Fundraising

I am the co-auction coordinator for an online auction event we are having. This isn't selling t-shirts and cds. This is obtaining donations of vacation packages, spa treatments, and celebrity experiences. It's a different kind of thing than I have ever done before. My other project is on hold for the moment. I have been completely wrapped up in this. I have to say, it's much nicer than asking for money. I have to talk to pr people and write tons of emails and put together packets as well as research places I would love to go to. It's an odd experience but excellent for my own personal skills. I plan on staying where I am for a long time but for the future, fundraising experience is a wonderful thing to have. I would never want to do it full time, but as a side project while my other one is on hold, this is quite interesting. I'm learning a ton. Plus, I get to help a wonderful non profit make money and that is very rewarding.

As for the rest of my life, I'm a little boring at the moment. We finished the seventh season of buffy, I've been doing pilates every other morning at 6am which has been helpful since the gym was closed due to all the power problems in ny from the storms. I've been playing with the kittens, and teaching them how to walk on a leash. They aren't perfect at it yet but they are learning. We also went on two 3-4 mile walks with our neighbor in the last few days. Sadly, I haven't been writing these past few weeks, since I finished Plosk's poem. My goal is to begin working on the novel again once August starts. I will have a little distance from it and be able to work daily again.

Now, this is probably just interesting to me but I'll say it anyway. We got a blender! I can now make smoothies to my heart's content! Last night for dinner I had black berries, strawberries, soy milk and tofu for my smoothy. Quite an action packed yet low calorie meal. I know I'm not in need of all low calorie meals but I have been eating lots of cookies lately and I'm trying to get all the garbage I've put in my system back out. This means, eating a bit healthier. And smoothies are delicious. I'm a little obsessed with them. But there is nothing wrong with that.

Lacking Focus

Plosk's birthday was this past Thursday. We relaxed, I gave him the poem I wrote for him, we ate at the Harvest, we went to Mamaroneck for some ice cream and to sit by the water, and then hung out with Jack and Alice in the evening. I called Alice after Jack's prompting and said, "You should come over tonight since Jack is here and it's Gary's birthday." I hear, "Ohhhhhhhh, I'm a terrible friend!" I said, "yes, but you can fix it by hanging out with us tonight:)" I left her no alternative. She had to come hang out and we had a lovely evening of chatting.

Plosk also had some great news come in that day but it's nothing I can talk about here. It's top secret you see.

It was a nice birthday and I'm happy for that since he doesn't get too excited about such things. It's just another day according to him, but I like when a person gets to feel just a little extra special on their bday. You don't need a parade in your honor, but just to know that the world is thinking of you, just a touch.

My stress at work is over. I finally found a back end person for the website I'm working on. Johny 5 offered his services and I happily accepted. This is after a few people tried to rip us off. Our designer remains fabulous and now I have someone she can partner with that is truly talented. I'm happy that after all of these weeks, the website is finally coming together. I know I haven't talked about what this project is, but I don't want to mix my personal blog with my work. Seems a little inappropriate. But the point is, I am really excited and I thinkt his project is going to go far.

Cthulhu and Magneto are amazing. I clipped Mag's nails the other day while she was sleeping and she didn't even wake up. She lets me pet her tongue and then clean her face. I swear these are the most comfortable cats in the world. I love having them here and I do do do spoil them. However not when it comes to scratching furniture. A spray with the water squirter takes care of that. Anyone want to know how to stop a cat from doing something, especially when they are young? They hate water. Give them a little spray and they will stop whatever it is they are doing safely.

My blog's usually have more focus than this but as it is 7:30 I am quite unfocused. Plosk and I are going to continue our season 6 marathon of Buffy while the kittens sleep on us and then we'll head to my parents for some time in the pool. Hooray.

Eating what?

It is Plosk’s birthday this Thursday. He will turn thirty-one and I keep making fun of him as if he is old. I like when his birthday comes around. I find it more exciting then my “own but it’s stunted because he doesn’t care that much. He’s like me who just wants quiet and a friend or two on these specific days. I’m not yet sure what we’ll do but I know what I have for him and I’m thrilled to give it to him.

Starting in 7 days I will be working four days a week at my job. I have been given the title of Project Director for the club, and I will also be fundraising this summer for our Humane Ed program. Like at the gallery, when you work with so few people, you wear as many hats as possible. That is the only way one can be useful. They have to fill many positions. The ability to adapt is mandatory and I feel so happy that I’ve been able to do that with ease.

Now moving to such a different topic, I have thought more about my diet and what it would mean if I limited my dairy and egg consumption. It wouldn’t be like High School where I became vegan in a heartbeat, but instead to just choose alternatives if they are available. Perhaps in my own house to start eating less cheese and egg. I’ve been reading articles on people who transition and really, I am writing a “how to” for changing one’s diet. I know right now I don’t mean to stop altogether, like my boss who doesn’t eat dairy or egg outright, but also won’t dismiss a desert at a restaurant that happens to have dairy in it. I haven’t voiced this out loud yet perhaps because I’m still finding my moment. I also think it will be considered an extreme movement by people close to me. The funny part is, the reason I don’t eat meats is the same reason to become a vegan. Supporting the industry and the hell dairy cows and egg laying hens go through. Even to buy cage free/free range/pasture raised, some of those chickens are treated well. But then one may ask, what happens to all the male roosters? Well my friends, they are crushed or gassed or slaughtered in some way as baby chicks because they are useless for eggs and useless for meat. They have not been bred to be anything edible to a human so they are disposed of like an after thought. So even if I buy humane eggs, I’m still supporting the initial slaughter of 50% of the birds born. Then there are dairy cows who are sent to slaughter after they can no longer produce. I don’t drink milk really. I prefer soy milk and have since High School. But I do like ice cream. The problem with becoming a vegetarian or vegan is that it takes away certain social aspects of life. Plosk and I enjoy going to get ice cream together. Sure I can get a sorbet and I can buy vegan ice cream, but the point is it will change the way we interact. Now perhaps my transition doesn’t mean I will refuse to eat ice cream, but I will minimize my consumption. I’m good at drawing lines, but this will not only be a change for me but also for Plosk, and even though I know he’ll understand I think he’ll also mourn the loss of some of the activities we enjoy doing together. Like snacking on Big Dipper together last night.

In any case, that is a move I am slowly going to make. Like I said, I won’t rule out dairy and egg altogether, but it is no longer going to be a staple in my diet. Dairy and egg don’t repulse me like meat does, and perhaps one day if I have some of my own chickens I’ll eat eggs gladly, but for now, and with my new job, it’s hard to not think about what I’m eating as a moral problem. I gave up meat twelve years ago and I took crap for it. We’ll see how this slow transition goes. I’m going to get argued with and snapped at like I’m another extremist freak. Perhaps I am to them, but I sure don’t feel like one. I’m just following my own moral compass. And that’s never an easy trail to take.