Archive for the ‘Jenny's Thoughts’ Category

Who’s with me?   Anyone else checking out the game tonight and cheering on our Portland Blazers??

-Jenny

Dear Readers,

Interested in making an immediate difference in someone’s life?  I am in need of some fanastic social networking (think charity-like, not eharmony-like). 

One my best friends in the world, Whitney (you might recognize the name for my previous post about friendships) – is a “family advocate” which basically is a case manager for high-risk families.  She often finds herself in need of finding items for some of the families that she works with… she has an urgent need for a few items.  And I’m wondering if anyone out there might be able to help us out.

1. Do you happen to have any of the items that her families need?
2. Do you know of someone who might have these items and could forward this request on to them?
3. Do you have any good suggestions for local resources we could use/people we could conact to find these items?

ITEMS NEEDED

• 2 twin beds
• a dining room table
• blankets
• comforters

These are actual needs for REAL PEOPLE – not just to fill a warehouse for future needs.  If you think you can help, please send me an email at Jenny@inhonorof.com or post a comment HERE.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  I appreciate any help you can provide.

Love, Jenny

Oregon Ducks vs. Oregon State Beavers

I saw a great facebook status today: “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue… wait, violets?  Who cares about violets?!  Today is all about ROSES!”  (thanks, Kyle Knepper!)

As you may know, today is sure to be one of the most anticpated and exciting games in Oregon College Football.  I am hardly what you could call an “avid sports fan” – but I have been known to get into it from time to time (flashback to my Blazers themed room in elementary school, and my highschool-current age [29+1] obsession with cheerleading). So while I can’t really provide you with any statistics on the teams, or really what the odds are, I CAN tell you that I am really enjoying seeing my friends get into the spirit of this Civil War Game to commence TONIGHT!

As for who I’m rooting for?  Well… I’m hoping that both teams play well, and display excellent sportsmanship, and produce an exciting game for all fans. 

(but I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that I’ve put my Oregon Ducks t-shirt on under my shirt for work today!)

Good luck to both teams – and may all of you fans enjoy the game!

-Jenny

How many of you readers have thought about making a donation to a charity in someone else’s name as a gift this holiday season?  What better way to say “things that are important to YOU, are important to ME” than by supporting a cause that’s close to your gift recipient’s heart?  It’s also a great gift for that person on your list that seems to already “have everything” or someone just flat-out… well… a bit “selective” (aka: a friendly way to say picky!).   Throughout this season you might read a few suggestions from fellow readers as to good causes or charities that enable you to make donations on behalf or in the name of someone else.   A great tool, if you’re curious about this type of gift giving is Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org).  This is a great resource for researching more information about select charities (over 5,000 charities are evaluated on this site!), rating the chairities, giving you suggestions for types of charities you might be interested in, and tips for selecting a good charity.

One charity I find myself donating to each year is the Oregon Humane Society.  It’s reviewed on Charity Navigator.  You can find out great information here -  the charity’s expenses, contact information, summaries, similar charities, etc. 

If you’re thinking of giving a meaningful or different kind of gift this year, consider supporting a charity In Honor Of someone you care about.   Charity Navigator might help you find the perfect charity or help you examine one you are already considered!

Let me know if you know any other tools for finding and evaluating charities this holiday season.  Send me an email at Jenny@inhonorof.com or leave a comment here.  I’d love to hear more!

Today is December First.  The Holiday Season is upon us – it’s true!  While I can’t seem to figure out how 2009 has blown by so fast, I can’t help but smile as I see the decorations in stores, hear the music in our office lobby, and see the holiday cheer in people’s faces!  I absolutely love this time of year – which is probably reflected in the fact that within this past week I’ve already completed some of my shopping (now for the exciting part of wrapping them beautifully!) and purchased/decorated my Christmas Tree! 

The Finishing Touch

Hanging Ornaments

Selecting the Perfect Tree

John and I woke up early on BLACK FRIDAY this past week to join in the Yuletide spirit of shopping for our loved ones.   John eventually gave up on Best Buy – seeing the lines wrapped around the store and the massive number of people packed around each display (I had jumped out and ran in Michael’s instead – ahhh….  I love the Craft Store!) though we did manage to get to Video Only (at John’s request, and to my disappointment – the store really DOES mean “VIDEO ONLY!”  I mean, how many TV’s can one person look at in a day??  Apparently my tolerance is about 4 tvs.  I then get very very very bored).

~A CHANGE IN THOUGHT~

A few years ago I became tired of giving the usual holiday presents (a travel mug here, a half-zip shirt there, and countless gifts in between).  Now please don’t misunderstand me, I don’t dislike or frown upon material gifts – I’ve cried tears of Joy opening my breadmaker (note to self: get a bit more exciting of a life), screamed in delight at my basketball hoop, jumped for joy over Coach purses, adored clothing I’ve received, books I’ve read, cd’s I’ve listened to, etc. etc. etc. - all coming from various friends and family members.  What I DON”T like is the moments I find myself choosing between gifts that have no meaning.  Everyone reading this has probably done it at some point- such as choosing between comfy socks and mittens for your coworker, a santa figurine or a starbucks giftcard for your neighbor, a reindeer sweater or a pair of leggings for your brother-in-law (JUST KIDDING, CHRIS – aka, world’s greatest brother in law – you won’t receive either from me this Christmas!).

This month I’m going to give you some ideas for gifts with meaning.  Maybe donating to an organization we’ve mentioned on our site before in honor of someone, or selecting an item who donates it’s proceeds to a charity, to a million other ideas.  I’d love to hear from you as well as to ideas for THOUGHTFUL and MEANINGFUL gifts.  Please submit a comment and let me (and our fellow readers) know!

Kiva.org

I’d like to start with highlighting Kiva (www.kiva.org).  This is a great website and an incredible organization.  Todd & Jessy introduced me to it a little over 2 years ago.  Since then, I’ve become a lender and have also purchased gift cerftificates for all of my family members to become active with this process.  With Kiva, they let YOU loan to low income entrepreneurs across the world.  Please read more about it here, and take a moment to check out what the website encompasses.  This might be an excellent choice for a holiday gift (either a gift certificate so THEY can participate, or maybe choosing one of their great gifts), or perhaps you’ll want to become a lender yourself.  You have options to choose the region, sector, or gender in which you’d like to assist, and can read and choose from countless real people, needing real help.   It’s an incredible journey to follow along this microfinanced loan – from initial fundraising to the repayment of loans. Check out a great video about this unique process here.

Keep checking back at In Honor Of this month to read about some great ideas this holiday season!

My best to all of you…

Love, Jenny

Help me find a good charity!

A few weeks ago, my mom (Laurie), John & I went downtown Portland to go see “Capitalism” – the new Michael Moore Movie.  (on a side note, I thought this was a great movie).  We arrived a little early after dinner at The Farm Cafe (also highly recommended!), and decided to walk down to Nordstrom to spend a few minutes looking around.  While we were exiting the store, we saw a little old lady pushing her cart toward the door.  When I say little, I mean little!  This lady was bent to almost a 90-degree angle at the waist so her upper half was basically parallel with the floor.  The signs of arthritis were evident on her hands, and she had some sort of brace on her left foot/lower leg, and she walked with a limp.   She was on her own, pushing her cart at a slow and steady pace, when we noticed that she was headed straight for a set of stairs!  I have no idea if she had a plan to tackle this obsticle (She was so frail and manuevering the cart down a flight of stairs seemed unthinkable!) or if she had even noticed what was in front of here, a mere 10 feet or so.

Immediately we approached her and asked if she’d like assistance… she said yes and John scooped up her cart and carried it down the stairs for her, while my mother and I assisted her on either side down the stairs.  She mentioned that she was headed home, but declined any assistance we offered to help her navigate the rainy streets.  As she shuffled along, I felt helpless to see her go – dressed in an old jacket, too worn to provide much warmth and doing little to protect her from the rain.

Since that event, I have gone through my closet and pulled all of my clothing that I no longer wear.  It’s time to put them to good use.  In the past, I’ve made countless trips to the Goodwill, but THIS time I looking for a charity or organization that helps the “needy of the needy.”  I want them to be donated so that they are dispersed without charge to those needing the items. 

I’m going to research this a bit, but I could definitely use your help – does anyone have any suggestions?  If so, submit a comment (right at the bottom of this entry) or send me an email (Jenny@inhonorof.com).  I will keep you posted with my own research and where I end up taking my items.

-Jenny

To submit/read comments, click on the link below or right here!

A few months ago, I decided to get my motorcycle endorsement for my license. With the encouragement of a motorcycle loving boyfriend, and the company of a good friend, Doug Dulak of Peak Performance I signed up for a class to learn how to ride. I don’t have my own bike (yet!), but I feel like a much better passanger when riding with others, and it was so much fun! I love the feel of being on a bike – the open road, the wind in my face, the vibrant smells… the whole adventure.

I’ve recently come across a great cause that I’d like to share with you readers. Next week John and I are going to participate in RIDE FOR THE FIGHT, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Please take a minute to check out the link above – if you’re a rider, this is a great way to do something you love AND make a difference. Or you might just want to attend the BBQ at Blue Lake Park at the end. There’s even the ability to make a donation, if you aren’t a motorcycle enthusiast or if you can’t attend the event.

We’d love to see you there! I’ll be the one in my new motorcycle jacket (a fantastic birthday gift from John) on the back of a beautiful CBR 929!

-Jenny

OK – if you’re anything like me, sometimes you just need that perfect song to get you ready for a new day… or just the right sound to get your house cleaned… or something to get the blood flowing when you feel the need or urge for a good dance party, wherever you are.

In comes Wallace Brown – the man who introduced me to the music of 90’s rock band (sounding and looking like they’re from the 80’s), THE DARKNESS. THANK YOU WALLACE!

Not only can I rock out to these songs (and believe me I do! – “I believe in a Thing called Love” is actually my morning alarm clock), but I recently looked up some of their videos on youtube… and let me tell you – PURE ENJOYMENT.

So here are my top five favorite songs from THE DARKNESS (so far at least!)… check them out and let me know what you think!

#1:
Knockers

#2:
Girlfriend

#3:
I Believe In a Thing Called Love

#4:
Love On the Rocks With No Ice

#5:
Hazel Eyes

**** Check out the COMMENTS to see how this progresses ****

Goal: To perform a minimum of one RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS each day for 10 days and share them with In Honor Of Readers.  And HOPEFULLY to be entertained and inspired by reading about your OWN random acts of kindness -

post some comments on your OWN random acts of kindness for ten days… it’s FUN! 

Submit a comment or email me at Jenny@inhonorof.com!

Progress: Complete!

Last week I found the most amazing plant for my new office.  Walking through Home Depot (where I got quite a steal of a deal!) I came across a beautiful Yucca Plant.  Or maybe it’s a yucca tree?  Maybe a bush?  ANYWAY… as you can tell, I’m not much of a greenthumb, but I knew that THIS plant was going to turn my normal office… into a KICK ASS office. 

What I did NOT fully comprehend was the fact that this little addition may be a bit hard to maneuver alone.  So there I was… my newly purchased prize, standing outside my Honda Accord in my dress and high heels, and a 5-foot-tall plant which felt like it weighed more than me (which I assure you is unfortunately not possible, no matter how many water aerobic classes I’ve attended with my friend [and dedicated workout partner] Colbie).

On my third attempt to lift the monstrosity through my car window (the enormous palm-like frands had also been unaccounted for in my plan for getting it to the office), a stranger parking across the lot from me transformed into my very own hero.  With a smile and a laugh, he asked if it was my first time at Home Depot.  When I assured him it was not (slightly afronted… I mean, HEY!  This was at least my 5th or 6th time in my nearly 30 years of life) and began to attempt a fourth effort, he asked if he could help.  And right then and there… I fell in love.  Not with this friendly stranger (don’t worry, John!), but with the whole concept of random acts of kindness. 

I’m telling you… being the recipent of a recent random act of kindness is the most wonderful sensation.  This single experience not only changed the outome of my day, but it reinforced my faith in mankind.  I know… I know… you probably think I’m exaggerating… but I truly feel it.  And if I can feel so inspired, I know that by performing my own random acts of kindness I can revive that faith for others.

So here’s my plan, and my challenge to those of you dear readers, who choose to tackle this as well.  For TEN DAYS I want to post about a random act of kindess I’ve performed that day. (well a pre-planned, random act of kindness, I guess).  Each day, I’m going to submit a comment to this post and let you know what it was that I did.  And I would LOVE to read about the good deeds you’re out there performing.  Remember, big or small – it’s an inspiration to all of us readers. 

I can’t wait to fill you in tomorrow on DAY ONE and I can’t wait to hear what is happening in your own world!

Love,

Jenny

And does anyone know how often to  water a yucca plant/tree/bush?

Hello dear readers!  I just wanted to take a quick minute to encourage you to check out our “Past Challenges” tab!  We’ve had some great challenges out there – maybe you’d like to join in, as did our recent readers The Gresos when they read about the reusable tote challange.  Or even if you don’t want to join in, just leave a comment – kudos to someone for trying, or a helpful hint for participants to complete the challenge.

We want to hear from YOU!  And keep checking back in with us… we’ve got a great challenge that’s a-coming…  it’s going to be pretty amazing!  Get ready to LET THE WORLD KNOW… we’re ready to give, inspire AND honor!  How about you?

-Jenny

UPDATE:  GOAL COMPLETED!

Check out the comments on the original post, and feel free to share some comments of your own!

I wanted to share with you all a few pictures of some of those who were inspired to join in and make the world a bit cleaner… by something as small as picking up 30 pieces of trash.

I set two goals: first to complete my own 31-piece pick up (COMPLETED!), and to inspire 9 others to go out and do the same thing in your neighborhood!  I’m happy to report that 6 people have joined in:  THANK YOU to Kristin, John, Hayley, Matt, Todd & Jessy!  If you’d like to help, please post a comment on my original post saying you’d like to join in!  I’ll keep the numbers updated, and if you have any pictures, send them to me at:  Jenny@inhonorof.com and I’d be happy to post them! Help us LET THE WORLD KNOW…

Remember… even a small contribution makes quite a difference.

Jenny

Kristin & Hayley - inhonorof pickup!

Hayley, Me & Matt on picking up litter on the beach

John, Hayley, Kristin, & Matt figuring out our game plan...

Hayley - desperately hoping the wind won't send the mystery underware flying into her face

And so we begin… I’ve rewritten this blog entry roughly 17 times, and with the ummm… encouragement (or perhaps thinly veiled threats – ha!) from my partners, I’m finally ready to post my very first blog entry… ever.  I find myself overwhelmed, intimidated, and frightened by the world today as it appears.  Corruption, acts of violence, panic and negligence seem to color every media outlet – thus being the first (as usually last) thoughts to come into my world each day.  Catching a glimpse of the morning news (while trying to wrestle Porter my dog into his collar and leash) to listening to the radio (on the mornings I’m not singing along with my favorite CD), to opening my internet browser at work (and doing my best to avoid the temptation to log into facebook first thing) – I suddenly realize I’ve been looking for every possible distraction to AVOID the state of the world.  Why?

Because I’ve been losing hope.

Now I do realize that I have a responsibility to my peers and myself to remain aware of current affairs and to make conscious efforts to be a positive contributor within my community.  But sometimes it seems like the problems are just too big, too daunting – what kind of difference can just one person make?  I find myself sighing with irritation taking my recycling out, only to walk past my neighborhood dumpster filled with other’s careless mess of items that could have been recycled a mere 30 yards away.  I find myself losing faith in the good of mankind – instead of offering a smile to a passing stranger, I wonder if my wallet is secure.

I’ve logged too many hours filling my thoughts of the negativity and ugliness of everyday life.  There is beauty to be found in so many areas, but it’s hard to shine that light through the darkness that can surround the good.  There are countless good deeds being done, honorable tasks being undertaken, and acts of kindness everywhere.  What is lacking is NOT “the good” – it’s an outlet to let the good shine: to find out how you can give to your community, to inspire others or to have a place to find inspiration in yourself, to honor those people and places and causes that strengthen your world, and your spirit.And so we begin – our mission to give hope.  I promise you that here you will find just that.  We’re here to honor the world – my world, your world, our world.

And to Todd and Jessy… thank you for the strength and foundation you bring to my life and this task.  You are both inspirations to me.  Let the fun begin…     -Jenny