Spring Cleaning....

Many Saturday nights, a group of friends get together to play board games. Last night was no exception. Since everyone usually brings something in they way of refreshments/snacks/other shareables, I decided to bring some softdrinks. I usually bake something, but ran out of time on a particularly busy Saturday.

Now I don't usually drink softdrinks myself, but I do try to have a bottle or two around to serve to guests. For last night's gathering, I dug through my bottom cupboard and came across a 2 litre bottle of Red Ruby Grapefruit-flavoured Crush. The bottle was more than slightly caved/sucked in, not the usual plumped up cylindrical roundishness that one would expect. It had been there a while, as there was a funky sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Then I read the label.... there was some blurb about a contest, and how the bottlecap liner points had to be redeemed by October 31st, 2002.

Two thousand and two!

I really need to add cleaning out my kitchen cupboards to my list of my spring cleaning tasks this year. Who knows what other "treasures" I might find. There are advantages and disadvantages to having a well-stocked pantry...having to remember what you have in stock and how long it's been there is one of the downsides. Rotation, rotation, rotation!

And no, I didn't take the ancient bottle to the gathering... I dumped it down the sink, tossed the bottle into the recycling bin and popped into Costco for a yummy chocolate mousse cake instead.

That just about sums it up!

"If your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep becomes your downfall".

I'm reading Larry Winget's book "You're Broke Because You Want To Be". This quote is on page 68. While the "broke" part doesn't apply to me any more (it did, once upon a time before I wised up!), I find that I am really enjoying this book. A bit of schadenfreude? Perhaps. A bit of "been there, realized that"? Definitely. I like his no-nonsense approach to life, success and everything, and think it can be applied to much more than one's financial situation:

"You're Fat Because You Want To Be"
"You're Beautiful Because You Want To Be"
"You're Miserable Because You Want To Be"
"You're Lucky Because You Want To Be"
"You're Unhealthy Because You Want To Be"

I also like his distinction between "broke" and "poor". Poor is lacking in resources and opportunity. Broke is about squandering/wasting the resources you have.

This is the first of his books that I've read, and since I don't watch tv, I haven't seen his tv show (I'd rather spend my time reading or listening to audio programs). He comes across as a hardass in the book, but for some people, the soft approach to self-help just is not going to be effective.

So far, I give this book a DC two thumbs up. I'll be checking out his other books once my current stack is depleated.

Whoo hooo! Gail's going to republish "A Woman of Independent Means"

Great news from Gail Vaz-Oxlade... she's about to publish an update to her most excellent book "A Woman of Independent Means". If you haven't already read this book, it's well worth the cover price!!! Practical, sane advice about personal finance that covers all sorts of big "life events". I've given away a number of copies over the years to women about to finish university, about to get married, about to have babies, about to deal with divorce, as there is good advice and helpful checklists of things to think about and to do in preparation for any of a number of life changing scenarios. I love the fact that this book is written from a Canadian point of view, discussing Canadian laws and institutions.

(and guys... there's good advice for everyone in that book, not just for women!)

You can check out Gail's regular blog is here: http://gailvazoxlade.com/blog/

Shoes for Darfur

I caught a brief segment on CBC's Intown and Out yesterday with Julie Houde. She is an Ottawa-area teenager raising awareness of Sole Responsibility, an organization that collects old running shoes, walking shoes, hiking boots. Collected footwear is then send to Chad (Africa), where they are distributed to people in refugee camps displaced from their homes in Darfur.

Drippychick kudo goes to Julie Houde for caring enough to get involved, and to Sole Responsibility for doing good work for people who need help. Bravo Julie and Bravo Sole Responsibility!

For more information about the Sole Responsibility initiative, go to http://www.soleresponsibility.org

Hatching an idea....

"Drippy Chick?!?! You're going to call your blog Drippy Chick?" My closest girlfriend and I were sitting at my kitchen table sharing a steaming pot of vanilla almond rooibos. She was obviously underwhelmed with my idea. "With a name like that, some people may get the wrong idea."

I sighed gently and began again... "It would be about building big things out of humble beginnings. People will get that. Small starts and spectacular results. Little things that make a big difference. Drop by drop. Drip by drip." Her brow wrinkled.

"I've been following other people's blogs for quite a while now. I think it's time to get into blogging myself." She took a cookie off of the plateful that I offered her. "My idea is to create a forum to discuss enjoying a good life, simple pleasures and those things that take time, good work and patience to build on."

"I would write about some of the volunteer work I'm involved in, or the travelling I like to do, or the hobbies that bring me pleasure. Part of the blog would be about building up the financial resources to support a good life of simple pleasures."

"But the name Drippy Chick?!?". She seemed unconvinced.

I took a sip of my tea and continued. "I've been reading a lot lately about dividend reinvestment programs. They are called 'drips'. I could write about them, too. I'm a woman who wants to build a nestegg to support an early retirement. A chick with DRPs. A DRP chick. Drip chick. Drippy Chick".

She chortled and took another cookie from the plate. "I still think people are going to think it's about sex!"

Welcome to my blog -- a small start

Over five years ago, one of my colleagues suggested that I should create a blog. He and I had shared dozens of wonderful conversations on topics such as art, literature, personal finances, theatre, technology, politics and the human condition... all topics that were dear to me. At the time he suggested the blog idea, I thought "yeah, maybe someday".

Today is someday. Someday! Some day!!

Welcome to my blog... where I hope to share some ideas about culture, personal finances, good deeds, and changing the world one small deed at a time. Just as mountains are worn down raindrop by raindrop (drip by drip), barriers can come down little by little... good things can come out of small regular efforts made by average people over a length of time. In this blog I hope to celebrate these small efforts and the "difference" that can be made little by little, penny by penny, step by step, smile by smile, drop by drop.