Twitterverse

I've never been computer savvy by any stretch of the imagination. For years, the computer was to write papers, research for work, or send e-mails to friends I rarely got to see. But oddly, as I've gotten older the online world has found a niche in my life. It all started innocently when I "discovered" the Jericho message boards. Then a friend introduced me to Facebook and from there it was a short jump to Twitter.

Now I have Twitter friends. People I have never met, yet I speak with them daily. And I met them simply because we have a common interest: a scifi show called Caprica. So if I'm ever in Italy, Texas or New Brunswick; I'll have someone to visit. I'm learning to go green by reading blogs instead of getting books from the library.

My entire world view is changing, and not because of a single person I've met face-to-face. I think globally and investigate different viewpoints better than ever before. Being online has allowed me to understand why people are pro-life or atheists. It's easy to ask someone very personal questions when you can't see their face.

As I have risen, my husband has fallen. Once upon a time, you would hear me say "Make it work" (referring to the computer). Fast forward a decade, my husband comes home from work and asks me "What's Skype?" The truly scary thing is he expects me to know and I actually do.

I'm now an addict of the online world. I blog. I download torrents. I watch web series. The Guild is quite impressive. Somehow, this doesn't seem like me. But this isn't a bad new me, it's just a new me.

Going Green?

So I've decided our family shall go green. Problem is, I'm not really sure what that means. It's a completely amorphous goal that kind of feels like me saying and tomorrow I shall perform open heart surgery. Where do you start? How do you learn about this sub-culture/cult thing? Is recycling enough? How green to I have to be to make a difference? What does it mean to make a difference?

Honestly, I feel like an idiot. Here I have made this life style choice and I know virtually nothing about it. Green living is an all-encompassing thing. So do I take my family cold turkey into this unknown realm? I can't see my husband giving up his deodorant for a baking soda paste, and I definitely can't give up bananas (it's not like they're local produce in Washington).

How do I start? Well, thus far I've checked out a dozen books from the library in an attempt to absorb all the knowledge I need to begin my new life. I've learned some. A lot more than I knew a week ago. But there is a lot more to learn.

What started all this? It's been brewing in my head for years but I'm finally getting to the point in my life where I understand that even if it's not easy I can't be selfish. I have to find my balance with Mother Nature or my kids won't have a liveable world to raise their children in.

So back to the most basic question. How do I start? I think the books are a good beginning. And I've instituted Meatless Monday. From now on no meat in our Monday night dinner. It's not a lofty goal and it's a starting point. In a couple of weeks, the local farmer's market will begin and phase 2 will start. Our produce for the summer will come from local, sustainable farms.

I know it's not much but everyone has to start somewhere.