A lot of response came from my last blog entry and that is exactly what I was hoping for...discussion!
I will admit that we have been pretty non-impacted by the negative turn of economy and because of that it was easy for me to ignore. The same is to be said for individuals with disabilities and the services they receive...if you don't need them its easy to ignore whats happening. Thankfully the state found some "extra" money and will give 17 million out of the 35 million back so many of the programs will continue at least through February. Though with no end in sight for this slow economy there isn't a lot of hope so you learn to take it day by day.
I keep hoping that this economy will encourages us as a community to come together. When we go the grocery store we will ask our neighbor if they would like to go with us, we offer to have a play date with our friend's child who has a disability, or even to ask if there is anything we can do to help. This doesn't just apply to the old and disabled though. I hope in this negativity we can come together and reconnect. We can look at budget cuts as negative or we can help form a neighborhood watch to keep our neighborhood safe and clean, without police assistance. We can organize school yard clean-ups and after school programs.
We can eventually realize as a society that stuff doesn't equal happiness. That living outside our means doesn't make us better people. To finally appreciate what we have instead of looking at what we want.
I am not speaking from a pulpit. I am just as guilty as the next guy. I admit that I covet many an item and don't know my neighbors names and currently not active in making it more of a community feel. I guess I am hoping that I can use this time of "tightening purse strings" to force myself to really appreciate what I have and to realize what is important. What it requires is what I have already asked you to do....go out of my comfort zone..I need to practice what I preach.
In some ways I have already started doing this, I will be paying off my LAST credit card this month (Just in time for student loans to kick in)!!!!!!!! Though I think I have saved the most uncomfortable task of all: creating community in my neighborhood. It really shames me to write this down, to put it out to the public. I work daily to create community and inclusion for all, yet when push comes to shove I haven't done it. My neighborhood is diverse and it has many people "not like me". It is so easy to see those differences I don't notice the "sameness". So in front of you I pledge to work on finding how they are like me. I am going to look everyday for moments when I can create a neighborhood. I will be part of the solution and not the problem.
How do you create community?
Ignorance.
7 years ago I started into this field on accident. I was in my senior year of college and needed cash. I had a friend who worked with teens in a group home/prison (all windows and doors were locked at all times) and was able to complete 30 hours in two days. The pay was good, the job sounded fun and exciting so I applied. Looking back I would not realize how this would impact my future life. It would mold/shape everything I have done in my adulthood.
After a few years I saw so many issues that I could no longer work there and be proud of it. I saw younger girls learning bad (very unhealthy) habits from the older girls. Residents with amazing gifts not being developed or encouraged because of the lack of staff. So I started applying to new places and found the current company I work for. I vividly remember the Assistant Director interviewing me and she started to describe the philosophy behind Community Vision. I sat there and started tearing up (very unprofessional I know) and said to her something along the lines of "I don't care if you hire me but knowing this places exists gives me hope". Thankfully I was hired and its been an amazing journey so far. One that even made me quit grad school later on because I missed this place, this work too much.
So enough of the sap story the real reason for this post is to educate the few that read this on exactly what is happening for individuals with disabilities right here in Oregon. A story no media is covering, a story with very little outrage/support. I know this is not because people don't care...its because they don't know.
A year ago Oregon Health Plan (the insurance the majority of individuals with disability have) stopped covering all dental and eye procedures. This means no glasses and if you get a cavity they pull your tooth out. Also if you have glaucoma and need surgery...sorry....hope you enjoy being blind. This was a major blow to many people I care about but they understood that the budget was tight. This was also the first time I realized how uneducated the general population is. Every time I mention this to a friend they get outraged and wonder why this wasn't in thew news. They also feel helpless to change it.
Then the major blow hit (one I am sad to say is of many to come).
Two months ago the state threatened a 6% cut to all services to individuals with disabilities (including children). They stated it would probably be a couple of months out and we just got confirmation that it is happening, starting October. 6% doesn't sound like a huge cut but even our little non-profit it translates to $30,000 a month less...for the same services..... What really sucks about this is that its actually going to cost the state MORE in the not too far future. It will stop funding to programs that allows people to live in their own homes and without this support they will have to move to nursing homes (which can cost upwards of 10,000 a month). This also can mean that families with a child who has a disability will have to give up their rights to their child and be forced to put their child into crisis housing (which also costs upwards of 10,000 a month). I cannot imagine being a mother faced with that choice. It breaks my heart. This does not even address the staff who will lose their jobs and then have to apply for unemployment and food stamps.
When the governor made this 6% cut across the board he did so not realizing that he is ending people's lives. He is forcing families to split up, great programs who are cost effective go under and individuals like me hurt inside knowing people I love are being treated like sub-humans. I think it is guilt and fear that prevents the media from telling this story. It is also guilt and fear that prevents people from asking questions and/or seeing how they can help. If we don't stand and say no to this 6% next year its going to be 10% and the year after 15% until we repeat Fairview. Please imagine your mother/child/spouse/self being treated this way.
Would you tolerate it?
Addiction Issues
So I have a slight addiction to coffee. I blame my native Oregon roots but I simply love everything about it. The smell, the act of waking up to it and especially drinking it. I love how it warms me and wakes me up at the same time on cold winter mornings (or evenings for that manner..). Though in these hotter months I find myself wanting some coffee but my sweat and need to reapply deodorant makes me hesitant to even turn on my coffee pot. After walking into a coffee shop and buying yet another cold brewed coffee drink I realized my addiction is starting to affect my life (and my bank account!). I started rooting around on good ol' google and found an amazing discovery! I can have my refreshing cold coffee at home! The best thing about it? I don't need to buy a gosh darn thing...Just need your french press!
Its a simple recipe and can keep in the fridge for up to two weeks (sadly I make it about every other day.)
1 cup coarsely ground coffee
2 cups water
Pour this into your french press and stir once. Go do laundry/or think about doing laundry for about two minutes and stir one more time. Make sure all the grounds have been embraced by the water, cover and wait 12 hours. I have also done it at night and 8 hours seems to be okay just not as strong. Once time is up you just press the plunger down SLOWLY and with even pressure.
I usually pour this into a glass canning jar and usually leave out the last little bit from the french press...keeps the coffee grounds to a gritty minimum.
To enjoy just mix 1/4 part coffee to 1 part milk or water. If this is too strong for you just lower the amount of coffee you use. Then enjoy!
If you have not tried cold brewed coffee before its a real treat! There is almost no acidity and has a great flavor! You can play around with different types of coffee, even different strengths.
One last tidbit I have to share is my love of St. Johns Coffee Roaster. They are a small company that only gets beans from families they know, mostly personally. I love getting their newsletter where they share stories about the various farmers. It really takes fair trade to another level. Also (and probably my favorite thing) they deliver FREE of charge to the 97203 zip code. Its lovely! I wake up Wednesday morning to a bag of freshly roasted beans...does it get any better??
Lacy
Its a simple recipe and can keep in the fridge for up to two weeks (sadly I make it about every other day.)
1 cup coarsely ground coffee
2 cups water
Pour this into your french press and stir once. Go do laundry/or think about doing laundry for about two minutes and stir one more time. Make sure all the grounds have been embraced by the water, cover and wait 12 hours. I have also done it at night and 8 hours seems to be okay just not as strong. Once time is up you just press the plunger down SLOWLY and with even pressure.
I usually pour this into a glass canning jar and usually leave out the last little bit from the french press...keeps the coffee grounds to a gritty minimum.
To enjoy just mix 1/4 part coffee to 1 part milk or water. If this is too strong for you just lower the amount of coffee you use. Then enjoy!
If you have not tried cold brewed coffee before its a real treat! There is almost no acidity and has a great flavor! You can play around with different types of coffee, even different strengths.
One last tidbit I have to share is my love of St. Johns Coffee Roaster. They are a small company that only gets beans from families they know, mostly personally. I love getting their newsletter where they share stories about the various farmers. It really takes fair trade to another level. Also (and probably my favorite thing) they deliver FREE of charge to the 97203 zip code. Its lovely! I wake up Wednesday morning to a bag of freshly roasted beans...does it get any better??
Lacy
Flying by.....
Almost a year has gone by at the new house! It is exciting to see plants I rushed into the ground when we moved starting to come back. Also glad I didn't mistake them for weeds...oy. It has been a busy year and while we haven't done what we thought we would (screens for the windows, mirrors for the bathroom, curtains...oh the curtains..) we have accomplished a lot.
Mostly Outside.
Its been a frustrating gardening year for sure but I have thrown up my hands and just gonna enjoy what we get.....
Hammock swinging...(get one here..a great product!)
Eating dinners outside (on our new patio!)
And waiting for food to ripen.
Time feels like it has just rushed by and at moments I look at my to-do list and feel like nothing has been accomplished yet when I see photos like this I remember and am excited about the upcoming year!
Here's to enjoying the moment!
Lacy
Mostly Outside.
Its been a frustrating gardening year for sure but I have thrown up my hands and just gonna enjoy what we get.....
Hammock swinging...(get one here..a great product!)
Eating dinners outside (on our new patio!)
And waiting for food to ripen.
Time feels like it has just rushed by and at moments I look at my to-do list and feel like nothing has been accomplished yet when I see photos like this I remember and am excited about the upcoming year!
Here's to enjoying the moment!
Lacy
Garden Envy...
I have a serious affliction of this horrible disease....I look around at others gardens and think WTF??!?? Did these people spend their winter looking at garden porn?....I mean...Nichol's or Territorials seed catalogs?? Did they research for hours the different options in available dirt that could be delivered? Did they think about drainage or the correct placement of the beds to get the most sun? When I look around at the gardens around me most of these answers are a big fat no....some people even :::gasp::: just planted some seeds in the ground!!! Yet even with all my hard work I see that my garden is lacking. Some people have bigger Kale/a better diversity of plants/already ready beets! Whats a girl to do when she is almost dying with Garden Envy?
As some of you might know we bought the house last August and while I got some plants in, it was a little late in the season to garden hard core. I was sooo ready for this summer! We made raised beds, got top notch dirt delivered (on that note if you had said to me I would spend that much $$ on dirt two years ago I would of laughed until I peed), and even got plants delivered in the mail!
After raising starts on my counter for MONTHS I first noticed my newly acquired disease...at the Saturday market they were selling bigger/better starts for $2.00! Why had I given up so much counter space for months with constant monitoring to save $2.00??!!? I then gave many of my starts away, planted some and even bought more at the Market. I was so excited to plant and to be able to show off my awesome gardening prowess/my hard work..to see my research pay off!
And then the rain happened......
And happened......
And happened......
It caused me to panic a bit...I waited to be sure no more plants would have to sacrifice their life. Once I was sure the rain was gone for a bit I replanted. THEN THE SLUGS....can't a girl get a break??!!? Ok two mini massacres down and I thought 'gotta put on my big girl panties and keep up the good fight'. So I kept watching/hoping and slowly I saw growth. Yet when walking the dogs I see much some amazing gardens. Plants I was sure would grow have died (Kale=failed), some never flowered (eggplant=dud) and I have realized that even with all my planning one of my raised beds is in shade.....I don't even know what to say. I keep telling myself it will turn around, all my knowledge/research will pay off but we shall see.
Does anyone else experience garden envy?? Any major mishaps?
As some of you might know we bought the house last August and while I got some plants in, it was a little late in the season to garden hard core. I was sooo ready for this summer! We made raised beds, got top notch dirt delivered (on that note if you had said to me I would spend that much $$ on dirt two years ago I would of laughed until I peed), and even got plants delivered in the mail!
After raising starts on my counter for MONTHS I first noticed my newly acquired disease...at the Saturday market they were selling bigger/better starts for $2.00! Why had I given up so much counter space for months with constant monitoring to save $2.00??!!? I then gave many of my starts away, planted some and even bought more at the Market. I was so excited to plant and to be able to show off my awesome gardening prowess/my hard work..to see my research pay off!
And then the rain happened......
And happened......
And happened......
It caused me to panic a bit...I waited to be sure no more plants would have to sacrifice their life. Once I was sure the rain was gone for a bit I replanted. THEN THE SLUGS....can't a girl get a break??!!? Ok two mini massacres down and I thought 'gotta put on my big girl panties and keep up the good fight'. So I kept watching/hoping and slowly I saw growth. Yet when walking the dogs I see much some amazing gardens. Plants I was sure would grow have died (Kale=failed), some never flowered (eggplant=dud) and I have realized that even with all my planning one of my raised beds is in shade.....I don't even know what to say. I keep telling myself it will turn around, all my knowledge/research will pay off but we shall see.
Does anyone else experience garden envy?? Any major mishaps?
