Complexions aren't really that Complex...

A friend sent me a text today asking what face cleansing products I used...

Avalon Organics, for sensitive skin. Of course these wonderful products are made here in America. Actually, I 'll take this moment to thank my sister for suggesting this regimen years back. Thanks Stephanie.





Now let's take a moment to recognize that cleaning your face with the right organic products will help; however the most important thing to keep in mind is that "what you are putting in your body will affect your complexion."

Years ago when I polluted my body with alcohol while living in LA, my skin sucked! Really, my skin looked horrible and I always wondered why... I tried Pro-Activ and other harsh chemical cleansers and would have clear skin for a few days a month. Then I blamed it on my hormones.

The truth of the matter is when I moved up to Sonoma County and adopted good habits, my skin started to clear up. I ate veggies, drank lots of water. I've cut high-fructose corn syrup out of my diet {Thank you King Of Corn, documentary}... And I stopped drinking alcohol.

Also, always use a biodegradable detergent for your laundry. This way you'll have no harsh chemicals harming your face and you'll be helping keep the waste water chemical free too! The fish will thank you!

Along with using the right skin care products and consuming good for me food, my skin cleared up!



I highly recommend a good diet and using Avalon Organics skin care line.

How many cotton balls have I sent to the landfill?

Up until a few years ago I bought whatever brand was on sale at the local drugstore. Once I started caring and thinking about what I put on my face is just as important as what I put in my body -- Well... I switched my buying habits and started buying Chemical Free Organic Cotton balls.

I got lucky on this one, because the Organic Essentials cotton balls are made in USA. During one visit to our local market Glen brought up a valid question. "How many balls do we really use?" In our household one bag of 80 lasts us about a month. So... That's 960 cotton balls a year that just our family is sending to a landfill. There is always an alternative. Glen suggested an organic cotton washcloth. I knew with my sensitive skin I would regret agreeing to that sacrifice. I jumped online and after a few minutes of research and reading reviews, I found it!

www.betterforgrownups.com


REUSABLE Organic Cotton Rounds, Made in the USA, in a recyclable waterproof cardboard dispenser. Thirty rounds come in the box with a cute little mesh bag to throw them in the washing machine (of course to be washed with my biodegradable detergent)

They also have reusable silk tissues.

I placed my order and the box arrived a few short days later. They work great. The rounds are very absorbent and soft.

Thanks better for grown ups!

No more disposable cotton balls for us!

This is soooo easy!

Well you really can't go a week without writing a blog, otherwise there is just too much action, too much tale to tell.

Deb and I went to Tahoe for a much needed get away. We stayed at the awesometastic and always eco-radical 968ParkHotel where we had lots of fun and where Deb got to experience "The Vargas", at least that's what we're calling it. On the first night Deb woke up with stomach pains at about 4am and went to the bathroom. About 3 minutes later she starting screaming "Glen help me" to which my body responded by streaming a bolt of supercharged adrenaline straight to my ass, which shot me out of bed.

When I opened the bathroom door Deb was hyperventilating, pulling her clothes off and saying she had to throw-up. It looked like a panic attack to me, I've seen her have one before and I've had plenty myself. But then the bad happened, she fell back against the toilet with her eyes opened and her body completely limp. I thought she was dead, I ran to the door and screamed down the hallway for someone to help. I came back inside the bathroom 5 seconds later and she was choking on vomit (this blog should have contained a disclaimer, I guess I could still put one in...).

I pushed her forward and started hitting her back, hoping this would clear her mouth and throat, it did and she gasped. She sat up still very dazed, I saw that she was awake and so I ran down stairs to the lobby and scared the shit out of the night manager. "call 911 right now, NOW!" I screamed at the poor guy behind the counter. I ran upstairs and Deb was a bit more awake, I told her the ambulance was coming and she said "let me put some clothes on". That's my wife, dressing up for the paramedics with vomit in her hair.

Now, Deb had not been drinking, no drugs, we both ate the same thing throughout the day, so we had no idea what had happened and no clue what could have caused it.

Ok, lets get to it! Doctor said she had "Vasovagal" which is something that happens for no reason or a million reasons, Google it you'll see what I mean. We're calling it "The Vargas" to make light of the situation and to avoid breaking down in tears each time we talk about it. Basically she passed out while straining when she was throwing up. Elevation could have had something to do with it, panic attack as well. Anyway she checked out fine and by 5:30am we were back in the hotel room, traumatized and ready for our vacation to start!

I did thank the night manager for his help, I apologized for screaming at him, but he along with the whole staff at 968ParkHotel was more concerned with us and wished Deb a speedy recovery. When in Tahoe for a weekend ski trip or just there to pass out and choke on some puke, stay at 968Park Hotel.

On our way back home coming down HWY 50, we stopped off in the little foothill town of Placerville. I lived not too far away from here, in Auburn, for a little over 10 years. And although I'd been to Placerville numerous times, I'd never been there while shopping for only American made products. Alright Placerville, how patriotic are ya?

Deb knits* and sews and we so stopped into a little place called Lofty Lou's Yarn Shop www.knit.us where we found plenty of great products made in the USA, as pictured below.

We bought some wool and a few other things, obviously all made in the USA and we chatted it up with Lou herself, who couldn't have been nicer and more supportive of our plan to only Buy American in 2010.

We went down the street a ways and Deb found some great socks in a clothing store, made in the USA.

Ok Placerville, you win this round.

We got back into Santa Rosa, got home and checked the phone messages. My eye doctor called said my glasses were in and I could pick them up before 5pm. Also got a message from the cobblers (a Ukrainian couple that own a shoe repair business in Santa Rosa) and Deb's Danskos were repaired, polished and ready for pick up!

Got the shoes, they looked brand new, and would you believe that you can actually repair shoes instead of throwing them out and getting another pair? Who'd a thunk it! Then we picked up my glasses and noticed this store next to eye doctor's office
Hmmm....I love to cook, I've never seen this place before...Let's see how patriotic this secret homewares store is.

Deb and I were greeted by Sarah as we walked into Hardisty's . We quickly told her we were looking for American made goods and her eyes lit up! "Well this company makes these pans in the USA" she said ,so we bought one! We got the one with the little dinosaurs, so we could make dinosaur shaped cakes and breads (our daughter Ella approved of this purchase). Sarah showed us some cast iron cookware as well which Deb and I already own (and they're great! All the non-stickability without the cancer concern of teflon).



We saw this
and our hearts skipped a beat or beater, whichever, we were in love with Hardisty's! We spent some more time there and some money and walked away feeling great. Not only would the customer service rep in Target or Walmart or K-Mart, not be 1 percent as knowledgeable as Sarah from Hardisty's, but you would never have found these products in those stores. If more of us bought from local stores and only purchased American made products, then we could rebuild our manufacturing base here in the USA. And if we did that, we wouldn't need to do business with communist countries like CHINA and we could rid ourselves of the guilt from being mass-consumers who care more about getting things cheap, then we do about our own futures.

Again, this buying American made goods is EASY you just have to care, that's all. If you don't care about this country then would you please do me and my family a huge favor and move to China! I'm sure the Chinese government will be happy to have you and even happier to censor, oppress and enslave you while they ship toxic products around the world and get fat and rich off of your blood, sweat and tears.


*I have seen Deb knit twice, only twice...ever.

The snow jacket incident

Ahh winter! Frosty mornings in the crisp clean air and brisk afternoons in the crisp clean air. And of course freezing cold nights that I'm assuming also contain crisp, clean air, although I wouldn't know for sure cause it's too damn cold out there to find out!

Deb and I decided we needed to get out-of-town for the next few days, and instead of going to Figi or Maui, we've decided to go to an even colder place than our own backyard, Tahoe! Deb has never seen snow (I blended up some ice cubes once and threw a ball of it at her, but it's just not the same, still fun though). Last year deb found a hotel in Tahoe called 968 park hotel. She did a google search of "eco hotels" and 968parkhotel was one of the first to show up. This eco hotel had been completely remodeled from the ground up, using recycled lumber, zero v.o.c (volatile organic compounds) paint, organic bedding of wool and natural latex and organic cotton. All that hippy stuff that keeps us safe and cancer-free and with plasma screen tv's and indoor sauna and spa.

We went up late last year after most of the snow had already melted. Our stay was great, but Deb still didn't get a real snowball thrown at her and I was determined to make her wish come true (I'm an awesome husband).

So last week we booked a few days, made arrangements for Ella to stay at her mother Alycia's and we found out our good friends Daniel and Angelica were going up to go skiing the same time we were. They were even staying across the street from us (I'll need to make more snowballs).

But it's like winter-winter up there right now. We're talking freezing, 10 feet of snow, birds falling frozen to the ground kind of winter. And we're just a couple of spoiled wine country folk, who haven't really needed to purchase big, waterproof, insulated jackets.

"oh no" I screamed out loud into a silent and empty kitchen. "We don't have time to find winter jackets made in the USA, we're leaving in three days". I kept screaming out into the kitchen hoping if I did so loud enough, god would finally hear me and send down a couple of hefty snow jackets. He didn't, but I kept screaming anyway. And on side note, god has never answered a prayer of mine, I'm really starting to wonder he even exists.

We had two options. One, we could go to the ski/snowboard shop here in Santa Rosa and rent winter gear. I decided to go this route first, for I'm sure we could get more modern looking gear than we would if we went with the second option (thrift stores). I went down to the shop and priced out the rentals. Over a hundred bucks this lapse-in-planning was going to cost us. "screw that!" I screamed out loud into the kitchen of my empty home, after returning from the ski shop.

Ok, option deuce, here we go. Now, we have many great thrift stores here in Sonoma County, I've been stealing from them consistently for over a decade. I justify my theft with this logic "they get it for free, so should we". Thrift stores, to me, should really just be like online dating services for naked people who want to hook-up with used clothing. I should really only have to pay a onetime membership fee of say, $10, then I should be able to come in anytime and find a new outfit or picture frame or taxidermied rabbit, and not have to pay for it. I guess "society" hasn't evolved to my completely solid logic, yet. So until then I suppose this is just shop lifting.

Jesus, why did I get off point here? I did not mean for that tangent to be a confession.

I like thrift stores, I like not spending so much on clothes, and I like the idea of taking things that would have been tossed into our overflowing waste stream and giving them a continued life. We recycle bottles and cans and plastic, why not clothes.

There are 7 major thrift stores within 25 miles of one another here in Sonoma County. Sonoma County is also fairly well-to-do, what with all the rich yuppie wine people here. I'm sure I'll be able to find a couple snow jackets in pretty good shape, for far less money than I would have spent renting them. So I'm off!

Deb's jacket I found right away. A three toned (purple, blue and pink) Columbia snow jacket, with fleece liner. No stains or rips and maybe from 2003 or newer (1997, but don't tell Deb). It was a whole whopping $6.99!! Three stores down, 1 jacket found, 4 stores left, 1 jacket to go. Then it hit me "what about snow pants?". Luckily I had been offered a pair to borrow, from Daniel and Angelica, because I was planning on doing some snowboarding. But Deb, she's tall, and unless I find three foot tall insulated moccasins, she's going to need snow pants.

4 stores left, 1 jacket and one pair of snow pants to go.

Fast-forward to no stores left, 1 pair of extra tall snow pants found ($4.99 and practically brand new) and still lacking 1 snow jacket for yours truly.

I lived in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada for about ten years, from age 6 to 16. We lived in Foresthill, which is east of Auburn Ca, just off I-80 south of Tahoe about 100 miles or so. In the winter in Foresthill it did snow. One year we got 4 feet of snow and a nice two weeks off of school. My parents were idiots though and never put a lot of thought into ensuring their two children were adequately dressed for those snowy winters. I have pictures of myself as a child, playing in the snow in converse high-tops, acid wash Bugle Boy jeans and a sweater. I guess they thought hypothermia would only set in if it was our time to go, and until god took us home, he would use his super-powers and protect us from the elements with an invisible force-field.

Granted hypothermia never did set in, so I suppose god is real!

Anyway, I'm not a dumb, numb, ten year old anymore and I'm not going up to the snow for three days without a snow jacket! If I had thought just a week or so ahead about this snow gear thing, I could have easily found a snow jacket made in America from one of these great websites.

buyamerican.com
stillmadeinusa.com
howtobuyamerican.com

These websites will link you to hundreds of companies still making things in the United States. The work these folks have done in connecting all of us to these companies through their websites, is amazing! Thank you to them.

But of course I didn't think about this winter gear situation in time to connect to any of these companies and since I can't just mindlessly impulse buy like I used to (cause I have a conscience now) my only option is second hand or rental.

It was looking like rental and 45 bucks until Deb and I tried one last thrift store about 5 miles north of home. Score! I found a black and purple Columbia snow jacket in great condition, no liner or hood, but I could layer and as long as I had a water proof shell, I'd be warm enough.

Total cost for winter gear= $19.00!

Total cost in gas driving to thrift stores= $5.00 (Prius)

Total cost of getting to throw a real snow ball into the face of my wife, who is appropriately dressed for winter snow conditions= Priceless

Thrift stores are always an option over buying things new, that are made overseas. Not only do you remove something from the waste stream, thus making our world a cleaner place to live, but you save money. When you buy something new from a store, they have to replace that item by ordering another. That means shipping it across the ocean, which means more pollution from fuel not-to-mention that you're adding another future item to the waste stream. If you can't find the thing you're looking for made in America, go to craigslist or ebay or a local thrift store first, and try to find the item gently used.

I'll update this blog with a photo of Deb after being hit with a snow ball, as soon as I hit her with one.

It's totally about tampons!

Hello there, I'm Deb.

I'm a 31 year old, opinionated ex-Texan, that doesn't always know what I'm talking about but always acts like I do. I was raised in the suburbs of Houston where we were surrounded by cow pastures and strip malls. I shopped at Walmart and never thought twice about where anything I bought came from. When seams in my pants came unraveled, I threw them out and bought a new pair.

This is how I was raised, why change? I remember back-to-school shopping at JC Penny's, Mervyns and Bealls. Each year we would stock up on socks, underwear and a whole new school wardrobe. Looking back through photos, not only did I look horrible, but I'm sure my entire wardrobe was imported cheap crap.

Even when I lived on my own, I thought buying quality goods was shopping at the mall or a department store (not like the crap they sell at Ross). "I love it, I got it at Ross."

I'm growing up and learning. Now I think about where things come from, what they are made of and how far they traveled to get here. I'm not saying all imported items are bad, not at all. But if I can reduce my carbon footprint & support my country at the same time by purchasing "local" goods, it's a win win.


Now it hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows, but I'm getting closer to that now with my new way of life. Back in 2006 it all started with me watching documentaries, starting to eat better, listening to others and learning. Up until then I really thought I knew it all. I realize now I only knew enough to get by and really I was doing myself a disservice by going through life putting minimal effort into my actions.


Last week, in the final days of 2009, I looked at the country of origin on all my regularly purchased products. I had a big sigh of relief when I discovered my makeup is made right here in the United States of America. I quickly went through everything in the bathroom. "Shit! My organic cotton tampons are made in Germany." So the thought crossed my mind, "do I run to the market and stock up?" No! I went online and with the help of a simple google search I found organic cotton tampons made in the USA. Big sigh of relief, there is always an alternative.

Well, that's it.

Seriously never drinking again!

Words I've heard mumbled by many friends over the years. I'm sure I've coughed them up a few mornings myself after "epic" parties and ridiculous traditional celebrations. I have never been a big fan of traditions. I've always felt they lock you into doing things just because "that's what we've always done" and often afterward, I'm left unsatisfied and sometimes remorseful after engaging in these traditions.

We've all heard "just because someone else jumps off a bridge, doesn't mean you have to". My mother loved saying that to me, usually while punishing me for some dumb thing I did, because my friends were doing it too. But that's what it's like when you're young, when you're learning. But when you get older you don't have to follow your dumb friends anymore or those traditions. You can finally do what you want!

But how many people actually do that? Most people's idea of doing what they want, is to do the same things they've always done. I know it's hard to be independent sometimes, because we all need each other. It's hard to think outside the heard (is that a saying?). I've alienated many dear friends in my life, people who would be there for me when times got rough. All in the name of being independent and following my own principles and ideals.

When I decided to boycott products made in China, many of my friends didn't understand why it was such a big deal. People in China need to eat, they have children, by supporting them we're supporting humanity, right? Sure, but your neighbors have children as well and they also need to eat. And when they lost their jobs because the company they worked for found they could make a shitload more money by shipping labor costs overseas to China, those neighbors also needed help. And every time you purchase a product made in China (not to mention you're directly supporting a communist country, not a democracy) you're supporting the company that laid off your neighbor.

My friends were not smart enough (or were too brain lazy) to understand how supporting China negatively affects the laid-off neighbor and them as well. Maybe their job will be next and soon they'll need help. Sure that family in China has children to feed and I don't want their children to starve. But the people I see suffering are the people in my own country. I decided that I would help my own people first.

Deb understood why it was important to boycott China. Of course I had more time to explain it to her and show her the facts, to make sure she watched the documentaries and read the books. But my friends, I had no control over, and many of them were defensive when I breached the subject.

Maybe they felt guilty, maybe they did understand why it is important to help our neighbors first and our own country, but they couldn't commit themselves to doing the right thing. But maybe they had gotten used to "traditionally" doing their shopping at certain stores, stores like Walmart and Target and Home Depot and Macy's. Stores where you'd be hard pressed to find any American made products. Maybe they had gotten used to "the cheap". The cheap is buying something you know will only last a short time, but because it's less expensive upfront than a more quality product, against the very obvious logic, you buy the cheap. Even though over the next few years you'll replace "the cheap" enough times to add up to the more quality product's cost.

Most people nowadays buy "the cheap". Waiting, saving, logic, these things don't exist to millions of people. It's the part our grandparents got right and we're getting very, very wrong. Not that our grandparents were perfect (thanks for Global Warming grandpa) but they did understand quality, saving and working hard.


Although even these days, I'm afraid, there are just as many penny-pinching grannies out there then there are young people who want it now and refuse to save up. Those grandpas shopping at Home Depot for a new sprinkler, probably don't care too much that it's tainted with lead (warning this product contains lead a known cancer causing agent; you see this sticker a lot at Home Depot) or that it's made in China, and that he's directly supporting communism. I doubt grandma is at the fabric store checking the country of origin labeling on that cute butterfly print she wants to make dresses out of for the grandchildren (not to mention it's on sale and she definitely has a coupon).

That's one tradition that's almost dead in this country, and it's the one I would support till my dying day. The tradition of patriotism. I might not agree with the way this country was founded (genocide doesn't sit too well with me). And I might not agree with every law, every tax, every politician's speech. But I was born here and if I'm going to stay here and make this land my home, then I'm going to support my people and be a true steward of this land. I'm not going to shit all over it with a big, diesel spewing truck. I'm not going to grow a lawn where I should grow a vegetable garden (one that might help feed my out of work neighbor). I'm not going to throw an empty gesture magnet on my car that reads "support the troops". If I'm going to really support the troops, then I'll put together care-packages and send them over to Iraq and Afghanistan on my own dime. Better yet I won't support the unjust war or the politicians who lie and then send our soldiers into harms way.

Still no WMD's found, yet 5,000 of our boys and girls are dead. I don't support that and neither should any true American.

Oh boy, I got off point. Hell I never even got on point. The point was that Deb and I drank wine last night for the first time in years (we are not drinkers) and all I really wanted to say was I WILL NEVER DRINK AGAIN!

Oh, and today's the 1st of January 2010 and for the next year I WILL ONLY BUY AMERICAN MADE PRODUCTS!

I hope one of those products is a hangover remedy.

Happy New Year everyone, Deb's up next!

Post Script

We have made bumper stickers promoting this blog. Mine is on the back of our Prius (which may seen ironic in light of this is a Buy American challenge, but we already owned the car and I'm not buying another). The other is on Deb's 2002 VW Bug which her parents graciously bought us for a Wedding present (thank you again Jan). The bug is a turbo diesel, but Deb only fuels it with locally refined Bio Diesel. If you're one of the people who came to this blog after seeing one of our bumper stickers, and you like what you're reading, please contact us directly at Glen@sonomacountyvideo.com. We'd love to meet like-minded locals that we can get together with in person and get the Buy American message out to our neighbors.

Uh oh, we're screwed!

So my wife and I have been boycotting products made in China since July 2007. We're not sure if this came about because of all the toy recalls in the news or if we just realized that China is a communist country and maybe we shouldn't be supporting them. Either way I guess we shouldn't be supporting them (we don't want our children poisoned and we don't want our children to become communists).

The boycott hasn't been easy, almost everything in every major retail store is made in China. We have had to almost completely suppress our impulse purchasing, which is almost as difficult as doing that rub your belly, pat you head thing, while riding a unicycle over a tightrope. I mean it's called an "impulse purchase" there isn't a lot of advanced notice, it sort of happens, impulsively.

Needless to say we don't laugh at jokes anymore, we tend to mull them over a couple of days before allowing ourselves to find the humor (we're totally not fun at parties either).

But we have managed to find the "must have" products we desired (sarcasm included) made in other countries or better yet here in the U.S. of A!

All was going swimmingly (unless the bathing suit was made in China) until we saw the movie Avatar. We were totally blown away by this movie. We saw it twice in one week. We talked about hiring a muralist to come into our home and paint Pandorian scenes on all of our walls. We took our 6 year old daughter and she too was amazed. "Perfect" I thought! What better way to completely embrace all things Avatar, then through my child. I wouldn't feel comfortable playing with Avatar toys by myself, skipping through the house with a little plastic Jake Sully on the back of a little plastic Banshee, waving my arms up and down while I made high pitched screeching noises.

But playing with my daughter, well that's just what a good father does. What does it matter if the game we're playing involves me taking all the Avatar toys outside while my daughter has to stay in her room and play with the Avatar sticker book? We're still technically playing a game, right? It's just not the most enjoyable game (for her).

So Deb (my wife) and I went to a place neither of us had been since we were kids, Toys-R-Us. It was two days before Christmas and the place reeked of body odor and the toxic fumes from all those plastic toys. We purchase most of our daughter's toys from European toy companies. Most are made of wood and don't contain any toxic chemicals. Call us weirdo hippies, but we don't think toys should be poisonous (not to mention plastic isn't biodegradable).

All of those principles though were about to be tossed under a speeding Hummer on it's way to a baby seal bashing party. We needed those Avatar toys! And we knew they'd no doubt be made in China. And they were.

I watched Deb swipe the card and I imagined her holding a sword and striking me down. Each punch of our debit card pin number, was a punch in my gut. Two years we boycotted, so many needless products we had walked away from. We had dozens of BUY AMERICAN websites bookmarked on the computer. Most of them were small mom and pop companies barely surviving had it not been for truly patriotic Americans like myself and Deb. Sometimes we'd have problems with orders and we could call up the owner of the company and talk with them directly. These people were our friends, our countrymen. What would they think of us now?

We walked to the car barely saying a word to one another. The guilt was dug in like a tick. Like a tick flipping us the bird and calling us commies. "Well" I said, "we're going to have to do something big to get ourselves out of this mess".

While playing with the Avatar toys with my daughter today, it hit me!

For the entire year of 2010 we'll purchase only American made products.

I called Deb at worked, I was so relieved that I had come up with the perfect punishment for breaching our boycott. Not punishment, but a challenge. I don't think most Americans have any idea just how hard it is to find things made in America. The biggest problem is that most Americans just don't even think about it. We make completely uninformed purchases, we have blind faith in the regulators who allowed lead-tainted toys to get into the hands of our children. We just stopped caring about the things we buy. Why care, I guess, when something new will come out in two months making the new/old thing we just bought useless?

We are going to use this blog to keep a record of our BUY AMERICAN in 2010 challenge. We promise to be honest, even though I know most you are probably saying to yourselves "wait, aren't these the two who just broke their boycott of China for Avatar toys?". Yes, we are those two people, we also still made it over two years without buying anything from China, and we lived to write about it! I think a year buying only American made products shouldn't be that hard.......or will it?