the emperor's new bracelet

Last week I got my first rubber cause-supporting bracelet. It's for ending family violence.

It doesn't really count, though, because I didn't even pay for it. All I did was show up at the grand opening for some women's housing.

That's why these bracelets kind of bug me.

I understand that they work really well to make people who do work to support a cause feel good about themselves, and that they are positive peer pressure, but they are also a fashion trend, and a little too easy to come by if you ask me.

Anyone can pay ten bucks at some boutique in the mall and proceed to walk around with a little rubber bracelet in their favorite colour, saying "look, I'm a good person. I support a worthy cause."

Will they even remember what that cause is later, without having to read it off the bracelet?

I don't think I'm going to wear mine. It's way too big for my wrist and gets in my way. I can feel good knowing that I support all kinds of good causes as a donor, volunteer and employee without any bracelets.

drink up

OK, I know cherry juice is not something people frequently have in the fridge, but if you do have some after, say, pitting 15 pounds of sour cherries for canning, then you HAVE TO try this:

2 oz. cherry juice
1 bottle of any pale ale beer, cold
1 tall beer glass

pour the juice into the glass first, then fill with beer.

ahhhhhhhh.

If you prefer things sweeter and non-alcoholic, it also is quite tasty with ginger ale.

drama queen

I guess I must be getting depressed.

I have become completely addicted to Japanese Teen dramas. I watch them all day on my laptop while I'm doing other things.

I can watch a whole season of episodes over a weekend.

I know, I know.

panic attack

Sometimes I think about all the things I still want to do and experience, and I start to panic. By this point in my life I have realized that there is no way I will get to everything on my list. Many things are, in fact, totally exclusive of each other and so I'd need several lifetimes for all of them.

The other day, when I was feeling close to hyperventilating over this fact, my friend Suzanne, who has lived a long life full of adventures and sorrows, told me not to worry. She said that I should just do as much as I can in the time given, and that everything else could be explored at my leisure in eternity.

I'm not sure if hold to the same view of what the afterlife will be like, but I felt comforted anyway.