We CAN’T do it all. Even the best intentioned among us. That’s the cruel reality. So, instead of having all this unfinished business haunt us, let’s deal with it ok?

I can say that now because I just found a practical and cost-effective way to “get it done”. It’s called TaskRabbit and it’s a web and mobile marketplace that safely connects neighbors to get everyday and skilled tasks done. Like all the stuff mentioned above to other tasks like assembling IKEA furniture (cringe), cooking, running errands, helping with events, pet care and anything else (legal!) you can think of. The best part is that you name the price you’re willing to pay and the community bids to do the task. You then select the TaskRabbit (that’s the person doing the task!) of your choice based on profiles and ratings. Good to know that all TaskRabbits have gone through an interview process that includes a background check for added safety and reliability.

Here’s a short video clip that will further explain how TaskRabbit works:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Get things off your To Do list AND get connected to people in your community that will help you to “get it done”. It’s a win-win. TaskRabbits earn a few dollars helping people who in turn get some time back in the day to do what they love.

Now,  let me go find someone who will teach my dog some manners…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Viva 2012. Happy New Year to all!

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Merry Christmas!

“Miss Representation” is a film AND a call-to-action campaign to empower girls and young women to fight the limiting labels and hypersexualized expectations that mainstream media has pushed onto us, having us believe that these disparaging images are the “normal” way to view women.

This is certain to be a very powerful film and young men and boys need to see it just as much, if not more so, than girls. Young people need to understand that the objectification of women is not ok and why. They need to be shown that the UNachievable depiction of ideal beauty that we see all through media is NOT… achievable and leads to a mountain of societal injustices and dysfunctions.

Click here to view the embedded video.

First there was Jean Kilbourne, who started her crusade a few years back to open our eyes on how advertising depicts women and objectifies them in advertising (as she established the connection between the objectification of women and violence), now Jennifer Siebel Newsom and her brilliant team are bringing us the tools to empower young women to realize their full potential and to create some much needed cultural and societal change.

This is all about giving us the educational tools to create that change. These tools are part of an arsenal media literacy: “Media literacy is a repertoire of competences that enable people to analyze, evaluate, and create messages in a wide variety of media modes, genres, and forms.” We now have the tools. Let’s use them! Among some of these tools, Miss Representation proposes a curriculum that may be purchased by schools, colleges, universities and libraries. Or you may join the campaign in a multitude of ways by hosting a house viewing party, becoming a Miss Rep and, of course, donating.

Watch it. Tape it. DVR it. Discuss it. Share it. This is too important.

My favorite consumer advocate, Annie Leonard (we mentioned her Story of Stuff video here) has created yet another engaging video to alert us to the untold problems of chemicals in our personal care products. Sure, we are now more educated about the nastiness of Parabens and Phthalates but ingredients such as these are but a few of the potentially harmful chemicals present in our lotions and potions. And although we could actively search out “natural” products, we are still trusting blindly on what the manufacturers choose to indicate on their labels. That is because there is no safety cosmetic standard so, any company can claim that their product is herbal, natural or organic – whether it is or not – as there is no legal definition for these terms. Watch this video for more details:

Click here to view the embedded video.

What to do? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has made is very easy for its followers to take action. See this page of their website. Sending a letter to your representative to support the Safe Cosmetics Act is as simple as entering your zip code and address on this page.

And, please stay tuned for an upcoming post that recommends the real-deal in chemical free beauty products.

In the fifth month of my midlife crisis, I went on a retreat to a health spa – alone – to get motivated to take better care of my middle-aged self. It was a wonderful luxury to focus on what I needed for a change, as opposed to worrying about everyone else in my family. In addition to working out and eating healthy spa cuisine, I learned a simple secret to feeling great that anyone can do – any time, any place. The benefits include reducing stress, preventing disease, relaxation, increased focus, better sleep – it even helps reduce hot flashes and cravings! So relax, take a few deep breaths, and watch this short video to learn more.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Editor’s Note: To follow Marjie’s “My Midlife Crisis” adventures, visit her Midlife Crisis posts right here on The Succulent Wife or read more of her midlife-centric trials & tribulations on her blog at FortyFabulous.Blogspot.com.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Happy Father’s Day to our wonderful dads!

The Forks over Knives film depicts these “diseases of affluence” and explains how they can be reversed by adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional scientist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. They individually conducted several groundbreaking studies which led them to the same startling conclusion, that degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As expected, because it is well against the best interest of Big Corps, these findings have received very little attention. Until now. So, please see the film and TALK about it.

Conclusion. Eat your veggies. And lots of them.

I’m having a midlife crisis, and one frustration is that I know I want something different, something more – but I’m not entirely sure what that “something” is. So, during the third month of my crisis, I got quiet and tried to tune into my desires and intuition. One of the tools I used was a vision board. The simple process of choosing images and arranging them on a board can be fun, powerful, enlightening and – as I discovered – kind of magical.

Check out my short video about my experience with vision boards, then consider making one of your own. Who knows what delightful surprises you might attract into your life?

Click here to view the embedded video.

To follow along with my midlife crisis, visit my blog, FortyFabulous.blogspot.com.

Find more of Marjie & her on-purpose midlife adventures on The Succulent Wife right here.

And we care, not just because there are over 30 billion plastic bottles filling our landfills EVERY YEAR in the U.S. alone, but it’s also the deception from the bottled water industry and the completely unnecessary cost to us as consumers. Watch this little eye opening video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

And since we know that not everyone has been converted to reusable – yet, we thought that we would provide even more reusable water bottle options. You’ll certainly find something here that you’ll be proud to lug around…

	BottlesUp Glass Bottles - Certainly one of the prettiest water bottles around. Made from 75% post-consumer recycled glass. It’s obviously BPA and plastic free and safe to drink from. The food grade silicone cap and rings add color, style, grip and shock absorption value to the bottle. LOVE.  Buy directly from the BottlesUp website.
	The Bamboo Original - Clean, safe and stylish bottle that is made from the practically inexhaustible resources of bamboo and glass. This insulated bottle is great for sipping cold or hot beverages. Available on the Bamboo Bottle website,  BuyGreen.com or Amazon.
	Rivé -  So elegant and graceful. This is certainly the water bottle I would have sitting on my desk if I worked in the chichi fashion industry. Being glass, this bottle is, bien sûr, completely non-toxic and won’t leach. Gorgeous. Buy on the Rive website.
	KOR Vida Hydration Vessel – We love the original KOR bottles. And we love their brand new designs even more. The KOR vida is made of steel with a tapered profile, an ergonomic handle and a threadless spout to drink from. Sexy. Buy from KORwater.com or from Amazon.
	Life Factory Glass Bottle -These glass bottles are wrapped with a cool silicone sleeve. We love that this company also makes baby bottles with the same modern sensibility. Teething rings too. Let’s keep our little ones away from harmful BPA, phthalates, PVC, polycarbonate, lead and latex. Buy from the Lifefactory site or from BuyGreen.com.
	Gobie H20 – If you are still not convinced on the quality (or taste) of tap water, go with a reusable bottle that incorporates its own water filter. The Gobie H20 is BPA free, of course. Buy it here.
	Brita Water Bottle – Finally, Brita has brought its filters to the portable water bottle. this bottle is BPA-free, NSF certified to reduce chlorine taste and odor and one filter is said to replace 150 plastic bottles. Completely worth it. See a list of retail spots here, and that includes Amazon.
	h20 Spring Water - IF YOU HAVE  TO go with disposable (there are definitely plenty of occasions that necessitate that), at least consider a water like H20, packaged in an earth-friendly, renewable, aseptic package. Available through a variety of retailers, including Whole Foods, Kmart and Amazon.

Get in the habit of using your reusable water bottle and I’m quite certain that soon enough, like me, you will cringe when you see shoppers picking up that carton of 24 single use bottles destined to spend a 1000 years or so in a landfill…

BTW, plastic bags are just as harmful, with Americans alone using 1 billion shopping bags every year, creating 300,000 tons of landfill waste. See our reusable shopping bag guide to help with that.

Yeah. We DO have a thing for water.