circle of life

lately i have been contemplating the idea of fairness. it sure is a bummer that not all people are free from worrying about money or never experience heartache or loss. but it really irks me when i hear someone say, "that's not fair." 

what is 'fair'? 

is it fair that we in the U.S. never have to worry about religious persecution while christians in China have to go to church underground and live in constant fear of losing their lives if discovered? is it fair that people in third and fourth world countries have to live in poverty so that developed countries can maintain a high standard of living?  

i am not suggesting that it's bad to wish your life was different. i'll be the first to admit that i have those days. but instead of complaining about it or feeling sorry for myself i slip into my oversize sweatpants and granny panties, grab a pint of ben & jerry's 'imagine whirled peace' ice cream, and pop in a flick about someone whose life is far more deplorable than mine. and i feel instantly better.

after much consideration i have decided that the only thing fair in this life is death. no matter who you are or how much money you have (or lack), you will die. so cease feeling sorry for yourself and make sure that you live the life you've been given before it's too late. 

this is not to say that i don't fantasize about karma (or a similar higher power) keeping the universe in balance. when i watch the vikings games i can't help but think, "karma's a bitch, brett favre (and so are you). and that's what you get for being too proud to admit that you're too old to play pro football. and for breaking the hearts of millions of packer fans." i mean, i do feel sorry for him when he gets hurt; i'm not sick enough to rejoice when a grandpa breaks his ankle or has to get stitches in his chin. however, he should have quit while he was ahead. and wearing a green jersey. 

yeah... i'm bitter. 

speaking of bitter and unfair... i hate the game skip-bo (aka spite & malice). how about my 0-13 record? justin is 8-5, amy is 3-10, michael is 2-11. and i am ZERO for thirteen. you may wonder why i continue to torture myself. it is because one of these days i will win and it will be glorious.

cosmic encounter is a whole other story, however. suffice it to say, i dominate. 2-0 for me last night. and unlike skip-bo, this game is based mostly on skill. i feel vindicated. if you are a board game aficionado it would be an injustice for you not to play this game. it's delightfully dorky and crazy fun. 

it is essentially me in board game form. 

i am proud to be in the ranks of dorkdom. it gives me pleasure to include eco friendly tips in my posts, even though i'm pretty sure it solidifies my position as dork extraordinaire. the tip for this post is inspired by the overwhelming smell of taco meat that is presently taking over my apartment (the worst part is that the smell is coming from the neighboring unit). 

since it's too cold outside to open a window, a candle unfortunately becomes the best weapon in my arsenal to fight the smell of dead animal. and while my bath and body works candles will make my room smell amazing, relief of the stench of taco would come at a cost and may be hazardous to my health. so i woefully resolve to live with the smell that is wafting through my walls.

"por que (why)?" you may ask. well allow me to be the bearer of bad news.

the wax in most candles is made with paraffin which is petroleum based. and i hope that at this point you realize that petroleum is a non-renewable resource and its production causes pollution. additionally, burning traditional candles causes indoor air pollution as oils used to scent the candles are toxic when burned. 

so, next time you buy a candle consider purchasing a soy, pure beeswax, or vegetable-oil-based candle as these are naturally occurring products and are non-toxic. my favorite places to find such candles are target and the body shop. they smell just as good and your lungs and mother earth will thank you. 

stay neat, peeps.