Oral family history at its best. While searching for November events for the Work & Family site at BellaOnline, I came across an event that is new to me but very much worthwhile. I am always careful about the events I list because some are simply self-serving.  National Day of Listening is not one of those events, instead I found it to be an important day for each of us.  National Day of Listening is the day after Thanksgiving, a time when family and friends get together to celebrate and give thanks. What better way to save and share precious memories than through oral history? What a gift to your family and yourself.

This is what the Story Corps says about themselves, “Our mission is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. Since 2003, over 50,000 people have shared life stories with family and friends through StoryCorps. Each conversation is recorded on a free CD to share, and is preserved at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to our broadcasts on public radio and the web.”  National Day of Listening was organized by and is an arm of Story Corp.  Visit both sites National Day of Listening and StoryCorps

I was so moved by this idea that I signed up for the newsletters. While you are here, visit me at Work & Family send me a shout out if you enjoy like the sites or plan to participate.

I first saw these disposable plates in the September issue of Fast Company magazine. I was so intrigued that I went to Whole Foods to buy a package of eight for $6.50. As a single person living alone and a new greenie, these plates would be a God-send for me if I did not like eating off of the china dishes I found at a flea market years ago. However, I have a friend whose dishes are those eco-unfriendly Styrofoam plates. These dishes were made for people like her. And anyone else who uses disposable plates but wants to do their ‘green’ share. They are definately eco-friendly and good for parties as well as “limited” daily use.

VerTerra plates are beautiful, stylish and have a good weight to them; and they are supposed to last through about 20 uses and washings. Plus you can put them in the micro-wave and the fridge. I have not washed one of these plates 20 times, nor I have micro-waved one, but I will continue using and testing them.

Believe it or not this dinnerware is made from sanitized, steamed and shaped fallen leaves. How is that for eco-friendly? Once you see the plates you will get past the picture that may be dancing in your head. Visit the VerTerra site at VerTerra. 

Botanical Paperworks is absolutely one of my very best finds. You can actually encourage your friends to toss these cards in their back yard. In return the earth and Mother Nature will give them flowers.  Isn’t that nice? :) 

All of the letterhead, greeting and business cards, all types of invitations, birth announces, etc. from this company have wildflower seeds embedded in them.  Plus the the paper that is used is produced from consumer waste paper.  That’s going green full circle. For more information visit  http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com/

I laughed when I saw this alarm clock and read what it does.  After reading this article, you may decide to go ahead and buy Mr. Clocky, the ‘Mr.” is mine, I am assuming it is male, because… well just because. It is cute and definately serves a real ‘wake up’ purpose.

So you have a sleepyhead in your life and if you don’t wake up to get your dearest out of bed and moving he or she will be late for work and it will be your fault. WIth this clock there will be no more hitting the snooze button again and again. “Clocky” is the brainchild of an MIT graduate student, and if it works the way the site reads, you will have a bundle of fun rousing your dear sleepyhead. If he or she usually sets the alarm for 7 a.m., set it for 6:30 a.m., instead, then when the appointed hour arrives, Clocky, a very sleek robot-looking clock on wheels, rolls itself off the nightstand and onto the floor. That’s good, but what comes after is better.

Now here is the best part, it rolls and wanders around the room looking for a hiding place while emitting wake-up squeaking sounds. It is designed to find a new hiding place every day so that users won’t know where to look. The idea behind this annoying gadget is that it less trouble simply wake up and get moving, rather than searching for the alarm clock to shut it off.  Very funny and very much annoying, I am sure it does the job. Right now Clocky sells for about $60.

Incidently, the inventor of this ingenious item is a young woman.

http://www.nandahome.com