be the top of the suicide chart. They would actually be the entire chart if my theory were true. In fact it wouldn't even be called "suicide" any more, we would all just say, "Did you hear blah blah meter maided?" But noooooo. Meter people are not even on the list. Not even number 87. They're fine! They feel good and they know they look good!!!
And you know what? I guess we should all be so lucky.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
my new husband
Abri van Straten.
Yup, it happened. To hear more about how it happened my site is a good place to start. But basically I heard his lovely voice on his CD, tracked him down, plied him with coffee, didn't let him go back to S Africa and married him.
His music really did bring us together, and the internet, as I watched his "Rain" video many, many, many times before I composed an email to his manager.
Visit out sites to hear and see much more.
www.abrivanstraten.com
www.kristinbauer.com
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Ivory White can bite me
Attempt number two - at something more interesting and really irrittating. Isn't that one reason to rant, I mean, blog?
But did you know that I am getting MARRIED! (or am married by the time you see this)
Yup. I can't believe it. I am VERY HAPPY TO BE MARRIED! Abri's music was like the sirens calling to me. Literally. But I digress! I was pissed darn it! Which will make a much better blog I suspect than the classical guitar (Abri's instrument!) of marital bliss so I will focus!
One company now has that honor of inpsiring me to type today...IVORY WHITE. Why? Because they suck.
Have you even been royally screwed, with no dinner, no wine...and there was nothing you could do about it and it made you soooooo mad? Well, guess what? Little do they know, I maybe can do a little something about it. I can rant through my laptop and hope that a few people read this and I can at least injure the little toe of this big ugly wart covered monster called Ivory White.
Ivory white my ass.
So here's the deal -
You know, since my fang fitting I've been a tad more aware of my teeth. I've seen the white strips in actresses dressing rooms over the years and never thought much of it until I realised that a few people might be looking a little more closely at my teeth. So there I was on my laptop in a hotel far from home and was bored so I was doing what we all do, very happily killing time on Facebook when I saw Get a Free Laptop! I knew it had to be a scam but I was bored and a tad naive - The devils playground - So I clicked on it. Just buy two things for nothing and I get a free laptop at COLORMYREWARDS?! And I started to believe it - I must be retarded or just from Wisconsin where people are still honest...or serial killers. But I read every single line of the fine print and went forward. Curiosity is another culprit. A free laptop?! Really?!?!
Well folks - Ivory White charged me $162.77 and no free laptop.
AND I tried the junk - Zippo. Nada. Zilch. Doesn't work.
And Color my (ass) Rewards sent me an email - I can STILL get my free laptop IF I buy two MORE things!
I hate liars. And more than that I hate meanness. And having spoken to customer service, they win in both catagories.
But my husband is not mean or a liar! Go hear his music. I am so proud of him!
Thanks for listening, I hope I saved someone else $162.77.
Much Love, Kristin Bauer
But did you know that I am getting MARRIED! (or am married by the time you see this)
Yup. I can't believe it. I am VERY HAPPY TO BE MARRIED! Abri's music was like the sirens calling to me. Literally. But I digress! I was pissed darn it! Which will make a much better blog I suspect than the classical guitar (Abri's instrument!) of marital bliss so I will focus!
One company now has that honor of inpsiring me to type today...IVORY WHITE. Why? Because they suck.
Have you even been royally screwed, with no dinner, no wine...and there was nothing you could do about it and it made you soooooo mad? Well, guess what? Little do they know, I maybe can do a little something about it. I can rant through my laptop and hope that a few people read this and I can at least injure the little toe of this big ugly wart covered monster called Ivory White.
Ivory white my ass.
So here's the deal -
You know, since my fang fitting I've been a tad more aware of my teeth. I've seen the white strips in actresses dressing rooms over the years and never thought much of it until I realised that a few people might be looking a little more closely at my teeth. So there I was on my laptop in a hotel far from home and was bored so I was doing what we all do, very happily killing time on Facebook when I saw Get a Free Laptop! I knew it had to be a scam but I was bored and a tad naive - The devils playground - So I clicked on it. Just buy two things for nothing and I get a free laptop at COLORMYREWARDS?! And I started to believe it - I must be retarded or just from Wisconsin where people are still honest...or serial killers. But I read every single line of the fine print and went forward. Curiosity is another culprit. A free laptop?! Really?!?!
Well folks - Ivory White charged me $162.77 and no free laptop.
AND I tried the junk - Zippo. Nada. Zilch. Doesn't work.
And Color my (ass) Rewards sent me an email - I can STILL get my free laptop IF I buy two MORE things!
I hate liars. And more than that I hate meanness. And having spoken to customer service, they win in both catagories.
But my husband is not mean or a liar! Go hear his music. I am so proud of him!
Thanks for listening, I hope I saved someone else $162.77.
Much Love, Kristin Bauer
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