No helium = No high pitched voices

Posted by random olio

I do not often have a reason to need helium. Who does? I guess moms or event planners that put on birthday parties. In any case, I had a reason to purchase balloons for someone last week. I placed my order and went to a different part of the store to pick out a card and a few other things. When I got back to pick up the balloons, the attendant apologized and said that she had run out of helium. “Oh, interesting” I said. “Is there a place nearby that I can get balloons at such short notice?” “No, there is a helium shortage, that is why Party City closed.” She told me.

Who knew! Of course I was fascinated. Maybe I missed it in the news, but could a helium shortage really close a Party City? Maybe so. A few interesting facts about helium:

The US supplies 75% of helium supplies
Amarillo, Texas is known as the helium capital (where the Federal Helium Reserve is located)
The federal government is getting out of the helium business, and the public sector is not prepared
Helium is used to freeze the magnets in MRI scanners
Used for filling balloons (that one you knew)
There is enough helium in the Federal Reserve to last 3 years
Preserves rare documents, such as the Declaration of Independence
It is the second lightest element and the second most abundant element
Of course it also fills the Goodyear blimp
Inhaling it causes your voice to change

Until the shortage is remedied, there will be sad faces of little boys and girls with no SpongeBob balloons at their birthday parties, and we will have to come up with some fresh ways to cheer someone up in the hospital without any get well balloons!

A few articles in case you want more context:

Helium shortage? Bureaucrats, firms are creating too little hot air – The Christian Science Monitor

As Shortage Worsens, We Visit the Federal Helium Reserve – Popular Mechanics

Helium shortage creating trouble for industry, health care, birthday parties – Desert News

Ou-ba-ju-ba-wobbles…and body language

Posted by random olio

I was intrigued when I watched this TED talk with Amy Cuddy. I cannot remember how I came across it, however, it has my mind going with so many ideas and questions. Body language is fascinating to me. She talks a lot about how we carry ourselves and what that means about our emotional state. When we are in a business meeting are we slouching or sitting upright? What are our legs doing? Do we cross them or put them up on a table?

So what did you think of what she had to say? I have a confession. Growing up I always had a large chest. You know, breasts, boobs, ou-ba-ju-ba-wobbles. I hated it. I hid them, or at least I tried. It impacted my posture. I stopped standing up straight. I started rolling my shoulders and over time my shoulders now have stayed that way. I try to work on my posture, but I am afraid it will take a while to fix after all those years of hiding myself. I remember a Sunday School teacher once told me to stand against the wall and stand up straight and carry myself proudly. I was offended (especially because it was in Sunday School)!

Yet, after listening to Cuddy’s video, it makes me think a lot about body language and power. How we sit, how we interact, our facial gestures, etc. I ask myself: How am I sitting in my meeting? How do I carry myself when I am interacting with family? Do I look engaged and interested, or bored and tired? Do I show respect with my body language? Do I show my power, or hide behind my body? All interesting thoughts to me as I assess how I am ME in this world.

What do you think?

The best medicine: Books

Posted by random olio

For those of you that might have followed my blog over the past year, I am very passionate about books, libraries, and making sure kids have access to books. Books have changed my life. So when I read the below email from a local library foundation :

“Rx for a better life

Read early, read often.

For many of us, reading is a lot like breathing. It’s a critical life function that we do without even thinking. In the course of any given day, we ingest a vast quantity of written word – words that direct and instruct us, keep us safe, inspire, educate and entertain us. Opportunity hinges on our ability to read. Without it, we cannot explore the depth of our potential. The ease with which we read, and read well, is reflected in our quality of life.”

Wow. Well said. I believe reading was my therapy throughout childhood. When I was immersed in a book, the chaos and tough moments in my day went away. During the time I was reading, the rest of the world did not exist, only the world I was reading about mattered.

Tonight I am going to do research about Christmas book drives in my area. While it might not be top on a child’s list these days to receive a book for Christmas, if they do not have many, it is an important and precious gift that should be given.

Want to join me in donating the gift of reading this holiday season? Feel free to post in the comments section of any organizations worldwide that are accepting books so that other individuals can learn from what you know!

A little early Christmas Spirit

Posted by random olio

Some days I feel older than others. Today is one of those days. I feel old, yet inspired. A woman that I have a lot of respect for, and was a friend and writing teacher of mine in college, had a boy. Then she had a girl. I have never met the girl, but I grew fond of her little boy after taking care of him at the day care I worked in at college. My good friend, Whit, and I would often babysit for him many nights. We would make him dinner, play, put him into his jammies, read stories, and tuck him into bed, then on to our homework.

What I remember fondly about those times in college was that these kids we took care of in day care or that we babysat for were in many ways a family to us. We grew to love them and their parents. Their parents were role models in many ways, as we watched them be parents, professors, and husbands or wives. Alden was his name. I have never met his sister, but I can tell that she has the same precious upbringing that I watched her brother have in his early years. Whit and I have many stories about Alden. He was precious. I remember he could not yet say motorcycle, and instead would say bikel bikel. He would also say: “I am living in a van, down by the r i v e r.” Ah, what smiles and laughter we had with Alden and his parents.

Fast forward to 2012. Alden is now 14. I told you I felt old. I apologize Alden if I have shared too much about what I remember about your first few years. I could not help myself. I am telling you about Alden because he has grown into such a talented young man (yes, Alden, I know I hated when folks called me that when I was younger, but remember I am old now). Alden has produced, mixed, mastered and recorded an album of his sister, Lydia’s vocals. He has also added: Guitar, Bass, Glockenspiel, Xylophone, Ukulele, and Percussion to the album.

You can listen to their new Christmas album here. Alden and Lydia, I am a fan.

Lydia + Alden’s album cover

Cranky passion…respect for another’s time

Posted by random olio

Do you ever get stuck on something that you have extreme passion over? To the point of being cranky about it?

I sometimes get frustrated when others in my life decide not to plan for certain events and I am impacted. You inquire about their plans, ask if they have decided, and in the end you are impacted by their indecision. At times like these I prefer to just cancel the plans and move on with my life. I get cranky with them. Maybe it is because it feels like they are not communicating and they are not thinking about how their unresponsiveness may impact your life. It means they are not respecting your time or appreciating what might be happening in your life. In the end it is selfish of them.

I try not to do this to others. I try to be aware of how my decision might affect others, and communicate with them if I know my indecisiveness might affect them. I let them know I am unsure. I tell them that if they need to move forward with their plans without me to go ahead and do so.

I know I should not judge others for the decisions they make in life, but it is hard. It means that there are missed opportunities. I want to be sure to teach my future kids to be respectful of other people’s time. It is like going to a meeting and other individuals in the meeting are not prepared and when they come to the meeting they are on their phone or computer. Are they respecting our time? Is that fair? If you are in that situation do you tell the other attendees to reschedule and reconvene when they are prepared?

How can we get others to respect the time of everyone we come into contact with? Is it even possible? What do you think?