I Saved A Shark!
As I approached my grandparents condo in Florida, after yet another bracing walk of 10,000 steps for WaterAid, I noticed a crowd surrounding the local Beach Rat. I call him "Beach Rat" with affection – B.R. runs the rentals in front of the condo. He rents out chairs and jet skis, tells crazy stories and amuses the tourists by sticking live sand fleas in his mouth. He doesn't eat them - that's the best place to keep them alive till he can use them as fish bait. As Beach Rat eloquently said himself with a crawling critter in his ...
Naughty Non-Profits: 7 Eco-Sins
I am about to do something slightly ungrateful, definitely heinous, very uncomfortable, but in the end completely necessary: I'm going to blow the environmental whistle (or horn) on many of the non-profits I've been helping this year. Let me explain why - I've been trying to complete 50 different volunteer activities before 2010 , which means I have volunteered with a lot of different non-profits in the last few months and unfortunately I have seen disappointing environmental practices at many of them. Don't misunderstand me, charities do amazing work and help the world in a myriad of ways, but they are under funded, ...
Diatribe Against A Leather Couch
Attention Bachelors: Stop Buying Leather Couches! Actually check that. I’m talking to anyone who purchases leather furniture. Put your VHS tape of “Coming to America” away, and let’s talk about why leather couches are the most unpleasant piece of furniture that can be purchased. 1. Is your furniture cold or is it just you? One feature of leather that isn’t discussed often on the sales room floor is it’s uncanny ability to absorb and magnify the temperature of the surrounding room. This temperature issue is particularly grating as any man with an air conditioning unit in his apartment or house will jack ...
My Open Breakup Letter to Panama City Beach
Dear Panama City Beach, Florida- We have a problem. Our relationship has suffered because of your neglectful attitude and your refusal to better yourself. I am threatening to end this affair here and now if you don’t clean yourself up, pay attention to what really matters, and have some self-respect. I have been a faithful lover and have repeatedly stood up for you when people called you “Redneck Riviera.” When the nationally syndicated TV show “Squidbillies” used you...Read More
Why Do Fish Have Good PR?
“How long have you been like that?”, “You don’t look like a vegetarian.”, “Don’t you get hungry?” As a vegetarian it’s almost guaranteed that you will hear the above phrases at least one thousand times during your lifespan. An entire article could be written about how to answer these questions and why vegetarians are forced to endure them, but right now I want to focus on the most frequently asked question; the question that refuses to go away:“But you eat fish right?” “No. I don’t eat fish, thank you, just veggies.” That’s my typical response, but what I’m thinking is: “Why would ...
My Volunteer Journal: Episode 52 – CHILL The Boys Are Just Snowboarding
“He’s going to kill himself and I’m going to be held responsible.” That was my thought at least a dozen times while volunteering for Burton’s CHILL program at Mountain High Ski Resort. The CHILL program takes underprivileged teens to local mountains for snowboarding lessons one day a week for six weeks. Equipment and lift tickets come care of Burton. Some of the kids have never seen the mountains before, though many live within an hour drive of a range. Because my life had been a rollercoaster in recent months I was only able to be a volunteer chaperone on the ...
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My Volunteer Journal: Episode 68 – People with Allergies to Cats Shouldn’t Volunteer with Them
Mercedes & Kitty Kat Don’t volunteer with cats if you’re allergic. I repeat, differently: If you are allergic to cats do not volunteer with them. En espanol: No voluntario con los gatos si usted alergico a ellos. Obvious? You’d think so, but I had occasion to test this. Here’s what happened… I set up a volunteer... [Read more]
TheGoodMuse Explains: How to Be Bad and Look Good
Happy New Year! Why is everyone so attracted to bad boys and girls? And how can I be bad while maintaining general wholesomeness? I decided this would be best to answer during the holidays because of the naughty and nice tie in. And if you type naughty enough your SEO goes off the chart – naughty naughty naughty naughty… The... [Read more]
UPDATE! My Volunteer Journal: Episode 38 – Kiva – Last One Promise
The Ladies Payne Repaid Again! Re-loaned again. And just in time for Christmas. I would never suggest that Kiva is more fun as a competition. Especially not a competition between family members. That would be tacky and defeat the purpose of being generous out of the goodness of your heart. But… if, lets say, my family... [Read more]
Why Being Green > Occupy Wall Street
The Occupy Wall Street campaign has inspired millions across the country and the world to evaluate their governments and the strangle hold corporations have on career politicians. Occupy New York has even managed to raise $500,000 to continue the fight “to end the tyranny of the 1%.” But ending “the tyranny of the... [Read more]
My Volunteer Journal: Episode 67 – I Take a Shower with PETA
Freezing for Furry Friends Ladies and Gentleman, the following is an account of my weirdest volunteer activity as TheGoodMuse- yet. I had never volunteered with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), but then I got this email, which said something like… Come take a shower in the middle of the LA Convention... [Read more]
TheGoodMuse Explains: What’s The Lamest Thing About Volunteering?
TheGoodMuse Thinks After an in-depth investigation of male hostility towards Jane Austen and adoration of all things thong we return this week to the focus of this blog and answer… What is the lamest thing about volunteering? And how do we fix it. Shockingly, the answer isn’t waking up early on a Saturday or Sunday,... [Read more]
My Volunteer Journal: Episode 66 – AIDS Walk LA! Don’t Hate ‘Cause We’re Fierce!
WeHo Cheer - the official Good Will Ambassadors of West Hollywood If AIDS Walk LA (which raised over 3 million dollars to benefit people living with HIV) was a video game it would go something like this: Your car zooms through the back street of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills avoiding the mass of traffic trying to get into... [Read more]
TheGoodMuse Explains: Why Men Love Thongs and Hate Jane Austen?
Independent Minded Womenz Why men* love thongs and hate Jane Austen? Now I know I promised an answer to this almost universal truth and mind bender weeks ago. Sorry. I had to do some research and then I discovered it’s a long answer. Again, sorry. While quizzing males I got a variety of answers from “Because thongs... [Read more]
My Volunteer Journal: Episode 65 – The Trevor Project
Sara and I with Trevor Project Survival Kits “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24 year olds.” Downer opening but, let’s face it, 15-24 is rough. For many of us it’s the worse time of our life. Almost impossible. You get raging hormones, a new body, acne, and hair in random places. You... [Read more]
UPDATE! My Volunteer Journal: Episode 64 – Angels from Heaven Save a Muse & a Kitten
Dirty Kitty From Episode 64 Grows Up & Becomes "Chrissy" Back in April, I had a dirty, starving kitten in a Frito Lays box shoved into my arms. I didn’t really have a clue how I was going to find it a home. I didn’t have the time or resources. I just knew kitten rehab was required. As usual the person who... [Read more]
How I Spent My Summer Vacation by TheGoodMuse
Director Scott & I celebrate 3 sold out shows! For the kiddies starting back to school. I didn’t do anything really major this summer. Nothing really. Just went to Alaska to see my plays done in Valdez. Then produced “The Reaper,” “Things Unsaid,” and “Sweet Nothings” with a star studded cast in the Hollywood... [Read more]
TheGoodMuse Explains: Why Jury Service is Not Volunteering
Welcome to the first in a new series of blogs I would like to call TheGoodMuse Explains. We will cover Volunteering Questions as well as Life Mess… My friends found out (because I complained loudly to everyone) that I had jury service and so the question this week is: Q: Why not write the jury service up as a Volunteer... [Read more]
The Positives and Negatives of an Exponential Drop in Solar Cost
The cost of a unit of solar energy appears to be following Moore’s Law with solar costs dropping exponentially from $22 a watt in 1980 to $1.40 a watt today. But this positive price development for the consumer could prove to be a temporary set back for the solar industry. Moore’s Law, originally written to explain the advancement... [Read more]
My Tributes to Kiva Never End – Kiva.org Launches Kiva Green
Just when you think a good idea can’t get any better… Kiva, the king of micro lending websites, recently launched Kiva Green Loans. Green Loans allows Kiva lenders to find businesses and individuals transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. The energy saving theme includes recycling, re-purposing used... [Read more]
UPDATE! My Volunteer Journal: Episode 38 – My 4th KIVA Loan! Better than the Stock Market
I’ve made my fourth Kiva loan! Miraculous. This means I have been reimbursed in full three times by third world farmers, and people who don’t own shoes, while receiving not one (NOT ONE) piece of junk mail from Kiva or an affiliate. I’m so pleased I’m damn near speechless (as demonstrated by pic). Luckily I can still... [Read more]
Why Can’t Everyday be Carmaggedon? The True Story of LA’s Weekend Without a Car
On July 16th and 17th, Los Angeles, CA, a city built for the automobile, braced for a predicted disaster known worldwide as Carmaggedon. A ten-mile stretch of the infamous 405 Freeway would be closed for 53 hours due to construction. The shut down section, between the 10 Freeway and 101 Freeway interchanges, normally sees almost... [Read more]
Duped: How I Ended Up at a Restaurant that Serves Bluefin Tuna
I have an addiction to veggie tempura. It’s shameful. I don’t like to fry things at home because of grease splatter so I’m relegated to hunting down the appetizer at the most sustainable sushi joints I can find. Is there such a thing as sustainable sushi? Probably not, but if you’re a pescetarian you can check... [Read more]
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