As I work out all I want to do with this journal, I am starting my list of what organics I will consume. Some good articles are finally coming out about the best ways to start eating organic that is affordable and worth the effort:
Foods that are most likely to contribute unwanted pesticides to your diet either because they have a high level or because we consume a lot of these products:
Apples, peaches or other fruit with skin.
Spinach, ketchup (salsa too, although it isn’t in the list), peanut butter, and potatotes.
Beef and milk products. I would imagine pork and chicken would be close to as processed as beef, although it wasn’t on anyone’s list. What about fish? I have been sticking to wild fish for several years, no farmed fish for me as the bacteria levels concern me. I may have to stick to the same old farm factory meat though, I eat a lot of chicken, but have cut down on other meats due to the expense.
There was a Salon.com piece about Ellen Degeneres and her dog adoption horror. It sounds like everyone acted badly. Threats of media exposure from the rescue shelter and a refusal to coorperate with the contract once the error was made. I read (not in Salon) that the hairdresser’s family refused to even consider filling out forms.
One thing about the Salon.com piece was how much it upset the author when people offered her older and disabled dogs. I’m sorry she felt guitly for saying no, but that is her problem. They did the same things to me when I went for my dogs. I took a younger, very shy stray, rather than the lovely old Boxer, but I think they were just enthusiastic about the dog as a pet. And it while it will make the author happy to know that return rates are no different between public and rescue shelters, it is good to know if the dog is returned to the rescue shelter, it is sure to meet a good family and you don’t take the chance it is euthanized.
The pet sitting business is going a little slower than I initially planned, I think it is better to start in December, maybe around the first.
After spending a week as a contractor with another pet sitter, and reading a book called “Pet Sitting For Profit” I came to the decision to start out on my own right away. I was hoping to contract out as a sitter for her, and start a business concurrently, but as nice as she is, the sitter I hooked up with is not ready to have someone work for them . She messed up two client meetings due to lack of attention to detail. Makes us both look bad. I did a couple of jobs for her, she seems swamped but that may just be her way of doing business. I think I can do better on my own, even if I don’t have the testimonials or clientele yet!
New link: US Green Council
http://www.usgbc.org/
I would like to find out more about how to evaluate a home to make it greener. From kitchen cleaners to efficient heating. This looks like a good place to start. I would also like to pursue a general lifestyle goal to live as locally as possible. Food (although Farmers Markets are a little rich for me right now), clothing and house care is where I am going to focus. All this news about China disturbs me as well.
Things look promising. I’m getting work as a contractor pet sitting, and I am finishing up research on starting my own operation. The start up is encouragingly low, and it is a talent to be able to get along well with various pets. I love animals and never get bored with them, and can’t wait to get started.
New blogs /sites to check out!
Nicely updated tourist page for the museum:
http://www.paris.org/Musees/Louvre/
This cute shopping site has a daily sale that they post at noon everyday; great home, home/office accesories & gift items:
http://www.delight.com/how_it_works.php
There are a few more than 2 blowhards on this blog and they post about current affairs - politics and culture, especially music with plenty of good links.
http://www.2blowhards.com/
