January « 2010 « Good Karma Housekeeping

Monthly Archives: January 2010

Jan 29 2010

Good Boy

by Holly

pastoric

A coworker who’s involved in dog rescue posted something on our intranet that caught my attention. It was about a Navy Seal who’s also a photographer in Iraq and was looking for pet food donations to help care for the countless stray cats and dogs who were hanging around—and winning the soldiers’ hearts. That’s him in the photo above with a couple of the pups.

People and animals alike, there are so, so many in this world who need a helping hand. I wish I could do more to help everyone. For now, a grassroots plea will have to do.

Can you help?

Here’s what’s needed:

Cat food*
Dog food*
Heartgard
Frontline
Medicated shampoo

*Dry food should be emptied into a durable plastic garbage bag and sealed tightly. It’s a good idea to also include the label from the packaging.

Note: Collars and leashes are a no-no. It’s a death sentence for the animal if an Iraqi soldier knows an animal is being cared for by Americans. (That’s just wrong.)

Perhaps you have some cat food in your cupboard that your finicky feline won’t eat. Or maybe you wouldn’t mind picking up an extra bag or two of pet food when you’re at the store. Or perhaps your vet would have some food or supplies to donate. The flat-rate box cost $11.95 to ship—not so bad, considering how far away it’s going.

The address is:

MC1 Jayme Pastoric
SOTF-W DET RAMADI
Unit 43501
FPO AP 09367-3501

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

_________________________________________________________________________
© 2010 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making space on the ol’ to-do list so that a few sweet furry creatures might be able to live happily ever after. (Photo from Jayme Pastoric’s Facebook page)

Categories: Good Ideas, Quotations | 2 Comments »

Jan 14 2010

There Are Heroes in the Seaweed

by Holly

alissa flower

Wednesday afternoon, my Power Lunch reading buddy bobbed her way through the school lunch line, a smiling whirl of braids and barettes, and presented me with an orange tissue paper flower attached to a popsicle stick.

The flower looked like the type you’d find adorning a platter of sweet & sour chicken at a Chinese food buffet. It’s the sort of thing I would have slipped into my pocket and brought home with me when I, too, was 8 years old. In fact, I still hold on to pretty scraps of this and that. Colorful strips of satin ribbon and lightly creased slips of pretty tissue paper dominate my collection of gift wrap. Odds and ends that make their way to me among the everyday jumble.

“Did you see the news?” she asked me as we climbed the stairs to the library. I had, of course–and knew the exact story she was referring to: the major earthquake that hit her family’s native home of Haiti just the day before. I’d seen the coverage online. The wreckage and chaos. An immense amount of sadness. The phone lines were all down, so her parents weren’t able to get through to their relatives. I cannot imagine.

When I got back to the office, I spent some time online reading about the aftermath and the relief efforts and the countless people who had risen to the occasion, helping in whatever way they can. Indeed, beauty has a way of presenting itself in heartfelt gestures among the ruins.

”And she shows you where to look among the garbage and the flowers.” –Leonard Cohen

_________________________________________________________________________
© 2010 Good Karma Housekeeping. Making the space–one heartfelt gesture at a time–to live happily ever after.

Categories: Gratitude, Observations, Quotations | 2 Comments »

Jan 2 2010

On New Year’s Resolutions and the Soul of 9

by Holly

lotus blossom

I’ve always loved the new year and its promise of a fresh start. Ironically though, I’ve been making the same resolutions for the better of 20 years now. Eat more vegetables. Watch less TV and read more books. Get more exercise and more sleep. Write more and submit my work for publication.

I’d outline grand and precise plans in these areas, all designed to help me succeed. And then, when I’d get the slightest bit off track, I’d cast that goal aside and move on to something I could accomplish. Like watching every episode of House Hunters and What Not to Wear or walking to get a vanilla soft-serve cone with rainbow sprinkles on top for dinner.

I’m not lazy–nor am I a slacker. But I’ve always had trouble sticking with things. Even things that I enjoy. Turns out, it’s my Soul of 9 that’s holding me back.

Let me back up a bit: A few weeks ago, my kundalini yoga teacher was talking about the 10 bodies–a way of understanding and restoring balance in your life. Tantric numerology offers a window into our own bodies. Ever the curious one, I went online, entered my birthdate, and out popped my tantric reading.

My soul number–which identifies what’s at the core of my consciousness–is a 9. It says that I’m very hard on myself (yep) and that I have a tendency to give up on things after a short period of time rather than sticking with them and mastering them (yep). It goes on to explain that, “without mastery, life is a mystery” to me and that “my joy in life will come from mastering things.” On the one hand, I feel like this is just generic enough to apply to most all of us; but I have enough experiential evidence to know that my internal critic is snarkier than most.

So, how can I overcome this? The numerology report recommended a 1,000-day meditation. Just seeing the words “1,000 day” made me want to reach for the remote and flip on HGTV. But the perfectionist in me isn’t willing to give up quite that easily this time.

After years and years of resolving to do all of these lofty and ambitious things and only making marginal success, I’ve decided to change my approach. In the spirit of Christine Kane’s Resolution Revolution, my goal for 2010 is simply to finish.

Finish. That’s it. Just one word. The goal being to infuse anything and everything that I aspire to with this intention. Those unread and partly read books on my shelves? Finish. My to-be-written essay ideas? Finish. My desire to eat vegan for two meals each day? Finish. My plans to run a 5k? Finish. You get the picture.

With just one word to aspire to, there’s no room for drama, backstory, or excuses. Just do it.

“Don’t fear the long road.”
–Michael Franti, Never Too Late

_________________________________________________________________________
© 2010 Good Karma Housekeeping. Because less is more–especially when it comes to
setting a clear New Year’s resolution. (Photo by Flowery L*u*z*a* via Creative Commons.)

Categories: Good Ideas, Happiness, Quotations | 2 Comments »

Good Boy

There Are Heroes in the Seaweed

On New Year’s Resolutions and the Soul of 9

Tags

Find Good Karma