LOVE Freecycle

When you're cleaning out your garage/basement/spare room/storage area and you come across things that are just 'too nice' to throw out, what do you do? Most of us first ask the relatives, then think about the kids on the street, and then the church, and then maybe calling one of the charities that comes to pick up stuff...

...but what if you could get rid of it with the assurance it will go to someone who WANTS it, and that it won't end up in the landfill by you trashing it?

That's the idea of freecycle and I've been participating for about a year. Freecycle is a local community based disposal service, but is a nationwide trend. Some of the stories of how people use the things they pick up are heartwarming. Some of the stories behind the requests are poignant. Neighbors helping neighbors, family helping family, people helping animals (who knew there was a guinea pig rescue organization?) It is always free!

True Story: I had some 6 foot lengths of styrofoam packaging. Certainly didn't want that in a landfill. I offered it on freecycle. A lady responded and came to pick it up. Then she told me her son needs it for occupational therapy, pushing golf tees into the styrofoam helps him build fine motor skills. How cool is that?

It is so easy to join. For Reston/Herndon, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HerndonRestonVAFreecycle/ and follow the prompts. Be sure to put in that you LIVE in Reston/Herndon or you'll be bounced back out. After that, start cleaning out your storage areas!

If you're one of my visitors from outside the Reston/Herndon area, check your area to see if you have one. You can check at http://www.freecycle.org/. If not, consider starting one. It really is a very cool way to build community. Some of the items I've seen offered:

• left over baby items (high chairs, bibs, diapers, bottles, etc.)
• toys
• computer parts and peripherals (even a flat screen monitor)
• building materials
• tools
• outgrown sports equipment
• bicycles
• food -- fresh and packaged
• appliances
• furniture
• house paint

I think you get the picture. This is a win-win situation. And, after you've posted offers twice, you can put up a "WANTED". Maybe you need the parts for something to make it work -- trust me, someone out there has those parts and is wondering what the heck to do with them. This is the ultimate recycling, so join in!

Ruby Tuesday

Thinking ahead while at the mall yesterday, I kept my eyes open for Ruby Tuesday shots as well. This little lady is a jewelry holder!

And the second photo is the answer to yesterday's mystery photo.

/kw

You can play with us at Ruby Tuesday by clicking here!

Michael Jackson

Okay, I've held it in for a day or two, but I guess I have a comment.

I grew up with Michael Jackson's tunes ringing in my ears. The one that really grabbed me at an early age was "Ben." Yeah, it was a love song to a rat. I never saw the movie. But in Michael singing it I heard a plaintive cry for a place to go for all of those who saw themselves as unwanted by society.

And wasn't that always Michael's trouble? No doubt, the guy was very strange. And his boku money allowed him to become stranger and stranger. Yet, all of the different things Michael did to himself and his life were outgrowths of what he was expressing in that song. He wanted to create a life and place where he could belong and where no one even desired to exploit him, much less did it.

He had a tremendous talent for music. He understood it in his soul and had a gift for being able to incorporate all different types of music in his tracks. Thriller stands by itself musically and dramatically. Michael was ALWAYS dramatic. He was never given the opportunity to be a little boy, and as soon as he was old enough to stop being a little boy exploited, he used his emancipation to wrest control over his own fate.

To hear that his family is "moving quickly" to take control over his children and his image and his financial empire is tragic. In the end, those who should have protected him are the ones who once again will exploit him. And this time they'll do it in the names of his children.

I'm not sure where Michael Jackson ends up eternally, but if he's with Mozart, you know there's some great music being created.

/kw

Mellow Yellow Day at the Mall

My car was being serviced so I spent three hours at the mall, mostly window shopping. These are two windows I found to be interesting! The flip-flop is actually a chip and dip dish! And the other -- you tell me what store you think this is -- put it in the comments section!

Participate in "Mellow Yellow Monday" by clicking here.

A Neighborhood Meeting

Last night there was a Reston Association sponsored community meeting at Hunters Woods. The topic was the proposed concept of a new indoor tennis/pool/recreation center to be built in Reston. While RA insists that no decisions have been made, we all know that $92,000 has been spent developing the idea. To Larry Butler's credit, he gave a pretty clear presentation on a) how long the idea has been kicking around b) how RA has tried to provide the requested service in the past and c) why the Browns Chapel site seems to be the best fit. I came away with a couple of impressions. You can agree or disagree with me, but I ask that you do so politely.

• First, there was a good reason why public meetings opened in prayer in the old days. To plunge right in without asking divine providence for guidance almost guarantees that a controversial idea will produce contentious meetings and ugly behavior. Too bad people are so afraid of Truth.
• Second, most of the people who had a lot to say about this (masquerading as questions) are part of the over 60 crowd. Many of them have been in Reston since the 1960's. They've enjoyed the benefit of all of the amenities that they would now deny the younger folks. Our standards for recreation have changed over time, and to refuse to even listen to other people shows that one has become an embittered oldster rather than a helpful member of the community.
• Third, our community can't afford this idea. As a parent, it is very difficult in this country to teach my children that you don't purchase what you can't afford. To encumber our property with even more taxes to pay for something that we may or may not need as a community means that at some point, we will probably have to move away from Reston because we will no longer be able to afford the taxes. Fairfax County and RA are pricing young families right out of the area. I guess the upside is tht when we can't afford to live here any longer, you can turn the elementary schools into your indoor centers for the aged.
• Fourth, There is far from a consensus about the need for this center. Sure, the swimmers and tennis players say we need indoor facilities and, by the way, USTA and US Swimming agree. But many people do not agree. I can't wait to see the survey results in the fall.
• Fifth, one semi-great suggestion came up in regards to the rezoning of the area that parallels the toll road. It was that the additional parking deck could be multi-tasked to provide the requested indoor facilities and parking for them. GREAT idea, which Larry Butler said was one of those things worth talking about. Here's an even better enhancement -- how about ASKING developers to make it worth their while to do so. Let market forces dictate whether this is the right time and place for this kind of facility.
• Finally, re: that same notion -- if you build a huge facility at Brown's Chapel to accomodate USTA and US Swimming's desires for a venue for their events, you're asking all that traffic to go up Wiehle Ave or Reston Parkway to get there. If people can just hop off the toll road and park, it's a much better idea.

I confess I went to the meeting with an attitude of NO! But before I went I prayed that I would at least listen to opposing viewpoints and see whatever merit is in them. I think I'm more informed now, and more balanced in my reasons for saying NO. I love tennis and swimming and I'm a member of the Y. But I love fiscal responsibility and parental responsibility more, and my vote is still NO.

Talk to me!

/k

The High Cost of Health Care

I wonder how Congress is going to fix our health care system. They've done such a great job fixing other things. (insert your own note of sarcasm here).

Two weeks ago I had a small accident -- dropped a really heavy object on the top of my foot. It swelled immediately but there was no pain or limitation of movement. I sat down and put ice on it until my husband got home. Because it involved my driving foot, I thought it best to get it x-rayed. We went to the ER at our local hospital because the doctor we use said, "if it's broken we'll send you somewhere else anyway for an ortho consult." At the ER it was a sleepy Thursday afternoon so I got way more attention than I deserved. They took the X-rays, said nothing was broken, wrapped it, insisted on a tetanus shot, gave me a prescription to fill for a high-octane pain killer, and put me on crutches for a week. Without pain or limitation of motion, by the time we got home, I jettisoned the crutches. By applying RICE (Rest, ice, compression, elevation), and skipping the gym until Monday, I was fine.

For all of this, I was billed $1,279.25 for emergency services. The statement from the hospital says my insurance company paid $306.69, and there was a contractual adjustment of $942.56. I owe $30, essentially a co-pay. So my insurance company paid a reasonable cost, I pay a reasonable cost, and the hospital has to eat $942.56? Does anyone else find this ridiculous? Who ends up paying that missing amount? Is this what drives the exorbitant cost of health care?

Let me state for the record that the ER people working at the hospital were kind, professional and highly competent. They are in the same squeeze though -- overtreat because of risk avoidance, and then bill, bill, bill!

As Ted Kennedy and Hilary Clinton are facing health challenges, do you think they're asking these same questions? i.e., just what IS my insurance company paying for? If we ALL asked these questions and challenged the underlying assumptions, might the system actually be improved?

Hope so.

/kw

New Penny

These photos are also taken with the microscope connected to the computer. In case you have kids, this "Digital Blue" is the neatest program. It has provided hours of examination of the micro-world!

Enjoy.

Oh, credit to the photographer -- my son.

/k