CafeChatNoir

I can’t even remember where I first heard of them - probably somewhere on LJ, but they are a pretty spiffy outfit.

A while back, I made a donation for a Kindergarden class in Richmond to get a printer so the kids could do “my first year of school” scrapbooks.  I really loved the idea and the school is in an area that doesn’t exactly have a ton of resources.

Well, today I got a poster signed by all the kids saying thanks for the printer and a bunch of pictures showing them all working on their scrapbooks.  It’s nice to be able to see that you’ve actually made a difference.

The lovely kitiara is going to go jump into freezing cold water to benefit Special Olympics.  There is even a raffle for an iPod if she makes her fundraising goal of $1500!

It’s a win-win-win situation.  Special Olympics gets help.  You could end up with a new iPod.  You aren’t the one having to jump in the water!

Click here for more info and go donate!

She’s getting really close to her goal - every little bit helps!

Child’s Play is at it again!

Over 45 participating hospitals around the world this year.  330K donated already this season, they’re shooting for 750K by Christmas.   There’s probably a children’s hospital near you that’s participating.

Food & Friends is working with Bread & Chocolate to bring Thanksgiving Pies to their clients.

You can order pies for yourself, or for Food & Friends, or both.  I beleive there is only a day or two left to get orders in, so if you’re interested, best get over there soon.

Food & Friends is one of my favorite local charities - basically it’s Meals on Wheels for homebound folks with illnesses such as AIDS and cancer.

Couple weeks back I got one of the Donors Choose coupons via LJ and went hunting for a project to support.  I specifically looked for Virginia schools in low income/high poverty areas in need and found a request for triple beam balances for a science classroom.

Today I got a note back that the project has been fully funded!  It’s great to know that a donation actually did what it was supposed to do.

Kiva.org - Loans that change lives

Found out about this one via DCist - the first annual Brainfood Grill Off!

It’s this Thursday, 6/28, and there are still tickets available. $75 for dinner, open bar and “entertainment” (which may be the kids setting the kitchens on fire, who knows.)

Brainfood is “a non-profit youth development organization based in Washington, DC. Brainfood has been a community presence in the Columbia Heights neighborhood for several years, and in the fall of 2007, a second Brainfood site was established in Chinatown. The Brainfood kitchen is a place where young people come to have creative, constructive fun. We believe that supervised, fun activities are a young person’s right, not a privilege, and we have found that most of our students do not have access to such opportunities.

In keeping with these beliefs, we have created after school and summer programs that allow kids to be kids, while also challenging them to develop new skills and raise self-expectations. Brainfood is a safe place for teens to try new things, make mistakes, and grow. We reach young people through a positive approach based on one of the oldest and most universal of human traditions: food. Through listening, reading, shopping, measuring, chopping, whisking, roasting, cooling, collaborating, presenting, eating, cleaning and volunteering, Brainfood students learn life skills and have fun.”

Well, damn, I am certainly down for that. Even got little bro hooked in for it. (Which makes me think that maybe dinner tonight didn’t turn out as well as I thought it had.)

Child’s Play

My absolute favorite Christmas shopping.

They’re now working with hospitals in the US, Canada, the UK, and one hospital in Egypt, and have managed over 1 million in donations of books, games & toys since 2003. Pretty spiffy.

OK, so the DC Metro area is about to float away, so if I no longer update, it’s because I am halfway down the Potomac River. Flash floods all weekend, now we have a coastal flood warning for the river, and apparently there are tons of roads underwater around here. Was out running errands earlier and there were definitely some roads that could become impassable at the rate things are going.

The sun also just came out for a while, and there was steam pouring off the wet deck - somewhat disconcerting at first glance.

I’m also not getting any email comments, so it’s taking me a while to go back and find things that were left - so if you’re expecting a response from me, I’m still going through the comment list to see what I missed.

CNBC is talking about Warren Buffet’s $37B gift to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation - they’re trying to put that much money into perspective - the one I liked the best was, “It’s a big ol’ truckload of money” :) They’re also talking about how a charitable group deals with such a large donation - first I’d say make sure you actually GET it - there have been a few instances of large donations being pledged and the donors not coming through with what they promised.

So - if you could run your own charitable foundation, to help whoever or whatever you wanted - what would it be? As for me, I think it would end up helping random people/organizations in need - no stated target group, just help where it’s needed.

You may or may not know, but I’m kind of an animal freak. One of my personal fav charities is the Washington Humane Society. They do some pretty fantastic work around here - their little self description says it quite well: The Washington Humane Society is the oldest animal protection agency in Washington, D.C. Since 1870, WHS has served homeless, lost, and abused animals in the District of Columbia; providing protection from cruelty, shelter from the elements, and a second chance at a loving home. No call for help goes unanswered, and no animal is ever turned away.

They have a special fund - Sophie’s Fund - that is for veterinary bills for animals that are brought in. They don’t just do the shots & a checkup, it includes surgeries and other procedures to make the animals happy & healthy again. It’s running a bit short right now, so if you’ve got a couple bucks looking for a good deed, maybe this is a good spot for them. They’re a group I give to regularly and feel like they do make a difference in the community.

April 11 , 2006

Dear friend of animals,

We have reached a critical juncture. As you know, the doors of our animal shelter are always open to any animal who needs our help. We take them all in. We don’t ask if they are old or young. We don’t ask if they are healthy or sick. With each and every animal, we simply ask how we can help.

Lately, some of our animals have needed quite a bit of help, especially veterinary care. Here are but a few examples:

A man who was squatting with some friends in an abandoned building near the shelter brought us Kendall, an 18-month black and white cat with an extraordinarily sweet disposition. The cat had suffered a deep laceration to his right front paw and was limping badly. The man who brought him in knew the cat needed to see a veterinarian, but he had no means to pay for one. He asked that we fix the leg and find Kendall a home. So we had Kendall’s leg treated, gave him his antibiotics and pain medication, and changed his bandage as the leg healed. He’s now completing his recovery - very successfully - in a foster home prior to adoption.

Toni, an 11-month female Miniature Pinscher puppy, came in with a broken leg. Her person said that the small dog had fallen down the stairs, but that he did not have the money to fix the leg. He surrendered Toni to us. The surgery and hospitalization cost our Sophie Fund $2,465, but the sweet and loving little dog gets stronger every day in her foster home.

Ziggy, a 10-year-old female pit bull, was the best friend of a young man with a severe learning disability. One day Ziggy went on a romp down her Southeast DC street with her friend right behind her, trying to catch his dog. Ziggy thought it was all great fun until she ran into a police barricade. The police grabbed her owner, and when Ziggy came over to see what was wrong, the officer shot her in the leg. Fortunately someone had the presence of mind to call the Washington Humane Society. We arranged to have Ziggy’s leg fixed at a discount, but even so, her person could only reimburse us for a fraction of what the surgery cost.

The Washington Humane Society takes in nearly all of the animals in the District of Columbia who need help of any sort. Among them are those with critical medical needs. We consider it our mission to do everything we can to help them recover and find a home. For them there is no one else.

The problem is that our Sophie Medical Fund has run dry (it’s $500 in the red) even as new injured animals arrive. Today, we are in urgent need of contributions so that we can continue to be there for them. Please help us save lives by making a donation of whatever you can afford to our Sophie Fund. It can be done online by clicking here.

And thank you from me, the staff of the Washington Humane Society, and the animals like Kendall, Toni, and Ziggy who owe their lives to your kindness.

Sincerely,

Howard Nelson
Executive Director
Washington Humane Society
7319 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20012

/Would die a happy woman if my obit included the words “philanthropist” :)

When it comes to Christmas, to be honest, I don’t give much of a rat’s ass about presents, decorations, or any of that stuff. Never really have. What I like is that at least for a little while, some people will actually get their heads out of their asses for a short period of time and actually be decent to their fellow man for a change.

I’m at the UPS store, there is a line of course, but folks are in generally decent spirits as we’re all just happy we’re NOT at the Post Office. A young Marine walks in and asks at the desk if it is still possible to get packages delivered by Christmas. He clerks says likely, but all dependent on what he’s got & where it’s going. He nods, his packages are in the car, and he looks at the line, trying to judge how long this is going to take. The woman who is next in line turns to him and says “You’re on your way to work, aren’t you?” “Yes, ma’am.” “Go get your packages and come back and you go ahead of me.” He thanks her and heads back to his car. The clerk is stammering something about “I don’t think we can do that…” Understandable, she doesn’t want a riot breaking out in her store. I said, “Well, what if no one else in line minds?” “Ummm, well, I guess….”

So, I turn around to the folks in line and ask, “Anyone have a problem with letting that young man in uniform get checked out first?”

The response was an overwhelming “No problem!!!!” from EVERYONE. No hemming or hawing or grudgingly going along with the idea - smiles and nods and “Of course he can get through!” and several “It’s the very least we can do for what he does.”

That’s what Christmas is about, Charlie Brown. Peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

Peace out, kids.

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and THE CAPS ARE BACK IN TRAINING CAMP!!!  All is right with the world.  Tickets go on sale starting this Thursday. 

Unfortunately, the Caps website is a little too slick for it’s own good and I’m having a hell of a time finding full pricing info on anything beyond individual tickets.  This is probably someone’s way of telling me that I don’t need to get anything beyond the occasional pair of individual game tickets…

A friend of mine works w/ a group that works w/ wounded soldiers, helping out in various ways, and has let me know of a need in the local area.  If anyone in the DC Metro area would be interested in fostering a small dog through December/January for a soldier that is going to be at Walter Reed, please let me know.  The pup in question is a Peekapoo, won’t be any bigger than 20 lbs, but unfortunately, does NOT get on well with cats, otherwise, I’d be sharing my house & yard with him.

In other news, it would seem that my coworker is in fact on board with doing a tri next year!!  I find it HIGHLY amusing that he is convinced I am so far ahead of him and that I’ll have to carry him for a while in the training.  HAHAHAHAHAHA.  Yeah, I’m ahead, but not by much at all.  But then again, it’s also kinda cool to be the one telling someone else, “You can totally do this” rather than the other way around. 

Now that I’ve gotten some sleep, I can tell of my adventures in animal rescue transport. :)

This was for Molly, a Persian going from New Britain, CT to Jacksonville, FL, because she wasn’t getting on well in her foster home and would be going back to her old owner/foster in FL.  Well, there was a Springfield to Fredericksburg leg, and, HEY! I know where both those places are, so I signed up.  Even said I could get as far as the Emporia, VA leg, cause it’s really not a bad drive.  Schedules are drawn up, emails sent out, they still need someone to get from Emporia to Rocky Mt, NC.  Heck, I’d already said I’d go to Emporia, what’s another hour?  So, Springfield to Rocky Mt it is.  And now there is a second cat, Robbie, a Maine Coon going to Raleigh to be picked up by Maine Coon rescue there.

The original pickup was to be at 3:30, I get a call at 3:15, the leg ahead of me has only just gotten the kitties - bad traffic up north it seems, so she’ll call when she gets closer by.  We end up meeting up around 4:15 and I am back on the road with them about 4:30.  I’m thinking we can make up some of the lost time since we’re skipping three hand offs, and I can take the bypass around Richmond.  An excellent theory, undone by 2 thunderstorms that we drove through.

I managed to get the names backwards, and called them both by the wrong name the entire trip.  They were also VERY quiet - something I am NOT used to with cats in the car.  And about an hour into it, I realize that the reason Robbie is so quiet and sleeping so much is that he’s got some sort of upper respiratory thing going on…this worries me, as I really, REALLY don’t want to have a cat up and die on me on my first transport, so the poor guy was harassed by me most of the trip.  “You OK back there?!  You’re alive, right?  Still breathing?”  I’d get an eye opened at me and a look of death of “CAN YOU NOT SEE THAT I AM TRYING TO SLEEP HERE?!”  I gave him a bit off my chicken sandwich, and he scarfed it down, so he had a decent appetite, so that made me feel better.  His goodbye to me was a very large, sloppy sneeze through the crate as we took him out of the car.  Molly just stared at me very suspiciously the entire trip.

I sang to them, told them my life story and I am thinking generally annoyed them through most of the trip.

We roll into Red Oak, just north of Rocky Mount, right around 8:30 and manage to completely miss the turn to the hotel where the meetup is - you pull off the highway and there is a sign for the hotel next to an abandoned gas station - if you turn there, then the hotel is back down that road.  But you can’t really see the hotel from that spot on the road, just a sign and nothing…  Fortunately, coming back the other way on that road you CAN see the hotel. :)  My pickup called me just after I had turned around going back the other way and let me know that yes, you really do turn at the abandoned gas station.

Got them dropped off, hit the gas station to fill up the tank and headed home.

I have just gotten a note from the lady that picked up Robbie - says he’s not sneezing or anything today, so it sounds like it was just the stress of travel.  (Or my car is very dusty, very likely as well.)

Two kitties on their way to forever homes. A good way to spend an afternoon. But damn, I’m tired and it’s bedtime for this gal.

Got call from the transport leg ahead, they’re running behind, so she’s just gonna call me when she gets nearby rather than trying to pick a time that would probably not be accurate anyway. Have mini cooler with sodas, water & a couple sandwiches, I am ready for a road trip. :)

I really would have expected a higher percentage off this…

I am 16% White Trash.

I, my friend, have class. I am so not white trash. . I am more than likely Democrat, and my place is neat, and there is a good chance I may never drink wine from a box.

Take the
White Trash Test
@ FualiDotCom

The dog is too smart for his own good.  In under one week, he has figured out shorts + PDA + tevas = OMG, WALK!!!!!!!!!!!!  He’s still rather confused by the fact that we do a lap together and he gets dropped off and I continue on my own, but it’s still hot and his little tongue is draggin’ when we get back. 

OK, errands to run before kitty transport - it’s now two cats, and I’m taking them all the way to Rocky Mt - they couldn’t find anyone for the Emporia to Rocky Mt leg, and I’ve got no other commitments, so hell, why not?  As I told the coordinator, “I’m single and I have a Jeep, I can take on the world.”  :)

I got to do something good today.

It was kind of accidental, in that had I not found out about a certain thing, at a certain time, it may not have come to pass. But it did.

I guess it’s just that the opportunity to do good things is probably almost always there, if you’re paying attention.

And on a completely selfish note, it felt really good, too. :)

I sent off funds to Oxfam this morning for the relief/recovery efforts. There is so much to do to recover, I can’t help but feel like my small amount isn’t going to make a difference. Rationally, I know that every little bit adds up, but this is just so big, and is going to require so much. There is a woman on another forum that I frequent that lives in Bangkok. She will be working at the hospital because they need more English speakers there. In a way, I envy her, because she can at least do something tangible to help. Were I in a position to do so, I’d be sorely tempted to get on a plane and find a way to help.

Finished 2 scarves for the shelter, got 1 adult & 1 toddler sized out of it - have emailed to be sure they can actually use them, as they have no mention of any winter gear on their needed donations list. If they can’t use them, I will find a place that can.

Oh, mazikeem - you know what you were saying about not being able to get into the zone w/your scarf? Definitely not you - that yarn is an absolute bear to work with, and I finally figured out why - it won’t slide over itself at all, so you can’t get any good rhythm going w/the needles.

It would be nice to get some email that isn’t trying to sell me a Rolex watch. That seems to be all I’ve gotten lately - and lots of them.

An assortment of 25 books & coloring books will soon be winging their way to the National Childrens Medical Center here in DC. :-D

http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

Took a nap AND a shower - I feel so decadent. And human again! :)

After the nap, shower & a snack, I got a massive attack of the sleepies again, but I seem to be shaking it off for the moment - 6:30 is just too early to go to bed, no matter what night it is.

Had such a truly lovely time on the island today. I’d definitely say there was less trash to be picked up than on any of the other cleanups I’ve been on, which is terrific - maybe someday we’ll all show up and just end up going for a walk through the woods and all come back with empty bags. I managed to get separated from my group and couldn’t find them again, so I got to spend about 2 of the 3 hours on my own - can’t say I minded one bit, as the peace and quiet was just soooooo nice. That is what I just love about the island - it’s this tiny little piece of tranquility in the middle of all this insanity that is the DC area.

If the weather & lighting cooperates, I may have to go back up one morning next weekend with my camera - I would have taken it today, but given the task at hand, the risk of having it dropped in the mud flats wasn’t particularly appealing, and considering I near took a header into the mud a couple of times, it was a good call.

The beaver that lives around the bridge on the marsh walk side of the island wasn’t out and about today, but I did see a gorgeous blue heron and a beautiful piliated woodpecker, and some seriously large ducks. I guess the vast majority of the critters are hunkering down for the upcoming cold weather.

Good turnout at the island cleanup, ended covered in mud almost head to foot by the end of it - he was a VERY happy camper.

My legs are going to hate me tomorrow, but it was a gorgeous day for doing some good. (, you do need to help me find some proper mudding/hiking boots at some point.)

I am very much in need of a shower and a nap, not sure which will come first…. :)

Transistor Radio turns 50 (/.)

How many out there had a transistor radio and thought it was the coolest thing ever? I did. :)

One kinda good thing to come with the cooler temps - it’s latte season again. :-D introduced me to this fantastic liquid crack concoction about 2 years ago - I distinctly remember it was the weekend we went to the Spy Museum. (Why do I remember such odd things and yet can’t find my spare keys?) Stopped and snagged one on the way home tonight - mmmmmmm, good. Usually I go for plain, but I noticed (after ordering, of course!), they have a “pumpkin spice” version. Said they’ll have it all winter long - may have to try that sometime. One thing about where I work now, there aren’t any Starbuck’s that are *directly* on the way to or from work, which is probably a good thing, otherwise I’d be spending way too much money there.

Funny how you can start the day with thoughts of some elaborate dinner, or at least something that may require, say, 3 ingredients, and by the time you’re getting in the car to go home, you’re thinking, “You know, spaghettios would work just fine I think…” (Yes, 33 and I still eat spaghettios. Not actually this evening, but yeah, they’re in the pantry.) In this respect, I am VERY lucky that I live alone, as that way I don’t have to worry about feeding others decently. Cause heaven knows there are nights I barely feed myself properly! I don’t know how folks with families and jobs manage it all - hats off to you.

I am so excited that Penny Arcade & Child’sPlay are doing the toy drive again this year - and that DC’s Children’s Hospital is part of it. I’ll be lucky if I don’t blow all my Christmas budget on it. :-D

Decent day at work, things seem to be calming down a bit. I know we’ve got reqs out for new people, don’t know that they’re having any luck finding anyone just yet. Hope we get some bodies in house soon, cause we’ve got busy season looming large. While busy season last year wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d anticipated (well, once I got past the first 3 days where I got stuck til at least 7:30 each night) - we were at least fully staffed. This year may be a bit uglier…

The ME knitting project is coming along swimmingly so far. In theory, it’s going to be a tank top when it’s done. At the moment, it’s about 5 inches of knit up yarn.

Really, not terribly much of note going on in my world this evening - I think I may do something good for myself and hit the rack early.

Sweet dreams, all.

Penny Arcade is doing it again this year!!

http://www.childsplaycharity.org/

Last year, gamers around the world pitched in and donated over $250,000 in cash and toys to the Seattle Children’s Hospital.

This year Child’s Play is expanding to help Children’s Hospitals across the United States. Each star on the map below represents a Children’s Hospital that needs your help. Selecting one will direct you to that particular hospitals Amazon wish list. Any items you purchase from that list will be delivered directly to the hospital you selected.

And this year, we’ve got FIVE hospitals participating:
Texas Childrens Hospital
San Diego Childrens Hospital
Childrens Hospital Oakland, CA
Seattle Childrens Hospital
and
Childrens National Medical Center here in DC!

Totally stoked that our Childrens Hospital gets to be a part of it. :-D

Only two days of work this week. I am sooooooo glad I scheduled this, cause I am so ready for the break.

Quilt show today was fun - all vendors, but wow, so many gorgeous vintage quilts. One silk Victorian w/all paper backing and frankly, the backing was more interesting cause it was all from household paper scraps - you could see handwriting, postage marks, all sorts of cool stuff. We walked out of there feeling very sewing inept, but filled with all sorts of dangerous ideas. :)

I’m so damn tired tonight, again for no good reason. Even took a nap this afternoon to boot, but I am pretty much down for the count this evening, and probably should have gone to bed at least three hours ago, and I caught my second wind, which will leave me wrecked in the morning.

Reading another forum earlier today, post from a gal who has gotten dumped and isn’t particularly thrilled with the whole “alone” prospect. Understandable. Thing is - alone is easy. It’s alone combined with the rather hideous pain of rejection that’s hard. BTDT more times that I can count.

Just finished critter blankie #6 this evening. The finished edge has some variations in the tension because Target was being a brat and trying to run off with the yarn as I was trying to do it. I think I have just enough yarn left for one more. Snoopy has finally decided they aren’t toxic and is snuggled up on one right now. I guess I’ll have to make a couple more just for them.

Have been feeling a grand lack of purpose in my life recently. Do need to do something about that I suppose… But first - sleep.