Diary of a DAAP Kid: Green Goal #3

Today is the first day of the next six months of my life. I have been on co-op (that is, paid-ish internship) since June 2009. Now I am entering the last two quarters of DAAP before I graduate and get kicked out into the wide, wild world.

I am simultaneously super excited and more than a little nervous. I've never been so ready to do the best work I can do. My senior design project is the culmination of the last 5 years of my education, and will show my development and skills that I've picked up.

My problem is that I want to do the best work I can do and go the extra mile, but I am also aware that it's six months before I graduate and it's supposedly the best time of my life. How do I balance creating kick-ass work and having a fan-FREAKING-tastic experience?

My third green goal for 2010 is this: Go for it.

I want to experience new things. I want to completely conquer my capstone project. I want to excel in my classes. I want to create new memories and jump outside my comfort zone with my friends. Yet simultaneously, I want to get sleep each night and not completely freak out over the amount of school work that will be in my life this quarter.

It is not sustainable to be a DAAP student, sometimes. I've done the whole "not sleep, eat or shower for three days in a row" thing... and it's not fun. It makes me grumpy and I don't even know if it's worth it in the long run.

I've gotta focus and TCB, that is, Take Care of Business. Get the school work done, and don't look back. I want to remember my last six months of school as some of the best times of my life!



KACHOW!

Green Goals for 2010, #2

The second goal I've set for myself for 2010 is buying local. I already do quite a bit, and it's been a huge trend for 2009 (one that hopefully will continue and become a reality, and not a novelty.) However, I propose moving beyond getting my produce at Findlay Market (though it is awesome produce, meat, food, and more!)

p&g photo credit here

If I'm gonna buy a big name brand, and you know I'm going to do it eventually, I might as well consider buying a brand that is headquartered and employs people in Cincinnati? It's crazy when you think of how many headquarters are located in our fair city: P&G is the obvious one, but there's also hometown heroes Chiquita, KAO (Jergens), even Sunny Delight (ew) is headquartered somewhere near Blue Ash.

Do I need to get gas? Go to UDF. Need to do grocery shopping and can't get to Findlay? Go to Krogers. Fly Delta. These companies employ people and trickle money through our local economy. The rate of return is not as significant as buying locally through small businesses, but every little bit helps. (Check out the official wikipedia list of Cincinnati corporations here)

However, you know how attached I am to my beloved Aldi's... so I looked it up. Batavia, Illinois is only 331 miles away. The buy local movement recommends searching for food between 1 - 500 miles away from home, so.... jackpot!

It's just a way to stretch my dollar even further. I'm excited to see how far it goes.

Green Goals for 2010, #1

It's been a hectic holiday season for me as I prepare to go back to school for the last six months of my undergrad career. However, I wanna kick off 2010 with three personal goals that will improve my life and hopefully reduce my footprint. I'll let you in on the others over the next few days, but here is the first:

# 1. Reduce my personal hygiene plastic consumption

I know a plastic loofah doesn't seem like a big deal, but the combination of the scrubby plastic and the plastic bottle of body wash (that I go through with astounding speed) makes me feel guilty every time I hop into the shower. I kicked off today by using a wash cloth and a brand new bar of yummy smelling soap (the same brand and scent as my body wash!). I got four 4 oz bars of soap for the same price as 12 oz of body wash. Score!

The other big part of my plastic pact is for ladies only (guys, go ahead and skip down, it may be too much for you to handle...)



Whatever your preference, be it cardboard or plastic, pads or tampons, let's face it, ladies: We create a heck of a lot of waste one week out of every month. Not only do I hate the idea of feminine products in general, but I am always forgetting to bring extras, or even worse facing the risk of TSS leaving that tampon in way past its due date. They're expensive, they're annoying, and they generally make me grumpy.

Thankfully the darlings over at Park and Vine clued me in to my lifesaver of 2009: the Diva Cup .

thanks A Green Spell for the fantastic picture!

Without going into too much detail, the Diva Cup eliminates the need for disposable pads or tampons. It's a silicone cup that catches all the girly grossness. You can leave it in for 12 hours, and it's reusable - just boil it in some water for 10 minutes after your cycle is done and voila! Ready for next month. I've been using the Diva Cup since July and it's been the best $30 I've spent all year, hands down.

If you're interested and want to learn more, check out their website, this blog post, or just shoot me a line and I'll talk your ear off about the awesomeness that is the Diva Cup.


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Just about everything having to do with girls and the ways we pretty ourselves up has to do with plastic, and it's a bummer. I'm still too poor/in college to really splurge on things like cosmetics in tins and really nice non-disposable razors, but I figure baby steps are always better than standing still.

It's A Wonderful Life - tonight!!

If you haven't already heard, I am reprising my role as a Jingle Belle in this year's production of It's a Wonderful Life - the live radio broadcast! at the Falcon Theater. It runs Friday, Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm this weekend and next weekend. It's a fun show, and I'd love if you came and saw it. Check out more details over at UrbanCincy.

The Only Thing We Have to Fear...

This quarter has brought with it two new experiences into my life... ones that I could've done without, but that have changed me and opened my eyes all the same. Earlier this quarter, someone broke into my house in Clifton. This past weekend, I got mugged at gunpoint.

The bad news is that the people who did these things made off with some personal items, and damaged our house. The good news is that physical objects can and are being replaced. It's a hassle, but it has renewed my sense of awe and gratitude for the things I can't replace - namely, being alive and well.

I am the type of person who looks first for the good in people, and I can't help but do that even in situations like these. The incidents have made me more aware of my surroundings (and have me investing in pepper spray) but I absolutely refuse to let these things stop me from embracing Cincinnati's center city.

I will NOT allow a spirit of intimidation or fear dictate where I go or what I do. For too many years there has been a wall of bogeymen - be they real or fake, racially or class status divided - built up around the Cincinnati metro. Every negative news story, stereotype and police report help to reinforce the wall. On the flip side, every person who chooses to inhabit spaces, innovate, preserve, and renew the people, buildings and business in Cincinnati tears down the wall, one ghostly brick at a time.

What happened to me sucked, but the real tragedy would be allowing my past to dictate what I do in the future. Keep your eyes open, but also take care not to close up your mind and heart.

Diary of a DAAP Kid: Work! PAID work!

Despite this quarter's best efforts, I have managed to procure a random assortment of paid employment experiences, which definitely have affected my education in a positive way. Right now I am currently working with a local construction/development company on their impending office remodel, as well as project managing for a condo development. It's a completely differenet experience from any that I've had, and I think I'm definitely all the better for it.

There have been times this quarter when I have longed for a "typical" co-op experience, complete with redlines and lunch and learns. However, I've had to be resourceful and take a lot of initiative to make this quarter worth my while, and I am proud to say I have done just that.

So, without further ado, I present to you some things I have been working on this quarter. And have been paid in cold. hard. cash. Kachow!

Taste of Belgium

The most amazing Jean-Francois Fletchet was kind enough to offer me a graphic design gig to help him out with his fantastic waffle business. I designed a gift card and envelope, as well as a tag to go on the four pack of waffles he has been selling for the holiday season. JF has a sleek European sensibility, and I wanted the design to reflect the image that the Taste of Belgium brand is presenting.

BlogThis!

I LOVE Cincinnati.

You've probably seen these bumper stickers/signs floating around various people's cars, cubicles, and other locations over the last couple of months. And you know what? It's absolutely true. The vast majority of people who live here, claim to not just enjoy, but love Cincinnati. You know, that can't-eat, can't- sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over-the-fence, world-series kind of stuff. There's even a website where you can anonymously post the things that make citizens giddy about Cincy:

• Its urban, suburban, and rural.
• Shake It Records in Northside! The Comet, too!
• Go Bengals!
• everything
• the four seasons and scenery
• The City's Great History
• The view as you drive into the city from the cut in the hill is amazing!
• foliage
• living in Clifton, with all its ridiculousness
• A bustling happy crowd on a Saturday morning at Findlay Market                                                  (just to name a few things)

You can't claim to love Cincinnati and hope for its future... and vote "yes" on Issue 9. It doesn't make any sense. It has completely blown me away to see the massive outcry from people around the city, especially in the blogging community. Initially I was a little nervous, but you guys pulled through. I knew you would.

I don't know if anyone who is undecided on Issue 9 is going to read this, but it's my platform and I'll shout from it anyway. It all boils down to tomorrow. And frankly, I think it's going to work out.

(picture credits UrbanQueer )