Nana Spreads Some Goodwill

I spent yesterday in the closet.  Or, should I say closets?  As I posted on Wednesday, it was time to clean out my accumulation of shoes.  I tried to channel Peter Walch, Oprah's organization guru,  and I developed criteria for any pair that I was going to keep.

• in good condition
• comfortable
• fit well
• meet a need in my wardrobe or I just love them

I started with 102 pairs, but along the way I found a few more pairs under the beds or tucked away in the back of the closets.  My goal was to reduce by 20%.  The first five or six pairs to toss was easy and included four pairs of black pumps.  I kept one pair of basic black heels, but numerous black dressy pumps...you know, for that once in a blue moon that I dress up.  But, a girl's got to have strappy heels for summer dress-up and fancy closed toe shoes for winter.  I'm down to only two pair of lime green shoes, summer sandals and spring loafers, but I've still got my four pairs of pink shoes. 

I have two big bags of shoes in the trunk of my car to take to Goodwill.  I culled 18 pairs from the collection.  I said goodbye to three pairs of gray heels...but I still have at least three pairs of gray shoes in the closet.  I really was surprised that I had so many gray shoes. 

I found a pair of brand new slippers, still in the box, in the back of the closet.  So I threw away two pairs of slippers that had seen better days.

Once I was in the closets (notice it's plural, I use two walk-in closets in the two back bedrooms) I started in on the clothing.  When my daughter lived at home, she was my fashion Nazi.  It wasn't until she moved out that my collection of holiday sweaters grew to epic proportions.  Without her input I do have what could best be described as "some poor choices!"

I kept reminding myself that I am retired and my wardrobe meets different needs now.  I have two boxes of suits going to Goodwill also.  I tried on almost everything in the closet and if it didn't fit perfectly, it went in the donate pile.  Eighteen suits are gone, but I still have almost that many left in the closet.  All the brown suits went.  I don't particularly like brown, so I'm not sure why I bought those particular suits in the first place.  I'm left with classic black and blue suits.  I guess I'm not totally ready to let go of my working life, or I would have let all the business attire go.

I enjoyed reading the comments from my earlier post.  I do wish all of you lived in my neighborhood...what a great field trip we could have shopping for shoes!  Oh, I forgot, I'm not buying shoes; I have enough shoes.  Let's go shopping for leisure wear...I've got some room in my closet now for a new retirement wardrobe!

Nana Takes the First Step

I love those television programs that show people with clutter problems...not the hoarders who have filled their houses with garbage, but regular people who have piles of stuff in their spare bedrooms.   This afternoon when I was too tired from being retired to do anything, I turned on the TV and discovered that I could watch Peter Walch, Oprah's organization guru, on On Demand.  There went my afternoon!

Peter Walch was helping a couple clean out their bedroom and home office.  The rooms were filled with stuff that the wife had bought on sale.  She had piles of new clothing that she had never worn, in sizes that she couldn't wear.  The clothing took up all available space.  Her husband had moved into a spare bedroom because there was no room to sleep in the master bedroom.  There was an incredible amount of stuff in just two rooms.  Peter Walch helped the couple, especially the woman, reduce their possessions to manageable levels.  At one point he said "No one needs more than 10 pairs of shoes."

Ten pairs of shoes, he can't be serious?  I've got at least 10 pair of black shoes alone.  I don't think I would be able to limit myself to only 10 pairs, but how many is a reasonable number? 

My friend Shawn often reminds me that I'm the only person she knows who has five pairs of pink shoes.  Is five pairs unreasonable? I've got two pairs of heels, loafers, ballet flats, and sandals.  Doesn't everyone need a variety of shoe styles in numerous different colors?

I have shoes in my closet that I haven't worn.  On the  other hand, I have shoes in my closet that are more than just comfortably worn...but they're still good for a few more wearings.

Oregon has four seasons, so one needs shoes for every season.  I can't wear boots in the summer or sandals in the winter.  But, how many pairs of sandals is reasonable? 

The reason I love the organizing shows is because I know that I walk a fine line.  I could so easily find myself buried in stuff.  I'm always looking for ways to keep myself in check.  The television shows that focus on organizing have given me strategies for helping to reduce my personal clutter. 

True confession time...I just counted.  I have 102 pairs of shoes in my closets.  That probably is too many... especially for someone who spends most days inside wearing slippers!  I haven't decided on a reasonable number, but tomorrow I'm going to sort through the shoes.  My goal is to toss at least 20 pairs of shoes.  That would be 20%,  Then again, 80 pairs is still a lot.  I'm already getting anxious, worrying about what shoes I can let go.  Maybe I should look for a 12 step program, or maybe I'll just wait until Peter Walch knocks on my door . 

WTF Wednesday: New York Abortion Billboard

WTF Wednesday is a semi-regular feature of this blog. It documents the things that have made me pause, slap my forehead and say "What the f**k!" Well, that and I just like saying WTF. I'm retired. I don't have to watch what I say anymore. I'm not any one's role model.

The billboard above reads “The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.” It is located in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, about a half a mile from a Planned Parenthood clinic. The billboard was erected by Life Always, a group opposed to abortions.


"They're attacking women for choosing abortion while simultaneously destroying family planning," a spokeswoman Mary Alice Carr of NARAL Pro-Choice America is quoted by CNN before the billboard was taken down. "Their hypocrisy is as large and as obnoxious as this billboard."



Read the CNN article here .  

What the f**k?

A Modern Parable

I read the following posted on Facebook today...

"A public union employee, a tea party activist, and a CEO are sitting at a table with a plate of a dozen cookies in the middle of it.



The CEO takes 11 cookies, turns to the tea partier and says, 'Watch out for that union guy. He wants a piece of your cookie.' "

There are several versions of this floating around the Internet, so I don't know its author.

The Republican Governor of Wisconsin's proposal to strip public sector unions of most collective bargaining rights was approved last Friday by the Wisconsin Assembly. 

Everyone by now understands that we are facing huge budget deficits across the United States.  Everyone understands that we have to make reductions in spending.  The trick is making the cuts that will do the least harm and maintain essential services.  Using this budget crisis to abolish workers' rights is unprincipled and dishonorable. 


I am tired of the anti-union rhetoric, but I am also tired of extreme positions on both sides of the issue.  Tea party members and Republicans are not the only ones who recognize that we need to get our budgets under control.  The only way we can resolve the differences is not by heavy handed proclamations, but by respecting each other, finding common ground, and making compromises.

It's another one of those lessons from kindergarten...nobody gets cookies unless you have enough for everyone!

I Stand With Planned Parenthood

On February 18, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to withdraw federal funding of Planned Parenthood as part of a larger bill to cut government spending.   If this bill passes the Senate, all funding for Planned Parenthood services such as birth control, cancer screenings, HIV testing, and other lifesaving care will be terminated.  Planned Parenthood would lose $363 million in federal funding. 

Our elected representatives are facing difficult choices as they try to balance the budget.  There are many competing needs, but there are also forces that are taking advantage of the budget challenges to undermine the reproductive rights of women.  Planned Parenthood provides free or low cost health services for women across America.  As part of comprehensive reproductive health services, they also provide abortion services.  However, no federal money is used to provide abortion services, yet targeting Planned Parenthood for budget cuts is an easy target for the anti-choice members of Congress.

When the spouse and I first married, we were poor college students.  We didn't have medical insurance.  Planned Parenthood was the resource I used for reproductive health care.  Not only did I receive knowledgeable, professional medical care, but I also got my birth control pills for free.  If you're poor, birth control can be a luxury.  I was so grateful for Planned Parenthood.

All women deserve access to quality reproductive health care that is non-biased.  Reduction of federal funding to Planned Parenthood jeopardizes that access for millions of women.  I live in a rural area, yet  there is a Planned Parenthood facility 30 miles from my house. 

Day in and day out Planned Parenthood is providing critical health care services for families who have no other alternatives.  That is why federal funding must be sustained.  Now is not the time to play politics with health care funding. 

If you are concerned about this issue, let your elected representatives know.  Sign the open letter to the representatives who voted for this bill, and to the senators who still have a chance to stop it.  You can find a link to the letter at the Planned Parenthood website at

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/index.htm

I stand with Planned Parenthood.  I hope you will too.

WTF Wednesday: God Works in Mysterious Ways

WTF Wednesday is a semi-regular feature of this blog. It documents the things that have made me pause, slap my forehead and say "What the f**k!" Well, that and I just like saying WTF. I'm retired. I don't have to watch what I say anymore. I'm not any one's role model.

A year or so ago my daughter and I were looking at DVDs when I noticed a cartoon series with vegetable characters called Veggie Tales. 

"What kid would want to watch cartoon vegetables?" I commented to my daughter.

Readers who have small children have probably heard about Veggie Tales.  I had never heard of them and my daughter filled me in.  Veggie Tales is an animated series that features vegetables acting out Bible stories.

What the f**k?  Vegetables telling Bible stories?  ...and it's on TV?  ...and kids actually watch it?

This is not a joke.  The series exists and it is really cartoon vegetables acting out Bible stories like Daniel in the Lion's Den, or David and Goliath.

Can you imagine the production meeting where this idea was first proposed? 

I know that God works in mysterious ways, but this one is more than mysterious; It's weird. 

Nana did NOT buy the DVD for the granddaughters!

WTF Wednesday: Anonymous is Stalking Me

WTF Wednesday is a semi-regular feature of this blog. It documents the things that have made me pause, slap my forehead and say "What the f**k!" Well, that and I just like saying WTF. I'm retired. I don't have to watch what I say anymore. I'm not any one's role model.

I just put the picture of the dollar bill to taunt my new stalker. Apparently middle school students have found my blog. I wrote about an incident in the classroom here last Wednesday. Here are some of the messages that have been posted on my blog since then:

"Boner"

Posted by Anonymous to Benchmark 60 at February 7, 2011 5:24 PM

"I want my dollar back you dumb bitch!!!! Go play with zebra poop!!!

Posted by Anonymous to Benchmark 60 at February 7, 2011 12:14 PM

"Fuck you!"

Posted by Anonymous to Plentiful Sufficiency at February 6, 2011 1:16 PM

"U are such a god damn freak! What the he'll is this blog for! I hate you! You had no right to take my dollar! You had no right to blog about it either you price of shit!!!! bONEr!!

Posted by Anonymous to Benchmark 60 at February 6, 2011 1:13 PM

It is easy enough to erase the comments. But, for everyone who looks at teaching as an easy job, here's an example of the other side of the story. While we want to look at students as innocent children, and see our job as shepherding them into adulthood by teaching and encouraging them, the reality is that some of them are nasty pieces of work. Unfortunately, it looks like I had one of those kids in my classroom.


Okay, the smart ones in the crowd are asking, "How do you know it's a middle school student?" To which I reply.... clues!  The comment about zebras refers to a discussion in the classroom about zebra prints. (Yes, Nana was indulging in her love for fashion with an especially attractive zebra print jacket which some students thought was quite fashion forward.)

Dear Anonymous,
I don't have your dollar.  I left it in your teacher's desk with your name on it.  Your mother never came by to claim it.  Perhaps you should ask your teacher or your principal to return it to you.  I'm sending them a link to this post.  I'm sure they'll be interested in reading what you are posting online.  Your mother must be so proud!

Sincerely,
Your substitute