I had a great day today but I'll give you the weekend update tomorrow. Today I'm here to talk about getting ideas out there and making people listen without rolling their eyes or thinking you're a kook. I'm not given to profundity so I'm not sure I can express this thought clearly, so bear with me. Here's the thing--you know about recycling, right? You know it's a good thing. Many of you are committed to reducing, reusing and recycling. But have you tried to talk someone into it? Have you seen the eyes roll? You can practically hear them calling you "hippie" under their breath. But why? It's 2008 not 1970. Recycling is no longer something done by people who live in vans. I have found that if you provide people with the receptacle and someone else to deal with the actual taking it off to the center, most people are on board but for a lot of folks (and maybe it's just the people I encounter, not the norm) it's still just something you "treehuggers" do.
But this isn't about recycling (although you really should*), it's about why some ideas are such a hard sell even though you can't argue the validity. I mean, recycling? Good. Taking bags to the market to reduce plastic bags in our landfills? Good. Peace? Good. But poor Peace; it gets very little advertising. War is big business. War gets advertising. This did not set well with Jackson over at Superforest.org who decided to advertise for peace in his own way. It all started here. Then came this. And now, he's completed an entire series of drawings designed to promote Peace--the Peace Alphabet. I know I've mentioned them here before but I encourage you all to follow the link and check them out. Jackson is a talented artist and some of the letters are downright whimsical--and you know how I love whimsy. As I've stated, P is one of my faves. I also like V (best topiary since Edward Sissorhands) and D (I suspect it's what happens when you're at work). and you know, peace isn't only about non-war--let's not forget inner peace.
Recently, I made peace with avocados. Huh? Avocados? Yes. You see, growing up in northeast Pennsylvania one doesn't see a whole lot avocados. Sure, there's the occasional guacamole, but other than that, pfftt. So it wasn't until I moved to LA that I experienced them. As many of you know, avocados are on everything in this town (okay, not everything but practically). Salad, club sandwiches, fast food burgers--you name it. I love guacamole but just plain avocados? ew. The first time I tried them I was expecting something very different and the mushy texture totally threw me off. I spit it out and never ate one again. However, it is my plan to change my eating habits, to be come more healthful, and in all the things I've been reading lately, my food arch-nemesis comes highly recommended. Nearly all the recipes in one book include them. "Sneaky bastards!" I thought. "They'll do anything to get me to eat them." Since I always point and laugh at those folks who love ketchup but not tomatoes, I decided to try to like avocados. I haven't picked them off sandwiches or out of salads and Thursday, I actually ate a slice plain. Guess what? I think I like them. I mean, I expect the texture now so that doesn't gross me out and apparently, that was the only deal breaker for me. Woo Hoo! Bring on the mushy green stuff. Inspired by Jackson, here is the first of my own series of Peace Alphabet--things I've made peace with.
Image modified from original found here.But this isn't about recycling (although you really should*), it's about why some ideas are such a hard sell even though you can't argue the validity. I mean, recycling? Good. Taking bags to the market to reduce plastic bags in our landfills? Good. Peace? Good. But poor Peace; it gets very little advertising. War is big business. War gets advertising. This did not set well with Jackson over at Superforest.org who decided to advertise for peace in his own way. It all started here. Then came this. And now, he's completed an entire series of drawings designed to promote Peace--the Peace Alphabet. I know I've mentioned them here before but I encourage you all to follow the link and check them out. Jackson is a talented artist and some of the letters are downright whimsical--and you know how I love whimsy. As I've stated, P is one of my faves. I also like V (best topiary since Edward Sissorhands) and D (I suspect it's what happens when you're at work). and you know, peace isn't only about non-war--let's not forget inner peace.
Recently, I made peace with avocados. Huh? Avocados? Yes. You see, growing up in northeast Pennsylvania one doesn't see a whole lot avocados. Sure, there's the occasional guacamole, but other than that, pfftt. So it wasn't until I moved to LA that I experienced them. As many of you know, avocados are on everything in this town (okay, not everything but practically). Salad, club sandwiches, fast food burgers--you name it. I love guacamole but just plain avocados? ew. The first time I tried them I was expecting something very different and the mushy texture totally threw me off. I spit it out and never ate one again. However, it is my plan to change my eating habits, to be come more healthful, and in all the things I've been reading lately, my food arch-nemesis comes highly recommended. Nearly all the recipes in one book include them. "Sneaky bastards!" I thought. "They'll do anything to get me to eat them." Since I always point and laugh at those folks who love ketchup but not tomatoes, I decided to try to like avocados. I haven't picked them off sandwiches or out of salads and Thursday, I actually ate a slice plain. Guess what? I think I like them. I mean, I expect the texture now so that doesn't gross me out and apparently, that was the only deal breaker for me. Woo Hoo! Bring on the mushy green stuff. Inspired by Jackson, here is the first of my own series of Peace Alphabet--things I've made peace with.
*In full disclosure, I did carelessly toss a plastic bottle in the trash rather than carry it home to the recycling. I wasn't thinking.
1 comment:
Glad you've made your peace with avocados.
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