Earth Day Promotion Reminder

All items in my "Earth Day Every Day" section are 10% off during April in honor of Earth Day which falls on April 22. Come take a look! New items just listed!

Persian GSG

The latest weave I've tried: Persian GSG. So pretty and none of the Half-Persian stress! The instructions I used and rings in this bracelet come from Marilyn Gardiner who also gave me a private class in Viper's Scale (photo to come). According to Deakron, "GSG" stands for "Great Southern Gathering" because it is at that gathering that Buddha (no, not that Buddha) developed the pattern.

Oprah on Puppy Mills

Today, Oprah Winfrey's show will cover the horrors of puppy mills. Just a few weeks ago, hundreds of small dogs were rescued from a breeder near Tucson. The Humane Society of the United States has had a long-standing campaign against puppy mills.

Adoption is always best--millions of healthy animals are killed every year because they don't have homes--but the HSUS does have tips on finding reputable breeders for those who do choose to buy a pet.

Oprah's Site
Arizona Republic Article
HSUS: Stop Puppy Mills

If You Aren't Scared Yet, You Will Be

Today on Fresh Air, Michael Greenberger discussed the economy. His intereview was interesting but made me nervous. The comment that stands out most is this--he said that lots of experts are saying that the economy is the worst it's been since World War II, but by that, they mean it's the worst it's been since the Great Depression. I've heard that comment--in fact I heard it tonight on the radio driving home--several times. Now, I wonder: how bad can it get?

NPR Story

Earth Day Promotion

In celebration of Earth Day (April 22), all jewelry items in my "Earth Day Every Day" section are 10% off during the month of April. These pieces use recycled beads, tagua nuts, or other material that is ecofriendly. Please take a look!

In Memoriam

Over the night, Opie the cow, one of the first farm animals to live at the Farm Sanctuary, passed away. In the picture to the right, I am with his friend Maya. Rescued in 1990 as a downed calf, Opie lived a wonderful life on the farm where he was loved and had shelter, open fields, and the companionship of other cows.

George and I met Opie last June when we visited the Farm Sanctuary for Zoop. (It was during that trip that I took the picture of Opie below.) What a sweet boy! He was the face of the Farm Sanctuary's No Downer campaign, and no doubt his life made a difference.

Please think of making a donation to the Farm Sanctuary in Opie's honor.



Farm Sanctuary Press Release

Shop, Help Animals

As you may know, I am a member of Etsy for Animals (EFA), a group of Etsians who are passionate about improving the lives of our animal friends. EFA selects an animal charity each month, and funds from items in the Etsy for Animals shop (minus Etsy and Paypal fees) are donated to the selected organization. Many of the EFA members, including myself, donate a portion of their sales to the charity of the month as well.

What a deal--shop, get great stuff, help the animals!

April's charity of the month is the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sancutary. Most of the shelter's residents are disabled--the animals who would surely be euthanized without a home like Rolling dog. Currently, 80 animals live at the ranch.

Now you have the perfect excuse to buy new jewelry--it's for a good cause!

National Priorities

Nothing like waiting until the last minute...my car tags expire today, and I had to get an emissions test before renewing. That meant a long drive into town to go to an emissions testing station. While en route, I was listening to KJZZ, our local NPR station, and heard a quick but distressing news story on the Petrified Forest National Park.

Although Congress voted in 2004 to expand the boundaries of the park, they have not allocated money for the land's purchase. Landowners near the park are losing patience--and money--so are looking for buyers. It's likely that the land around the park will be purchased by developers instead of the government.

It would be nice to think that preserving the land and the archaeological record on it are a priority for our nation.

Arizona Republic Story

Dissertation Despair

Many delays on the dissertation due to data analysis trouble. My model has formative and reflective latent constructs which means that writing the syntax for the data analysis is a little tricky, not to mention understanding the theory behind why the constructs are modeled differently. One of the prominent researchers in this area is on the Marketing faculty at ASU, and she has kindly agreed to meet with me this week. I'm hopeful that with her advice, I will have an acceleration in my progress.

All in all, though, the process is making me feel very despondent and unhappy. I'm incredibly stressed, and I'm having horrible headaches daily. I really can't wait until this is over.

Yum!

Since George has been working so hard on the house, I've been trying to do more domestically. Admittedly, it's not my strong suit. I did make an excellent dinner. This is a simple dish: soy sauce, garlic powder, snap peas, and SmartMenu Chick'n Strips served with rice. Soooooooo yummy! The food looked so delicious in the pan, I had to capture it in a photo!

If you have not tried the Chick'n Strips, I wholeheartedly recommend them. I prefer them to the Morningstar Farm brand Meal Starters.