I just came across this article with video on The Huffington Post regarding the egg industry, where male chicks are instantaneously euthanized daily because they have no production use due to being male, and there’s no profit in them in other industries either. The industry acknowledges that killing of male chicks by a huge grinder is a standard practice supported by the animal veterinary and scientific communities. Continue reading »

I have been job searching for three months and here’s a look at the experience in today’s economy and with the current methods of applying for positions.

(I’m not at an executive or above level, I’m not at the minimum wage level, I’m near the middle somewhere, so I am only speaking to my spot on the spectrum.)

The briefest, most honest characterization of job seeking right now: Totally sucks. This is due to several reasons:

We all have heard the unemployment numbers across the nation. With the exception of North Dakota, it seems, unemployment is at the highest levels seen in decades. Therefore, there are millions of people searching for work, decreasing one’s chances of getting hired. Hiring managers can pick the cream of the crop, so if you don’t have everything they both require and prefer, you have little hope of getting an interview.

Hiring managers have a very hard job to do, because of the above: Depending on the open position, dozens, hundreds and maybe even thousands of people are applying for it, whereas in times past, perhaps only handfuls or dozens and maybe hundreds would have applied, burying HR folks with application results and/or applications to sort through. This means the process takes longer. (E.g. it takes longer not to hear back from them and not get a rejection letter. More on that later.)

Online job hunting is difficult at best for many reasons, mostly because it is such a time suck:

First, everything is now so impersonal, it’s taken the “human” out of human resources. If you try to go the old fashioned route and go to a brick and mortar location to ask if they have openings and can you speak to a manager, you’re sent back home (without getting to a manager) to fill out an app on line.

Second, back in the good old early days of online job hunting, there was Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Now there are hundreds and hundreds of similar sites, each one promising to deliver great positions to you daily. Because job seekers are anxious and even desperate, they spend hours and hours setting up their accounts on all of them, and end up with countless notices in their inbox for jobs that bare no resemblance to the preferences they set up. Often, when one finds one to click on, even though you just got the notice today, it comes up “job expired”. Well, at least not too much time was wasted, which is some satisfaction, though not really if you really wanted the position.

Third, perhaps the most maddening thing of all is when you have saved resumes and all your information on a job search site, ostensibly to save you time in your job search, you upload the resume, write the killer cover letter, thinking you’re done, only to be sent to the company’s site to input everything manually because it’s required. I can’t tell you how furious this makes me. It makes no sense from a design standpoint, and is certainly not user-friendly. If you’re an employer and prefer applicants use your online form, just have the applicant get right to your form and skip the job search engine’s protocol, or at least have a notice that you will have to do both, just out of courtesy. (I admit I’m not sure if these are options, but I’m pleading with anyone out there who has such a say to please make it so.) If you’re a job searcher, you’ve just lost another block of time you could have been applying or searching, and more time is lost to get back to focus because you’re so angry you had to duplicate your efforts.

Fourth, as previously mentioned, hiring managers do have a daunting task with so many people applying compared to years past. One way of screening people online includes requiring them to fill out questionnaires with items that typically would be asked in a first interview. Some of these include essay type questions asking you how you have handled x-y-z, explain your knowledge of 1-2-3, list your experience with a-b-c, and so forth. Some of these fields limit how much you can say, making it difficult to make your case for why you would be good at that and get results for them. Some ask you to list your experience with various software, or supervision duties, or situations you may have faced that you would face in this position, but there’s a very ominous tone to the statement accompanying it, in effect saying if you claim to have more experience than you actually have, if you lie or embellish or make false claims you will be immediately disqualified, your hand will be slapped, and you will have to wear a red U on your forehead for still being unemployed because WE won’t hire you and therefore no one else should. Okay, I embellish. But it’s very, very discouraging to be well-qualified for the position except for not having advanced Software A experience, which will disqualify you, because they state explicitly that not meeting every one of the qualifications is grounds for not being considered. I don’t embellish on that one. So, do you lie and take the risk, hoping that if they like you on the 99% there’s a chance you’ll get the interview despite the 1%. What would you do?

Job seekers always face ethical dilemmas with how much to tell or not tell about their backgrounds, this is nothing new, it’s now just more daunting and the stakes are higher. There’s been much discussion in the media regarding job searching about whether to list advanced degrees if you think they will count you out as being overqualified, for example, with no real answers or direction. I personally think honesty will let you sleep well at night, but this is a whole new cutthroat world of job searching.

Fifth, okay, you made it through the gauntlet of an online application, feel good about your chances after hitting that submit button, to get this: “Thank you for your application! We will contact you if we feel your qualifications meet our needs. Do not call or email to ask about the status of your application: Due to the large number of applications, we will only be calling those people we want to advance to the interview stage. Please wait for this notice, or if we don’t contact you, thank you again for applying, check in again for future opportunities, and we wish you great luck in your career search!” Meaning, if you aren’t contacted, you won’t get a rejection letter in the mail saying as much. You’re just left in limbo, wondering, waiting, or for those following the advice that has proliferated about how to job search, you go searching for a contact name, an email, anything that will allow you to follow up with your earnest interest in the position, typically to find a brick wall or a receptionist who is not about to cough up any names for you, and just gives the generic company line about hiring. I have only received one snail mail rejection letter out of dozens of applications. It’s a very dehumanizing reality of how companies manage applications now.

You hear that networking is the way to find job openings, that because of the vast numbers applying online for anything and everything, clogging the system for those that are qualifed and should be considered, your odds are better if you can get names and have someone on your side to refer to in your application. Given that networking is 180 degrees opposite of sitting at the computer alone searching and applying, you'd think job seekers would relish the chance to talk to people in the flesh. My experience: Networking events tend to be attended by solo entrepreneurs expecting that you are there to hear their pitch and hoping you will want their services, as that is what their industries tell them to do to find new clients. Networking events are rarely attended by people in hiring positions, for obvious reasons. Networking requires you to have your elevator speech polished and ready to go, which is a good thing, but no one seems to listen as they're so busy getting ready to give you theirs (and to get you as a client). Typically, the host or hostess gets to do their pitch to the group, during which you're expected to sit graciously, be attentive and actively participate as a thanks for this great networking opportunity. In fairness to many of the good people I have met at these events, there is some hope of some opportunity here and there (usually for freelance work more so that knowledge of open positions), and they truly understand the tough spot a job seeker is in, so at least the validation and talking with people face to face for a change is worth it. As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained, and new friendships and contacts can be developed at times. It's good to put on inteview clothes and work your best lines, prepping your interview skills for when you hopefully get one.

I have signed with a temp agency: In years past, this has always been listed as a way to meet new people, gain more experience and skills, and hopefully land a job. I signed up with one in June, have subsquently signed up with one of their partners, signed up at a different agency, and have yet to be placed into a position: The temp agencies aren't getting the work due to the economy. Or, the work they offer is, well, you decide: "We have an opening that is a long term position, 6-8 months minimum is projected, 21 hours per week, Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday, and you must commit to that time frame." Oh and it pays slightly better than minimum wage (which, let's remember, is not a living wage) with ten times the responsibility for the pay. I don't regret signing up. It's been good to do the interviews to get the practice, and to take the tests and remember I do well under pressure. Remains to be seen if I get placed prior to finding a position myself.

A new reality of what work looks like is coming out at this time, related to this. Many people will take that temp job listed above, and hobble together two or three other part time positions, just to pay the bills and be working. There are thousands of people doing just this, and I think it’s a horrible trend – they have no health benefits, and companies are lowering and lowering the pay scales because they know people are desperate. Where is it going to lead? Where is the bottom? I guess that would be ‘I (employee) pay you (employer) to work for no salary’ (and thus it’s not even a volunteer position. Oh and I am volunteering, per the other conventional wisdom out there. Remains to be seen what that may lead to).

I initially thought I would not have a hard time finding a new position because so many of the job losses in the past year or so have been in manufacturing or construction, neither of which I am in, and because of a good work history and strong references (thank you, you know who you are), and of course, my, ahem, good personality (okay, I saw the eye roll, and yes, I know, that’s subjective). However, the latter doesn’t come through on most online job apps so the cover letter is your only chance, but given how heavily weighted the online forms are, it’s hard to know how much relevance the cover letter has, given the computerized nature of keywords and matching requirements compared to eyeballs on a page making determinations. If anyone doing online hiring can shed light on that, it would be greatly appreciated, but I’m guessing that info stays hidden away somewhere.

If you have done any reading about job searching, you will know it now takes five and ten times the effort, creativity and work to land a job. I had read that most job searches take 6-9 months, but this was prior to the current state of unemployment, so I know I have to pace myself and take all this into account. It’s hard to project how long this will last (the current methods of job searching and the recession), but it’s not for the feint of heart. (Remember that unemployment figures don’t count those who have lost heart and given up job searching, or are underemployed and still looking for a better position.) Even for those with a system for their search, faithfully working at it daily, it gets very disheartening and discouraging, even for those with lots of resources and stamina. It’s unnerving to think the economy won’t turn around until next year some time, based on current news reports; people’s severance pay, savings, and unemployment benefits won’t last forever (and I shudder to think of those relying on credit cards to see them through, given the whole scene there nowadays).

Whether you were laid off, fired, or voluntarily left, the reality of finding a new position is the same for everyone. It gets to your self-esteem, your confidence, your endurance. It’s a ripe ground for contemplation and values clarification, but it’s sometimes hard to justify the time when you don’t want to miss opportunities to apply for something, or network, or pound pavement looking for work not listed online. It is worth it, though (and, if you go to a networking event you are sure to find a life coach who would like you to hire them to help you with it; in all fairness, there are good ones and it can be worth it, but expect to put out a few hundred dollars or more). There’s nothing like a job search to make you take a hard look at yourself and your life, which can be rewarding if it sparks a new direction, a clarity or understanding of what you want your life to be.

All I can say is that I have to, and any job seeker has to, keep digging in and doing the work, look for opportunities everywhere, take breaks as needed, whine and vent as appropriate (just don’t get stuck there), and keep the hopes up. I do hope that something shifts in the way we apply for work, however, and that HR and software designers come up with better systems that still have some humanity and dignity to them. I know not every company and organization hires online and/or still has a sane process, but it’s a troubling trend that seems to be here to stay, and that the majority of job seekers have to deal with and find a way to make work for them.

Good luck to us all, and I’d like to hear from both job seekers and those on the hiring side, and those who have just landed a position through a process mentioned here as to their experiences and feelings about it all.

The Oregon/Idaho AAA has decided to go green a bit by offering bicycle service in Oregon and Southern Idaho. This is after over 100 years of anti-environmental lobbying, including fighting against bicycle path creation. Adding insult to injury, the media is covering this as if AAA in an eco-pioneer instead the truth that they are six years behind Better World Club.

Better World Club claims this is not the first time that AAA of Oregon/Idaho has copied their innovation:

“In 2001, Better World was the first travel agency/company to offer carbon credits to offset the greenhouse gas generated by travel. Oregon/Idaho AAA followed suit just last year. (However, Better World Club also provides an offset to each of its auto insurance clients for free – a service not offered by AAA.)” - Better World Club

For the record, AAA is not the first auto club to offer bicycle roadside assistance, and
- You can only get AAA’s bike assistance through their Plus program.
- You have to own a car to get it and pay a premium price, while BWC offers bike-only insurance.
- Not only is the program offering limited to Oregon/Idaho, but the coverage is as well, as opposed to BWC’s nationwide coverage.

For more information, www.betterworldclub.com or kicking_asphalt@betterworldclub.com and please pass this info on!

Disclaimer: I am a member of Better World Club, and am sharing information at their request from their news alert to get the word out about AAA’s pseudo ‘greening.’

I wrote an article here on Randomn3ss on how to drive 1,000 miles in one day a while back. Since that writing, I’ve made the 2,000 mile round trip to the Midwest about fifteen times. I’ve driven through every kind of weather, every season, and maybe every emotional state possible, along with five actual (U.S.A.) states, of course.

I figured it was the right time to look over the list and see what needs updating, since I’ve decided to fly and rent a car for the next trip coming up in a couple weeks. Yes, hard to believe, but fifteen trips is enough – remember that’s thirty 1,000 mile days. (Yikes. One month of 17 hour driving days. I need a nap… for a month.) It’s safe to say I’ve experienced just about every possible driving scenario. I don’t think there is any way I can make it more efficient, can take less time, or make it much different or better at this point.

All the points in my first article still hold up, though I admit I don’t play the Alphabet Game. I’m more interested in looking for odd signs and billboards – I write them down and send them on post cards to a friend of mine. One of my favorites: Set back in a large field, a huge billboard with only an 800 number and “OUR DRIVERS ARE PEOPLE” on it. As opposed to… frogs, rocks, what? Another: A bait and tackle shop named “Bite Me!” And the “Kum & Go” convenience store is always good for a chuckle.

One important time saver I would add: Only get gas/make stops on the side of the highway you’re driving on (i.e. you will make a right turn at the end of the exit ramp). You lose a lot of time having to go over/under the highway/freeway to get to a gas station. It can be a challenge. Sometimes you can’t see far enough ahead to know which side they’re on unless you see the name of the place really high up on a pole on your side. I have my stops down at this point, but I recommend writing them down as you go, for both sides – as you’re heading in one direction, also write down what you see on the other side of the road for the return trip.

Another possibly important item to invest in: A lumbar support pad/pillow. I had to get one out of necessity after my accident (mentioned in the previous article), and even though I don’t need it as much for short little trips at home, it’s a back-saver on the long hauls. It helps you not get fatigued too soon in the trip, saves you from having a sore back at the end of the day, and helps you stay alert because it forces you to have good posture.

It is critical to take really good care of your vehicle, and have emergency roadside coverage. When I stop for gas, I always circle my car and check it all out. And I never miss my scheduled maintenance.

Stay in the right lane (of a divided highway) when you are several miles away from your next exit. Nothing is more maddening than being in the left lane only to have a semi or two come up on the right and block the informational signs, and the exit. (Especially if you have a full bladder.)

Be prepared for the time zone changes messing with your head. For me, I ‘lose’ an hour coming back east, and for some reason, it always makes the day seem so much longer, even though it’s the same 1,000 miles. It’s best to change your car’s clock to the time zone of your destination right when you begin your drive, then you won’t have to sit there to figure out what time it ‘really’ is and how much further you have to go.

Use the trip counters: If you have a car that has two trip counters, use them both. I pick one for the whole day’s miles, and the other for the current driving leg’s miles. For example, on the leg miles, when I’m at about 120-130 miles, I start planning the next stop. Then after filling up, I clear that counter back to zero. The day’s miles helps me know that I’m staying on track time-wise. It’s always great to know I’m a quarter there, then half way, then two-thirds, etc. It gives me something to do, and when I’m down to that last 50 miles and I’m on time, I start smiling as I know it’s almost over.

Pack smart: Pack so that only the essentials you must have that night and first thing in the morning are in one or two bags if you are too tired to haul everything out of the car when you arrive (and you don’t have anyone waiting to help you). This is really beneficial when there’s bad weather, too. (It’s frustrating to carry luggage in the rain, sleet or in sub-zero weather.) Some things, like food, you might not be able to leave in the car overnight depending on what it is and the time of year (think -10 degrees or 95 degrees, both of which I’ve experienced) – fruit, for example, won’t last. Of course, keep valuables in the trunk and don’t have anything visible from the windows that would invite a break-in if, both while you’re driving and if you’re parking in a lot or on the street.

I have only done two back-to-back 1,000 mile days, a long time ago, driving from Boulder, CO, to southern NH/Boston, MA area. It was brutal, and I don’t recommend it in general. My feet and ankles were swollen for a couple days, and it took me a week to fully recover. This misadventure was back before I created this 1,000 mile day system, so maybe it wouldn’t be quite as hard now. But 2,000 miles is 2,000 miles and is pretty unforgiving if you’re not prepared, car and body.

Driving 1,000 miles in a day is not for everyone. Lots of people ask me how I do it, especially after so many trips. I don’t have a simple answer. Sometimes it’s a breeze and I love it: The road is clear, the weather lovely, the is traffic light and the day flies by. Other times, it honestly is really, really hard. If I don’t get a good night’s sleep leaving the Midwest, there is nothing more grueling than hitting the mountains in western PA at night at hour 12 of driving, knowing there’s 5 more hours – and if there’s snow, multiply that hard factor by 10, and add an hour or so.

Part of my motivation, as mentioned in the previous article, is saving money, and part of it is personal, having to deal with the reason for the trips in the first place – I need to go and be of help, and so it helps me feel good about the sacrifices needed to make the traveling work. I suppose part of it is to prove a point to myself about my ability to be focused, to have the necessary driving skills, and the physical and mental strength to do it over and over. Really, I just do it because I can and because I must.

The bonus is that I still like the solitude, the countryside, the hum of the road, even after all these trips; and, I love to drive, plain and simple. Also, being pretty untouchable for a whole day ranks pretty high. Other than saying “thanks” to some service folks, I have a whole day completely to myself to think and not think, to turn the phone off, to have no distractions or things pulling at me that I “should” do. My job as I see it is to drive (safely and efficiently), and more importantly, listen to and know my own mind and heart. That is worth it for me right there.

If you’ve had flying dreams where you just spread your arms and go, you can really do it in waking life. Completely amazing. Absolutely stunning landscape as well. Norway, anyone?

I have not spent a lot of time cooking lately, so today I decided to make soup from a recipe recommended by Mike here at Randomn3ss.

My work day was spent mostly sitting, and mostly designing (graphic design), so it was refreshing to stand for about two hours rinsing, boiling, dicing, chopping, measuring, stirring, smelling and being quiet. Silent, actually. My workplace is a fairly loud place at times, with lots of interruptions, lots of laughter, lots of activity going by my desk all day, and so making my brain concentrate amid all that takes a lot of work. While cooking tonight, I didn’t even turn on any music. I just took in the quiet, enjoying the sound and feeling of the knife cutting the herbs and vegetables, hearing my boyfriend working on a bicycle upstairs, and actually hearing the quiet of my own mind, which I quite honestly have not heard lately.

The concentration cooking required of me tonight was perfect. It stopped my racing mind, put all the true concerns and true nonsense on a shelf somewhere, nowhere to be found, thankfully, due to focusing on the tasks at hand. That kind of peace, the peace of being in the moment, was easy to attain for me tonight, which reminds me that I need to create this for myself daily. Cooking is a natural way to get into the peace zone, though it’s not always possible or doesn’t always happen. Cooking is also a perfect way to talk about the day, be silly, laugh and enjoy the comfort of relationship, which is another type of inner quieting needed (even if it’s not quiet outwardly), a lovely peace inside from connection.

Cooking tonight brought me the reminder that I must have peace like this regularly, and to use cooking as the means more often. My whole self, all my senses are telling me this, and for once, I’m quiet and peaceful enough to hear it and take it in, as I eat the wonderful results of peace-filled cooking.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Moroccan-Chickpea-Soup-104356

The day after writing my article on How to Save Money This Holiday Season, in which I basically suggested spending as little as possible, a Pulitzer prize-winning writer for the New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman, told us that the best thing we can do for our economy is: “Go Shopping.”

Hmm, I guess this means no Pulitzer for me. Oh well. I understand Mr. Friedman’s opinion in general, but personally, I don’t have the money to go shopping, even if I wanted to – and I’m sure I’m not alone in that, for several reasons. Who can just go shopping when they’ve been laid off, as thousands have recently, as reported in the Times and elsewhere, or are fairly certain a lay off is coming? What about those who finally woke up, or were forced to wake up from their credit binge of the past several years and had just come to terms with not spending more than they earn? What about those facing foreclosure? What message does this give them? Of course, retailers rejoiced at Mr. Friedman’s words, as they should. Maybe the malls won’t be as deserted as has been predicted.

I’m sure plenty of other people do have the money or plastic to burn, though, so I will say a big thank you to all those who do help our economy through shopping, and just needed permission such as this to go out and spend away again. Each person can wrestle with what is best for them to do, for self, country or both. It’s a classic paradox, and an honestly tough choice, for some.

I’m as affected by the state of the economy as anyone, and it’s caused me to really curb my usual spending for the holidays. I have family and friends all over the country, so I have the added financial burden of having the majority of my gifts shipped – which this year means I have to get creative, i.e. cheap, to make it work.

1. Wrapping: I don’t shop at “dollar stores” much as I find the products overall pretty horrible in quality, but the exception is wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbon and so on. Never pay regular retail for stuff that’s going right into the trash for the most part. Of course, because I save stuff like that, I already have a good stash to start with, but inevitably some of it will tear and I won’t have enough, so I do make a trip to the local buck shop once a holiday season. Also look around your house for creative ideas to make your wrap job unique. Newspapers, string, colored wire, yarn, paper clips – use your imagination to have an impact when you hand your gift over. Don’t worry about it looking goofy or not ‘elegant’ or whatever. It will make people smile, and remember it – and you.

2. DIY/Make Your Own Gifts: There are countless DIY ideas on the web and in magazines to draw from, but beware: If you have to go out and buy stuff to make it, you are likely defeating your goal of saving money. Be inspired by the DIY items you see, but if you have none of the items needed to make it, see if you can come up with your own version using what you have at home. I like to take pictures and decided this year to give the gift of my photography. It’s easy to get prints done inexpensively either on the web or at home (but be careful with the latter as ink ain’t cheap). It’s also easy to find inexpensive frames, and perfectly legitimate to reuse frames or get used frames at thrift stores. One of my framed photos cost me less than $5.00 but looks like it cost a lot more than that – framed photography has that way about it. Photography is one of the most accessible hobbies, artistic endeavors or casual activities around that has a really high impact on people, so don’t discount it, even if you don’t think you’re “good” at it. People love to have their stories, memories and special moments captured and displayed in photos, and photos are typically treasured for years, often becoming heirlooms, passed on to new generations. Other gifts I have made in other years are crocheted scarves, woven potholders, jewelry, note cards and post cards… If you’re good with a hammer and saw, you might use some scrap wood to make a small shelf, a storage box, a magazine rack, etc. Handmade things are always appreciated, and again, tend to stay in the family for years to come.

3. Cook or Bake: I make a Czechoslovakian pastry my mother used to make that no one else in my family has really mastered, and I love sending it to my family at the holidays – and they are thrilled to receive it. If there are strong sentimental baked-good favorites in your family, I highly recommend giving them as gifts: We all need some comfort in these hard times, everyone loves a special treat, and it’s likely you enjoy making it, so it’s gift to yourself, too. If shipping, choose something that will hold up well and be sure to pack it very carefully so it doesn’t arrive in crumbs; also, don’t send that door stop, um, fruit cake that weighs 15 pounds as it will be expensive to ship. Again, watch your budget, and the amount of time it will take you, along with the amount of energy needed. If your food of choice requires lots of oven and/or stove time, it’s not really economical.

4. Give Yourself a Low Dollar Limit and Stick to it, No Matter What: Depending on your budget and income, I recommend keeping it really low – $4-8, maybe $10 at the most. Related to that, out of necessity, you may then be able only to give one gift per person, which may be a big challenge, if you’re like me and typically like to give 2-3-4 things to each person. This is a great exercise: It makes you really think about the person, what they need, what they like, and about you, what statement you like to make with a gift, what is important to you, and to the relationship. It can be very revealing, very fun, and very satisfying to realize the best thing you can get your friend is a really great _________ for $7. Really, that’s all you need to give, and they will love it, and the pressure is off to ‘have’ to spend a lot more for whatever reason prior to this moment you had for gift giving.

5. Give the Gift of Your Time: One thing everyone wishes for is more time, so give it to someone in the form of a handmade gift certificate offering your time to help them with something they need, which in essence gives them more time for other things. You can be specific, stating “I will…”: Paint your bathroom; take your recyclables to the recycling center every month in 2009; clean out your garage; give you 5 hours of Photoshop training; etc. Doing something for someone that allows them more time to give to things they wish to spend time on is priceless, as is offering to do chores they hate but you don’t mind at all. Doing things for someone else also helps you to create stronger connections, build the relationship, which is a gift to you both.

Bonus tip: Regift! I frequently regift (i.e. give something that someone has given to me) items I have never used or have barely used, and think it’s a perfectly legitimate and morally appropriate thing to do. A couple key points are in order: “Barely used” means the recipient should not really be able to tell the item was ever used. Don’t give something that shows wear or any kind of obvious use – that is tacky, pure and simple. Keep track: Be 1000% sure you’re not giving a gift back to the person who gave it to you, or plan on some really awkward moments and possible negative ramifications. Keep original packaging if possible, if you get a gift that you know you’ll never use, so you can regift it easily. Don’t feel bad: We all have gotten gifts that just didn’t work for us, no matter that we love the person who gave them to us. It’s okay to part with it, really, and what’s the point of keeping something you will never use. Send it off to someone who truly will appreciate it – and thank the original giver (in your mind only!) for helping you in this new way (saving money by regifting it).

Some people will likely decide not to give gifts this year, and I think that’s a fine idea, too – if one was accused of being a tightwad during these times, that’s a compliment, if anything, and should be an inspiration, actually. Take on the title of Scrooge proudly if it feels right.

In uncertain times such as this economic crisis, the bonds with each other and our common values are what people historically turn to (and what was obviously forgotten in these past many years of spend spend spend), for strength and comfort, for efficiency, and for being wise financially. Use that to everyone’s advantage this gift-giving season, and beyond. It will be the greatest gift you can give – to yourself, too.

I’ll save you some time during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month: In reading several blogs regarding breast cancer and its prevention, and in reading several nutrition books lately, it boils down to eating less animal foods, eating more vegetables and fruits, and exercising frequently.

- Research shows there is almost no breast cancer in populations that consume less than 10% of their calories from fat, and that meat and dairy continue to be strongly implicated as a causal factor in breast cancer; it’s not just animal fat, it’s animal protein, too. Eating lots and lots of vegetables, especially green vegetables, and fruit, preferably raw, offers the most protection, even if you do eat animal foods. (You don’t have to be a vegetarian or vegan to prevent cancer, although this is best – just add a lot more plant foods – a whole lot more than the standard American diet, that is.)

- In one study, women 20-54 who exercised regularly had over 60% less risk than sedentary women to get breast cancer, and for those who exercised more than 4 hours per week, their risk was over 70% less. (There are countless studies that support the assertion that regular exercise is crucial to health and disease prevention.) Walking at a good clip (lazy strolls don’t count really) at least 4-5 days a week for 30 minutes or more is the starting point, for example. It’s best to vary your workouts with different types of exercise, including cardio, strength training and stretching, to get the best benefits.

One last note: Don’t confuse mammograms with prevention: Mammograms are for detection; they are important but they can’t prevent cancer. Only reducing your risks (i.e. if you smoke, quit now and permanently), eating raw vegetables (leafy greens give the most protection; skip the starchy ones) and fruits (but eat more veggies than fruits to get the most superior nutrition), and regular exercise will truly lower your chances of getting breast or other types of cancer, as well as other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

I don’t have enough time or energy to express how tired, to the bone tired, of this election I am, and how many weeks do we have to go? Does anyone else hate listening to these horrid ads that say nothing? And the equally predictable and maddening responses to the ads? I can barely watch/read/listen to it at this point. It makes me literally sick, listening to all the drivel put out by campaigns, and then endless opinions and “analysis” on and responses to the drivel that is somehow supposed to make us think we are informed and can vote intelligently. I could go on and on, but I just hope I’m not alone in feeling this way.

I am despondent looking at the decline in the integrity of our election process in this country. Of course, this is nothing new this election, it’s just that since this election has gone on for about 3 years (feels like 30) it just drives it home in a more sickening way. I’m equally despondent that in this nation of brilliant people we haven’t figured it out and changed it (along with a very long list of other ills that plague our country). That makes me to the molecular level tired, when I really think about it.

Just had to put voice to the fatigue and frustration (who do these strategists think we are?), and hope those who feel the same will smile a weak smile knowing they are not alone out there amid this muck of a time.