Things That Matter

Well, it looks like a new record has been set in my blogging life - January 2008 was the first month since the creation of my blog that I didn't post even a single time! Silly me thought that I would have plenty of time in the cold, dark days of winter to just rest, relax, and blog. However, 2008 has started out to be a fast-paced year indeed. A few unplanned events contributed to the chaos (see Jon's blog), and work has been just as intense as it was during fall semester. However, a few other things have been consuming much of my mental energy (i.e., the ritual of New Year's resolutions). While I don't necessarily buy into the arbitrary nature of picking 1/1/xx as a time to create change, I do buy into the fundamental idea of reflecting upon and reassessing life. To that end, I have been learning about and actively working toward making a positive change in a few areas that matter to me.

Love Your Heart. Perhaps my own genetics called me into this new area of interest; however, as I learn more about this grim reaper of women, the more I feel a passion for educating others to care along with me. Heart disease and heart-related conditions are the number one killer of women. I know this is not a new statistic, but it does amaze me how it gets overlooked in terms of media advocacy. While you certainly hear a lot about the more physically apparent causes of poor heart health (i.e., high cholesterol, lack of exercise, etc.), little attention is given to the ticking time-bomb awaiting seemingly healthy individuals who received an unfortunate inheritance from generations past. Despite the fact that 27 can still feel like a somewhat immortal age, I have become painfully aware that the responsibility falls to the individual to be vigilant in protecting your heart health throughout your whole lifetime. Health care professionals will help fix problems once they arise, but they will not necessarily proactively work to prevent those problems from ever appearing. So, I am continuing to read enormous amounts of information about heart health, I am initiating the conversations with my doctor about making the right choices today, and I am doing my small part to raise awareness about the issue. Go Red for Women!

"Go Red For Women celebrates the energy, passion and power we have as women to band together to wipe out heart disease and stroke."

Love Your Planet. This has been an evolving passion over the last few years, but it seems like the forces have recently collided as "going green" picks up steam as a national movement, coinciding with my work on a very environmentally active campus, also coinciding with an extreme drought in NC. These collective forces have pushed me to seriously examine my behaviors, choices, and attitudes as they relate to our environment. It amazes some of my students when I tell them that I remember the days before littering was considered taboo. The anti-litter campaigns of the late 80's helped turn that tide. I also remember when recycling was a new concept. Since then, ongoing recycling campaigns and services of the last several decades have worked to make recycling an expectation in the workplace and at home. I feel like we are now witnessing another paradigm shift - and it's a big one. No longer do we simply have the responsibility to pick up after ourselves; we have a greater responsibility to make wise purchasing decisions, to reduce our footprint on this earth, and to demand that our government and our industries do the same. Today, we must become active advocates for our own survival on this planet. To me, that's a serious calling. We can't afford to be complacent any longer. Loving the earth isn't just for tree-huggers these days, it is a responsibility for all of us. So, we're attempting to change the way we use water in our home, we've purchased a significantly more fuel-efficient car, I ride a bus to work, we're recycling more, we're trying to buy more local food, and we've changed our household lightbulbs. There's much, much more to do, but it's a start. My new year's resolution is to continue learning about the issues, and to do my part to advocate for a healthier planet. Perhaps our next president will be more interested in doing the same? Let's hope!

Find out how your household activities add to the atmosphere.

Disclaimer: My own lifestyle is far from emblematic of either of these causes, but I believe it is the small steps we take in a positive direction that truly matter. I'm taking my steps.