Progress report: Month 6 (October 2019)

1. ... basement -- Continued work on/in it

2. ... sort/discard -- Discarded/gave away 22

5. ... Clean & reorganize garage & deck.  -- Finished
31. ... paperwork... -- On track
35. ... gym... -- Missed goal, only 2x/per week
36. ... vitamins, etc. -- B+
43. ... book group -- Done
44. ... Uvulati -- Done
45. ... Hearts & Hands -- Missed meeting (quilt show)
49. ... 150 movies -- Watched 4; total 42
      Sylvia
      Can you ever forgive me?
      BlackkKlansman
      Wanda Sykes: I'ma be me
50. ... 125 books/30 I own/15 previous BG/RC -- Read 7; own 3
      Current total: Read 42; own 9
      Pazienza: Dead star twilight [RC 2019] [own]
      Krueger: Ordinary grace [current BG]
      Williams: Eyes on the prize
      Cooper: The rainbow comes and goes [RC 2019] [own]
      Ihimaera: Whale rider [RC 2019]
      Esquivel: Like water for chocolate [RC 2019]
      Johnson: Boardwalk empire [RC 2019] [own]
52. ... current BG -- Done
53. ... current RH Challenge -- In process (3 to go)
85. ... healing/comfort quilts -- Finished 1 for Baby Bureau
94. ... gratitude journal -- Up-to-date
96. ... monthly blog update -- Up-to-date
97. ... 2 blog posts monthly -- Up-to-date

Period poverty

A few months ago, the Sunday Philadelphia Inquirer printed an article about "period poverty", a problem for young women who cannot afford to purchase the feminine hygiene products needed monthly.   While I had been aware of related problems abroad, like those in India, described in the Academy-Award-winning film, "Period. End of sentence," it had never occurred to me that there were young women in my larger neighborhood who were without the needed supplies to take care of themselves, go to school without worrying about embarassment, and, generally, to have control over this basic female bodily function. 

In response, I emailed my women's circle at St. Paul's, the Deborahs, as well as all the other women's circles, calling their attention to this newspaper article and requesting their cooperation in undertaking a project to assist in meeting this need.   In return, enthusiastic expressions of willingness to work together arrived from the leaders of the others.  As a starter, Deborahs gave me a check for $100, which I used (in conjunction with $12 in coupons) to purchase the above articles (cat not included), and I have an equal amount in donations left at the collection point at church. 

My hope is to make this an ongoing project involving all the women in our church and allowing us to deliver at least a small number of supplies as they are offered. 

Wherever you are, I suspect you will find a similar need if you begin to ask those in positions to know -- school nurses and teachers, in particular.   While legislation has been introduced in the Pennsylvania General Assembly which would require the provision of free napkins and tampons at all schools, until such time as this is passed and implemented, the students will continue to lack the proper supplies.  (Given the make-up of the PA GA, I'm not holding my breath for passage.)

Even under the best of circumstances in which this law passes and receives swift implementation, there will be the summer break, which will cut off the school-related supplies for students, as well as  year-round needs of the population of young women who are no longer in school. 

Join in the fight against "period poverty" wherever -- and whoever -- you are!   

Progress report: Month 5 (September 2019)

1. ... basement -- Continued work on/in it

2. ... sort/discard --  Mostly basement: 12
5. ... garage/deck -- Started on deck
31. ... paperwork... -- On track
35. ... gym -- Success!  3x per week 
36. ... vitamins, etc. -- B+
41. ... print photos 2x/year -- Did this month
43. ... Book group -- Done
44. ... Uvulati -- Done
45. ... Hearts & Hands -- Missed September meeting
49. ... 150 movies -- Watched 4; total 37
      Period, end of sentence
      Lilies of the field
      Puss in boots
      Boy erased
50. ... 125 books/30 I own/15 previous BG/RC -- Read 5
      Current total: Read 36, own 7
      Frazier: Cold Mountain [RC 2017][previous BG][own]
      Burke: Robicheaux [audio]
      Jiles: News of the world
      Beattie: My life starring Dara Falcon [previous BG][own]
51. ... older BG.. -- Read 2, total 3    
52. ... current BG book -- Done
53. ... current RH Challenge -- In process 
54. ... previous RH Challenges -- Finished 2017
81. ... 3 healing/comfort quilts per year -- Finished one for Welcome Church 
94. ... gratitude journal... -- Up-to-date
96. ... blog... update monthly -- Up-to-date
98. ... blog... 2 posts per month -- Up-to-date