No Impact Week

Have you read about No Impact Week? It's starting on Sunday and it reminds me of things I want to be improving on. There's a downloadable guide here.

I've been driving way more than is healthy for the environment or me and I feel really wasteful, but it's hard not to just follow those patterns of consumption living in the suburbs of a huge city with people and places all spread out and no real option for public transportation. So, I'm going to try to re-think a few things to see how I can be less of a consumer.

I am taking a few steps:

• I asked if our small group could use real plates and silverware instead of disposable ones. I volunteered to put them in the dishwasher and then put them away afterwards.
  
• I use re-usable bags when I go to stores. (I've been doing this for a while, but I just started carrying a small bag in my purse to always be prepared!)
  
• I started carrying around a stainless steel container instead of using the styrofoam ones for leftovers at a restaurant. I haven't actually used it yet, though.
• I've been to three local Goodwills in the past week for furniture and dishes to get set up for the new apartment. I also got a few bottles I plan on using as centerpieces for the wedding.

I'd love to hear ways that you are being good to the environment! I've got a long way to go.

a month already!

Wow. I can't believe I've been in California for a month! Sorry about not actually living up to my promises of updating this more often.

I don't have a lot to show for this month that's passed, but here's what's going on. I got a part-time job tutoring math at a Korean owned after school academy. Next week, I'm going to also be teaching English language learners debate. That should be fun! I realized one day as I was helping a kid solve a math problem that I was really happy to be working. It gives me a little structure and makes me feel useful.

I volunteer at the church one afternoon a week. One of my regular tasks is to update the photo section of the website. The first time I tried, I thought I almost shut the website down, but it turned out to be OK.

A few weekends ago, I swam and ran in the Oasis Aqua Run! The day after I got here, a friend of mine asked me to do it with her, so I had two weeks to get ready. It was fun and felt so good to finish.

Last Friday, I went with two friends to the beach, which was great. That night, I went to Big Bear Lake in the mountains! That's a Texas girl's dream - to go to the beach and mountains in the same day.

This week, I've been getting a little stressed about wedding stuff. I was spending a good amount of time looking for another job, but this week I decided I was going to focus on wedding stuff until at least the invitations go out. Argh. It's more work than I thought it would be and I have become a different person than the normal laid-back Lela who lived in Texas. Hopefully I can return to my former self at some point in the future.