Simple Ways to Honor Earth Day

 

Saturday is Earth Day, so we decided to come up with a list of ways to get involved on Earth or any day, because as they say: Earth Day is Every Day!

1. Plant stuff! Flowers, trees or a vegetable garden provide oxygen and can even produce food in a way that is healthy for the earth and you.

2. Pick up trash and Recycling. The best place to do this is a natural ecosystem that is threatened by human behavior. So if you live near a forest, open space or body of water, take a trash bag and pick up debris. The animal residents will thank you.

3. Donate to your favorite environmental cause. Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservency, Sierra Club, Greenpeace and World Wide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund) are just a few options. You can also donate to a local organization, like Environment New Mexico. 

4. Compost. If you've been thinking about starting a compost pile, there's no time like the present. There are more ways than ever to get on the compost bandwagon, from high tech devices, to worms to just a basic pile in your backyard. 

5. Go Low Waste. Look around your house for unused containers and shop the bulk section for anything from flour and rice, to laundry detergent, shampoo and all purpose cleaner. Look for ways to get around plastic and excess packaging. 

And don't stop there. Use Earth Day as a day to kick off your sustainable journey.

 

 

 

 

Will's Book Nook: Batman '66

 

There's a newish Batman podcast called Batman '66 that revives the old 60s Batman TV show starring Adam West in all its campy glory. I watched reruns as a kid in the 90s and 00s and I appreciate it cheesiness even more now. This podcast acts as a continuation of the series in audio form. They even got Adam West and Burt Ward to reprise their roles of Bruce Wayne aka Batman and Dick Grayson ask Robin, Boy Wonder. Unlike the serious Batman movies and noir inspired series, this version brings back the jokes and the onomatopoeias that we all know and love. For its silliness and nostalgia, I give it 5 out of 5 scribbles.   

Arts Connections Advice

Q: My mom is going out of town for 9 days and I don’t like it. I’m nervous and I’m going to miss her. How do I cope?

A: The first thing is to remember that everyone deserves a break, and even though you aren’t happy about it, you still want to make sure that your mom has a great trip and is able to enjoy herself. Find someone who is not your mom if you need to vent about the trip. You don’t want to make her feel guilty. As for coping while she’s gone, make sure you have plenty of activities scheduled to keep your mind off of it. Think of some extra fun things to do with a friend or your dad. Have a movie night with popcorn or a game night. Go out to a restaurant or go bowling. You could even go to the zoo. Take pictures of the fun things you’re doing so that you can show them to your mom when she gets home. 

Q. My dad recently had a health scare when we were at church. It was scary, but I had help thankfully. We even had some medical professionals who stayed with him until the paramedics arrived. What do I do if it happens again or some other emergency?

A. You already did the best thing by alerting others nearby and finding the best people to help. Staying calm is also important. This helps you think more clearly. The unexpected can always happen, and it’s actually lucky that you weren’t alone. You can be prepared by having your phone and even a first aid with you when you’re out. And now that it has happened once, you know you handle it in the future.

Will’s Book Nook: The Tales of Uncle Remus, as told by Julius Lester

I remember the Uncle Remus stories from my childhood, but I remember just how funny they were. Especially when told by the author, Julius Lester, who performs his own audiobook with funny voices. Lester, the author and civil rights activist took the folk tales, originally compiled by Joel Chandler Harris in the 1880s. I like the trickster character, Br’er Rabbit, but I like that he occasionally meets his match and gets what’s coming to him. I also enjoyed how Lester modernized the humor and sometimes talks directly to the listener. I give it 5 out of 5 scribbles.

Easter Egg Hunt Tips

 

Even as grown ups, sometimes we still enjoy a good Easter Egg Hunt. Here are our tips for making it fun!

1. Most importantly, make sure you know how many eggs you're hiding and even number them. Then make sure all of them are accounted for. Especially if they're real eggs!

2. If you have time and plan ahead, make a map or take picture of each hiding place so that you can find all of the eggs again. See above.

3. If you'd like to make your hunt more exciting, hide a special egg that can be traded for a prize. You could paint this egg gold or make it stand out in some way. 

4. If there are different age groups participating, especially young children, consider hiding some of the eggs lower down, in easier spots and giving a 1 to 2 minute head start.

5. To make it more of a team effort, you can turn the hunt into a scavenger hunt. Each plastic egg could contain a piece of paper with a clue to the next hiding spot. Then each team gets a prize based on the order in which they finish or the number of eggs they collect.

Will’s Book Nook: Short Story Ideas

 

I like to write short stories, and in the past I’ve based them on Ironsides, a series featuring a detective in a wheelchair. But recently I’ve had some writer’s block. I’ve got some ideas, but I thought I’d do some brainstorming with my classmates for Writing Together. 

I particularly enjoy writing smart alecky detective stories, and I came up with a name befitting a New Mexican detective: Toto Caliente. I’m also a big advocate for representing disabilities of all kinds. But when it comes to the plot and other characters, I’m seeking inspiration. I’ve based characters on friends of mine in the past, and that’s always been fun. And I’ve worked a lot of my own experiences into my writing. Some options I’ve considered including in my next short story are: the potential spaceport that may be built in Albuquerque, and I’d like to use that in some way. A friend of mine is the inspiration for Detective Caliente’s partner, Pico. I also came up with a character called Singing Sparrow, based on the New Mexican Pueblo culture. One of my favorite books of all time is The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime, featuring a boy with autism who tries to solve the mystery of his neighbor's dog's death. A number of recent TV shows, like Sherlock, have also featured detectives and other main characters with autism. I like this idea, because autistic people see things in a different way than neurotypical people. I've also been listening to an audiobook collection about a blind detective. People underestimate him, and he uses his other senses in a way that others might not. One idea I've had is to include a community access worker as a character. Talking this through has helped come up with a lot of ideas. Thanks!

Arts Connections Advice

Q: With the time change that just happened, I’m feeling extra tired lately. I always struggle in the early afternoon just after lunch. How can I snap out of it?

A: Because your body is working hard on digestion, people often feel sleepy after lunch. Try eating something light and healthy. Pick from the 4 Ss (we just made that up): salads, soups, sandwiches and smoothies and see if it makes a difference. Another way to shake off the sleepies, is to go for a walk or some other type of light to moderate exercise. Getting out in nature and sunshine when you can is also beneficial. If all else fails there’s the classic method of splashing water on your face. 

Q. I have a disability and I use a wheelchair. When I'm out in public, I'm always surprised at how inconsiderate some people can be. People often cut in front of me in line or don't hold the door for me. How can I deal with this?

A. If you are with someone, make sure they advocate for you by speaking up. Awareness is a huge part of the battle. You can also practice speaking up for yourself. You can't always change people's behavior, but you can make them aware so that maybe in the future they will be more considerate. Even just making sure they don't ignore people with disabilities and pretend like they're invisible is a huge step forward (no pun intended). The key not to show your frustration and not to be passive aggressive, but to be as nice as possible. It's not fair that it's on you to be the bigger person and to educate, and there may be days when you just don't have it in you--and that's okay, but by killing them with kindness, they are more likely to change their behavior and everyone will benefit from it.