No TP for a Year!

No, not me! A couple in NY with a 2 yr old plan to go for a year without toilet paper, or using any paper products, eating only organically grown food--grown within 250 miles of Mahatten-- and making no garbage! He is a liberal tree-hugger who plans to write a book. (Won't that be a waste of paper?) He's calling it No Impact and has a website at: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/

I am about to retire from recycling most things because in order to recycle, I have to store things and when ready drive downtown, which is about a 30 mins trip. I wish there was a pick-up service available but there isn't. The last time I went, I was alone and no one else was there except for a man who appeared out of nowhere and attached himself to my back door. I didn't see him when I drove up and suddenly, he's knocking on the window of the passenger back door! It felt like my heart was on standby! I looked at him, turned around and asked myself--do I drive off with him attached to the car or do I unload the car that I had just loaded at home? He looked small (wasn't considering a knife or gun!) so, I reluctantly unlocked the car and started unloading things. Throwing things was more like it! I threw a lot of stuff from as close to the car as I could. The whole time I was saying to myself--I am not coming back here again over and over! He was taking things out of the car, too. My guess is that he was from the soup kitchen a couple of blocks away. I didn't ask! I became aware of my purse being in the front floorboard and knew it wouldn't be too hard for him to reach over and get it. I don't carry much money but having had my purse stolen before, I knew what a headache it is to replace everything!

We got through and I knew he expected money, so I got a dollar out and told him I didn't have much money and with me standing inside the car door, he snatched it out of my hand and was off! I sat down in the car, locked the doors, restarted my heart and looked around and didn't see him anywhere! I started the car and left quickly! I don't know if I was more scared or angry! I didn't ask for help and didn't feel like I had a choice about it!

This was my second experience like this. The first time the guy was waving me in and took stuff out of the car while telling me he was hoping to get a job, etc. When the car was unloaded, I wished him luck with the job, got in the car and left! I only had change and there was no way I was going to open my purse in front of him! At first, I thought maybe he'd been hired to help on week-ends but now I think word has been passed around the soup kitchen and I don't plan to go back!

I'll still take the newspapers to the church down the road and do what I can do in safety, but no more going to the recycle center downtown!

And btw, I don't know who thought of locking the car doors with one button, but bless 'em! I always lock the doors when I go downtown. I was at a former neighborhood post office one night around 7 pm, putting stamps on some cards, and I saw motion out of the corner of my eye. I surprised myself with how fast I hit the lock button! A man was standing by my door and when I cracked my wondow, he was telling some tale about his girlfriend dumping him out and he didn't know where he was and would I take him to the highway! WHAT? I'm wondering if I have stupid on my face? No way was I taking him anywhere! I suggested he walk down to the grocery store and ask one of the guys for a ride and he left--and so did I! The next time I was in the store, I asked the cashier if he had come in and she said he had and one of the guys gave him a ride. Not that I was concerned. I was just checking to be sure he needed a ride!

And this brings me to the 250# drunk cop in Chicago that beat up the bartender who was half his size! Ladies, if someone attacks you, forget you're a lady and fight as dirty as you can! You know what I mean--grab hold and create as much pain as you can! Kick the knee, go for all the soft spots. Great if you have a weapon. I'm sure this lady was so shocked it was hard to think, but she could've hit him with a beer bottle. The men in the bar did not help! I don't know if it was because he was a cop or they were just too drunk, but dang--no help, at all?! It was really brutal! She survived but is scared to go out now.

Lock your car doors, ladies!