Follow the Money in Pearson Standardized Tests

My last post mentioned the product placement that Pearson embedded in the state tests.  In 2013, for example, products mentioned included Mugs Root Beer (Pepsico), Melmac dinnerware, Lego/Mindstorms, IBM and FIFA.  I said someone should follow the money trail, so I did.

After complaints occurred about the very conspicuous and seemingly unrelated-to-text product placement on the 2013 NYS ELA standardized test, Antonia Valentine at the New York State Department of Education stated that the product names occurred because of the fact that "authentic texts" were used by Pearson.  She was quoted as stating that "Any brand names that occurred (in them) were incidental..." See here for full article.  Actually, a quick research trip on google reveals that the products mentioned were not so incidental.  Pearson had a financial interest that can be tied to every mention.

1.  Mugs Root Beer - It turns out that Rona A. Fairhead, who at the time the 2013 tests were published was the Executive Officer of the Financial Times Group division of Pearson, and had previously been their Chief Financial Officer, was elected to the Board of Directors at Pepsico in February, 2014. New Century Beverage Company, manufacturer of Mugs, is a subsidiary of Pepsico. This means that Ms. Fairhead would have had direct and continuing business dealings with Pepsico at least as early as 2013.  Did the product placement improve her standing with the company, and if so, did she pull strings at her workplace to make that happen?

2.  IBM - IBM and Pearson had already had a business relationship since at least 2007, when they announced a five year $128 million IT agreement between the two companies.  See the article here.  But wait, it gets better.  In 2014, IBM dumped Prometrics, the company that administered IBM professional certification exams.  Who did they give that business to?  Pearson.

3.  Lego/Mindstorms - In 2013, Pearson already had an agreement with LEGO that allowed them to publish curriculum on how to build and program Mindstorms robots.  But it gets even better than that.  In June of 2014, Lego and Pearson gleefully announced a partnership that would produce and sell lesson plans and manipulatives (the LEGOEducation StoryTales) for enhancing ELA curriculum. See article here.

4.  FIFA - Even the World Cups Games are not immune to Pearson's reach.  It turns out that Pearson franchises e-learning centers in Brazil and has helped to teach English to over 500,000 Brazilian students.  In December 2013, Pearson announced that they had made a major acquisition of a Brazilian English Language Training (ELT) company named GrupoMulti.  Their press release boasts that the demand for ELT services will accelerate in the future, due to the FIFA World Cup.  (See article here.)

So though we have been assured by our New York State Education Department, that no money changed hands in return for the product placements on the tests, it does seem that there was at least a tit-for-tat going on and that the placements were beneficial to Pearson financial interests.  In the meantime, our children were subjected to nothing less than shameful brand advertising during mandatory standardized tests, all paid for courtesy of the New York State taxpayers.

What Can the Pro-Public Education Movement Learn from NY Fracktivists?

On December 17, New York's anti-fracking community received an early holiday gift with the announcement that New York State would ban fracking.  This victory was an astounding turnaround from the situation just a few years ago.  There have been some news articles that have analyzed how/why this success occurred.  It made me wonder how those lessons could be applied in support of public education, which has been under attack from both pro-privatization government and business interests.

1.  Many small grassroots anti-fracking organizations sprang up in New York.  They had the good sense to unite their efforts to work together with not only state groups, but national groups as well.  We are also seeing this in the fight for public education, with outstanding groups such as the Badass Teachers Association, Save our Schools, Democrats for Public Education, United Opt Out, etc.  So far, however, AFT and NEA, along with state organizations like NYSUT, have not matched the efforts of the smaller organizations and have not reached out to create a united front.  In fact, they have accepted money and defended Common Core.  In my opinion a change in union tactics and/or leadership will be an essential step to combatting the money and political clout of the reformers.  Political change does not happen until opposition becomes a united movement.

2.  Citizen activation comes as a direct result of grassroots efforts.  Education of the public is essential - this was particularly difficult in the movement against fracking because at the start of the movement, the majority of citizens did not even know what fracking was.  There was much scientific and research-based information that had to be disseminated.  Some of this information was/is difficult for the layman to understand.  Documentaries like Greenland, which was screened in homes and small cinemas, as well as on social media and video channels, was essential to the building of this understanding.  Even The Simpsons had an episode where their water was on fire, indicating that anti-fracking points were being integrated into our cultural media.  Once people understood, they began protesting.  Signs on lawns, rallies, and (thanks to the coordinated efforts of organizations) dogged and ONGOING continuous protests at Cuomo appearances also helped to spread the word.  Social media was essential and letters, petitions, phone calls and/or visits to legislators were vitally important.  In the public education fight, most citizens do not understand what is really happening in our schools, and misinformation that comes from media attacks, etc., has convinced many that teachers are to blame for the "failure" of the public school system.  We are somewhat hampered by (understandable) teacher reticence to speak out, because they are in fear for their livelihood.  Creating a new public and social understanding of the web of deceit and misinformation that has been deliberately and carefully crafted by reformers is difficult, but not impossible.  Allying with parents in this struggle is essential.

3.  The movement did an excellent job of supporting the efforts of small governments to resist fracking.  Towns and cities passed prohibitive zoning ordinances that would keep fracking out of their communities.  When big oil and gas money and lawyers descended on them, communities were helped with fundraising efforts that enabled them to defend their resolutions in court, and they won.  This was a "pivot moment" in the fight.  Defenders of public education need to be willing to go to court over unfair school/teacher evaluation procedures, civil rights violations that occur in testing (see http://badassteachers.blogspot.com/2014/12/bats-send-open-letter-to-secretary.html), unfair funding of public schools, and unfair practices that favor for-profit corporations, among other things. A true partnership with teacher unions, local school boards, parent groups, and school districts should develop that would financially support the crucial legal plays that need to occur.  Everyone who is a part of the pro-public education movement should be attending and participating in their local school by attending board meetings.  We also need more representation on boards of education, parent associations, and other local government groups.

4.  Never underestimate the role of research studies, bloggers, and expert opinion. Scientific studies were crucial in combatting erroneous and misleading industry studies on the "safety of fracking". Pro-public education also has science and statistics on their side.  Studies that have decried the use of Value-Added Methodology (VAM) in teacher evaluations have been publicized, and solid evidence is building.  For example, the joint statement of the American Education Research Association and the National Academy of Education on the failure of VAM models used in teacher evaluations shows that solid research is on the side of educators (https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/getting-teacher-evaluation-right-challenge-policy-makers.pdf). Likewise, evidence that US schools are not a failure is out there (see http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/education-uprising/the-myth-behind-public-school-failure), as well as the effect of poverty on school/student performance (http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/12/10/education-poverty-international-student-assessment-column/3964529/).   Statistics and articles like this need to be relentlessly front and center in our efforts.Thankfully, the public education movement has many outstanding professionals who have produced and shared a prodigious amount of information on their blogs, and their voices are being picked up by newspapers like the Washington Post and Huffington Post.

5.  Politicians need to be called out and made to define their position in public statements.  Wherever there is a chance for questions and answers, on public record, the right questions need to be asked.  Some people feel Cuomo painted himself into a corner by continually referring (for political reasons) to the need to wait on scientific studies before making a decision on fracking.  When the science came in, he therefore could not make a case on an economic level.  Of course, Cuomo seems not to be shy about voicing his goal to destroy the "monopoly" of public education.  That is why we need to follow the money trail that is behind such positions, and publicize efforts like that of Zephyr Teachout to call out the hedge fund manipulators (https://greatschoolwars.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/corruption_in_education.pdf).  In New York State, for example, Pearson tests were rife with mentions of commercial products.  Pearson's response that this was because the passages were "authentic" does not ring true.  There has to be a money trail somewhere and perhaps someone can find it.  Where political contributions are swaying public education policy, we need to find out, and shout it out!

I believe we can win our fight to save public education.  The future of our children depends on it.

Open Letter to President Obama

Dear President Obama:

Why are you taking New York State’s failing educational leadership into your administration?

I am one of your supporters, though I do not agree with everything that you do.  I think you are a good man and leader, and I voted for you in both elections.  I thank you for your service, and I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

However, on your educational policy and administration, you unfortunately get a failing grade from this retired teacher, as well as from many other educators.  The reason I am writing to you today is the recent announcement that you will take NYS Commissioner John King into your administration.  My question is, WHY?

As Commissioner of NYS Education, King has had an administration full of controversy and failure.  Criticisms of his reign are many.  Foremost, the members of the NYS United Teachers (NYSUT) voted No Confidence and called for his removal in January of 2014.  Their press release stated that his rollout of Common Core had failed… “The commissioner has pursued policies that repeatedly ignore the voices of parents and educators who have identified problems and called on him to move more thoughtfully,” said NYSUT President Richard C. Iannuzzi. 

King’s response to criticism has been defensive and contentious, proving that he has little ability to listen and learn from others, and few political skills.  When criticized that he was unwilling to listen to the voices of those who had issues with the too-rapid and botched rollout of core curriculum, as well as testing that caused the “failure” of  70% of NYS students, King scheduled parent forums in October 2013.  When parents attended the forums in large numbers and pressed him for answers that he did not have, his fear of contention caused him to cancel additional planned events.  Parents were astounded at his lack of respect for the input he himself had sought, and the NYS Allies for Public Education, an advocacy group of over 42 parent organizations, called for his resignation.

He is also not an effective manager or leader.  He led the effort to create the EngageNY core-related curriculum, but once more instead of planning an effective process by involving teachers and pedagogical leaders, he funneled $12.9 million dollars of RTTT money to private corporations.  The lessons have been widely criticized by educators, students and parents.  Even NYSED has acknowledged that the lessons are weak, and they have now backpedaled and created a plan for teachers to revamp the curriculum for 2015-16.  In addition, directives and materials that have come to educators from his office have been filled with grammatical and other errors.

He is the second NYS education official to take a job with your administration this year – Amy McIntosh, who oversaw teachers evaluations, is now a deputy assistant secretary.  Under the individuals that you have taken into your camp, New York State schools and students have suffered, and educator morale is at an all-time low. 

Most vociferous in praise for Commissioner King is the StudentsFirstNY, a pro-charter reform group that seeks to privatize education.  In spite of the fact that Commissioner King lived within the boundaries of one of the best public schools in New York State (the school and staff  have received numerous national recognitions for its excellence), King chose to send his own children to a private school that does not require the abusive testing he foisted on NYS students.

President Obama, I am very disappointed at your apparent lack of care for public education, and that you have apparently bought into the pro-charter, pro-privatization line of propaganda.  The fact that you are filling your administration with individuals who are pro-charter and who by all appearances are most deliberately causing the public education system to fail, causes me great concern.  The present system of testing is abusive to students.  Common Core curriculum has many errors and is not developmentally sound for students.  The VAM and APPR evaluation model for teachers is flawed and I have no doubt that will be proven so in court cases, but my fear is that before it is, we will lose too many valuable prospective and in-service teachers to recover easily from the blow.  Some states have already begun teacher recruitment efforts in other countries.  Please educate yourself about the true needs of public education before your administration leaves a negative legacy of damage that will take generations to become fully known.

We Need Heroes

This is not going to be a pretty or inspiring post.  This is my explanation of why I have become so politically active in recent years, and it is my prayer that heroes step up to save our society.

The world is in trouble.  BIG trouble.  Conservatives continue to deny or ignore climate change in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence.  The top 1% keeps getting wealthier and will do anything to make more money, including polluting our world with pesticides and chemicals.  Our bees are dying off, monarch butterflies are disappearing.  Multigendered fish and aquatic life are showing up in our rivers.  Land formerly used for agriculture has been poisoned with toxic runoff, so badly that it will remain barren for eternity.  The ocean is full of plastic of all sizes (including nano) that has been entered into the food chain, causing endocrine changes in all of us once we eat the seafood.  Aquatic birds are dying in huge numbers because they have too much plastic in their guts and they can't vomit it up.  Mountaintops have been seared off in a search for more coal, leaving coal slurry and putris that is poisoning the surrounding environment and killing people who have nowhere else to go.  Although it has been scientifically proven that chemicals like the glyphosate in Roundup causes kidney disease and other illnesses, companies like Monsanto (that are implicitly aided by our government) continue to push it on us and are now genetically modifying plants so that the substance is inserted directly into the DNA of the plant, while we are not allowed to see a label that lets us know we are eating toxins.  In spite of the fact that water is predicted to "be the next oil" because it is growing scarce in an ever-warming climate (observe California's current predicament), the fracking industry continues to use up to eight million gallons of fresh water PER WELL.  Once contaminated, the water can never be made drinkable again.  And that does not even address the problem of the fracking byproducts and methane which pollutes our atmosphere, land and rivers.  Yet more wells appear on our blighted landscape every day, and Obama touts fracking as our best hope for energy.  Our earth is being sucked dry to the point of sink-ins and earthquakes that are occurring on an alarming scale.  Our education system is being sold off piece by piece to for-profit corporations who care nothing about creating the intelligent and critically thinking population that we need in order to survive.  We are creating a generation who knows how to bubble in a test, but has been slighted on the joy of learning and thinking.

Clearly, we're in some trouble, and we need heroes to step up.  I am looking to the progressives for sanity -- people like Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Zephyr Teachout.  They speak out against corruption in government.  They fight the belief that profit is everything.  They know that whether you are a student saddled by an insane amount of school debt, or a struggling worker who does not get paid enough to cover their living expenses, the right thing is to fight for them and right the inequality.  They see the need to move our country to an economy built on renewable energy and small businesses. Their predominant goal is to make sure that all of us have a voice, and that those voices are heard.  We need true representatives who care about our health, our finances, and our lives.  The progressive era in the early 1900's ushered in all of those things we have held dear in the century that has passed - things like workers' compensation, shorter work hours, food and drug safety, meat inspections, the end of child labor in factories, and social security.  We can do the same now.  Let's help make progressive change happen in our society by supporting those who stand up for progressive ideals.

For today, the Democratic primary in New York, I am voting for Teachout for Governor and Wu for Lieutenant Governor.  I'm hoping for a miracle,  If it does not happen today, we can't give up. We will need our heroes more than ever.

Make Some Noise!

When I was a kid back in the 50's, I was taught by my parents that children were to "be seen and not heard."  The sentiment was so ingrained in me that when I accidentally tore off my pinky nail in a folding chair while at a family party, I sat there and quietly let it bleed on my party dress rather than yell out.

Corporate Free Speech, Political Cartoon found at www.ny4democracy.org

Thankfully, those days are behind me, because I had a lightbulb moment and realized there is much I have to talk about.  Climate change, the privatization of education that has been spearheaded by the current era of billionaire "reformers," the adulteration and contamination of our food and water supply, threats to our environment, etc.  Most of the problems that have been destroying our way of life are caused by the almighty pursuit of a profit.  That's why I'm fighting the hardest to attack the root of the problem, which is the undue influence and corruption of our political system by those who have the most - MONEY (yes, I'm thinking money is the root of all evil here).

True, the corruption of politics and undue influence of the upper class has been an endemic problem since, well like, forever.  But I think it is fair to say that the checks and balances on our democratic system has never been more in peril than it is today.

In 1974, Congress amended the Federal Election Campaign Act and began regulating campaign contributions and election spending.  Among other things, it limited the amount that individual contributors could donate to politicians, required disclosure, and provided for public financing of presidential elections. Sensible provisions, right?  But, wait.  In the Buckley v. Valeo decision, the Supreme Court held that limiting contributions to election campaigns was unconstitutional and against the First Amendment, because political donations were a form of free speech.  The court did sustain the limits on individual contributions, as well as disclosure and reporting provisions.  What this meant, however, is that while there is a limit on what an individual can donate to a particular campaign, there is no limit to what they can spend on creating political documentaries, commercials, etc. This watershed moment made a profound change to our democratic system, which began functioning a lot like a plutocracy (government controlled by the wealthy few).  The era of Super-PACs was born, and the massive amounts of money that poured into political pockets soon dismantled much of the democratic power of the common folk.

In 2010, the Supreme Court solidified the power of the economically privileged by ruling that Buckley v. Valeo also applied to corporations, associations, or labor unions.  The Citizens United ruling was tantamount to giving corporations "personhood," and guaranteeing those organizations constitutional rights and freedoms. The First Amendment provision found in Buckley v. Valeo was therefore applied to corporations. The Supreme Court in essence, made the corruption of our democratic government a legal right.  We have seen the result.  A Congress that cannot pass any regulation, even when it is bipartisan in nature.  The lack of action on climate change? Not at all surprising, considering the money the fossil fuel industry pours into politics.  Just about every politician is beholding to some corporate or association entity and is afraid to stand up for what the American public really needs.

The 2014 Supreme Court decision in  McCutcheon v. the Federal Election Commission further solidified the power of the rich by removing the overall cap on political contributions.  It did not, however, change the limits on individual contributions to federal candidate campaigns, PACS, or party committees.

And let's not even get into gerrymandering - that term we all learned in high school that refers to the practice of reworking political districts in order to manipulate the vote and give a party a decided advantage.  Both political parties have used this strategy.  In New York State, some of the district maps end up looking slightly less like a subdivision on a map and somewhat more like my 3-year old grandson's art doodles.

We need to restore our representative democracy and demand free and fair elections.  I dare to say if we are not successful in this fight, all will be lost.  No progress will ever be made to resolve those huge problems that are threatening our way of life.  Vested interests always seek the profit line, even when the entire system is falling down around them.  You only have to look at the obstructionist Congress that we have, to realize that our country is not making much progress on the real problems that confront us -- climate change, a disintegrating infrastructure, budgeting and financial reforms, etc.

Stand up make some noise.  Today.   Begin by sharing information on your social networks.  Advocate for free and fair elections by contacting your state and federal representatives.  Don't just sit in a corner and watch our political system bleed out, because you did not speak up.

"Our nation is facing a crisis of liberty if we do not control campaign expenditures.  We must prove that elective office is not for sale.  We must convince the public that elected officials are what James Madison intended us to be, agents of the sovereign people, not the hired hands of rich givers, or what Madison called factions."                                         ~Senator Barry Goldwater, 1983

Say No With Conviction!

When I was younger, I was always afraid to say no.  There was something way down deep that believed that if I rejected the requests of others, I would not be liked.  And being liked was everything -- when I was younger.

Now that I'm an old retired person, I feel much more free to say "No!"  I am no longer afraid of someone not liking me (I like myself and that's good enough for me), I am not afraid to hurt someone's feelings (though I do try to say No with grace, I do not back down no matter how much I am pressured), and I am pleasantly assertive in what I believe is best -- for me!  What a relief.  What freedom!  I am no longer thrown about by the sad songs of humans who always seem to need something.  I am now free to pick and choose what I want to do, and how I want to help.  It leaves time for what really matters - spending time with family and friends, volunteering at the co-op, working on our house, volunteering with youth, and advocating for issues like the environment and the rights of working families.

But even with all this newfound wonderful assertiveness, I still falter on occasion.  This past week my elderly cousin introduced me to someone who immediately asked for three favors -- one, help with a resume/cover letter so she can get a better job.  I'm on board for that because I do like to help empower women, so I said yes immediately.  But then -- request number two came as a surprise only after I'd already done the resume/cover letter for her -- she brought a college paper for me to help her with, because it was overdue and after all, she was a single mother, and she had no one to turn to.  I did it because she was in my house, and somehow it felt rude and awful to ask her to leave.  I was angry with myself later because one hour of my life turned into four (and I also missed lunch), and I felt like I needed those hours for other things. Then three, she asked my husband to help move furniture.  Three strikes you are out.  When asked by my cousin to help her again this week, I said No!

Have I entirely gotten rid of the guilty feelings when I do so?  I have to admit, not completely, or I guess I wouldn't be writing this particular post.  Psychologists will tell you that this is a human response -- we are social animals and we "make it" in society by being amenable to others.  And I for one, have that "Do Unto Others" mantra in my head and I also personally hate rejection.  But then again, I don't ask people to do a whole lot for me either.

Today we had a young man ring the bell -- selling some kind of magazine subscription for a contest.  He looked to be about 18.  Even when I immediately told him, "No thank you," he did that salesman thing and tried to keep talking - fast - the verbal equivalent of the shoe in the door.   But it was not a real shoe, so therefore the real door closed on him while he was still prattling on.  Did I feel guilty about that?  No!

And let me not even start on the multiple requests from various entities and politicians that want to Save. The. Planet. Yes, I would like to help the poor polar bear who is sitting on that lonely iceberg that is melting.  And yes, we need a more effective political system.  But if I said yes to each and every request, I'd have to ask others to pay my bills.  Here's where prioritizing comes in.  It is harder, though, to say no when the request comes from family or friends, and certainly some of those requests deserve a yes even when I don't have the resources to do so.  Hence the guilt.  I'll live with that, though, because at my age, I'm beginning to realize that every day is precious, and money doesn't grow in paychecks anymore.

Let's all understand this - when someone says no to us, we should accept it.  It doesn't matter what their reason is, or even if they have a reason.  It is their life and they have the right to choose how to spend their hours, or their money.  And when someone asks a favor that seems unreasonable, give that "NO!" and sleep well at night.  I do.

Too. Much. Stuff!

I know I'm not alone, but I suffer from that modern-day disease of owning too much Stuff.  We have been indoctrinated from an early age (I'm in that first generation of tv watchers and those commercials really did their job on me) to buy, buy, buy.  We get stuffed with Stuff.  And usually, it sits in closets, drawers, corners, cupboards.  Feng Shui belief is that this Stuff affects our chi - our life energy.  Think of it as your energy being sucked away because you have all this Stuff weighing you down.  Even when we don't think about it, we know it is there, lurking in the background.  We can't easily find something we need.  We may even buy more than one of the same thing, because we have so much Stuff that we lose track of what we already own. Some people lose the ability to feel comfortable in their own home, and hesitate to entertain others because of the mess and confusion that Stuff creates.

Photo by Wikimedia Commons User Tomwsulcer

On the spectrum of minimalist to hoarder, I'd say I fall somewhere in the middle, but it is bad enough that after a lifetime of accumulating Stuff, I need some serious effort in order to declutter.  Being an introspective gal, I needed to think about the psychology of the mess before I could actually make a change.  So I did some research.  I found out there are basically two reasons why people hang on to their Stuff.

1)  "You might need this someday."  This goes hand-in-hand with being taught not to waste, or a fear (probably laid in by depression-born parents) that you will waste money or time if you dispose of Stuff.  This can get extreme -- for example, saving too many plastic bags, bottles, etc.,, with the thought that you will recycle by reusing.  Saving old magazines because someday you are going to do something with those articles that appealed to you.  That clutter can build up quickly!  Or you might have Stuff you know is worth money, but you're not sure who to pass it on to, or how to do that.  So it sits there, waiting.

2)  "Aww, I loved it when..."  This is the emotional attachment to our Stuff.  That baby doll you had when you were a child, the first cookbook you ever used, newborn clothes from baby days, etc.  We tend to get confused and think the object that invokes the memory is the same as the memory.  I think this is a very common and very human reaction.  When my mom died, I hung out with her handkerchiefs and coat for a while because they smelled like her.  Yes, I still have them even though they don't smell like her anymore.  When my grandparents died, I dumped a lot of what they owned into my basement.  The fact that I haven't used it/looked through it in 20+ years hasn't mattered as long as the Stuff was there, ready to rekindle my memories.  Do I really need Grandpa's electric bills from World War II?  The fact that I am a person interested in historical eras complicates this emotional connection. 

So, what to do?  Well, I decided to start slowly. When I made this decision, I started by bringing a couple of boxes out of our "cubby" area upstairs. Wow.  I found Saddam Hussein playing cards, don't know where those came from.  Those baby dolls I mentioned above, from when I was 8.  A collection of Burger King toys --  I remember saying, those will be worth something someday...Nope.  Not unless you consider them selling for a couple of dollars on EBay "worth something."  How much has the space they took up for 20+ years cost?  The only problem was, that once I cleaned out those couple of boxes, the declutter thing took back burner again and I didn't do much else.

As often happens in my life, when I have one of those lightbulb moments, the universe does something to make it have a bigger impact.  You know, so I don't forget and fall back into not caring, or so that I get prodded to move a bit faster through the process.  This moment came for me on Memorial Day.  My baker's rack in the kitchen was crammed-full of Stuff like beans, rice, grains, cookbooks, appliances (KitchenAid mixer, yogurt maker) and various other treasures like stickers and coloring book/crayons for my grandson. By crammed, I mean every square corner of space built up 7 feet high.  A pinnacle of master design, but not very safe.  But I didn't notice because I'm used to Stuff.  On Memorial Day, the family was over for dinner and they were all crowded around the table next to the aforementioned rack.  I needed a bread basket - you guessed it - hanging off one of the wrought iron sides of the rack.  I reached for it and just then the rice canister balancing on the top came down, right onto my toe, crushing it.  Yup, not ashamed to admit I cried.  And then I got angry.  How can anyone live like this?  Too.  Much.  Stuff.  

The next day, after lots of icing and Motrin for the pain, I pulled out all that Stuff in the rack.  Only problem was, it had to go somewhere.  The appliances needed to go in the cupboard out of sight. But before I could do that, I had to clean out the bottom of the cupboard.  That stuff needed to go somewhere as well, so I cleaned another shelf, and another, in a mad pull-the-string-watch-it-unravel kind of a way, which made me realize that everything is connected to something else.  Three cupboards had to be reorganized and it took me most of an afternoon.  But I did it.  And I breathed a sigh of relief because in the process, I threw out a garbage can full of expired food, plastic containers with no matching tops, and an assortment of unrelated and not-needed-by-anyone-ever worthless items.  When I picked up something, I asked myself when I had used it last.  If the answer was "a very long time ago," or "I didn't even know I owned this," it went either in the trash or in a box for a garage sale.  If there truly was an emotional connection, I took a photo of it before throwing it out/selling it/giving it away.

My new commitment is to clean out one small area each day.  Stuff needs to go out the door, each and every day, even if it's only paper in the recycling bin.  I also started selling some of my Stuff on E-Bay.  This week I made $40 and got rid of a baby doll, a pocketbook, and a collectible I never really liked.  It's a win-win. Less clutter and money in my pocket.  The toe disaster got me to make a commitment, finally.  Thanks, Universe!

Achoo! How to Naturally Manage Seasonal Allergies

I've suffered from allergies my whole life.  When I was a teenager, my eyes would get so red/itchy/puffy that I couldn't keep them open and had to stay home from school.  When I was in my 30's, I also developed severe food allergies, and became asthmatic every time I got a respiratory infection.  Over the years, I've had rounds of allergy desensitization shots, tried just about every prescription and over-the-counter allergy drug that exists, and inevitably ended up with many sinus infections from the continuous swelling of my sinus passages.  It was not until I decided to attack the problem naturally that I was able to put most of my allergy misery behind me.

When we react to an allergen, let's say a grain of pollen, what happens is that the invader latches onto mucous membranes somewhere in the lining of our respiratory passages.  This triggers our immune system to respond by releasing a chemical called histamine. It is the histamine that causes the sneezing, itching, and inflammation.  Pharmaceutical medicine seeks to counteract the results of the histamine (hence the term antihistamine).  When that doesn't work, steroids and other harsher treatments are employed.  Desensitization shots seek to get the body accustomed to the invader so that it does not react as strongly with the histamine.  Many people have some success with the shots, hence their continued use, but they never really did the trick for me.

What did I do?  A number of things that I would categorize as life-changing (thus the reason to include in my lightbulb moments).  I will go from global to specific, and what led me to each strategy.

My first lightbulb moment came from an observation - my husband had no allergies when I married him (he is very thankfully an extremely healthy individual), but after a few years of marriage began suffering from severe hay fever.  He joked that there must be a contagious element to allergies because he "caught them" from me. At first, I thought it was the fact that we changed states that led to his problem, but when I learned about the impact of food/nutrition on allergies I realized that the real change, was in his diet.  He had begun eating the same foods that I ate, and his body was reflecting that.

I began learning about the effect that foods have on the overall climate of the body when I began thinking about my body as a holistic system and not isolated parts or reactions.  Our body should be slightly alkaline, or tend toward the ideal pH of 7.30-7.45.  Unfortunately, the American diet includes an overabundance of foods that tip the scales towards the acidic end of the spectrum.  This acidic situation causes a constant state of inflammation in the body and gears it up to over-react to allergens.  You can actually test your pH level with a piece of litmus paper (using saliva or urine collected first thing in the morning, before eating/drinking).

The graphic below, which I found on happyherbivore.com, depicts how foods and drinks fall on the pH scale.  You can see that the typical American diet, which has us eating meals filled with animal proteins, sugars, and processed foods - is acidic.  This imbalance affects the balance of the good bacteria in our body, and allows pathogens like yeast (candida) to flourish, which puts us in a constant state of immune war. Allergic reactions and overall body inflammatory processes are the result.  Cells don't get what they need to thrive (or may even go haywire wild, as in cancer), and minerals are leached out of the bones - causing diseases like osteoporosis.  Joints become inflamed and arthritic.  It is harder to achieve a stable blood sugar and healthy hormonal levels.

As you can see from the chart, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will lead you back to a healthy pH balance.  You can try the specific remedies I recommend below, but the REASON THEY WORK is because they lead you back towards an alkaline system.  The best fix of all, therefore, is to try to adapt your diet to a healthier balance.  We completely eliminated carbonated drinks and artificial sweeteners.  We have replaced cow's milk or soy milk with almond milk.  We eat more fruits and vegetables, and try to eat something from the "10" area every day.  We have tried (I'm still struggling with this) to decrease cheese and chocolate. We eat sugary sweets only on a special occasion.

There is only one thing I disagree with on this chart - and that is the classification of vinegar as a 4, when raw apple cider vinegar (it says Mother's on it) is an alkaline-forming food.

The best foods to produce relief - include foods with "natural antihistamine" reactions.  This includes any colorful fruits and vegetables (red, blue, purple, orange, dark green), garlic/onions, apples, pineapple, and legumes.

In addition - adjust your environment.  When pollen counts are high, close your windows and use an air purifier.  Cover your mattresses and pillows with cases that discourage dust mites.  Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter on it.  Keep showers and other damp areas free of mold.  Bathe pets frequently (and keep them out of your bed).

Specific Strategies

1)  Saline solution - Very useful to rinse pollen invaders out of the nasal passages.  You might do this by buying saline in a squirt bottle, or using a Neti pot.  One of the most effective strategies and should be used frequently, especially every time you have been outdoors. Note: I personally cannot use a Neti pot because I have a deviated nasal septum and therefore get vertigo if I try to flush with lots of water.

2)  Mother's apple cider vinegar - Alkalizing reaction, one of the best daily treatments.  One (or two) teaspoons in a glass of water, drink each morning after breakfast.  A dramatic study on the peanut proteins that cause severe reactions found that if the proteins were treated with vinegar before ingestion, it decreased the antibodies to those proteins in the blood of the test subjects.  (http://www.ncbi/nlm/nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3328733).  Of course, people with severe peanut reactions would not want to try even vinegar-soaked peanuts, but the study teaches us about the benefit of alkaline reactions for the rest of us.

3)  Green tea - which is very alkaline to the body, and contains a compound called EGCG (methylated epigallocatechin gallate).  EGCG blocks a reaction in cells that produces allergic responses.

4)  Essential oils - my husband swears by this.  He uses peppermint oil by putting a tiny bit under his nose when he has symptoms.  He says it clears his passages.  He has also used eucalyptus oil, sniffing it right from the bottle.

5)  Omega 3 fatty acids - Foods like salmon, albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, walnuts, and flaxseed help to fight the inflammation that comes along with seasonal allergies.  Eat two or three servings a day of high-omega 3 foods, or take a daily supplement (consult with your doctor before taking any supplement).  A German study found a link between omega-3 ingestion and a reduction in symptoms of respiratory allergies.

6)  Quercetin - This is a natural antioxidant that helps to control free radicals (and thereby decreases inflammation processes).  It is found naturally in citrus fruits, onions, apples, parsley, green tea, tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce and wine.  To get enough in the middle of a severe reaction season, take a supplement between meals.  Note:  Those with liver disease should not take this supplement - consult with your doctor.

There are also natural herbs you could try.  I've been gunshy myself, because I have a lot of plant and food allergy symptoms - and my other strategies have worked so well, I don't feel the need to experiment.  However, many studies have found excellent results from Stinging Nettle and Butterbur, and claim they are as effective as prescription antihistamines.

If you have any other natural strategies that have worked for you, post them here!

The Power of a Budget

OK I admit it.  This is not the first blog I have started.  I was trying to compartmentalize everything into neat little subjects - but I'm just too eclectic to stick to just one topic for long.  So here is my new attempt - write about what I'm figuring out, as I live my life.  Record my lightbulb moments, not just for myself but hopefully for a wider audience.  Some of the things I figure out are life-changing, some are not, but all of that experimentation in life can be recorded and hopefully help someone.  So, here I am.

For my first post, I would like to talk about something near and dear to all of us - money.  Everyone already knows how important money is.  It gives us power.  It helps us enjoy our life.  It helps us survive.  But not everyone has the tools, or the knowledge, to take control of their money.  For me, money was one of those topics I desperately tried not to think about.  Whenever I did try to improve and bought a book, or a new budgeting tool, I quickly became frustrated.  It just never clicked. I lived life from paycheck to paycheck, gleefully (or guiltily) spending whatever came through my hands.  I was unable to spend on larger-ticket items like home improvement projects because the money got dribbled away on small things.  I lived in a mindset of scarcity.  I had large debt on credit cards, and paid way too much interest on that debt (you can thank me now, Capital One).

What did I do when it all got too much to handle and I started going into the red?  Consolidate!  You've heard that advice, right?  Get home equity loans and pay it all off, then pay back the equity loan at a lower rate of interest (and if you work it right, take the interest off your taxes as well).  So I did just that. Numerous times!  Problem is, every time I paid those stinkin' cards off, I used them and built the debt back up again. Then I had more debt than I started with - the equity loan, plus new debt on the cards.  At one point I had three mortgages!  Yikes!

My strategies clearly did not work.  We've all heard the cliche' that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.  It was going to take that awful b-word - you know the one - BUDGET - to get me out of the endless cycle I created for myself.  And I had no clue how to do that.

I needed a tool - and since I don't mind computer work, I figured a software program would work.   Quicken, however, was way too time-consuming and not user-friendly enough for a spender like me.  Looking at their prediction that it would take 15 YEARS to get me out of debt did little to inspire me.  I tried Mint as well, which is a free online budgeting tool.  But I mistrusted putting all my financial data "in the cloud."  I even tried going old-school and using budget envelopes.

Enter a budget-saving tool that, at least for me, clicked.  YNAB.com. You Need A Budget.  Because everyone does.  Not only is the software user-friendly, with an easy-to-manage interface and a handy app to help record purchases on-the-go, but they also offer training tutorials taught in real-time virtual classes!  They start from the basics - philosophy - and help you  to get out of your old mindset and into control.  They offer lots of assistance, from daily "tips" that you can access on Facebook, to user forums that let you connect with others who use the system.

I started my YNAB experience in October, 2013.  At that time, I had thousands of dollars in credit card debt.  I had no clue what I was spending my money on, but never had enough to last (thus the credit dilemma).  I entered everything into the YNAB software, recorded all of my accounts, all of my budget categories, and started that first month by noticing what I was spending and by thinking about what a good target for spending in each of those categories should be.  This system completely revolutionized my life.  I started wondering about why I was spending so much on certain items.  Take cable television for example.  I was paying for 300 channels when we really only used 20, plus the on-demand feature.  Making this connection empowered me to call my cable company and inquire about whether I could downgrade to a more basic service and still keep on-demand.  Why, yes, I could (though it took me three calls to connect to the right person who was willing to help me downgrade).  And voila, I saved $80 a month.  I did the same thing with car insurance and cellphone bills.  I remortgaged one last time - at a much lower interest rate (from 9.9 down to 3 percent interest).  The important thing here - I saved money because I made a connection and thought about it - and I did that, because I began budgeting in YNAB.  Once you see where the money is going, it gives you insight and empowers you to take control.

So here it is, May of 2014.  I have zero credit card debt.   Yup.  For the first time in my life.  I still use the cards, but pay them off totally at least once a month.  Since I have already budgeted the expenses I put on the card, it's no big deal to pay that out - the money is in my account.  I have saved about $300 a month on the monthly bills (by making those phone calls), another $200 on the mortgage,  and I have found ways to save money in other categories, like groceries.  I just took a trip to Europe - which would NOT have been possible if I had not budgeted.  This month I could not believe that even after my two weeks in Italy, I was able to sock away $400 in savings.  I retired in February and we're doing all this on less money than I was bringing in when I was working!

The only thing I feel badly about, is that it took me so long to have my lightbulb moment.  Everyone Needs A Budget.  YNAB, thank you!