Support One Fund Boston…with Knitting

Calling any knitters who may follow my blog, or if you know someone who knits!

Susan Glenfield is a knitter and a former Bostonian.  She still has a lot of family living in Boston, some of whom serve on various local police forces.

From now until the end of the month, Susan will donate 100% of the proceeds for any purchase of her knitting patterns to One Fund Boston.

You can check out her Raverly shop, Bellsistersuan Design Shop @ http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/bellsistersusan-design-shop.  You do need to be a member of Ravelry, but it’s free and only takes a few minutes.

Please spread the word to any of your knitter friends or friends who want to learn to knit.

 

I Need Book Nerd Advice

I have never given up on a book before.  Yes, I know, NEVER!  I am debating it now, since I have been reading the same book(Don Quioxte) for weeks.  It’s slowing me down for meeting the goal for the year.  I also am having the hardest time keeping my attention on the book.  I’ve had to go back and reread different parts so many times to figure out what’s going on.

Decisions, decisions!

I think I may just put it aside for now and come back to it, and tackle it then.

I’ve also been going to bed a lot earlier.  Normally, I knock out some reading from about 10-11, but I have been fighting to stay awake at 9:30, all I want to do is say hi to my blankets and pillows.  I think I may try to squeeze in some time around the lunchtime/afternoon hours.  That may help me break this plateau.

What about other book nerds out there?  What helps you break your reading rutt?

 

What Sayeth You, Dear Reader?

I got in a debate with a friend of mine today.  She thought it was absolutely ridiculous that she had to fill out a resume and go on an interview for a volunteer position.  I sided with the organization on this, which of course left her a little miffed.  She’ll come around though.

What’s the reason I sided with the organization?  A few reasons popped up in my head actually.  For one, as someone who has spent her fair share of college student days working in a volunteer capacity, the biggest reason is commitment.  If you are taking the time to apply and go through the interview, chances are you will take the position seriously.

There’s also the team aspect.  Very rarely will you be working on your own in a volunteer role.  You will be working with a team, so your personality has to be the right fit.  Part of the interview, the interviewer is probably asking themselves if the interviewee will be able to gel with the rest of the team.

When I was thinking about volunteering for the USO at the Philly airport, man, did they put you through your paces.  However, I completely understood their madness.  They wanted to weed out the people who could give the commitment they needed.

Plus, if it’s a charitable organization, I want to know if you can bring any networking to the table.  Oh and since a resume summarizes your skills and qualifications, it will allow me to see if you have the necessary skills or training for the position.

It’s a lot like a job,  yes, but looking at it from the other side, you can completely understand why it is the way it is.

What say you readers?  Is a resume over the top in a volunteer position?

FREE Mental Health Conference for National Guard Members

Today’s post was written by Angela Caban and appeared on the blog of Homefront United Network.  The fee for the 2 day Mental Health Conference for National Guard members has been waived for SM’s, Vets and Families.  Read on and click on the link for the M-Span website for more information.

Our National Guard, once known as the “weekend warriors”, because training is one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. The National Guard also responds to disasters in the U.S., as we recently have seen at the Boston Marathon massacre and Hurricane Sandy.

Did you know that over half of the U.S. fighting force deployed are National Guard? They see combat and have been stretched thin in multiple deployments throughout these past 10 years. Did you also know that…

• One in 10 troops killed in action since 2001 was a member of the National Guard?
• The suicide rate among the National Guard has increased?
• One study found that Guard members develop PTSD 29% more often than active duty military?

Most people are not aware of the mental health needs of our National Guard and their families. It has become a stateside crisis that once these brave men and women return from combat, they have a higher risk of developing mental health problems.

A new conference that will explore these challenges will be held by the University of Michigan. It will take place from April 25-26 and it will fit the mental health needs for both National Guard and Reserve service members and their families. As stated on their website, “The National Research Summit on Reserve Component Military Families will explore the unique challenges facing our Reserve and National Guard families.  Mental health needs and care will be among the topics discussed.  The conference is sponsored by the University of Michigan Depression Center’s Military Support Programs and Networks (M-SPAN).”

There is a $195 fee that is being waived for service members, veterans and their families. For more information, please visit the M-SPAN website.

I Have the Wednesdays

I’m a weirdo who doesn’t have a problem with Mondays.  I sort of like them because it’s a fresh, new week.

Most mornings, once I’m up and moving, I’m good to go.  Wednesday is an exception.  I find it so hard to get up out of bed and accomplish anything on time.  This blaaah attitude continues all day.  I notice I get moody and have little patience with children, husbands, old people who walk or drive too slow, and anyone else in the general public. I also come home BEAT, to the point where I might fall asleep in my dinner.  Is this what Monday is like for everyone out there?  I guess so.  The thing is, Wednesday is generally not that out-of-the-ordinary.  It may be the easiest day of the week, task and work wise.  Like I said, I’m a weirdo.

Do any of you have a day of the week like this?

1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back

Today, I’m rejoicing that my cousin is back home safe here in Philly.  She was running the Boston Marathon yesterday.  She was in the back of the pack, nowhere near the bomb blasts.  She wasn’t even aware of what was happening until she got back to her hotel.  It took a few hours before the family had any word on her, so it was a scary time.  Some days, I truly love FB for keeping connected.

However, this happy time is met with a little sadness.  Today, I found out a friend of a friend was running in the race as well.  His fiancée was waiting for him at the finish line, and was injured in the blast.  The doctors are doing everything they can to save her leg.  It’s just heartbreaking when you put a name and face to such a tragedy.  Their wedding is in May, so hopefully they can at least still get married somehow.  As someone who has had to alter her wedding plans in a flash, I can understand the stress.  I also can’t imagine doing it on top of all of the other stress they’re going through at this time.

Please just continue to pray or send happy thoughts to those injured and those who lost loved ones.

What Gives Me Hope

So, I’m pretty sure that you all have seen and heard about the horrific events in Boston today. One of the first clips I saw involved two MA National Guard soldiers who ran towards the blast to rescue injured.

It’s amazing that they can do that job and fight the instinct to flee.  That will always stick with me when I reflect back on this tragedy.

My prayers are with the entire city of Boston, the injured, those who have died and their families, as well as everyone who was there and witnessed such destruction.

Sorry this is short but words are always difficult when something like this occurs.  I’m always more comfortable physically helping.  You can help in the Boston area.  The Salvation Army will be providing meals to rescuers and runners kind of stranded up there right now.  Stranded runners also need a place to stay.