One Day Without Shoes

Today is One Day Without Shoes!

A few facts:

• In many countries children must walk without shoes for miles.
• In certain regions of Ethiopia, wearing shoes and practicing good hygiene can prevent podoconiosis, a disease that causes swelling of the feet and legs due to prolonged exposure to irritant soil. In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, our partners work with HIV positive and street children, giving shoes to protect them from the dangerous city streets littered with glass, metal, and even sewage.
• Mountainous and muddy terrain makes farming difficult, both physically and economically, and Maria has never owned a pair of new shoes. This leaves her exposed to infection, intestinal worms, and cold weather illness.  With additional protection from illness and infection, Maria can spend more days helping her family and building her potential in school.

Even if you can't go the whole day without shoes, try going without them for at least an hour, and check out onedaywithoutshoes.com to learn more about the importance of providing shoes to children.

today's topic: things i like (perhaps even love!)

*toms shoes!
yesterday i bought my 3rd pair of toms shoes.  i always wondered if the shoes were a hype.  if they were really as comfy as they looked.  or if people were too afraid to admit they weren't that great after they paid that much for them.  but they're totally worth the hype!
i bought my first pair in july, then got a pair for christmas, then splurged yesterday and got a pair that lace-up (optional laces).  in my defense, the clinton museum store had their toms on sale, and they were a steal!
the best part?  toms shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for each pair you buy.  go check out their site to learn more about them.
my new pair:

*1 sale a day!

this site is just as it's name says...a great sale every day!  there's actually more than 1 sale...more like 5 sales a day.  and the products change every day.  warning: this site can be addicting and force you to go back every day!
my husband and i have been pretty responsible with the site.  i haven't bought anything that wasn't necessary.  we got a hard case for our camera and a wireless internet modem.  this site is great for when you need something but don't want to pay regular price.  they have cell phones and computers pretty often.  they also have jewelry and wii controllers and all kinds of random things.  be responsible and read reviews on the products first if you think you really need the item!

*la blogotheque and their take away shows!

this paris team videos traveling musicians in odd places.  and magic happens.

one of my favorite video series is of arcade fire.  also check out fleet foxes, priscilla ahn, bon iver, jason mraz, architecture in helsinki, and okkervil river's videos.  (i could go on for days talking about these shows and more!)

FINALLY:
*this email that i got today!

A Little Less Imperfect

The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. — 1 Peter 5:10

Have you ever thought life might be easier if you could be someone else altogether? Here’s one woman’s fantasy for her own identity change: she’d like to be a bear. Her reasons?

•  If you are a bear you get to hibernate; you do nothing but sleep for six months.

•  Before you hibernate, you must eat huge amounts of food—the more calories the better.

•  The children (cubs) are born while you are sleeping and are the size of walnuts.

•  As a mama bear, you swat anyone who bothers your cubs. Swatting is socially acceptable behavior.

•  Your mate expects you to wake up growling and have hairy legs and excess body fat.

Life is not perfect. We know that, but the longing for perfection has always been with us. Why? We were created for perfection. We live hoping for what we’ve never known, somehow knowing one day it will be ours. The good news is, perfection is on its way. One day all evil will be banished, taking with it all that is not perfect.     — Marilyn Meberg