Good Humanity Sunday 3/9/08 - Celebrate!

This past week was pretty busy for me. You may have noticed that I didn't post anything. My proof of good humanity this week is that I found a freelance job that I really enjoy. After a lot of ups and downs, and much emotional hand-wringing, someone finally gave me another chance to prove how awesome I am. I'm still on the lookout for a full-time position that will satisfy my middle-class guilt, but this was just what I needed, in a talk-me-down-from-the-rooftop sort of way.

(Oh, and I promise to get back to posting 2 or 3x per week like you're used to. Sorry.)

Send me your own proofs of good humanity! I love to read them and I will likely post them on Sundays. Email to beagoodhuman11 at gmail dot com.

Good Humanity Sunday 3/2/08

As part of my ongoing search for proof of good humanity, I thought I would share this gem, which I found on Consumerist. Basically, Staples tried to rip off this old guy for computer repairs and this guy Michael stepped in and fixed it for him for free!

The senior, who had been lulled into Staples for a free tune up that suddenly cost $39.99, didn't understand why he needed to spend money on a "diagnostic screening ($49.99), virus removal services ($150), and more RAM (~$150)." Michael intervened and offered to look at the computer free of charge. He couldn't believe what he found when he popped open the computer.

Great story. Go read the rest. It's a cautionary tale and proof of good humanity all rolled into one!

In an attempt to bring some kind of stability to my posting schedule, I'm going to try to start (or end, depending on your calendar) your week off right with some proof of good humanity every Sunday. If you've found some on the interwebs, or would like me to post your good humanity story (maybe like my Subway Hero!) drop me an email at beagoodhuman11 at gmail dot com. I love to read them!

What I'm doing with my free time

I've got some free time on my hands. See, I'm currently unemployed. Sometimes it's great. Sleeping in! No responsibilities! Not having to jam myself on the train at rush hour! Sometimes it's not so great. No income! Boredom! It's like a vacation, but without the fun and friends and funds for which to pay for it.

But I'm still committed to being a good human. So, here, in convenient bullet format, is what I'm doing with myself:

• I take my magazines to the dialysis center nearby. I've been told that dialysis is quite time consuming, so who wouldn't want to kick back with a nice Us Weekly or Mother Jones while a machine filters their blood for them? I like the idea of getting multiple uses out of something before recycling it. (Yes, both of those subscriptions were gifts. I really, really love one of them. Guess which one.)


• I'm taking fewer showers. And therefore using less water. TMI?


• I'm keeping my heat as low as possible, while (barely) avoiding frostbite. I'm trying to make a game out of it, like every degree I can stand to lower it is a point for me. I was sick last week and lost a bunch of points though. :(
  


• I go to the library instead of the bookstore. Again with the reusing thing.
  


• I talk to my family more. I chatted with my gram for over an hour the other day and I could tell that it totally made her day. St. Joseph is being very sluggish with selling their house, btw.
  


• I'm reading a lot more blogs. Right now I'm totally crushing on Daily Mitzvah, Menstrual Poetry, MMM Brains!, Muslim Hedonist, No Impact Man, Shakesville, Stickpaste, The Curvature, Well-Heeled, and Where It Stands, just to name a few.


• I'm able to devote more time to the RAINN Online Hotline. Have you been sexually assaulted and don't know how to deal? Not sure about what happened to you? Still feeling anxious even though it was a while ago and you "should" be over it by now? Chat with a trained volunteer (like me!) securely and anonymously.
  

Do you have any ideas? I've got plenty of time to implement them! Leave 'em in the comments or email me at beagoodhuman11 at gmail dot com.

Feminism at its Finest

Great name for a carnival right? I love alliteration. Anyway, it's up over at Menstrual Poetry and it's a really good one. Holly does a phenomenal job, as usual. Go read it!

Good Stuff

I've been on an increasingly desperate lookout for what I like to call proof of good humanity. Basically something, anything that proves we haven't lost the ability to do good as a species.

I found a shining beacon of positivity with the Carnival of Good Stuff posted over at Pollywog's Pond. My post on how to make people think you care about them is included, as are a pretty random collection of... well, good stuff. Go read! Happiness abounds!

On privilege

I thought I would hop on the so-called privilege meme floating around these days. When you think about how much farther some people have to go in order to achieve, it's kind of shocking. To be sure, this list works best for people in first world nations. Obviously.

Reminds me of this quote I read somewhere from Barry Switzer: "Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple." (Thanks Will!) Likewise, there are some people born in the dugout who never even get up to bat. I like to think I'm somewhere in the middle.

Bold all that are true for you.

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
6. Were the same or higher socioeconomic class than your high school teachers
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home
9. Were read children’s books by a parent (Hands down, my favorite childhood memories involve bedtime stories. She always gave in to my pleas of "just one more!")
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively (I'm not sure the media portrays anyone positively anymore...)
    
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school (on scholarship and lots of debt incurred by my mother)
17. Went to summer camp (basketball)
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them (I busted my ass serving pizza and bought my own car thankyouverymuch!)
    
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child
23. You and your family lived in a single family house (after age 11)
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child (for the most part)
    
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18.
27. Participated in an SAT/ACT prep course (Maybe that's why I didn't even get a 1300. Or maybe it's because I was lazy and didn't study.)
    
28. Had your own TV in your room in High School
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in High School or College
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up (The first time I went to a museum was last September when my bf took me to The Met. It was boring.)
    
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family
    

(The list is based on an exercise developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. The exercise developers ask that if you participate in this blog game, you acknowledge their copyright.)

Hmm! I expected to have more than 9 bolded here. I guess I'm snobbier than my upbringing would imply. How many do you have? Leave it in teh commentz!

Update: Will Barratt, one of the creators of this exercise, has a blog on the subject of class where he dissects it all in a typically academic fashion. Sound boring? It's actually really fascinating and worthy of checking out, especially if the list above made you think twice.

Plastic bags again

Jen x over at the Daily Mitzvah is also cutting down on her plastic bag usage as a part of her Carbon Fast for Lent. Basically, she finds one small thing to do each day during lent to reduce her carbon footprint. Genius, right? The lapsed Catholic in me is kicking myself for not thinking of it first.

Some of the other daily Lenten tips include taking shorter showers, switching to green power, and unplugging the cell charger. All good ideas. It is highly recommended you check it out.

Update: As Jen noted in the comments, the Carbon Fast for Lent idea came originally from Tearfund, based in the UK.