Pepper Turns 2!

Our cat, Pepper, turns 2 today.  It seems like just yesterday that we brought her home from the Silicon Valley Humane Society.  Pepper, who's given name is Tabitha, was brought to the SVHS with her brother Tabloid Lloyd.   They were found roaming the streets alone.  They told us her birthday was probably in August.  After watching her for a while, we were pretty confident that she was the kitten we wanted.  She was gentle and very cute.  She did not hang around with her brother.  Tabloid Lloyd was playing with another cat in a separate cage.  So we felt that it would be alright to separate them.  We brought her home around Thanksgiving 2006 when she was about 3 months old and selected August 8th as her birthday.  Well this year her birthday is the lucky date 8/8/08 which is the same day as the opening ceremonies for the Olympic games in Beijing.  

Pepper has grown up and become a part of our family.  I didn't grow up having pets.   Left to my own devices, I don't think I would have ever thought to have pets.  My parents were not pet loving people and I probably was somewhat afraid of dogs and cats as a child.  Because I was not familiar with them,  I did not know how to act around them.  But almost two years ago, I was pursuaded by my family to go to the pet store to just take a look at some kittens.  Before you knew it, I was whisked off to the Humane Society where we spent 5 hours looking for a kitten to adopt.  I must say that when she first came into our home, I was a bit uncomfortable with having an animal roaming around our house.  I'm a bit of a germaphobe and clean freak and wasn't sure how I would feel about a kitten going through my things.    

I remember when Pepper first arrived at our house, she was very tiny.  She was probably about a pound and very small.  We recall that the first couple of hours she was very scared and hid behind our piano.  The counselors at the Humane Society told us we should keep her in a room at the beginning until she got accustomed to our house.  Ever since then, the office is her room.  Since then, we have trained Pepper not to jump on our furniture or beds.  Although once in a while we will catch her trying to sit on the sofa.  But overall, Pepper is very good with respecting our rules.  

Pepper is such a sweet cat.  She is very friendly and loves to hang around people.  Almost everyone who meets her likes her.  She loves attention and will sit with you or play with you as long as you let her.  My husband used to say he only wanted a dog.  I think he wanted to get a pet and thought that a cat was better than nothing and perhaps we could get a dog later on.  But Pepper's charm and the love she shows us every day quickly melted his heart.  He has turned into a total cat lover.  It is quite obvious that Pepper brings a lot of joy to his life.  He is always happy when he sees her and finds Pepper to be an extraordinary cat and it's no secret how much he loves her.    

Well, I'd say for the first 6-9 months, I would go through days when I would wonder if we had taken on too much bringing Pepper into our home.  There was the hair in the corners and crevices of the house, the hair balls she would vomit that needed to be cleaned up, the maintenance of her kitty litter, feeding, grooming and generally just more work to do everyday.  Going on vacations became another headache since we did not trust cat hotels and didn't have anyone to come check on her.  Eventually, we did entrust my brother and some good friends to come over and play with her when we went away. 

 

Despite how I felt, everyone in the family seemed to think that Pepper loved me the most.  She always followed me around.  She sat next to me every chance she got.  Sometimes I would get a little annoyed when she rubbed up on my leg or sat on my slippers when I watched tv. 

What I have learned over the past year is that Pepper is really an extraordinary pet.  No matter what, she is there for us.  She loves us unconditionally.  She is sweet and gentle.  I think I've realized that when you love someone, you shouldn't let the little things get in the way of that.  I think I've mellowed out a lot when it comes to Pepper.  I've noticed that I don't get so upset anymore when I find her sitting on the sofa.  When she sits on my slippers, I let her and just get another clean pair to wear.  When she throws up hair balls, I just clean it up without giving her attitude.  When we are away, I'm always thinking about her and wondering what she's doing.  Pepper has brought a special love into our lives and brings a warmth into our home that wasn't there before.  I find myself talking to her and telling her I love her more and more each day.  We all love her and expect to celebrate many more birthdays with her in the years to come.      

Made in China

With all the recent scares from poisoned pet food, tainted toothpaste, unsafe tires, lead in toys, and contaminated Chinese seafood, is it possible to avoid products that are "made in China?"  Given all the recalls and issues, it's no wonder Americans would be hesitant to use products "made in China".  But the problem is that many of the products we use daily are Chinese exports.

Articles have been written where average consumers have attempted to avoid buying anything "made in China" for one week with little success.  NBC Nightly News just aired a segment today on a family who avoided these products for one whole year.  By the time the year was over, the family was all too ready to embrace products "made in China" again.  The broadcast did highlight the Yiwu Commodity Market, just outside of Shanghai, which is the world's largest supermarket.  This is where many of the world's merchants come to buy stuff to sell to you.  It measures 64 million square feet and houses 40,000 suppliers.  Approximately $320B of goods a year are sold to people around the world often at a bargain due to the cheap labor costs in China.  Americans are certainly addicted to these products that are such a part of their everyday lives.

Items "made in China" make up an incredibly significant percentage of the goods we use.  These include clothes, toys, appliances, heavy equipment, commercial aircraft, laptops (China makes the top 5 brands of laptops) and even food and medicine (garlic, concentrated orange juice, Vitamin B, etc).

So, with the above items in mind, I decided to look at the labels of the most recent items I purchased in the past week.  This is a good sample since I did not plan to write about this when I purchased any of these items.  I have excluded any food products as in many cases they are made locally or are difficult to determine the origin.

1. Sterile pads (I've been using these pads to cover the wound on my ankle) - Made in China

2. Orbit gum - Made in U.S.A.

3. Desk from Costplus World Market - Made in China

4. Crocs (for kids) - Made in Mexico 

5. Furniture touch up pens - Made in China

6. Crayola markers - Made in China 

7. Pencil box - Made in U.S.A. 

8. Power surges - Made in China 

9. Wii Fit (I did just open this last week) - balance board Made in China, game made in U.S.A. or Japan 

10. Kleenex - Made in U.S.A. 

11. Waterproof Adhesive Tape - Made in Thailand 

12. REI kid's fleece jacket - Made in Taiwan 

13. Kid's activity books - Made in Israel 

14. Monitor cable - Made in China 

15. Sharp LCD tv - design Japan, Assembled in Mexico, AC cord/remote control - Made in China 

16. Caselogic DVD binder - Made in China 

17. Memorex CD binder - Made in China

So, you have it, 10 out of the 17 items or 59% were entirely or partially made in China.  I guess if I had purchased more toys and clothes, the number would have been even higher.  In addition, it is important to note that it is often not that clear about the origins of specific ingredients found within the items in nonfood aisles that read "made in the USA".

As long as consumers demand low costs and continue to buy these products, we will continue to have to be aware of the possible safety issues.  It does make me wonder whether the pads are as "sterile" as they should be or if the pens I bought might someday be recalled due to discovery of some unsafe substance that has been added.  I guess I have been forced to be more conscious of the origins of the products I buy.  Today, I do mentally add an additional classification to the items I purchase (by color, cost and now origin).  It will be interesting to see if people are willing to pay more for some of these products if they had more choices.  I will buy something that costs more if it is a better brand or feels/looks more sturdy.  So, if I saw an item that cost more alongside a similar item that was "made in China", I probably would now opt for the more expensive item.  People are willing to pay more for bottled water, organic fruits and vegetables, why not any other consumer durable good?  As a consumer and a parent, I would like to have that choice.  Peace of mind is priceless. 

Wow Wii Fit

I finally opened up my Wii Fit last night. I had pre-ordered it and picked it up on May 21.  Since then, it's been sitting unopened in a corner of my living room.  With my busy schedule and ankle surgery, I hadn't given it much thought.  But last night, I felt I was up to a little physical fitness after being relatively inactive for about two months due to the delay of my ankle recovery.

I guess I didn't expect much.  I had only read and heard that the Wii Fit was fun and worth looking into.  I knew that it was created by famed video game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto.  The Wii Fit offers many different interactive exercises utilizing an innovative balance board.  It's supposed to be a fun way to get fit.

So with this information in mind, I opened and set up my Wii Fit. Setup was a snap.  Just had to install the batteries that were supplied and push the reset button inside the battery compartment and in the Wii console.  Once I turned it on, the screens were very interactive and walked me through each step.  It allowed me to choose my Mii alter ego and answer some pretty simple questions including birthday and height.  The computer asked me to step on the Wii balance board and calculated my weight.  By following some simple instructions while standing on the balance board, the computer determined my center of balance and BMI (body mass index).  It told me how my weight and BMI fared against my age, weight and height.  It then calculated a Wii age (that was almost 2 years younger than my actual age).  It also recommended that I try to reduce my current BMI and asked me how much weight I would commit to lose in 2 weeks.  I entered 5 pounds but it told me 3 pounds was more realistic.  So, I did as it instructed.  So far so good.  It did feel like I had my own fitness instructor in my living room.

The system tells you that each minute of exercise you do will be tracked and you will earn fit credits that unlock more exercises and activities.  I found this to be quite a motivator.  It gives you the feeling that there are hidden presents to open as you spend more time exercising.  When you start out, each category only has like 3 or 4 activities.

Next, I started to play around with the activities within the 4 main categories including yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance games.  I started with the yoga category.  Before you begin, you choose a male or female yoga instructor.  I chose the fit looking male.  I've never done any yoga before.  The first Deep Breathing activity was ok.  But the Half Moon, Tree & Warrior poses were a little more challenging for a first timer.  After each activity, you receive a score and a rating.  You can quit and move onto something new or can always retry the last activity.  All of the minutes you spend get banked and go towards your fit credits.  The yoga exercises were definitely challenging and I can tell will require more practice.  But I noticed the stretching did feel good for my back so I will definitely revisit these exercises.

The strength training category was a bit challenging since it requires coordination and does use parts of your body that I'm not accustomed to.  I tried the Single Leg Extension and attempted the Push-Ups.  I will need to go back and work on these for sure.  The aerobics category was certainly my favorite.  There are some very cute activities that get your heart pumping.  I started out with the hip twisting fun of Hula Hoop.  Then I must have played the Basic Step at least 4 times.  At 3 minutes each, that helped me bank more exercise time.  It's like a step aerobic game that you do alongside other Miis to the beat of music in front of a cheering crowd.  Very infectious fun.  Finally the Basic Run was great.  You literally run in place as you watch yourself run through a park on trails and other terrain.  The balance games like Soccer Heading and Ski Slalom require you to lean your body from left to right while keeping an eye on the ball or the slope.  These were also challenging for the first time.  I finished my session with a total of 33 minutes of exercise.  Not too bad for my trial run.

Overall, the Wii Fit seems to be a fun way to keep tabs on your personal fitness while getting in some physical activity.  I guess how much success you attain depends on how frequently and how long you spend doing the exercises.  The system certainly helps track your daily progress and prods you with the appropriate questions and encouragement.  I think the Wii Fit is a great idea and will probably pave the way for more products like it.  How much it can actually help someone get into shape is up to the individual.  But that's true of any exercise equipment or program.  The Wii Fit isn't supposed to perform miracles.  But at the very least, if you are planning to spend time playing videogames, you might as well invest some of that time with the Wii Fit.  It can help put you in the right state of mind to track your physical fitness and keep you active.

Hotel Room Horrors

I remember how I used to get so excited about going on vacation and staying in a hotel room. I always regarded staying at a hotel as a treat. It would always conjure up a retreat to a luxurious and special place that accompanied a visit to a memorable and often new location. I can't remember if I was much less observant back then or just better able to block out bad experiences.

Well these days as I become more aware of germs and grime, seems as though the thought of staying at a hotel is no longer a treat for me. I've stayed at a lot of hotels now throughout the years. From modest accommodations to swankier resorts. What seems to be clear is that there are many of the same things lurking in most of the hotel rooms out there. There have been plenty of undercover investigative news segments done to prove that hotels and their housekeeping staff are cutting corners that could put visitors' health at risk.

ABC Primetime went to 20 well known hotels throughout the U.S. armed with a black light and searched for evidence. What they found was that regardless of cost, lab results showed traces of urine or semen in every room they tested. I guess it's not too hard to believe this. One certainly cannot see what is on the walls, carpet, bedspread or furniture and let's face it a lot of people are not the most hygienic especially when they figure they are not in their own home anyway. Most hotels only do deep cleaning at most 4 times a year. So it is very likely that you will encounter some form of this in your hotel room. Of course, unless you carry a black light with you, you will never quite know where these unwanted stains lie. I certainly avoid touching, leaning up against, and sitting on anything if not necessary. And personally, I plan to wash every article of clothing I wear on a trip anywhere.

This leads to the most germ laden thing in the room... the bedspread. Unlike the linens, the bedspread is too costly for most hotels to wash after each guest. Not surprisingly, this is also where a lot of semen can be found. So, first thing one should do is to remove the bedspread. But there are still other creepy crawlers to be aware of on and in the bed. Look for rust colored stains on sheets and bedspreads. If you see these, you can expect that bedbugs are present. They are small insects with no wings. They are flattened and reddish brown and feed on the blood of warm blooded animals (meaning you and me). Since they are flat they hide in cracks, crevices, and in furniture. So definitely pull back the bedspread and examine the sheets. Check for bedbugs in the bed frame, mattress and box spring. Also do not leave your clothes or luggage near the bed as you can bring home some unwanted guests. Never ever just jump under the sheets. Always check and examine the condition to make sure you don't see any unwanted stains or elements left by someone else that you would not want to brush up against.

Moving right along. Next area to check is the carpet. Never walk around barefoot in a hotel room. I always bring along a pair of slippers or flip flops. What I do is walk around the room in these and before I leave the hotel, I slip them into a ziplock plastic bag and take them home to be cleaned. Take a look around the room and look in the corners. Of course check for the obvious, like bugs, pests and other creepy crawlers. I've been to a hotel near Disneyland that had flying roaches roaming the kitchenette. Needless to say we bolted out of that joint at 3 a.m. Excessive dust in certain areas may also give you a clue as to how good a job housekeeping is doing. Always travel with sanitizing wipes. Make sure you wipe down objects in the room that people touch a lot (including the phone handset and touchpad, headboard, light switches, door handles, chair armrests, tables, hangers, tv remote control, etc.). You can also bring extra ziplock bags and throw the remote control right into one. This will save you the time to wipe it down. Try to avoid using the drawers as bedbugs can live in them. I usually keep all my clean clothes in my suitcase and zip it up when not in use. I keep a plastic bag to carry all my worn and dirty laundry and keep it separated from my clean clothes. Try to keep your suitcase above ground on the luggage rack. As soon as I get home, I wipe down the exterior of all my luggage before I put them away.

Last but not least is the bathroom. Inspect the bathtub and/or shower and make sure you don't see mold or mildew. Look up in the corners and walls and make sure you don't see mold growing. Check the shower curtains by looking at the bottom for black dots. Lift the toilet seat and check to see that it has been cleaned. You should also check the wall behind the toilet and the immediate floor around the toilet. Check for uncleaned urine stains. Of course look for hairs and old soap that have not been cleaned up properly. Now around the sink area, I would wipe down the hot/cold water handles and the sink/table if they don't look clean. Avoid using the drinking glasses and coffee cups at all cost. Don't be fooled by the white paper caps that may be covering them. As many of the undercover investigations have proven, these are the biggest issues in many hotels as they often have not been properly washed. Evidence has shown that housekeeping staff have been caught on tape spraying these cups that we drink out of with window cleaner, rinsing and drying off with dirty used towels, or handling the cups with the same gloves that they are wearing to clean the toilets. Best thing to do is bring your own paper cups. But if you forget, plan to wash the glasses you are going to use to brush your teeth or drink out of with soap and hot water. Cups that aren't properly sanitized can spread disease even salmonella and E. coli. The proper way for them to clean is to send down to the dishwasher but chances are this is not being done in many hotels.

Well that covers the major items to look out for. Probably the most important thing to remember above and beyond what has been mentioned, is to wash your hands as much as you can. You should also know that experts say that the risk of getting sick from hotel germs is relatively low so if you follow some of my tips, you should be ok. Spending some time to choose your hotel wisely can also help. But let's face it, there are no guarantees that each and every hotel room will be as clean and well kept as it should be. Be ready to take some additional actions if necessary. Always be armed with hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, and prepare to befriend housekeeping. But trust your instincts, if the place just doesn't smell and feel right, be ready to move to another hotel. Hopefully, my next hotel stay will be a treat again.

Mah Jongg is Fun!

Mah jongg is certainly something that is a big part of my family background. I remember my grandfather used to watch me when I was really young. From what I was told, there was often a mah jongg table set up in our apartment and he would show me how to play. I was probably around 3 years old. But this probably wasn't odd in Chinese families. I remember my parents used to bring us to all day weekend mah jongg games where we would fall asleep on their friends' sofas and be carried home in the wee morning hours. This apparently was not terribly abnormal either. I still hear about how my grandmother used to play all night long and my mom would barely even see her growing up. My parents still have a very active mah jongg social calendar these days. Not a week goes by when they don't play at least 2 or 3 days. Those who play usually have played for decades of their lives.

Mah jongg has been described as seductive and thrilling. It brings people together connecting them to a rich social and cultural history. From my past, I certainly agree that this game has been weaved into my own life. I've been a part of this social community from childhood through adulthood. I have witnessed and heard the intimate conversations that four people have during the limitless hours and days that they spend together. I remember starting out sitting on a parent's lap trying to learn the right strategies and graduating to being allowed to play a hand whenever someone had to take a bathroom break. It has always been such a treat for me to get to play.

The beauty of this game is that it transcends time and cultures. The origins of the game date back many years (there are different legends that date similar forms of the game back as far as to 2350 b.c or 500 b.c). Today Japanese, Filipino and Jewish (just to name a few cultures) play the game. There is skill and luck involved. The style of play, rules and etiquette differ from one culture to another. Countless millions of people play this game throughout the world. The game is sophisticated, fashionable and very addictive. Games are played in homes, mah jongg parlors, at tournaments and even aboard cruise ships. The tiles are equally rich with history. Mah jongg sets have been crafted from bone, bamboo, bakelite, wood, ivory and nowadays even plastic.

So how does this all pertain to me now? Well about a year ago, I'm guessing, I mentioned mah jongg to three of my coworkers. They all expressed an interest in learning this game. I didn't think much of it since none of them knew how to play and had never seen it before. Plus they were non-Asian so I probably doubly didn't think they were serious. So we planned a Mah Jongg Party on a Friday night after work. I prepared a cheat sheet of all the Chinese characters for them a week prior to our meeting. Most of them had done a pretty good job of memorizing some or all of the characters. We had cocktails, appetizers and dinner before. Once food was out of the way, we began. It took about one hour for me to explain to them the rules of the game and go through the motions of running through trial runs of the game. But by the second hour, the three of them were on their way. I was very proud of them. They needed some guidance on which direction play goes and required reinforcement of some of the rules, but for the most part they were 3 highly performing players. Play speed was dialed down quite a bit but I wouldn't have expected any different considering this was the first time they had played the game. That night we all had a lot of fun, chatting, laughing and learning the game. At the close of the evening, we talked about doing it again. I didn't expect we would play again.

Well, since then, we have had 3 more games. 3 more nights of cocktails, food and laughs. Each time required less time to refresh their memories from the time before. More importantly, each time there was less effort concentrating on the game and more time spent chatting about work and life. Mah jongg succeeded again to dazzle and bring people of all kinds together. Hopefully the game will add fond memories to my friends' lives and they will now be able to pass on their experiences of the game to their family and friends.

Girls Gone Golfing

Several months ago I was getting an afternoon coffee with a coworker. We made a detour on our way back since she needed something from her car. When she threw open her trunk, the shiny golf clubs immediately caught my eye. I believe I immediately blurted out "do you play?" I think she sensed that something was going to happen too. We probably looked and sounded like two giddy teenagers talking in rapid fire all the way back to the office. In those 10 minutes, we essentially created a group and made plans for future golf outings. I think we were so excited we were talking very long term not just planning for the first game. We both seemed to want this to be more.

It didn't take long for us to discover that both of us had been playing off and on for years. Always wanting to play more but never having time or really a dedicated group to go with. We shared the same stories of how we go with our husbands and maybe their friends but always longed to have a consistent group of girls to go golfing. We had the same thoughts of meeting regularly on early weekend mornings, starting out taking in leisurely 9 hole games, improving our game, chit chatting about things that were on our mind and having a nice cup of coffee afterwards. It became clear that this was going to be exercise, therapy, friendship and anything else we could justify.

So now that we had started our little group, there was no stopping us. The excitement was in the air. But two didn't form a group. As we started to think of who else could join our group, as if on cue, our third member walked right by us. We remembered her telling us recently that she had been golfing. It didn't take long for the three of us to come together and plan our first outing.

Within two weeks, we were doing just as we had envisioned. We met at a local course on a Saturday morning at 8:30am. Our tee time was around 9:00am. We got in some time at the driving range and off we went. All of us were a little rusty but the weather was perfect and we soon realized that we were very compatible. We are at similar skill levels with different strengths and weaknesses. The three of us are very well suited to play together. We are all courteous and pretty even tempered people. It wasn't long before we started talking about our next outings.

That morning was the first time I had ever played with "girlfriends." I love playing with my husband and other guys or even other couples but there was something very exciting about being a part of a group that wants to play the game regularly. We are also very well matched in skill level and enthusiasm. The fact that the three of us have a love for this game and each have a desire to improve our game is not enough to make this group successful. Alone each of us would probably still play the game as we did before. For me, it was always once in a while when the stars aligned and someone asked me or if we could manage to set something up. Each time I would go, I would tell myself that after this time I would go more often.

What will make this successful is that we now have three people who have the same love for the game and will play the game regularly with each other. At the very least, we will always think to call upon each other first whenever golfing comes to mind. At this time, I don't think we care if we hit birdies or have to maneuver our way out of a bunker, we're just excited to play the game and have some fun in the process. Now that summer is here and my ankle is almost recovered, we will certainly be adding tee times to our weekend plans. What's next? Getting ready for 18 holes.

My 100 Thing Challenge

I've been reading alot about the 100 Thing Challenge and I am intrigued by this movement.  I remember when I moved back down to L.A. after college, all my possessions fit in the back of my Acura Integra hatchback.  Now, almost 17 years later, I have stuff spilling out of a 4 bedroom house.  The garage, the shed in the backyard, all the closets and every nook and cranny is full of 'stuff'.  But realistically, this clutter may all be in my mind.  Physically all of our stuff is contained and the house does not look messy.  We try to keep the place looking uncluttered and organized.  I'm sure compared to many homes, ours would be considered very tidy and orderly.

I am a very neat and organized person.  For me everything has to be in it's place and things have to be in its proper container.  I am always looking for organizational ideas or upgrading to more space conserving items.  But I must admit over the years I did like buying and amassing things.   I'm always looking for smaller technology and handy gadgets.  Most of the items I own probably have been barely used since I have more things than I can use.   So most items have probably been forgotten or sit idle packed away in a box somewhere.  I have multiples of many items.  This comes from being interested in too many things and feeling like somehow I am more prepared.

I like to have and buy things but I am definitely not a hoarder.   I think there is a difference.  Every month or so, I go through my stuff and throw or give away things I guess to make room for new things.  So, this probably means that the number of items never exceeds the space we have.    

Over the past year, I have noticed that not only do I want to clean out my closets and boxes but I have this overwhelming desire to simplify our lives.  Although my house never looks visibly messy, I guess when I walk around, I see the items behind the closets and the cabinets and it feels like things are spilling over.  Perhaps it's all psychological.  Even though the closets are closed and there is still room, in my head I feel that everything has surpassed an imaginery level and these items seem to stick out like a sore thumb to me.  Craigslist has been the greatest thing!  Prior to using this service, we generally threw away or gave away anything undesirable or unnecessary.  This year, we've managed to turn alot of the items no longer needed into some much needed petty cash.  We've sold furniture, electronics, toys, household items, dvds, etc.  It's been like finding lost money in the sofa.  So there is even more incentive to clear away clutter and reevaluate the items that sit idle.

What I've noticed is that we feel good about purging the items that we don't need or use.  This is exactly what the 100 Thing Challenge is about.  Americans practice excess consumption and these things we accumulate can become oppressive.   In this country, clutter has created the need for professional organizers.  This is a very private matter as stuff can start to overwhelm you but in different ways for different people.  

This is why so many people are interested in the 100 Thing Challenge.  The concept is people pledge to whittle their possessions to a mere 100 items.  However, the definition and rules of what constitutes 100 items can be very different for each person.  For the extreme minimalist, it can be literally reducing your possessions down to 100 items.  So, one left shoe would count as 1 item and the other side would be the 2nd item.  This probably is unrealistic for most of us who have a family and have various interests and hobbies.  For others, it can mean categorizing items and calling an entire category 1 item.  So, this would mean all your shoes (no matter how many pairs you have) would collectively count as 1 item.  For me, it is more likely that I will be following a reduction path like the latter.  What I pledge to do is come back in 1 month and produce my list of 100 categories of items.  Everything else will need to go.  Either sold or given away.  Hopefully, this thoughtful list will get us another step closer to clutter free living.  

No Walking - No Fun

Well it's Day 13 since I had my "minor" surgery near my right ankle.  According to my plastic surgeon, it will take 3 weeks to recover.  So that should leave 8 more days of no walking - no fun.  I guess I knew what I was getting into.  About 6 years ago, I tore ligaments in my left foot and had to wear a cast that extended from my knee to my foot for a month.  That was dreadful.  Really cut into my life.  Had to hobble around on crutches and wrap a plastic bag on my leg everytime I took a shower.

This time aside from the pain and swelling, I probably have it easy.  But this sort of thing really makes you appreciate your body and how reliant you are on every part to be working properly.  I just want to walk fast, bend my leg, drive my car again.  The last 2 weeks has been nothing but lying down, staying home and doing nothing I want to do.  It's so frustrating when you see something that is physically so close but the act of getting to it is not possible.  When you have to prop up your leg in just the right position or it hurts or gets swollen.  Or when you try to walk and there is a shooting pain every step of the way.

When I reach Day 21, I plan to: run around the house, wear shoes, drive my car, go shopping, play tennis, play golf, kick a ball, jump rope, exercise, go hiking, take a walk, climb some stairs and go wherever I want... just because I can.  And I've just realized... life was and will be fun again.

Disneyland Pin Collecting - I'm Hooked

I recently returned from our annual trip to Disneyland. I should now admit that I am hooked on Disneyland Pin Collecting.  This I can blame on my good friend Lisa.  I remember it was about 2 years ago that she showed me her extensive collection and explained the concept of Disneyland Pin Trading/Collecting to me over an afternoon at her house.  I recall thinking this was a ridiculous hobby and I honestly saw no risk of myself slipping into this world.

The concept is pretty simple.  You collect pins of your favorite characters, attractions and events.  You can buy new pins or trade pins with castmembers and other pin pals everytime you visit the parks.  Of course brand new pins come out all the time.  There are all kinds of themes and special pins (for annual pass holders only, exclusive pins, limited edition pins, special sets, you name it they have it).  By now tens of thousands of pins have been created over the years.  The idea is you collect what is special to you.  I probably will stick to purchasing new pins as trading involves exchanging my well kept pins with pins that have been circulated around under unknown conditions.

My very next trip, I suddenly began to see the armies of Disney visitors who wore their lanyards filled with pins.  Everywhere I turned I saw lanyards filled with different unique assortment of pins.  And they were not just kids, there were men and women of all ages.  I remember the tough guy who boarded a shuttle with his lanyard clanking with Pirates of the Caribbean themed pins and another guy who was all decked out with his Nightmare before Christmas pins.  And you start to appreciate how versatile and truly ageless Mickey and the gang are; they are just as cute for kids as they are cool for adults to wear either on a tshirt, hat or pin on a lanyard.  The selection of pins that each individuals has or buys is very special to them and you really start to see their personalities emerge.  I find myself taking an extra look at anybody who is wearing these pins as it is an avenue of expression that tells me something about them that I otherwise wouldn't get to see.

Well the first time I stepped into one of the pin stores, I was drawn to all the wall to wall cute pins.  I quickly decided on trying to collect attractions pins.  As anyone who has started any collection knows, to get a collection off the ground you have to initially inject it with some quantity.  So the first trip I must have come home with at least 10 pins.  Pins can go for anywhere from $9 to $150 for some framed pins (just depends what features the pin has, moving pieces, hanging ornamentation, etc - all add to the price).

Since that time, I have been back twice and each trip have found more pins to buy.  The picture I have posted is of my Pirates of the Caribbean page.  In the sea of lanyards at the park, you also notice the travel agency names emblazoned on many of them.  As we learned from our latest trip, travel agencies give out a free starter pin to their guests.  You soon learn what a great idea this is.  For you never see a lanyard with just one sole pin on it.  On the contrary, most of these get filled quite quickly as visitors want to add companions to their cute starter pin.  We received 3 pins this way.  2 were of Chip and Dale.  We soon realized just how much our son loves these 2 chipmunks.  This certainly made it fun to try to collect more pins to add to this new theme that has now become special to us.

My trips to Disneyland have certainly become a little more expensive.  But the added fun of this new hobby outweighs the added costs.  The fact that we have found another way to express ourselves and immerse ourselves in the Disney experience when we are there and take our own piece of the magic home is priceless.

SpongeBob Monopoly a Hit

I can't quite remember when I started collecting Monopoly games.  It has to be at least over 15 years ago by now.  At last count, I have over 2 dozen boxes of these colorful board games.  It's probaby not the first thing most people would think of collecting.  They are large and bulky which make them hard to store.  In the past years, there have been an explosion of new versions.  A while back, I decided there was no way to keep buying without running out of room and spending excessive money on these games that I will probably never play more than a couple times in my lifetime.  Most of mine have never been opened.  So now, only on occasion do I add a new one here and there.  Usually because something I like is on sale or a version comes out that I must have.  Plus, I have a need to only buy the most perfect boxes which means that after I get them home I still want to keep them in mint condition.  I usually purchase from stores so I can handle the boxes and select only boxes that are in pristine condition.  Surprisingly, I have seen many people with much larger collections on the internet but I do wonder if they are also a little crazy for collecting these.

The latest game that I purchased is the SpongeBob version.  It's not a new version, but it was on sale and we like that little feisty sponge and his show.  So we opened it up to try it out tonight.  It turned out to be a lot of fun.  The SpongeBob community works very well with the Monopoly board.  From the pineapple houses to the Krusty Krab as the most expensive property, the theme was weaved in well.  Maybe it was extra fun because I haven't played Monopoly in years.  No one wants to play, so my collection is mainly something that sits in the cabinets.  But more likely it was the warm feeling I got seeing the thrill in our 5 year old's eyes.  I'm not sure which he loves more ... games or SpongeBob.  So, now I have a renewed desire to keep adding to my collection and have taught someone the game who will want to play with me for years to come.