A New Life for Old Clothes

Tonight, I went through my closet and pulled out a bunch of clothes to donate — things that are still in good shape, but that I don’t wear anymore, for various reasons.  It’s something I’ve been meaning to do for a while.  They have plenty of life left in them, for someone.

Using a Rag Instead of a Paper Towel

Today, I was about to clean our glass table the way I usually do: With a spritz of Windex and a paper towel.  But just before I did, I thought maybe I could try a different way, and I used a kitchen sponge, a little soap, and wiped it down with a dish rag.  It’s just as clean, with nothing to throw away.

Giving a Ride

A friend of mine was taking the train today, and I happened to be near the station with my car at about the time he arrived, so I picked him up and gave him a ride home from the station.  It saved him from having to walk as it was starting to sprinkle.

Holding the Elevator

As the elevator door was closing this morning, I heard someone coming down the hall.  I stuck my foot out at the last second to hold the door for him.  He stepped in with a smile, said thanks, and when he got off he gave me a nice “have a good day.”

Offsets as a Gift

My parents are coming to visit in a few weeks.  Last week, for my mom’s birthday, I got her an extra birthday present: A carbon offset for her (and my dad) to offset their flight.  As we’ve discussed before, carbon offsets are a partial solution at best, but in cases like this, they’re much better than nothing.  And she appreciated it, so that made me happy.

Emptying the Trunk

One of the many small things you can do to improve your car’s fuel efficiency is to make sure you’re not carrying any excess weight (insert joke about spouse here).  This morning I emptied out my trunk, except for emergency supplies, so that should make a little difference.

Dining In (Instead of Taking Out)

Tonight, after going to watch a movie, we stopped for some burritos.  At first, we were planning to take them home, but then we decided to eat at the restaurant, since it creates less waste.

In-N-Out Burger

This is probably going to sound cheesy, but oh well.

I was on my way over to my friends’ place today, and I needed to pick up something quick to eat on the way. I was tired, sweaty (I’d been exercising), and not feeling all that social. Perfect time to hit an In-N-Out drive-thru… except that sitting in your car in the drive-thru line wastes gas. You might as well get out and stretch your legs a little. It won’t take any longer. So that’s what I did.

Greeting the World

Largely as a by-product of my wife training for a marathon, I’ve started running in the mornings more often.  I used to run at various times of the day, without any real planning or discipline.  If I was feeling lazy, I’d go for a run.  Just realized I hadn’t run in a month?  I’d go for a run.

One of the nice things I’ve discovered about running with the sunrise is all the other people you see out for a walk or a run.  Somehow, the attitude is a little different at that time of day.  So instead of the head-down, trudge-trudge running style I’m used to, today I waved and said hello to everyone I saw (probably 10 or 15 folks), and they all did the same to me.  It was a pleasant and encouraging way to start the day.

My Wife the Tennis Pro

I’m giving today’s Good Turn to my better half. We were playing tennis with a couple friends, one of whom is new to the game and just learning the basics. My wife, who has played since she was young, took some time (at least a half hour, probably more) and gave her a few pointers, and helped her practice them too. The results were dramatic. I’m guessing (and hoping) that this will provide even more encouragement for our friend to keep learning the game and trying to improve.