Party in the USA (Specifically at My Home in New Hampshire)

Party in the USA (Specifically at My Home in New Hampshire)

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

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My scanner broke, so sue me

It's no secret that I really, really like the holidays: Chanukah, Christmas, Festivus, whatever. Though I have approximately exactly three friends here in Portsmouth, I somehow thought it would be a good idea to throw a holiday party this year, & Nathan agreed. We decided upon December 23rd as the big day & began the planning.

I'm not convinced that Nate's Coastie friends won't spend 10 minutes at our get-together before deciding they'd have more fun at the bars, thus dashing my dreams of a quaint gathering complete with mulled wine, a decorate-your own cookie station, a few rounds of Apples to Apples, &, of course, tacky holiday sweaters. Still, I'm planning this party as though a dozen burly military dudes will share in this dream with me.

Let's talk about key elements of a successful Christmas party (which I've never before hosted):

• Holiday attire: Because aforementioned tacky sweaters are a rare commodity these days, we've asked our guests to somehow display their holiday spirit in their attire, which leaves the door open to everything from tacky to classy. I, for one, will be wearing my reindeer necklace.
  
  
• A supply of alcohol: We're asking everyone to BTOB, but we'll provide mixers & either store-bought eggnog or homemade mulled wine, depending upon my level of boozy enthusiasm. (It should be noted that I don't like either of these beverages.)
  
  
• Snacks a'plenty: Nathan is dead-set on making pigs in a blanket using hot dogs & crescent rolls (yeah, he's in charge of this one), while I'm planning on buffalo chicken dip, French bread & brie, & a crudite plate, if I'm feelin' healthy. Which is unlikely.
  
  
• A little bit o' Judaism: Though I will likely be the only Member of the Tribe in attendance, I'M MAKING LATKES, which I've never done before. I'll be using The Perfect Latkes Recipe & trying my best not to douse myself in hot oil, which seems like something I would do.

And finally, what is arguably the most important part of any holiday festivity:

• LOTS OF DESSERTS: I am operating under the impression that the deliciousness of my provided desserts will be a key ingredient in convincing people to stay at this party. After all, aren't desserts an essential aspect of holiday celebration? Therefore, I've given lots of thought to my dessert-making options, & as of right now, I am currently planning to make:

• Chocolate chunks cookies
• Sugar cookies (to be decorated either by me or our guests - not yet clear)
• Ritz peanut butter sandwiches covered in chocolate

If you have additional suggestions, I'd love to hear them, especially as they relate to desserts that will encourage people not to leave my party early. I thank you in advance for your assistance in helping me make this party a success. I hope. Cross your fingers.


Images: iced cookies , chocolate chunk cookies, Ritz "cookies"

Remember to check out Duncan Hines' website www.duncanhines.com to find some great recipes for your holiday get-together! I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective.

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Giving Back, the Democratic Way

Giving Back, the Democratic Way

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

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Thanks to Walgreens for sponsoring my writing. Help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote.

At my old job, we ran weekend seminars to Jewish high schoolers, educating them on current social justice issues & teaching them how to advocate for their political beliefs. Every Shabbat morning of these seminars, one of my bosses (a rabbi) told the same story: It was the story of a town where residents were drowning as they fell into the local river, & the townsfolk were concerned. They set up a guard downriver to catch those who'd fallen it - but still, people died. And then they put up a net to catch those who'd fallen in - but still, people died. Finally, someone asked: "Why are these people falling into the river in the first place?" Only by addressing the root of the problem could they come up with an effective solution.

The same is true of social justice work. Sure, food pantries need donations & soup kitchen need volunteers. Kids need tutors to teach them to read, & Planned Parenthood needs escorts to shield its patients from angry protesters. There is always immediate work to be done, & of course, immediate work helps immediately, in the moment. But what it doesn't do is address the root of the problems - it doesn't save people from drowning in the first place.

I'm a firm believer in social justice that focuses on the root of the problem. My first job out of college was with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, a Jewish social profit organization that advocated on behalf of more than 60 vital issues - reproductive choice, economic justice, LGBT equality, gun control, a two-state solution, education policy, health care. That job taught me the importance - nay, the necessity - of making my voice heard.

Let me be clear: I am not wide-eyed & innocent. After three years in D.C. & a lifetime of sarcasm, I know well enough to be jaded. I do not believe that the government is necessarily effective - but I do believe in the importance of trying. While at the RAC, we were told by Congressional staffers that one phone call to a member of Congress represents the views of 100 constituents; one email, 10. That's how few people are reaching out to their elected officials - so few that each person who does counts for dozens more. And while speaking up may not have an effect, I still believe it must have more of an effect than never saying anything at all.

I'm not discounting soup kitchens or Goodwill donations; hell, there are three bags of clothing in my own trunk waiting to be dropped off at the Salvation Army. I believe in the power of money, of donating to organizations that work for the values I believe in. But I believe in something bigger, too. I believe in personally demanding that Congress pay attention to the overwhelming need in this country. I believe in involving myself in politics - even when cut-throat, dirty &, as 2011 would have it, ignorant politics are the last thing I want to deal with.

So where do you begin? For starters, think of an issue that matters to you. For example, one of my top concerns is civil rights, in securing justice for minorities. So I found the leading voices on these issues - organizations like the Human Rights Campaign & the NAACP - & I became a dues-paying member. But beyond giving money, I pay attention. I fill out their action alerts & tell my members of Congress when there's an issue on the floor that matters to me. I subscribe to mailing lists of others organizations whose missions resonate with me - organizations like Save the Children, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, J Street and NARAL - & when they send requests, I don't just click "delete." It takes all of 15 seconds, at most, to send a letter to Congress, yet I'm willing to bet that a vast majority of people have never done it. Sometimes I wonder if the staffers in my Congressman's office sit around laughing at me, the constituent they hear from every two weeks, if not more, when no one else is writing. But that's not stopping me from doing it.

I urge you to keep giving back to your communities in whatever way you're most comfortable with - but I hope you'll push your boundaries, too. Even if you don't consider yourself "a political person," I urge you to recognize that politics, like it or not, makes the world go 'round - and as members of a democratic society, we have the opportunity to contribute to the national conversation. Isn't that the ultimate way to "give back"?

Don't forget to help Walgreens help others! Visit their Facebook page here to learn about their charitable partners and decide which cause Walgreens will donate to with a quick vote. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

Photos: 1, 2

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Folks I Like

Folks I Like

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

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Thanks to Trop50 for sponsoring my writing about fabulous bloggers. This year Trop50 is granting 50 Fabulous Wishes. Click here to enter for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous!

I don't typically like to name names - even when it's for good reason. I don't often participate in memes, tag friends, etc., etc., in part because I don't think it suits my style, but also because I don't want to make anyone else feel like I don't like them as much. Or something. Clearly I have the sensitivity of a third grader chosen last for kickball. Not that that ever happened to me.

So when asked to write about five of my favorite bloggers, it's a difficult a decision. Who do I like? Who do I love? Whose new posts have me in excited palpitations? Who might you not already know about? Because others often ask me for recommendations of blogs they ought to start reading, here are a few of my faves:

Amy of Just a Titch
Amy is real, funny, emotional & everything a good blogger should be, including winner of the 2010 Bootlegger Best New Blogger Award. Also, she’s just the cutest. She's a high school English teacher in California documenting just about everything: love, friendship, pet peeves, weight loss, general funny & interesting stuff. I am a fan of all of these things & of her. 

Chaviva of Kvetching Editor
Chaviva is a newlywed (their one-year anniversary is at the end of the month!), a Modern Orthodox Jew, a sometimes poet, a former journalist, a current grad student, & a tech junkie writing on all of the above & more. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person this spring, & she was exactly as expected: spunky, intelligent, entertaining, not creepy. I like that in a person. 

Simone of Skinny Dip
It seems that I read a multitude of Californian & Canadian blogs; Simone's is one of the latter. She's a sex & relationship blogger who has sass, snark & supreme writing skills. In other words, color me jealous. Her "When Sex Toys Go Hilariously Wrong" is, well, hilarious (and NSFW, clearly, folks), & she once wore a bra made of cucpcakes. Enough said, methinks.

Tara of Tara Bites Back
Tara is technically a mommy blogger, but I would never, ever call her that. She writes about her kids, divorce & other adventures in motherhood, but she's also hysterical. And verbose. And hysterical. Like the time she wrote about her son's missing testicle. Her blog's tagline is "That which does not kill you deserves to be ridiculed." I could make that a tagline for my whole life, probably. Also, she is not actually a dinosaur - just anonymous.

Hayley of The Hayleylujah Chorus
I feel weird including Hayley here because I pseudo-know her in real life, yet I'm convinced she thinks I'm creepy because once I saw her at the mall & she, like, ran away. But I'm including her anyway because she's addictively funny & going to be mad-famous, & I can be like, "Hey, I remember when that girl was born" because her sister used to be my bestie. So maybe I'm including her because I'll someday feel famous by distant association. But also. She's really funny. See her YouTube channel for proof: 50,002 subscribers can't be wrong.

So. Those are five of many. What blogs do you love? Who should I be reading?

Don't forget to enter the 50 Fabulous Wishes contest for a chance to win $1,000 to celebrate a friend with a refreshing attitude about looking and feeling fabulous. I was selected for this Tropicana Trop50 sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do. I received compensation to use and facilitate my post.

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Making Friends in Real Life is HARD, Yo.

Making Friends in Real Life is HARD, Yo.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

31 comments

Thank you to P&G’s Have You Tried This Yet? program and Kroger for sponsoring my writing about trying new things and breaking out of my everyday routine. Click here to find great savings on high-performing P&G products at a Kroger store near you. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

In case I forgot to mention it, I moved. To New Hampshire. I know, I know, WHAT? I'd been waiting to move back to the Buckeye State, for-ev-er! (Spoken in a Sandlot voice, if you please) So what happened? Well, life happened - I got an awesome job that requires me to live in New England, & it just so happens that my boyfriend (pictured to the left, just for fun) lives in New England, so I made a logical leap: I moved in with him.

So here I am, in New Hampshire, where I know exactly one person. And did I mention that I work from home? Waking up every morning & wandering into my living room isn't the best way to meet new people. My daily routine goes something like this: Wake up, shower, work, eat lunch, work, make dinner, watch TV, go to bed, rinse & repeat.

Needless to say, I'm desperate for a break from my regularly scheduled program, preferably in a way that helps me make real-life friends instead of just the online kind (oh, I'm creepy). I hate sports & I can't knit, which most of the activities I've found in the area seem centered around, so I'm trying to get creative. Currently, my List of Possible Ways to Break From the Routine looks like this:

• Take guitar lessons. I've had a guitar for five years now, & I can't play a single note. My 101 in 1,001 List challenges me to learn at least one song, no matter how simple, on my acoustic Fender, & maybe now is the perfect time! But... well, this won't help me meet anyone, will it? Just a guitar teacher. And then I'll spend all my time holed up in my apartment trying to get the notes right, & I'll never go outside again, & maybe guitar-playing will actually make me more of a hermit, after all.
  
  
• Join Weight Watchers. I like to eat. I also like having friends. I thought that by joining WW, I could make friends with people who also like to eat but who, like me, are trying to eat less. Then, I'll have killed two birds with one stone by befriending folks who can also serve as a support system. Is that selfish of me? Or just super-savvy? You be the judge.
  
  
• Try yoga. I am not particularly flexible, due in part to the fact that I have two stainless steel rods along my spine. It follows, then, that yoga is probably a stupid idea. But after reading about Julie's Bikram adventure, I'm tempted to give it a shot. I found this Yoga By Donation studio nearby, which means I could afford a class or two or 10, but I'm wary of being the sweaty, farty, totally unbendy kid in the class. I don't know that that's the best way to make new friends.
  
  
• Join a book club. I found one in the area via Meetup.com, & as I followed along with their monthly picks before moving into the area, I grew more & more excited to join them. Until the month I actually moved here, when their book of choice was"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." This month? "Ireland: A Novel." Now, I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but I can't help judging books by their titles & descriptions & the general boredom & apathy I feel toward them. Should I try anyway, if the pay-out may be book-loving friends? What a novel idea!
  
  
• Attend a Unitarian church. This is also on 101 in 1,001 List. And yes, I'm still Jewish - so Jewish, in fact, that I work for a Jewish non-profit. But my grandmother, who is also quite Jewish, attends a Unitarian church; she & her Unitarian friends call themselves the Jewnitarians. If my family matriarch can get away with this, so can I. There's a Unitarian church down the road from my new home, but there's no indication that anyone under the age of 50 attends it, so perhaps this isn't my best bet, either... Sigh.
  
  
• Volunteer. Somewhere. Clearly, I've not thought this one through, but I like the idea of making friends while doing good. Now if only I could figure out how to go about it. Or where. Or doing what. Who knew making friends involved making so many gosh-darn decisions?

There you have it, my not-all-that-comprehensive list of ways to try new things while meeting new people. Basically, it comes down to this: Much as I love him, I'm tired of only ever talking to my boyfriend. And the jerk across the hall. And the occasional WalMart employee. I took a huge leap in moving here, & now it's time to take some smaller leaps that will help make this one all the better.

So how do you make friends when you're not sitting next to them in sociology class or one cubicle apart? I'm ready to try (more) new things. As soon as I figure out how.

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(Doing Your Part to Actually Bring) Joy to the World

(Doing Your Part to Actually Bring) Joy to the World

Saturday, December 18, 2010

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SWAGG is a free mobile app (download here) that lets you shop smarter using your mobile phone. Buy, send or swap SWAGG GIFTS and organize your old school plastic gift cards.

For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), up to $125,000. Clever Girls Collective and SWAGG are sending a pair of movie fans to the Sundance Film Festival! Download the SWAGG app and then visit the Ultimate SWAGG Getaway Sweepstakes site to enter to win a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival. Entry deadline is January 3, 2011, 11:59pm, PST.

***

When I was a kid, I was easily swayed by effective nonprofit marketing. I guess that as a kid, the phrase "effective nonprofit marketing" would have made zero sense, but in retrospect, it's true. I was frequently moved by things like telethons & bell-ringers & commercials about sad animals, & I was thus suckered into donating my allowance, my bat mitzvah money, & the coins I saved in a Tupperware container with a hole cut in the top. "Suckered" is probably a crummy word to use in this regard, but you get it.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions was to buy gifts for The Angel Tree, a program of the Salvation Army (apparently now in partnership with JC Penney); I loved buying Angel Tree gifts more than any of the other holiday gifts I helped my mom shop for. The local mall would display a Christmas tree near the food court, decorated with gift tags that each bore the name of an "angel," a child who needed a little bit of extra assistance around the holiday. The tag included the child's age, Christmas wish list & clothing & shoe size, sometimes noting a favorite color or cartoon character. You'd choose an angel's name from the tree - I always picked them based on how much I liked their names and/or how good their taste in gifts was (I liked the kids who were desirous of books & board games because I was a big nerd) - & then buy them a gift or two that the Salvation Army would deliver before Christmas.

I wanted to buy gifts for all the angels, but of course, that was never possible. I wanted every angel to get the best things on their holiday lists, but somehow, knew that wasn't possible, either. I always knew that the kids who quite hopefully listed things like "Purple bike" & "Nintendo" were more likely to end up with Barbies & sweaters & packages of socks. I rarely got big-ticket items for the holidays, either, but I was living in a house with two loving parents, & I had a warm, cozy bed, & my clothes were nice & fit well, & I knew that there would be no shortage of holiday cheer at my house & in my life. I often wondered who those "angels" really were & what their lives were like - where they were living, & if they got to have Christmas trees, & if there would be any gifts at all if they were among the children whose names were not plucked from the tree at the mall by eager & fortunate kids like me.

I haven't done the Angel Tree in awhile. In fact, I'd forgotten about it until recently, & the JC Penney site tells me it's too late to buy Angel Tree gifts this year. But the sentiment still stands. This Christmas, while you're wishing for Kate Spade planners & sparkly cocktail rings & J Crew peacoats & new Wiis, little kids all across the damn planet have placed their hope in the big guy in the red suit, hoping he'll bring them some small bit of holiday joy. For that matter, there are plenty of adults who are hoping the same. At a time when so many need so much, ask yourself what you can do to make the season a little brighter for those who aren't as well-off as you are - because frankly, if you're reading this post, chances are that there are plenty of people who are worse-off than you, even if you're feeling the effects of the bad economy, too. (Aren't we all?)

I don't celebrate Christmas in the traditional tree/tinsel/lights/church way, but that doesn't mean I don't value the spirit of the season. Have you thought about how to spread joy this year? Go find an angel & pay it forward.

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Learn more about the coolest new app that revolutionizes the whole shopping, gifting, and gift card-organizing experience and Download the SWAGG app to your iPhone or Droid. I was selected for this sponsorship by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity.

SWAGG has partnered with non-profit Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). For every download of the app between now and Dec. 31, 2010, SWAGG will donate $1 to SU2C up to $125,000. Awesome, right?! Visit the SU2C site for more info http://www.standup2cancer.org/

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My Stomach Is a Fan of Local Small Businesses

My Stomach Is a Fan of Local Small Businesses

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

9 comments

Thanks to American Express for sponsoring my writing today about small businesses. American Express is presenting Small Business Saturday, a way to honor the local merchants who are the backbone of the economy, this Saturday, November 27. They're offering statement credits to people who shop at small businesses, advertising for small-business owners, and donations to Girls Inc. for "Likes" of the Small Business Saturday page on Facebook. Join the celebration by clicking the "Like" button and then visiting the Facebook page to learn more about the program and read the terms and conditions that apply.


When I announced to the interwebs that I'd be moving back from D.C. to Ohio, my decision was met with a lot of (anonymous, cowardly) criticism by people who insisted that there's no culture in Ohio, nothing but chain restaurants & WalMarts & people with mullets wearing camo pants.

There are a lot of chains in the Midwest, it's true, & I'm not ashamed to admit that one of the greatest joys of being back in the 'burbs is the ease of trips to Hobby Lobby & Target. But it's not all a big-business nightmare! It's no D.C., sure, but if you make an effort to seek them out, there are tons of small businesses around town worthy of frequenting.

In honor of American Express's Small Business Saturday, I want to tell you about three of my favorite small businesses in the Akron/Cleveland area. And because I am Jewish & therefore culturally permitted to be a big fan of all things concerning cuisine, all three of my choices are food-related. Herrrre goes!

• Rockne's
  This local pub chain was opened by the father of one of my elementary school classmates in the early '90s. And though their website could fool you into thinking it's still the '90s, there are now 12 Rockne's locations across Northeast Ohio, each individually owned. When I was living in D.C., I was known to dine Rockne's three times in as many days in an effort to consume as much Cuban Black Bean Soup as humanly possible. On Foursquare, I hold two Rockne's mayorships. Clearly, this is a love that will never die. 
  
  
• Crazy But True Popcorn
  I don't even like popcorn, kids. Like, if I'm at the movies? It's nachos, please, or gummy bears. And I once refused to eat popcorn for nearly a year after discovering that the buttery topping looks like a brain tumor when it's still packaged in bulk barrels. So it's crazy, but it's true: I love Crazy But True Popcorn, which I discovered just last month, with its buckets upon buckets of flavors. Savory. Candied. Chocolate-covered & peanut-butter drizzled. Free samples. I die. And did I mention that they're also super-philanthropic? I keep dying.
  
  
• Swenson's Drive-In
  When I was a kid, my dad & I had a routine. He'd pick me up from ballet class & on our way home, we'd stop at Swenson's, a drive-in where the servers bring the food to your cars. He'd order a burger & fries; I'd order a grilled cheese & tots. And there was always a mint sundae in it for me at the end. Swenson's, a Northeastern Ohio institution if ever there was one, was once voted "Best Burger" by Forbes magazine, along with a handful of Buckeye State publications. Bottom line is that you need to be jealous that you don't have one. And then come visit me so we can go there together.
  
  

Do you shop & eat local when you can, or are you a big-business devotee? What's your fave small business? And most importantly, who wants to go get dinner with me? And by the way: For each person who likes Small Business Saturday on Facebook, American Express will donate $1 to Girls, Inc., one of my favorite non-profits. What are you waiting for?

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

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