Excited Over Compost

So, for my Capstone Project I emailed the composting company my school uses (Vermont Compost Company) asking them what kind of compostable products they accepted. I asked specifically about biodegradable take-out containers and compostable kitchen gloves. The email I got back shocked me.

Hi Tori

We do not currently accept "compostable" products but we know there are new things coming out all the time and we realize that we need to start re-considering some of the options. Could you get samples for us and info about the suppliers?

Thanks!

Jennifer

I think I even squealed when I read that email! I am so excited that I have the chance to help this big company possibly change their policies and accept man-made compostable products in their bins.

I was telling my parents about this and my mom says they might consider beginning to compost. It took me forever to get them to recycle, so that would be a big step. I just need to gather info about the benefits of composting, why it's so important, and how to do it. (I'm supposed to do this for my project anyway) Once I get this info I can share it with more than just my family. I can share it with schools, restaurants, and anyone else who will listen.

I am truly more excited about all this than I am about the beautiful 70 degree day being predicted, that I can wear a skirt, and that I'm hanging out with a bunch of friends today. This weekend is going to be so awesome.

Lots of Updating!

Confident. Happy. Inspired. These are three words that can explain how I'm feeling right now! My new classes are amazing. There are some boring points, but overall they are very upbeat and fun. Many of my teachers have lot of passion for the subjects they're teaching. I swear it makes all the difference in the world. When my teacher is passionate it inspires me and makes me want to be passionate. It makes me want to try harder and learn more. I've been to almost every single one of my classes at least once. There is only one class I have not had yet, and I have it tomorrow afternoon. I am really enjoying them all, though. It's very surprising. I feel foolish for being so nervous, but at the same time I know that being nervous is just a part of how I deal with change. I am not sure which class is my favorite so far. Maybe Spanish. The teacher is from Costa Rica (I think) and he's a lot of fun to learn from. He talks with his hands a lot and he encourages us all to do our best by giving us positive feedback and working personally on our weak points. I think it is easier for me than expected because I took 4 years of French, and the languages are very similar.

I have to say I never thought I would love being in class so much. My only concern is that I still feel knots in my stomach whenever I think about being in my lab class where I actually need to interact with customers. The knots dissolve as soon as I'm in class, but beforehand I work myself up thinking of all the possible things that I can do wrong. It's just frustrating, and something I need to work through.

I love how small my class is. There are only 6 of us! We are all going to know each other really well by the end of these 6 months. We're doing a lot of team building type activities, and it's wonderful. I feel so accepted. It's so different from high school where we all grew up together so they saw that stupid little kid I used to be. These people don't see that kid. Maybe that's why guys are actually starting to be interested in me? It's a strange feeling. Of course, not knowing much about the people I go to school with has got its drawbacks. I was eating dinner in the cafeteria talking with this guy and somehow we got on the topic of tattoos. I show him mine, and he starts in on the stereotypical crap. "Oh, it's evil. Do you cast spells? Blah, blah, blah." Not really in a mean way. But, still, I took it negatively. I should have expected it and dealt with it in a better way, but it still takes my by surprise when someone says something like that. I'm glad I don't have classes with this person, because I don't like him very much.

It's snowing here! Second real snowfall of the year. While I was walking to dinner I couldn't help but stare up at the sky. Falling snow is so beautiful. I just wish it wouldn't fall on my car...

I'll try to read blogs soon! I think Thursday and Friday will have to be my catchup days.

Two Posts That Inspired Me

This morning I read two blog posts that inspired me. I rushed to work and forgot all about them, but then I came home and re-read them and was re-inspired by their awesomeness. The two posts are Brandi's Monday Mission, and Jamie's post about not being afraid to have your own style. I'm sitting here now trying to figure out if they can be connected in any way, but that's just that part of my brain talking. The part that needs to analyze everything and find connections. Instead of listening to that part of my brain I'm going to continue writing about why these posts inspired me so much!

First Brandi's doing it imperfectly. Could this have posted at any better time? I don't think so. I've got all these creative ideas flowing through my head, even as I type. The problem is I would most likely start them, and quickly decide I'm not doing it 'right'. This is why I stop doing so many things I love doing. Writing for one example. I criticize myself, and I can be brutal, so I just stop doing whatever it is. Well I'm going to write this quote down somewhere so I can see it next time I think of stopping in the middle of a project. "Anything worth doing is worth doing badly." - Julia Cameron

Now Jamie's fearless fashion sense. Fashion scares me. Where I live it's all jeans and t-shirts. There are exceptions, but the majority of people (all ages)wear jeans and t-shirts. That's what I wear, it's what I'm used to. And in my family we all wince at the thought of spending a lot of money on our clothes. Just looking at the price tags on the nicer clothes makes me want to die. $20 for a shirt? $50 for pants?! How can anyone spend that much? I guess I do have that negative view of fashion that Jamie talks about.

Anyway, for school in September I need to have white button up shirts and black dress pants. When I first realized this I had no clue what I was going to do. I still don't. I hate walking into stores where they sell these kinds of clothes. I feel so out of place. I own a few shirts now, but I'm stumped on the pants. I'm going to the mall this weekend, so I guess I'll look there. I also want to update my wardrobe. I've never really gone clothes shopping at the mall before, so this will definitely be interesting! I'll be wincing the entire time, but I swear I'm going to actually buy some nice clothes! Maybe I'll ask my cousin to come with us, she'll defend me when my mom tries to make me buy clothes I know I'll never wear.

Thank you Brandi and Jamie! This is why I love blogging, I know I'll always be inspired daily by wonderful people.

Where Did The Inspiration Go?

I just got done babysitting for the night. I brought my laptop with me in high hopes that the little boy would be asleep, but I had no such luck. He stayed up the entire time. And he's 1. If I had stayed at home I would have been asleep way earlier! I'm really an early to bed early to rise person... I'm tired. Or I was tired before I took a shower. Who knows how long I'll be up now? xD

I came to the conclusion today that I am like my laptop. I need to be unplugged from at least 4 different things before I can go anywhere, and plugged back in before I can do anything. I haven't been feeling creative in the least. When I'm not at school, working on scholarships, watching movies with my cousin, cleaning the house, cooking, or reading my latest murder mystery, I'm on the computer. I haven't been doing anything that inspires me to be creative. I used to write all the time! Poetry is one of my favorite things. I love reading it and writing it. The former inspires the latter.

I also haven't been a very outdoorsy person lately. When it isn't warm outside there are days when I won't even leave the house except to get into a car or onto the school bus. It makes me sad. I love being outside. Today I was outside putting bread out for the birds. I remembered a time when I would have been sledding, jumping into a snow pile, making a snowman, or just walking around. All in spite of the freezing cold weather. I don't even own a decent pair of snow boots anymore! I haven't tried on my old winter jacket either. I may not even own that, I think my sister has claims on it now. We have a ton of snow that I just won't play in. I want my care-free little girl to come out and inspire me again. There's no little whisper in my ear saying "Go on! Pile on the layers of clothes and just go outside! It'll be fun... you'll love it!" That whisper is gone.

Do I really think if I start reading poetry and playing outside that it will inspire me to be creative again? I don't know. It's worth a shot, though.