 |
| 98, 99, ... almost done with my pushups, then we can rob this mine! |
 |
| You will be mine! (get it? Mine?) |
 |
| EHNH! |
 |
| The one that got away |
You can throw a rock into this hole and have a conversation before it comes to rest.
Throw
Did you sleep well last night?
Pretty well, thanks, but my left hip hurt.
<tink>
Bummer! Do you take anything for it?
<tinkety tink>
I forgot to stretch before I went to bed. That usually helps a lot. I don't want to get into the habit of taking something every night. I'm not that old.
Still, you should do what helps you sleep.
I know. I'll remember to stretch tonight.
<and ... TINK!>
When Nicole and Darlene showed Annie this mine, a truck camper was parked where we are in these shots. When the girls got close, the camper yelled BIG HOLE! BIG HOLE! I thought that was considerate, and not at all insulting or inflammatory.
This is NOT a gratuitous poop shot:
I mean, it's possible that it was a long-ago dog, which sort of makes this picture gross. However, it's more likely that it was a coyote, which makes this picture all National Geographic.
You'll note the stick-for-scale in this shot. Yes, I BOUGHT a stick from the Stick Tent. Yes, I feel somewhat bad that the stick probably grew in China, was carved by a Chinese child for 2.3¢, and was then exported to the US as another pebble in the landslide of our country's gross domestic product. This stick represents all that is wrong with our economic system, and it keeps me from falling down in the desert, and is that such a bad thing?
 |
| Annie likes to pose next to cacti for scale. "Seguaro you from?" |
Do any of you volunteer on the fly? I'm bad at commitment. I'm thinking a morning at a food pantry. An afternoon picking up stray nails at a Habitat for Humanity site (those are my building skills). Something I can do fast and on-the-move before they learn they don't like me, and vice versa. Any ideas?
I liked the most recent Raptitude post. It helps me put my fears into perspective.
28 comments:
Funny set of pics and comments, and yes, you cam volunteer on the fly before they get to "know you". :)
Thanks, Lou. Any ideas about who might sort of welcome that kind of help? Would a food pantry want someone to work for just a day or two?
dog/cat rescue.. I know they would love you.
Oh man, Karen! That's a great idea, and a bad one, if you know what I mean. Look hon! They were going to throw him away, and he's a perfectly good kitty!
I enjoy cooking in soup kitchens. You don't get many complaints that way. It feels good to do for others.
Hmmm, that's not bad. I mean, it wouldn't be a kindness to actually cook, but I could clean up or some such thing. It's within my skill set.
Sad to see that America has to outsource even its sticks. I remember back in the good old days when we grew our own.
It's a sorry state of affairs, no doubt, when a country has obliterated its virgin stick forests and stick factories where thousands of families earned their living. When a man was proud to call himself a 'stick in the mud.'
Food shelf is a good idea, I have done that on the fly, by-the-day. Also I know a charity thrift store that welcomes volunteers even for a couple hours. Another thought is to just pick up trash at a local park or beach. Or visit strangers at a nursing home. I was going to say "hold babies" at the hospital, but not sure if you would pass the background check :)
Well! Drop ONE baby! I suppose they might check out the one I raised and that would be the end of that. But, you make a good point. I don't really have to tie into something complicated to do a little bit of good.
Did you ever wonder why the people that eat at the food kitchen aren't required to volunteer there?
I give up - why?
Just makes you wonder why people go volunteer at food kitchens when they should have a built in supply of volunteers.
Hmm. Maybe it's so people who don't have to eat there don't get complacent. You know, a dose of "there but for the grace of ... "? I've never eaten or volunteered at one, so what do I know?
Habitat for Humanity seems like a short-term commitment which has opportunities all across the country.
Nursing homes are always happy to have someone come in to entertain a group, lead Bingo, read to a resident or host a party. Once you get your gig down pat it would be easy for you to take it on the road and make elderly friends everywhere you travel! LG
I have both eaten and volunteered at food kitchens and encourage everyone to try either or both. When I eat there I make a cash donation, luckily I have always been able to do that.
LG, I like the idea of H for H. I don't think I have anything to offer them in terms of skills, unless they can use grunt labor. I could walk around with coffee ... Performing for groups of anyone would terrify me. Could I read to just one senior? :o) I like old people, because I plan to be one.
Chris, that's a great idea, and I'm liking it. I never thought of eating there and leaving a donation. I've eaten at a soup kitchen benefit, but that's a first-world privilege
Hm. I've THOUGHT about doing the Habitat for Humanity thing, but I'm always afeard that I'll spontaneously combust if someone starts praying.
I suppose I could just carry around my own fire extinguisher.
"Um, excuse me there Reverend, would you mind just holding this?"
"Oh, maybe I should pull the pin first."
Ya, that should work.
SOMEBODY would put me out, wouldn't they?
Please?
I feel your fear, Bob. Perhaps there's a commercial prayer-repellent available for such situations? Maybe a t-shirt that says "If you pray, I will multiply."
I have got to meet you gals someday. You are hysterical and many times provide me my morning chuckle. As for volunteering, I don't have many suggestions as I am trying to figure that out as well. When in San Antonio, we helped serve the Thanksgiving meal for those in need. It was very rewarding.
That would be a lot of fun, and I don't doubt it will happen! When we were stationary, I always thought meeting people I knew online was a lost cause. But, now that we're rolling I know better.
When you were in San Antonio, did you sort of stumble onto a kitchen and volunteer, or did it take some planning?
A food pantry or a local Habitat for Humanity would always welcome volunteers on the fly. We see a lot of folks who move around the country and spend a few days each week helping build Habitat houses.
I don't have any volunteer ideas like all your other smart commenters. I was too busy feeling really sorry for Annie climbing up that mountain parched in the desert in search of water and having it turn out to be just a hole in the ground. And all you were doing to help was taking pictures of her ordeal.
Don't worry about a lack of building skills for H for H -- I volunteered there once, and it happened to be on a day that was right after a rain so there were puddles here and there. My job was "to keep the plans from getting wet."
If I ever do it again, I will NEED one of those "If you pray, I will multiply" tees. Genius.
Zoe
Most do-gooding for an organization takes planning and scheduling. One of the most valuable individual efforts we can make is to simply fill a couple of trash bags with stuff we pick up off the side of the roads and dispose of it properly. Uncomplicated, yet tremendously beneficial.
Lou, this is good to know.
Sherry, she needs motivation, and once she reached the top I gave her a drink of water. Everyone needs a trainer. Now she can review the photos and critique her own performance.
O.B. (that sounds wrong by itself - I apologize), that's the kind of assignment I could totally pull off! And, maybe I should put that shirt on Zazzle for all our philanthropic prayer-averse needs.
MBZ, you're right, and that's a good suggestion about doing something helpful on my own schedule.
Did anyone mention animal shelters? They have kitties that need socializing and dogs that need walking usually. How awesome to save the world by playing with kittens! Thanks for the Raptitude mention, I liked the post too!
I think helping animals would be awesome,although we both have a predisposition toward bringing "people" home with us. Would that be on our record??
Post a Comment