I know, I sucked you in with that provocative title, didn’t I?
All apologies. It’s not what you think.
Thing is, I’ve been trying to find a mannequin or a dressmaker’s form to use as a model for some of the crocheted items and jewelry that I make. I cannot, for the life of me, find one that I like. Or I should say, one that I like, and that I can afford, all at the same time. I am looking for eclectic, like me. SOOooooo… I thought, why not make one? And so I will.
While pondering how to go about this little (not so little) project, it dawned on me that the mannequins or forms I’ve seen are all a ridiculously unreal size 2, or 4 or something teentsy weentsy like that. That’s unrealistic, at least in my world. Yours? That brought to mind a question: what size is “normal”? Well, of course, I know there is no “normal”….we’re all different and all beautiful in our own right. I wondered what size to make my form? I have no idea! Thus, I need to ask a very personal question of you: What Size Are You?
I’m no dummy! I know that if I just toss that question out there, your likely reaction will be: “Pffffttt! Like I’d tell you!” I know it! So maybe, I thought, if I create a poll where you all can answer totally anonymously, I’d get some bites? Would you? If I ask nicely? I’d really truly appreciate it.
If you can find it in your heart to share among your friends, it would be such a help, I can’t begin to tell you.
Thanks so much for reading. I hope to see you soon!
Be Sound,
Peace,
Jo
Here’s the Poll. You may choose up to 3 answers, or define your own. Thanks again!
If you know me at all, or if you follow this blog, you probably know that even though I’m limited in what I can offer, that I do what I can to help those less fortunate than myself. And they are numerous. The homeless and near homeless population in our area is alarming. It’s sad. And for the children, heartbreaking.
With what I have at hand or can gather from those who’ve heard, I run my little Project Warmth each year around this time. For the homeless or very needy, especially for the children, I make hats, scarves, mittens, baby blankets and whatever I can whip up.
This week I saw a new idea. I am not sure who to credit it to. It doesn’t seem like it should be such a novel brainstorm, but for me, well, I just hadn’t thought of it before. They are calling them Blessing Bags.
They are simply baggies, filled with a few basic necessities, and maybe a few tiny luxuries, kept in your car and handed to the homeless or needy. It’s a wonderful idea! So simple, yet it hadn’t even occurred to me before. Now that it has been planted in my brain, I intend to make up some to include with my Project Warmth goodies this season.
It won’t be a lot. I don’t have a lot to give. But I will give what I can. And if I give. And YOU give. And if you give and your friend gives, and their friend gives, look what happens in the world? You see?
You may have questions: Who would I give them to you say? Where would I hand them out? Where do I find homeless people? Are there homeless people in my town?
The Answers are simple. Wherever there are people, there are people in need. As an example, with Project Warmth, I’ve asked teachers to identify needy children and families and anonymously offer a gift of warmth. Schools are an excellent resource when looking for needy children. Stop in your local school and inquire of the Main Office Secretary or School Nurse. I’m sure they will be more than happy to help. There are privacy laws, however, so don’t expect to be given names. You may be able to enlist them to discretely send home your gifts anonymously. You won’t get any credit for it, but do you really need it? Fame is not why we do this, am I right? When I’m about town I see the old men on the benches near the community square, every day they are there, huddled and cold. Offer them there. If they refuse out of pride, simply leave them on the bench, wish them a good day and walk away. Guaranteed they’ll be appreciated when you are gone. Ask at your local church or community center, your local food banks, shelters and even the YMCA. All are good places to start. Stop in your city hall or police precinct. Its a given that the patrolmen know where to locate the homeless. You might even enlist the help of an officer or two. Once you start looking, you may be amazed and dismayed at how many less fortunate there are among us.
The Ministries at Main Street Homeless Shelter houses 15-30 people per night during the winter months
County officials believe that there are more than 50-80 single adults living on the streets of Pottstown. (The Mercury)
In 2009, it is estimated that 749 people were homeless in Montgomery County. (The Mercury)
In Chester County, 1,109 people stayed in a homeless shelter at least once in 2009.( Chester County Department of Housing & Development)
On one night in Berks County, there were 513 homeless people, 13 of whom were unsheltered. (US HUD, 2010)
County Officials believe there are 50-80 single adults living on the streets in the TriCounty Area
In Pottstown School District, about 15 students could be considered homeless
Source: “Left Out in the Cold,” Pottstown Mercury, March 20, 2007
There are some who chose not to come into a shelter but the 50-80 single adults number is in the county as a whole.
LAST CHANCE! Less than 24 hours left. Get your bid on. 4 separate lots to choose from. LOT 12 Necklaces. LOT 7 Necklaces. LOT 5 Necklaces. LOT 4 pr Barefoot Sandals. All Handmade by Me.
I am headed to 2 Pearl Jam concerts in Philly on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 21 & 22 and attending a Pre-Party at McFadden’s Sports Club across the street from the Venue (Wells Fargo Center, Sports Complex).
I found this AWESOME DEAL on Living Social for $24 worth of food for only $12! Can’t beat that. I looked at the Menu and found that most sandwich platters are under $10 and meals about $15, so $24 is a perfect amount for two people. You can’t buy alcohol with it but you can buy sodas and other non-alcoholic drinks too.
I am watching the VMAs tonight for one reason and one reason only … and that is to be amazed and astonished at whatever fabulously freakish costumes Lady Gaga comes up with tonight! 😀
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Her music..meh. I guess it’s OK, not my cup of tea.
But I do have to give her props for getting noticed wherever she goes and whatever she does!
Why are you watching?
OK well, if I have to admit…Justin Timberlake will not be too difficult to watch 😉
For last year’s photos and more information on what Project Warmth is and how you can HELP, please see THIS POST in My Blog.
Every year for the past three years I’ve gathered yarn and other textiles, along with various tools of the trade, and fashioned warm cozy accessories for the less fortunate and homeless families in our community. In the beginning, donations came in sporadically, but even that has dwindled. Of course I buy what supplies I can myself, but its never enough. This year I’m asking for whatever little bit of help you can send my way in the form of donations. You can send supplies or money to purchase supplies, either way, it will be a big help.
THANK YOU!
Sharing or passing along in any way would be truly appreciated.
It’s that time again folks. Project Warmth is in its 3rd Year and I could REALLY REALLY use your help this year. The needy population certainly is not dwindling, at least not around here. I do my best to provide them with warm scarves and hats and blankets, and for the kids at school, earwarmers and mittens. But its expensive, and its time consuming, and its never enough. With your help, I can do more. To Donate, please go HERE. UPDATE!!!! Kickstarter is no longer hosting this campaign as they do not do “cause projects”. (that’s the only reason – view correspondenceHERE.) I’m looking into other services such as First Giving. *** Alternatively, donations are being accepted via PayPal using the address: PJTouringGirl@gmail.com. *** ~ A proper receipt will be issued. ~
Thank you again! ❤ Keep Reading for More Information ~
Here’s my Story:
It’s summer, and its too darned hot and muggy. But not long from now it will be a bitterly cold winter here. Unbearably cold! I’m not complaining. I have a roof over my head. I have food in my belly. I have warm clothes and shelter from the storm. I have a small apartment and the love of my little grandbabies whom I care for here every day. I have what I need.
But each day as I shuttle my grandchildren to and from school it pains me to see little children waiting outside in the cold wind and rain with not so much as a hat, scarf or pair of mittens to ward off the chill. Their little fingers are stiff and clumsy. They shuffle and shiver in an attempt for warmth.
As I leave school and head off for my drive-through morning coffee (mocha please, no sugar) I pass not one, not two, but several homeless men and women, some headed downtown, some headed for the park, some seeking shelter in the local diner, all carrying their world on their backs. Perhaps they were fortunate enough to have found shelter in a church basement for the night, perhaps not. Times are hard. Jobs are scarce. Believe me I know. But as I said, I have what I need.
I’m not going to get into a discussion here about how and why homeless people and homeless families exist in my community and yours. There are a myriad of reasons, we all know that. Suffice it to say that the majority of homeless and near homeless that I’ve spoken to here are in that situation through circumstances beyond their control. A job loss, the death of a spouse, unexpected and unfathomable medical bills. Sure, those are not the only reasons. Regardless of the reason, they are suffering. Their kids are suffering. They are embarrassed, some are hopeless, some seek help, some hide in shame. Despite all the government assistance that we believe is out there, for some, one reason or another its not accessible. The churches and the Salvation Army do what they can, but for the most part, they can only a offer a weekday soup kitchen and bed for a night or two. I’ve met men and women who live in the woods at the end of town. I’ve met families that still have a roof over their heads but no heat in their homes. I’ve seen them in the food pantries. I’ve seen them pulling wagons through the snow, loaded with everything they own in this world. I’ve seen them outside the Home Depot and Lowe’s trying to find work for the day. I’ve seen them in the laundromat trying to stay warm out of the rain or snow. It’s hard to ignore. Their children go to school with your children. Maybe you know it, maybe you don’t. The problem exists and we cannot wish it away.
So I need to do something. But what can I do? I am not a wealthy person. I cannot offer any of these families space in my home. But I do know how to crochet. Pretty darned well if I do say so myself. And I do know how to make warm hats and scarves and mittens and blankets. I believe that we should all do what we can to hold up one another to the best of our ability. If the only thing I can do is help someone stay a little warmer over the winter, then that’s what I’ll do. And so I do. Each year. I hope you’ll help me.
Each year I spend the autumn days and nights making as many hats and scarves and mittens and baby blankets as I possibly can. When it starts to get really cold outside, I take what I’ve been able to create to schools, to the parks and downtown. I offer what I can to those who need it a lot more than I do. Teachers have been very helpful over the last couple of winters, taking bags of hats, scarves and mittens and giving them to the children who come to school without. They have been a real blessing.
Over the past few years, after I’ve exhausted my ability to purchase supplies and tools, I have asked our community members to donate whatever yarn they might have laying around their homes and they’ve been quite helpful. But donations have dwindled, and I know from what I see, the homeless and needy population has not.
I am capable of making much more than I’ve been able to in the past, simply because I didn’t have the supplies. I’m planning on starting early this year. It takes time. It takes money. Time I have…money, not so much. If I am going to help those less fortunate than myself this winter, I’m going to need supplies. I’m going to need tools. I’m going to need gas for my truck so I can get the items to those who need them most.
If things work out well, perhaps there will be enough to invite other needleworkers to join me. I sincerely hope so.
You can follow the progress of this project on My Blog .
So here I am, asking you to help me help them. I hope you will.
Thank you so much for reading and considering lending a helping hand. Any little bit can help and is greatly appreciated. If each of us plants a seed in the end a tree will grow.
When I read this the first thing I thought is, yes, I know its bad, but is it THIS bad, or is this more fear-mongering?
Well, I Google-ed and Bing-ed and Yahoo-ed and I did find sites debunking mutant vegetables and radioactive rain in the Philippines and more explosions in Japan, but not for this. Everywhere I’ve looked this seems to hold up.
If you have any info…one way or the other, Please Share.
Here is an excerpt from the article sited above, as well as some links to supposedly true and untrue “facts”.
Breaking News: Fukushima Radiation Affecting Americans And There’s No Way To Stop It
If hundreds of tons of radioactive waste were being pumped into our oceans daily — so much so that it began to affect our food sources and increase our rates of mortality — then they would tell us, right? Apparently not. Who “they” is I cannot say, but they obviously have a reason for not telling the people that the food that they are eating could kill them.
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant was hit by the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. Since then, it is estimated that 330 tons of radiation-contaminated water has been leaking into the Pacific Ocean daily. That’s correct, over 300 tons of radiation-contaminated water has been seeping into our oceans every single day for over 2 years. That’s over 250,000 tons of contaminated water that has now entered the Pacific Ocean. The water itself was used to cool the nuclear plant.
I’m no expert on radioactivity, but from what I do know, it spreads quickly and easily. Putting such a large amount of radioactive water into our oceans will surely contaminate the rest of the ocean. I am not one to freak out or look for cause to panic, but it seems that the time to panic may be upon us.
You see, it would be one thing if I were telling you that 330 tons of radiation-contaminated water a day was once upon a time being dumped into the Pacific Ocean. What I am telling you is that this is ongoing — that it is happening right now. And that no one has a solution to stop it. Harvey Wasserman, a journalist and advocate for renewable energy, told RT:
“The Japanese authorities have been covering up the true depth of the disaster because they don’t want to embarrass themselves and the global nuclear industry and they are trying to open up another nuclear plant in Japan. When the Japanese people now find out that the accident is worse than we thought and they have been leaking many tons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean for almost two and a half years, this is a catastrophe.
Tokyo Electric has no idea how to control this accident. This is absolutely terrifying after two and a half years. To find out that these reactors have been out of control, now that they can’t control this they don’t know what’s going on. This is not a primitive backward country; this is Japan with advanced technology.
It has very serious implications for nuclear power all over the world…they don’t know what to do. This has never happened before. You have three explosions; you have four nuclear reactors that are severely compromised. No one ever planned for this. This is an apocalyptic event. This is something that could contaminate the entire Pacific Ocean. It is extremely serious.
The reality is that Tokyo Electric does not know what is happening and does not know how to control what is going on. Our entire planet is at risk here. This is two and a half years after these explosions and they are still in the dark. It’s terrifying.”
This should scare you. It sure as hell scares the sh*t out of me. But let me give you some numbers on how exactly it is already affecting the American population. Radiation levels have begun to increase in our food and water supply. Babies are being born with thyroid issues that are directly linked to radiation. The U.S. and Canada are now raising the legally acceptable levels of certain toxic substances that are being imported from Japan.
According to World Truth TV, samples of milk taken across the United States are showing radiation levels 2000 percent higher than EPA maximums.
Natural News explain that, “Cows consume grass and are exposed to the same elements as food crops and water supplies. In other words, when cows’ milk starts testing positive for high levels of radioactive elements, this is indicative of radioactive contamination of the entire food supply.” The FDA has responded by raising the “acceptable levels” of radioactive material in foods.
Here is a list of foods that it is now recommended that you stay clear of:
“1.) SEAFOOD: Question the origin of ALL seafood. Fish and crustaceans from the Pacific Ocean should all be considered to be poisoned with radiation.
2.) WATER: The rainfall and snowfall are all radiated. Do not drink any water that has not been filtered. The tap water that flows from your faucet has NOT been treated to rid it of radioactive particles. A recent report from the NY Times stated, “A rooftop water monitoring program managed by UC Berkeley’s Department of Nuclear Engineering detected substantial spikes in rain-borne iodine-131 during torrential downpours …
3.) DAIRY PRODUCTS: Milk and milk products from the West Coast states currently have the highest levels of radiation in North America.
4.) PRODUCE: Leafy Vegetables, Wines, Tomatoes, Strawberries….all produced from California or any other West Coast State are also likely to be tainted.
5.) MEAT: If an animal eats any leafy vegetable all along the West Coast, that animal has consumed radiation, and is poisoned. This is any animal from cows, pigs, goats, sheep to wild deer and other game.”
Infant mortality has increased by over 35% following the nuclear disaster at Fukushima — according to a court statement by Dr. Sherman with independent scientist Lauren Moret, MA, PhD. A recent study published in The International Journal of Medicine claims that about 20,000 deaths in the United States can be directly linked to the radiation pouring out for the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant.
This past Wednesday, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered increased efforts to stop the leak. Tepco (Tokyo Electric Power) has admitted that they do not have a handle on things and are in need of dire help. “Rather than relying on (plant operator) Tokyo Electric, the government will take measures. This is an urgent matter that needs to be addressed.”
That’s correct. This is an urgent matter. This was an urgent matter two and a half years ago when the leaking first started. Now…now it’s too late. The world and the entire human race will be greatly affected — and no one is saying anything! This is being kept hush-hush by all parties. Tepco kept things quiet for over two years. Our government hasn’t addressed the topic whatsoever.
But who can blame it? What’s the point of sparking a huge unrest in our country and the rest of the world if there is nothing that can be done about it? How can the government allow the world to boycott Californian produce when our economy is in such a bad state? Obviously, money and keeping face are more important than the lives and wellbeing of millions.
“They can’t face the reality of this situation. When have very serious quantities of radiation going into the Pacific Ocean. There is no medical or epidemiological or scientific basis for estimating how much damage this will cost. We are on entirely new ground here and this cannot go by without a serious impact on the entire human race. This is a terrible tragedy,” says Harvey Wasserman.”
“The problem is that the company does not want to admit how serious this is and the government of Japan doesn’t want to admit how serious this is. And even if the government of Japan steps in, they don’t know what to do. This particular administration in Japan wants to open the other nuclear plants. 50 nuclear plants have been shut in Japan since the accident and they want to reopen them.
This is very political, because if they admit to how bad the things are in Fukushima the public is not going to stand for them re opening other nuclear plants, including some that are owned by Tokyo Electric Power. How do you have a huge utility company on one hand saying that we can’t control all these 300 tons of radioactive liquid going into the Pacific Ocean every day, and on the other hand we want you to let us open these other nuclear reactors? This is a catastrophe for them and that’s why they have been lying about it because they want to open other nuclear plants but they don’t want the public to know how serious the damage is in Fukushima… it will never be cleaned up.
We have materials there that are radioactive, that are harmful, and that are dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years. They can talk about cleaning it up in 40 years but it will never be cleaned up. You will never be able to go back on that site. The radioactivity will be in the waters forever… There are serious health impacts. People will be harmed.
We are seeing 40% rate of thyroid damage among children in the area and this is a huge impact and it will go up, not down. More and more radiation is escaping from the water and tritium into the atmosphere. And radiation to the thyroid is very serious, especially among small children and we are already seeing a 40% rate. People will be suffering for hundreds of years. I interviewed people in central Pennsylvania a year after the accident and discovered tremendous health impacts among the people there. We know that Chernobyl did tremendous damage to people in Belarus and Ukraine and now we are going to see it again in Fukushima.”
For All Who Are On A Spiritual Path To Re-Connect With Their Divine Truth. This is part of My Path and Truth.. Writer, Speaker, Truth Seeker, Spirit Having A Human Experience & Life Coach.
Simple Earth 