Delicate Flower Day

There have been two amusing flower-related quotations that I have heard from my friends in the last little while.

First from C.B. comes "delicate flower day". There are some days that a person is perfectly fine being teased or given a hard time. And then there are other days when a remark, that would normally not even sting, feels like a stab in the chest. Don't be afraid to say, "hey, I'm a delicate flower today." If you have a nice friend like C.B., then they will take it to heart and be more kind until you're feeling better. If your friend is not so nice... well... sorry about your luck. They will probably ridicule you for declaring yourself to be a flower.

Then, J.B. was telling me about a flower analogy that he got from lord only knows where. In a relationship, one person is like the stem of a flower. The stem is important and provides stability, but doesn't often attract a lot of attention. The other person (because this analogy is limiting the number of people in the relationship to two) is the petals. Pretty; flashy; sometimes smells good; the petals attract the most attention and like it that way. One petal person will have a difficult time in a relationship with another petal person as they will always compete to be the center of attention. And as J.B. says, "I need that."

Pocket Susan Advice: 10 Easy (and Cheap) Ways to Help Save the Planet

1. Lose the Layers ... The temperature is rising, but there's no need to crank up the A/C. Instead, crack a window, strip down to a camisole, and savor the fresh spring air.

2. Become a "Locavore" ...

Going green can actually make you leaner. Banishing soda and junk food from your diet will whittle your bod and your grocery bill. Check out this new book, Go Green Get Lean by nutritionist Kate Geagan, for healthy recipes and tips for buying locally grown food.

3. Pay Bills Online ... If you think paying bills online is just about saving money on stamps, think again. Snail mail is a major drain on natural resources, from trees to the fossil fuels needed to send those envelopes all over the country. Enroll in an online bill-paying program with your bank and reserve your mailbox paper for magazines and love letters.

4. Green Your Laundry ... As a rule of thumb, cotton, lycra, nylon fabrics don't need to be washed in hot water. Since 90% of the energy used by washing machines is used to heat the water, you'll save a ton of power (and lower your electric bill) by turning the dial to cold.

5. Buy Vintage ...Shopping for clothes and accessories at vintage and resale shops is a win-win for the environment and your wardrobe. At Buffalo Exchange and eBay you can even trade in your old clothes for cash.

6. Ditch the Gym ... Treadmills and elliptical machines are total energy-zappers, not to mention a boring way to burn calories. Cancel your gym membership and head outdoors for a run or walk. Bonus: You'll save gas and time by starting your workout at your front door.

7. Be a Biker ...Cycling to work may be a stretch, but paring down to two wheels on the weekends is a fun and chic way to conserve gas — especially in the summer months, when the cost of fuel tends to spike.

8. Drink Smart ... Bottled water is a luxury no one can afford right now, especially the planet—— about 90% of all plastic bottles wind up in landfills. At about $2 a pop, you'll be amazed at what you save if you kick the habit.

9. Get Paid to Recycle ... You don't have to be a geek to end up with a box full of unused gadgets. Instead of tossing them out, participate in an electronics recycling program, like at Radio Shack, and get a little cash for your old gadgets.

10. Call Shotgun ... Splitting the cost of gas by carpooling can save major green at the pump and on car maintenance. If you live in a large city, consider ditching your car altogether and joining a car-sharing service such as Zipcar or Budget Frequent Renter.

Top 10 (Cheap) Ways to Help Save the Planet
by Ashley Womble
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/you/advice/ways-to-help-save-the-planet