Chachka Charity Concert

Earthworks won the vote!

20 Aug 2011 Comments Off

by Nicole in Uncategorized

My blog is coming to a close today. First off, I want to say a heartfelt 
thanks to everyone who participated in this project. I had a lot of fun
doing it and I'm glad my wacky idea had some small but positive effect 
on the world. I just donated $100 (this was more than 90% of 101.77 but
a whole number just sounded better) to Earthworks.

See the receipt they emailed me below:


"Dear Nicole, Thanks for supporting Earthworks.  Your donation will be 
listed on your credit card statement as being paid to "DemocracyInAction,
Activist Services". Appended to the end of this message is your tax
-deductible donation receipt. As an Earthworks member you will receive 
Earthworks Journal, our print  newsletter. You'll also receive periodic 
action alerts and updates about  Earthworks campaigns and programs: 
 * the Oil and Gas Accountability Project,  
* the No Dirty Gold Campaign, 
* the Recycle My Cell Phone program, 
* and our various activities in the U.S. and around the world that help
protect communities and the environment from irresponsible mining, 
digging and drilling. Of course you can also opt-out of receiving 
Earthworks Journal via postal mail and/or action alerts/updates via 
email communications. Just respond to this email and let us know. 
Thanks again! Regards, Jennifer Krill, Executive Director Earthworks *** NOTE: THIS MESSAGE IS YOUR DONATION RECEIPT Donation Amount: $100 Donation Date: August 20, 2011 Donation Made By:  Nicole Fainsan Westminster CO 80234 To: EARTHWORKS Tax ID: 52-1557765 Your donation will appear on your credit card as payment to "Democracy  In Action"."


I am about to bring all the unsold chachkas plus a few added chachkas
to the ARC thrift store near by. So my goal of getting rid of chachkas
is complete!
 

A rant and a list for the earth

17 Jul 2011 1 Comment

by Nicole in Uncategorized

As promised, here’s my post about the environment.  By environment, I mean our home, planet earth.  I’m not going to spend time writing about whether or not global warming is caused by human activity because I feel that it’s irrelevant.  I get so annoyed by politicians who state, “I don’t believe in global warming.”  Like that is an appropriate excuse for turning the earth into an unhealthy place to live!  They sound as if they are talking about whether they believe in god or not.  I just find it disgusting!  I didn’t know it was something you had to “believe in.”  There are facts and research studies out there regarding global warming.  It is either caused by humans to some extent or not.  It’s not so mystical that you have to choose to “believe or not.”  Anyways, it’s irrelevant because whether or not we are causing global warming our activities are definitely destroying parts of the earth and we shouldn’t be so irresponsible.  We live here!

Okay, I just got off of my soap box…but writing that made me feel angry.  So, here are the small things I do to avoid destroying our earth.  They are small, mind you, (I would like to do more) but if more people did these things we could have a huge impact.  Strength in numbers.  Take a look at this list and let me know if you do any of these things or if you have other simple ideas I could add to my list.  They are in no particular order, just whatever popped into my head.

I only use what I need:  I turn lights off that I’m not using…and I turn lights off that my husband constantly leaves on when he’s not using them.

I take “military showers” or “European showers:  turn the water on only when you need it.  When I’m soaping up or shampooing it’s off.  I don’t get cold because the bathroom is all steamy when the water is off briefly.

I use a low flow shower head and low flow facets for the sinks.  Read reviews to be sure you get one that still gives you nice water pressure and you won’t know the difference.

I turn off power strips when I’m not using the appliances connected to them.  It just takes the flip of a switch with your toes.  You will have very agile and sexy toes.

I turn off the A/C or heat when you don’t really need it or I adjust the temp.  Definitely turn it off or lower the heat (don’t want frozen pipes in the winter) when you aren’t even home.

I signed up to reduce my junk mail.  Saves me time as I have less junk to sort through.

All of my bills and statements for accounts are online.  Again, less papers I have to sort through.

I stay in “ecofriendly” places when I travel as much as I can.  This only happens if I’m the one planning the trip, of course.  It has led to some really, really fun travel adventures.  You can still have all the luxuries you want based on what you choose.

I scrub your dishes with a brush, turning on the water only when I really need it.

I run the dishwasher when it’s full.

I wash all of my clothes in cold water only.  Trust me, they come out clean and beautiful every time.

If it’s yellow, I let it mellow.  If it’s brown I flush it down.  I flush after 2 to 3 tinkles though so there isn’t too much TP.  I don’t do this when I have guests, so they aren’t grossed out, but now you all know the truth.

I used non toxic paint when I painted some furniture.

The awesome thing about all of the above is your water and electricity bills will be very low!!!!   You’ve probably heard all of the above before but are you doing it?  

I buy organic foods as much as possible.

Right now, I take the bus, ride my bike or carpool but that’s due to going off of my seizure meds.  However, it’s been very useful to get to know the public transpo around here and I will use it when I can even when I am driving again.

I recycle.  It’s a pain here because we have to drive our recycling to drop it off.  I recycle odd items too…like my old computer, cell phones and appliances.

Are you getting bored with this list?  Here’s a musical interlude for your enjoyment!  It’s still a work in progress.

I don’t buy processed food.

I joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) that delivers organic local fruits and veggies so I support local farms.  They fruits and veggies taste AMAZING and we eat healthier because of it.

I buy meat, eggs and dairy that is from grass-fed cows, free range chickens, no hormones…basically healthy farming practices.

I buy soaps, shampoos and conditioners without harmful ingredients for me or the environment, when they wash down the drain.  My hair and skin thank me for it!  My hairdresser said my hair doesn’t have the waxy build up that a lot people have from chemically shampoo.

I buy laundry detergent that doesn’t harm the environment.  All of the ones I tried are very effective.

I buy dishwasher detergent that doesn’t harm the environment.  I had to try a bunch before I found a good one.  Ecover dishwasher tablets work just as well as toxic detergent.

I buy non toxic cosmetics and skin products.  This website can help you:  http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/   You can search products and find out about their ingredients and how toxic they may be and find alternatives that are not toxic.

I buy paper products from recycled materials.

I don’t buy bottled water.  Besides it’s no better than water from you tap.  Educate yourself!  Check out this documentary!  Flow:  For the Love of Water

I use cloth napkins that I wash unless I’m eating something really messy.

I clean using old t-shirts as rags.  Well, my mom recently bought me a bunch of cleaning cloths that I use as well, but I wouldn’t have bought them myself as the t-shirts work great.

I vote in elections!

I sometimes buy organic/fair trade clothing or used clothing, but as often as I would like.  I have too much trouble finding clothes that fit in general so I take what I can get.

I clean using homemade cleaners such as white vinegar, baking soda, lemon…you can look these up online.  They are very easy to make and you won’t have to inhale nasty stuff while you clean.  This is cheaper than buying the non toxic cleaning products in the stores.

I realize all of the above suggestions involve spending money.  You can spend the money you save on electricity and water.  These are all items you buy anyways and I think it’s worth it (even if you spend a bit more) to get items that are healthy for you and the earth.  Also, if more people buy these types of products more companies will jump on the band wagon and they will get cheaper.  And everyone knows the biggest motivator for large corporations  and the government is money.  At least the greedy corporations get my money only if they are providing me with healthy products.  As far as food goes if you start avoiding processed foods and eat the food god put on this earth unaltered your health will improve.  It’s perfect food to begin with so it doesn’t need any tampering or health claims on it.  

I can’t think of anything else right now….you’ve probably had enough though.  Please comment.  What do you do to help the environment?

Time to Vote!

23 Jun 2011 1 Comment

by Nicole in Uncategorized

Thanks to everyone who gave me advice on selling more items!

It seems that the consensus is that you either like my writing, my videos or both, but have limited confidence in the chachkas I would be trying to resell.  First off, I’m so glad you have enjoyed the blog.  Second off, I agree with you that a lot of the chachkas are not that great and probably will not sell.  So, let’s make a deal:  I will have a vote on what charity I will donate to and then I will donate the money.  I will gather up all the chachkas that didn’t sell and donate them so I still achieve my goal of having less stuff.  Finally, I will continue to use this blog, or another, as a venue for writing and posting videos.

Charities in line for selection: 

Earthworks

Conservation Fund

Sierra Club Foundation

Click on each charity above to read about what they are doing.

Here’s how I chose these particular charities:

First and foremost, I wanted to be certain that the charity I donate to is effective, active and will use most of the money I donate to do some good in the world.  I read a helpful article regarding choosing a charity wisely on Forbes.com; if you want to read it click here.  It basically gave me info on what to look for in a charity to find out if they are legit.  (By the way, for those of you who donated to epilepsy foundation for the run we did recently they are highly rated!)  It also directed me to this very useful website www.charitywatch.org, which rates charities based on criteria including “% spent on charitable purposes” among other things.  It’s not perfect but it gave me some idea on choosing a charity.  The charities listed above have ratings of A or A+.

Secondly, all of the above charities work to resolve environmental issues.  To me personally, protecting the the health of our home in turn protects us, as well as every living being on this planet.  I feel that humans DO have the answers regarding how to live in harmony with the earth but greed is a huge factor preventing us from succeeding, or to let Gandhi put it more eloquently:

“There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.”  ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

This is also a issue that can affect future generations dramatically:

“Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.”  ~Henrik Tikkanen

Finally, I DON”T want to sing this song on my blog:

Oh Beautiful for smoggy skies, insecticided grain,
For strip-mined mountain’s majesty above the asphalt plain.
America, America, man sheds his waste on thee,
And hides the pines with billboard signs, from sea to oily sea.
~George Carlin

PLEASE VOTE!  This poll will be available for one month.  I will then tally the results and donate the money.  Vote and tell your friends to vote.  In the meantime. I will be writing some posts about the environment so check them out! 

2 Final Sales!

11 Jun 2011 4 Comments

by Nicole in Uncategorized

 I was waiting on my last items to finish their auctions on ebay before I posted this…2 final chachkas sold!

The magic bullet blender sold and my final chachka the wrapping paper organizer sold as well.

Drum roll please for the final amount raised……..are you drum rolling in your head?……….90% of $101.77.  

I was pretty excited to reach over $100.  I feel like it’s a bench mark of sorts.

Now I need your help!  Please comment!

Should I find a charity to donate the $101.77 to now or should I try to re-post some of the unsold chachkas on ebay to see if they will sell, along with new videos?  I could only repost chachkas for sale over the summer.  Once the school year hits I will be busy again.  Thoughts?  Will anyone want to buy my still unsold chachkas?

Follow up on a previous post about my epilepsy:

My brother says I have beaten “crazy brains.”  That’s his name for the seizures I had.  I started weaning of my medication this past Wednesday, under doctors orders of course (I am not crazy.)  So far so good, no seizure activity that I can tell.  I have not been sleeping well the past two nights though.  I kept waking up suddenly as if someone had just splashed water on me.  I’m not sure why I am waking up.  It certainly could be anxiety, as my seizures were while sleeping.  I am being very strict and disciplined about getting 9 hours of sleep a night.  Since I didn’t actually sleep 9  hours these past 2 nights I took naps during the day when I was tired.  I’ll keep you posted on how things go.  For anyone who is interested here are the things I learned and changed before attempting going off of my meds (besides the fact that my brain MRI and EEGs were normal and my neuro said I should try):

I had a crap load of heavy metals (found via a urine analysis) in my body so I did chelation (under my MD’s supervision) therapy for 1 year and half to get it all out.

I had a vitamin analysis with my doc and I am now taking the appropriate doses of vitamins I was lacking.

I am eating a ton of healthy fats…very good for the brain and lowering cholesterol…I had a genetic test done that showed that I need a high fat diet. (healthy fats people…I don’t run around eating doughnuts :))

I read a book, recommended by a friend who had seizures, called the Promise of Sleep by William C Dement. (It’s not specific to epilepsy at all but rather the importance of sleep and how to manage it.  It’s a great read for anyone actually.)

Getting 9 hours of sleep a night…this is SUPER, SUPER important!!!!!  I am going to stick to this one like glue.

I am exercising at least 3o minutes a day 6 days a week- good for the brain!

I am trying not to multitask a lot….I actually get less done when I multitask anyways.

Taking a break or meditating when I need to.

That’s all I can think of for now and hopefully I do well!

Chachkas 50/52 and 51/52!

24 May 2011 Comments Off

by Nicole in Uncategorized

Chachka 50/52:  The Magic Bullet

This will be  a quick post since I have stomach virus and I don’t feel so hot.  I just watched the infomercial for the magic bullet and now I’m kinda sad I’m selling it.  It can do any job in 10 seconds or less! I guess we like to waste time because we have never used it.  I think it’s mostly because our kitchen is so tiny we have no space to store all the pieces.  This was a gift from John’s family.  I remember seeing John’s brother Jay-R use it a lot.   

Here’s a song I recorded weeks ago:

Chachka 51/52:  Linksys Cisco Wireless Router

I have to be honest we bought this so we could have wireless internet but it never worked very well.  My husband and I are not computer people so maybe we were doing something wrong or perhaps this router was not the cause of the problem.  Either way, my husband told me I could sell it.

Here’s another video I recorded a few weeks ago…