Seriously. What’s with this thing? A few months ago Matt picked up the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser while at the grocery store. He had seen his mom use it to wipe toddler marks off the walls with divine results, so he wanted to see if it was useful to remove dog marks from… everything?

After using one Magic Eraser to clean the entire bathroom I became a believer. This is the only cleaning agent I have ever found that can remove the stains on my white tile and white grout. (I know, black dog who loves to roll in mud + white tiles + white grout = the worst idea ever.) My only complaint is that it only seems to come in sponge form. If I could get it in a concentrated powder, my life would be complete.

I would love to switch over to entirely green cleaning products, but I can’t imagine giving up my love affair with Mr. Clean. Does anyone know of a product that works like the Magic Eraser but doesn’t kill baby kittens?

You guys were TOTALLY RIGHT! Let it be heard loud and clear: Never doubt the women of the blogosphere!

It was indeed the bleach, and I have now sworn off bleach not only because of it’s yellowing effects but also because it’s mean to the environment. Like Sarah Palin.

Thanks for the tip!

I really want to write my thoughts on her. I really do. And two days ago, before her speech and in the midst of all of the controversy about her and her family and her child with Downs, I was heated up and passionate and had lots of opinions on the matter. Plus, someone said something pretty nasty to me that day that cut to the quick, so I was feeling very defensive which is the perfect time to write controversial things on your blog. NOT.

As I tell everyone that I meet who asks me about my political leanings, I only care about two things - the economy and the environment. If you want to talk about social justice, go talk to my husband. No seriously, I really don’t care about that stuff. Never have.

It doesn’t make me a bad person. There are plenty of other things that make me a bad person, believe me. But just because I don’t care about education or healthcare or gay marriage, doesn’t make me bad. It means I have to prioritize the time and energy I spend on everything in my life, and I put the economy and the environment at the top.

There are two things that I dream will define my generation. I dream that we will FINALLY become a fiscally responsible nation. And I dream that we will make sustainable living economically viable and enticing.

And as for Sarah Palin, I’m not going to tell her she can’t be in national executive leadership while also being a really good mom, because I think that’s bull. But if I do meet her, I’m going to beg and plead with her not to drill right next to those poor little polar bears who need our love and protection!

So I love having lots of plants around, but I don’t have much of a green thumb. In fact, I can really only keep succulents alive. (Aside: there is a LOT of Matt-and-Berlin-kissing going on right now as the family all huddles around the TV for the RNC. So much kissing that I feel like I need to write about something a bit more sensual than succulents. But I’m getting there… this whole thing is about an orchid, and they’re pretty hot.)

At any rate, I got this orchid about a year ago with five big beautiful blooms. Within a week, they had all fallen off, and since then I have been stuck with nothing but enormous leaves. About a month ago a little sprout started shooting up through the moss, and I kept hoping it would turn into a stalk with flowers. Nothing yet. So gardeners out there, or anyone affiliated with The Old Farmer’s Almanac, can you tell me what this is? Root or stalk? And how do I get this thing to bloom?

Happy Earth Day!

This year, to celebrate how green we are, Matt and I are signing up for a CSA program for the summer months. We’re going to give it a try from June-September despite the warning that we’ll probably wind up with lots and lots of beets. I’m sure Berlin likes beets.

Not only that, but I’m vowing to do some other earth-friendly things today. I’m going to carry my 76% recycled Alchemy Goods messenger bag and take public transportation home from work. Yes, I do this every day because it’s convenient, but I’m doing it today to be green. I’m also going to leave my dog’s poop in the park instead of picking it up. This will keep one more plastic bag out of the landfill, will help fertilize the grass, and will annoy moms who “lunch” and take their kids to the park before their pedicure. I also really like kissing things on the mouth… my dog, my cat, my husband… I might kiss the dogwoods that are blossoming in our neighborhood.

No, we really do try to be green, but I have to admit that the selling point on joining the CSA was not because we’ll be supporting locally grown sustainable agriculture… but because the farmer is an ex-punk drummer. I like to imagine he’s Topper Headon and farming under a pseudonym. Very kissable.