Solution for Surplus Corn Flakes and Snickers Bars

My darling husband agreed to pick the recipe for yesterday's dinner and to order the groceries from Amazon Fresh. He chose corn-flake crusted chicken. When the grocery order arrived, I discovered that we had a corn flake surplus situation on our hands. Check out the size of the box:

I started to explore corn flake recipes and settled on the Crispy Chocolate Bars recipe on the side of the box. Basically, you melt 1 c chocolate chips, 1 c butterscotch chips and 1/2 c peanut butter over low heat. Remove from heat, mix in 5c corn flakes and press into 9x9 pan. The resulting bar is very sweet and takes me back to my childhood in the Midwest.

My Facebook post about the corn flake surplus inspired my friend, Sara Jones, to share her Snickers bar surplus. She bought full-size Snickers bars for Halloween and still had a dozen left over. We jokingly searched for a recipe using Snickers bars. When the same recipe came up seven times, we decided we had to try it. Here are the ingredients (plus 3/4 c melted butter):

I'm ordinarily suspicious of any recipe involving cake mix, but these brownies are delicious. They are chewy and not too sweet. For the full recipe on All Recipes, click here or Bing Snickers bar brownies.

Pumpkin Muffins. Pass it on.

My daughter tells me that she loves to play the game, Telephone, at lunchtime. I can imagine a table of boisterous kindergartners sitting around the table whispering, "Pass it on," and breaking into peals of laughter.

This week, I've been involved in my own game of Telephone. You see, a while back, the author of Smitten Kitchen made pumpkin muffins. Last week, Lecia, author of A Day That Is Dessert, made the same recipe and blogged about it. I printed the recipe and couldn't get it out of my mind. Today, I finally remembered to buy pumpkin and made the muffins.

Now I'm passing it on to you. I can't promise unstoppable giggling, but I can guarantee that your kitchen will smell delicious!

Curse of the Rosh Hashanah cake?

The synagogue I attended growing up publishes a Jewish cookbook and the book includes a tasty, honey cake that is easy to make. Yet, for the last couple years, I've decide to make fancier, more sophisticated cakes.

As you may remember, the Dorie Greenspan apple cake that I made in 2008 was a flop. The entire top of the cake stuck to the pan. You can see pictures and my open letter to Dorie Greenspan by clicking here.

For Rosh Hashanah this year, I decided to make a honey cake called the "Majestic and Moist New Year's Honey Cake." I found the recipe here on Epicurious. The recipe was published originally in Marcy Goldman's book, The Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking.

Perhaps lulled by the title of the cake, I expected great results. When I opened the oven for the moment of truth, this is what I saw:

Check out the giant valley in the cake. Was my Rosh Hashanah cake baking cursed? Is this like a variation of the book of life? The book of competent bakers?

Luckily, when I flipped the cake over, it looked much better.

Hope you have a sweet new year and all your cakes turn out.

Misplaced Limitations and the Return to a Hodge-Podge Blog

As I've discussed in the past, my goal for last year was to explore "what I want to be when I grow up" and to develop a life plan. The one thing I knew for sure, to borrow Oprah's phrase, was that I did not want to practice law. I had spent years proclaiming myself a "recovering lawyer" and discouraging people from attending law school.

During my year of exploration I spent time reading about developing life plans, talking with people in different roles and a various stages of life, and journaling and blogging about various ideas. Eventually, I had a Eureka! moment and decided on a new direction. Then a couple months later, I found a better direction. And a while later, an even better direction.

After a number of false starts it struck me that I really did want to use my law degree and move in a direction related to law. The limitation I had placed on myself -- no law -- seemed helpful when I made it, but really was preventing me from getting to where I wanted to be.

Similarly, placing a restricted focus on my blog -- community volunteering -- has prevented me from posting. Focusing the blog on a particular area seemed like a good idea, but the focus wasn't interesting enough for me to inspire new posts. Instead of launching a new direction, the limitation drained me of passion for blogging.

So, Sherrilynn.com is going back to a hodge-podge blog. I'll post about thing that inspire, interest and entertain me. Hopefully you'll find them inspiring, interesting and entertaining too.

Guest Post: The Case for Charging for Volunteer Services

Sara Jones was my first nonprofit board mentor. She excels in helping those in the nonprofit sector think about the financial and strategic consequences of their decisions. When I told her I was investigating nonprofit consulting and thinking of doing some projects for free, she made her case for always charging something for professional services. The organization will treat you more professionally, and you will act in a more professional manner, she argued. But I'll let her speak for herself:

Okay so I was asked to be a guest blogger and to speak about theories around the value of contribution and what is an appropriate “billable rate.” At first I was stumped as to what to write and was then advised if all else failed, talk about how to rent a flat bed and drive a truck that goes psshhhh when you step on the brakes. Personally, if you ever get the opportunity to drive a big rig its worth it and I guarantee you will never quickly pull in front of any truck ever again in your life. Lets get back on track with the original idea: your personal billable rate and how do you derive that number.

When I was first struggling with how much do I charge as a consultant, I was advised to do some research in my field and then charge a “number that made me a little uncomfortable.” To this day I still employ this formula. I continue to test and refine my theory but I think it works for most situations. Now, I am not saying price yourself so outside of reasonable that you seem ridiculous. It’s personal. Probably, there is a number that is comfortable and well within your ability to get paid such a number. Then there is the number that is just a touch higher. For example, if you are used to getting say $60 an hour, your next client go for $75-$100. Lets me just say this—even if you are just starting out never ever ever charge nothing or a cut rate. It says something about how you value yourself and how you value your work. Sure, inexperience is one thing so charge a rate that is still a little uncomfortable but it always will be north of zero.

Charging a rate that makes you feel uncomfortable also sends a message not only to your client (that you have value, worth and deserve and expect to be paid well), but also reinforces a message to yourself. For most, this uncomfortable feeling is just the sort of motivating force we need to step into and act the part. In other words, it creates a door that once you walk through you align yourself and your work product with this rate. Once you put it out there it becomes true. And pretty soon that rate will feel comfortable and then I say take it up again.

Let me know how it works for you. From my limited sample set so far my theory seems to hold---what do I know? I’m learning too.

Have fun,Sara Jones
Guest blogger, general contractor, wannabe truck driver and business consultant

My Crusade to Prevent People from Applying to Law School (And Why I Might Be Wrong)

While waiting in line for preschool registration, I heard one mom mention to another, "I had a dream last night that I applied to Stanford Law School."  "Don't do it!" I interrupted before it registered that I didn't know these women and that they weren't talking to me.

When someone asks my advice about attending law school or even mentions the idea within earshot, I immediately start thinking about the people I know who intended to have interesting jobs (writers, politicians, activists) and joined corporate law firms instead.

The people I talk to about law school are usually young and intent on changing the world or at least making it a little better.  It's too easy to take the path of least resistance and work for a law firm, I argue.  The debt burden will pressure you to take the highest paying job, not the one you're most passionate about, I cajole.  The horror of hours and hours of document review, I exclaim.

But, I think it might be time to revise my stance.  First, the easy and seductive path to a law firm - sign up for an on-campus interview, fly to an exciting city for an interview, wine and dine all summer at the firm's expense, accept a job with a six-figure salary - is disappearing, if not gone.  Second, my opinion of what lawyers do is overly influenced by my friends and my experience as junior and mid-level law firm associates.  Many lawyer friends have moved on from the positions to interesting government work at Department of Justice, US Trade Representative, and the FCC, meaningful work in the nonprofit sector, and some are even reinventing the idea of law firms.

The other argument that I sometimes undervalue is the extent to which a law degree, especially from an elite institution, serves as a certification or stamp of approval.  Everyone knows that Barack Obama went to Harvard Law School and served as President of the Harvard Law Review.  Closer to home, I've seen this stamp of approval substitute for close scrutiny or at least create a positive presumption many times in my volunteer experience: That board candidate, she went to Harvard Business School - Say no more!; That mom making root beer floats, she went to Yale Law school - a collective gasp!;  That job applicant that went to MIT - maybe we should look at her application more carefully.

If a person's goal is to change the world, maybe she should consider a law degree from an elite institution.  The credibility implied from that degree (deserved or not) could open doors and provide opportunities.  Careers are long and most career paths are not linear.  Starting off at a law firm to reduce your debt doesn't mean that you'll be there for the next 20 years.  At the very least, other parents might be a little more respectful as they ask for a second root beer float.

How Can Volunteers Create the Greatest Amount of Social Change?

Before I was a Mom and a community volunteer, I was a public policy major.  As a public policy major, I spent lots of time assessing the costs and benefits of various actions and considering how to derive maximum impact from limited resources.  

Recently, I've been thinking about applying a cost-benefit analysis to my volunteer activities.  In other words, what volunteer activities will allow me to have the greatest possible effect?   Don't get me wrong.  I love community building events like neighborhood picnics and class socials.  These events bring people together, create a sense of connection and community, and set the groundwork for future cooperation.  But I'm thinking about activities that really move the needle forward on social issues.

Take the issue of K-12 education, for example.  Public education in Washington State faces many challenges.  Sometimes the problem seems too big for one person to make much of a difference. One solution is to concentrate on a small project.  Our neighbor's school recently held a hoop-a-thon to raise money to fund a PE and nutrition teacher for next year.  

Another solution is to advocate for change in larger systems and encourage others to do the same.  The results aren't as immediate, but they could have a much larger effect.  If I make cookies for a bake sale, the benefit (say, $1 per cookie) is seen almost immediately.  Advocating for school reform before the school district or the state legislature takes longer to show results, if at all.  Yet, a community mandate to make education funding a priority could result in millions of dollars in money for schools.

The idea of going to Olympia to talk to a legislator or even writing a letter to the editor can seem overwhelming to an individual.  Are there ways to provide smaller opportunities to be involved a la MoveOn.org or MomsRising?  The work of the League of Education Voters and Stand for Children is a good start.

Fun Ideas for Bake Sales or Potlucks

Community volunteers, especially those who are parents, are constantly asked to provide food. With pressure to contribute items to bake sales, class picnics, teacher appreciation events, committee meetings, and board socials, it's enough to make a volunteer run to Costco and stock up on veggie trays and giant muffins.

I'm always on the look out for recipes that are fun, not too expensive and easy to make.  I love the old-fashioned recipes from the midwestern synagogue cookbooks I've collected.  (One favorite: Chocolate-on-a-Ritz.  Spread peanut butter between two Ritz crackers.  Dip in chocolate.)  

Recently, I've been inspired by The Only Bake Sale Cookbook You'll Ever Need by Laurie Goldrich and Pam Abrams.  The first chapter provides 23 variations on Rice Krispie Treats.  I made the S'more Treats with Golden Grahams and chocolate chips for the Madrona Mayfair bake sale, and just made Cheery-Os (pictured above) with Cheerios and Nutella for an upcoming school picnic.

What are your bake sale/potluck survival strategies?

What's in Little S's CD Player, May '09 edition

Birthday parties, lingering colds, and end-of-year activities have kept me from posting recently, but these events have brought new music into Little S's CD player and lots of time to listen.  Here's what we've been listening to recently:

1.  Recess Monkey, Field Trip.  This CD will be officially released on the first day of summer vacation (OK, actually June 9), but we scored an early copy by participating in the Valentine's Day recording session.  It's no secret that Little S and I heart Recess Monkey.  I think Field Trip is the best of the band's five CDs.  The production value is high, the catchy melodies and lyrics will stick in your head, and the band's decision to expand beyond Beatles-influenced songs allows Recess Monkey to showcase its humor and creativity more fully.  Perhaps the highest praise I can give: when Little S was home sick, we listened to this CD more than 10 times a day, and we still continue to enjoy it.  Check out the video for Haven't Got a Pet Yet (a favorite despite my strict no-pet policy).

2.  Brady Rymer, I Found It!  We stumbled upon Brady Rymer while looking around Jitterbug.tv.  Little S feel in love with the video for I Found It! and enjoys the other songs on the CD as well.

3.  Lunch Monkey, Dizzy.  After hearing great things about Lunch Money on Zooglobble.com, I was excited when Little S received this CD for her birthday.  Little S LOVES this CD and it has been playing endlessly in her bedroom.  It's hard to argue with songs like, A Cookie As Big As My Head.  More important to me, this band is cool AND has a female lead singer.  That didn't seem like a rare combination to me until Little S asked me, "Mom, Why all rock stars are boys?"

4.  Suzuki Violin School, Vol. 1.  Little S recently started Suzuki violin.  I was surprised by the high level of parent involvement required by the Suzuki method.  Little S was surprised by the amount of time she would need to spend listening to Twinkle Variations and Lightly Row.

5.  Reserved for The Not-Its, We Are the Not-Its.  A Seattle band with a female lead singer, a love for nonprofits that support families, children and the arts, and a concert planned with Recess Monkey, Caspar Babypants, and Central Services Board of Education, called Time Out to Rock?  I can't wait to listen to this CD.  

The Girl Effect

Yesterday, President Obama nominated Maria Eitel to head the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Eitel is the president of the Nike Foundation, a foundation with an approach to creating change in the developing world that really resonates with me.

The Nike Foundation focuses on assisting adolescent girls in the developing world, arguing that support to an adolescent girl will create a ripple effect that will benefit the entire community.  They call this approach The Girl Effect.

Check out the cool Girl Effect video:

 

You can find Maria Eitel's blog posts for the Huffington Post here.

National Volunteer Week: Effective Ways to Thank Volunteers

Happy National Volunteer Week!  National Volunteer Week, April 19-25, was created to recognize and thank volunteers. 

Deciding how to thank volunteers can be a challenge.  Sure, I've enjoyed the lavish, thank you parties I've attended.  But, I probably don't need another office plaque.  And I definitely didn't need that flower arrangement that looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

The best thank yous I've received are personal and related to the work of the organization.  Here are some of thank you's I've enjoyed to most:

Thoughtful thank you notes.   For me, a personalized thank you note that recognizes my contribution means more than a doodad that will collect dust in my office.  Seeing that a busy, nonprofit staff member has taken the time to think through and write out a note that goes beyond a generic thank you, makes me feel appreciated.  

Insider events and experiences.  As a fan of Stanford basketball, one of the best thank you's I've ever received was a behind-the-scenes tour of Maples Pavilion by the Athletic Director.  It was a thrill to have access to this unique person and place.  This type of recognition can be done on a smaller scale as well.  A popular example is organizations that have private events with luncheon speakers immediately before or after the event.

Useful, volunteer-only logo items.  PEPS board members that complete their board terms receive beautiful, personalized vases.  The fact that the vase must be earned provides the recipient with an extra feeling of accomplishment.  I've received other useful logo items including a pencil cup, a bright luggage tag, and cool tote bag.

Mission-related books.  I discovered one of my all-time favorite books, The Art of Possibility, by receiving it as a thank you gift.  This inexpensive book provided a wealth of inspiration and insight that continue to provide value to me.

What makes you feel that your volunteer work is valued and appreciated?

Free Resources for Community Volunteers available through Energize

While researching a post on National Volunteer Week, I stumbled upon the website of Energize, Inc.  Energize is a training, consulting, and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism.  The Energize site has a library of free resources covering a broad range of issues important to volunteers.  I haven't spent much time investigating the quality of the information, but it looks good and there are many resources offered.  Could be a great place to start the next time you have a question related to volunteering.

Other free resources for nonprofits and volunteers are available from the Fieldstone Alliance, BoardSource, the National Council of Nonprofits, and idealist.org.

Do you have a favorite site for free resources?  Post a comment and let me know.

How many "hearty salads" can one person eat?: Deciding which nonprofit luncheons to attend.

In the last six hours, I attended a fundraising luncheon for the Seattle YWCA, was invited to a different fundraising luncheon, and reminded that I should be attending a third fundraising event this weekend.  As the spring luncheon/breakfast/auction season begins, I'm wondering, how should I decide which events to attend?  And at what point do I stop being a community volunteer and start being a lady who lunches?

Don't get me wrong.  I  enjoy supporting friends who are serving as table captains.

 I love a great speaker, inspirational stories, and a chance to catch up with like-minded friends.  I don't even mind the hearty salads that have become the fundraising luncheon standard. 

But would it be more effective to write a check to the organization and spend the two hours doing something else?  At the very least, it's time to develop some criteria for deciding whether to attend a fundraising event.

Here's my first draft:

1.  Is the organization's mission in line with my giving priorities?

2.  Are the organization's programs effective in carrying out its mission?

3.  Do I have a personal connection to the organization?

4.  Will the speakers be inspiring or thought provoking?

5.  Will the event be fun?

6.  Who is inviting me?

7.  Does the event conflict with other appointments?

8.  Have I attended this event before?

What do you think, am I missing any important criteria? How should I weigh the criteria?

And don't get me started on whether big events are the most effective and efficient ways to raise money.  That's a topic for another post. 

NOTE:  For more on the YWCA event and Patty Stonesifer, please see my Twitter feed.

New Focus for SherriLynn: Helping Community Volunteers Be More Effective

In my first blog entry, I admitted that I started this blog without a defined focus.  I'll start blogging, I said, and we'll see where it goes.  The posts have been all over the map.  "Totally random," said a good friend with no qualms about speaking the truth.

Over the same period of time I've been blogging, I've been exploring career ideas.  I'm not ready to go back to the private practice of law and, with firms laying off lawyers by the hundreds, this wouldn't be the right time to that anyway.  

When people ask me what I'm up to these days, I often respond "making up for the bad things I did as a lawyer."  Truthfully, the work I did as a lawyer wasn't that bad.  But, the joke highlights my desire to help those who need it most, not those who are most able to pay.

Which led me to the question, how does one mom with a little bit of time, a passion for social change and desire to be constantly learning, leverage her skills to most effectively help others?

The model is right before me.  One of my favorite Seattle organizations, Social Venture Partners (SVP), helps nonprofits strengthen organizational capacity.  A stronger organization can more effectively and efficiently carry out its mission, SVP thinking goes.  

The same should be true with community volunteers.  Nearly every parent I know is involved in some volunteer activity: planning a school auction, serving on a nonprofit board or committee, or collecting donations for those in need.  Some received fantastic training for these volunteer positions.  Other don't.  What if each of these volunteers was a little bit more effective?  How much could more knowledgeable volunteers boost the ability of organizations to better serve their mission?

I plan to focus this blog on providing ideas, resources and inspiration to community volunteers.  There are lots of great resources out there.  So, I plan on pointing volunteers in the right direction and sharing my personal experience, not necessarily reinventing the wheel.  I'm also hoping some friends will provide some guest post to share their ideas and experiences.

And, for those who love the random posts, don't worry.  I'll be sure to toss in an occasional Barefoot Contessa recipe, kindie rock or Recess Monkey review, and story about Little S.

SherriLynn, Community Volunteer.

When we moved back to Seattle, I joined the board of Passages Northwest, an organization that helps girls build confidence through outdoor adventures and the arts.  One day the Executive Director said to me, "We're updating the letterhead to list board members and their job titles.  We're going to list you as a 'community volunteer.'  Okay?"

This very innocent question set off an internal crisis.  My inner dialog went something like this: Community volunteer?!   Anyone can be a community volunteer.  I'm an attorney!  I was on Law Review!  I have national security clearance!  The title, community volunteer, minimizes my experience and contribution to the organization.

Looking back, it's easy to see that this thought process had very little to do with the letterhead of a small nonprofit.  Instead, it was a reflection of my struggle transitioning from D.C. lawyer to Seattle mom.  

In the years since that conversation, I've noticed that "community volunteer" is a common description for board members that are not currently employed.  I've also realized (but really known all along) that the contribution of nonprofit volunteers is measured in terms of impact, not in terms of title.  

Community volunteers provide valuable assistance to many nonprofits.  I'm proud to be one of them.

Bakeoff: Barefoot Contessa's Ina Garten vs. Orangette's Molly Wizenberg

Reading Molly Wizenberg's fantastic new book, A Homemade Life, I noticed many similarities between her recipes and the recipes of Ina Garten.  I considered having a bakeoff: baking similar recipes and comparing the differences.  As the weekend slipped away, it became clear that a marathon baking session was not in the cards.  Maybe you'll be inspired to try a comparison or two?  If so, leave a comment and tell us about your results.

Here are the similar recipes I found:

1.  Lemon Yogurt Cake.  A Homemade Life (AHL) pp. 204-05.  Barefoot Contessa at Home p. 168.

2.  Coconut Macaroons.  AHL pp. 94-95.  Barefoot Contessa Family Style p. 163.

3.  Coeur a la Creme.  AHL pp. 33-34.  Barefoot in Paris p. 189.

4.  Fruit Nut Balls/Fruitcake Cookies. AHL p. 80.  Barefoot Contessa at Home p. 195.

5.  Fennel Salad. AHL pp. 238-239.  Barefoot in Paris p. 99.

Starbucks Annual Meeting 2009

One of my favorite Seattle activities is attending the Starbucks Annual Meeting.  This morning's meeting was much more subdued than in years past:  instead of a musical performance, the CFO spoke; instead of sampling Frappuccino, the company offered brewed coffee; and instead of celebrating soaring stock prices and expansion, Howard Schultz spoke about cutting costs and providing value.  

The more mellow tone felt appropriate for the economy, and Howard discussed challenges and opportunities in a humble, forthright manner.

The most entertaining part of the meeting was watching meeting attendees stuff their bags and purses with Starbucks pastries.  With the stock price around $11 and the 52-week low around $7, free pastries might be the only return shareholders see for a while.

For more on the meeting, check out my twitter feed.

Emmett Carson encourages philanthropies to capitalize on upcoming structural changes

If there is anything I love more than thinking about non-profits, it's eating free food.  When Sofia M. from Social Venture Partners invited me to a *free* lunch sponsored by Philanthropy Northwest with Emmett Carson from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, I readily agreed.

I wasn't familiar with Emmett Carson before this invitation, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I left feeling inspired, challenged and deeply impressed.  Here is a brief summary of Carson's main points:

Carson trained as an economist.  Economics is perfect training for a career in philanthropy, he said, because it focuses on allocating scarce resources to unlimited wants.  Economics also taught Carson to understand market failures and he views philanthropy as a response to market failure.

Carson lamented the lack of diversity in the boards and staffs of philanthropic organizations.  These organizations have not diversified in more than 30 years, he said.  During the same time period, corporations and other organizations have diversified to a much greater extent.  Why do philanthropies feel insulated from the cultural forces that are impacting the rest of society?, Carson asked.

Carson discussed President Obama's proposal to reduce the tax deduction allowed for charitable donations.  Carson said, foundations, organizations and donors need to understand that charitable donations don't "belong"to them.  Because tax deductions subsidize the donations, government has a right to regulate or place restrictions on how the money is spent.  And, if philanthropies don't evolve and become more reflective of current society, it is likely that government will step in and mandate that evolution.

The current economic situation, Carson said, is more than just a cyclical low in the business cycle.  It is an inflection point in history.  Just as the Great Depression caused society to rethink the social contract, Carson expects a significant redrafting of the social contract in the near future.  

Non-profits and philanthropies need to realize that this is a critical moment.  "This is our moment," Carson emphasized.  We can't be so focused on planning for when the economy returns to normal.  We need to capitalize on the opportunity to participate in the revision of the social contract.  In a sense, Carson said, we all need to adopt the California (I'd say, West Coast) mindset and embrace structural change.  Instead of worrying about self-protection, philanthropies need to be willing to change and identify new opportunities for relevance and effective social change.

This description only begins to capture Carson's thinking on philanthropies.  Fundamentally, he urged the people in the room to take a break from the day-to-day rat race, and think big thoughts and take bold action with respect to paradigmatic shifts and responding to structural changes.  Thinking about my own board experience and the ongoing struggle to have more generative conversations, I wonder if foundations will make the effort to prioritize this type of thinking.  I agree with Carson that they should.

Little S, scientist

Tough economic times are forcing parents across the country to consider whether the benefits of private school are worth the cost.  For the New York Times article on this topic, click here.

One of the things we love about Little S's independent school is the way it helps her see herself as a reader, a mathematician, and a scientist.  When she begged for a chemistry set for Hanukkah, we readily agreed.  Here's a picture of her preparing for science experiments:

Safety first!

If you love Barefoot Contessa puff pastry recipes . . .

you might want to check out Martha Holmberg's cookbook, Puff.  Sample recipes can be found here, on the Relish magazine site, and at Project Foodie.

The recipes look a little more complicated than Ina's, but very tasty.

Miscommunication

Somehow, I don't think this is what Little S's ballet teacher meant when she asked her students to write their names on their ballet shoes.

Jitterbug: A great source for kindie rock!

Just heard about Jitterbug, a clearinghouse for kindie rock videos.  This site includes many S and Little S favorites including Recess Monkey, Justin Roberts, The Sippy Cups, Princess Katie and Racer Steve, and Secret Agent 23 Skidoo.

Check it out!

Where Are the I'm-Saving-The-World Books Written by Women?

While I was in Ethiopia, I read some very trashy books (thank you, LB).  I also read Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood.  In the book, John Wood describes his decision to leave Microsoft and found Room to Read, an organization that builds schools and libraries and funds scholarships for girls in the developing world.

In many ways, the book reminded me of Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea.  In both books, a man visits the developing world and decides he needs to do more to help.  Both men found organizations, create opportunities for needy children, and write successful books that tell their stories and help raise piles of money for their organizations.

Inspired by the potential money and publicity a similar book could generate for Water 1st, I approached the Water 1st Executive Director, Marla Smith-Nilson, with the suggestion that she write a similar book.  She graciously declined stating that she preferred to use her limited time to work on water projects and fulfill her many other organizational duties.

Which made me wonder, is the decision to write a book touting your philanthropic works influenced by gender?  Are men more likely to choose a big, flashy solution to gaining more publicity and dollars?  Are women more likely to shun the spotlight, aim slightly smaller, and focus on getting the work done?  I'm not sure which option is better.  The book approach focuses on the personalities as much as the organizations, but the resulting publicity is amazing.  At the same time, Water 1st does great mission-focused educational pieces.  

Maybe I'm just craving more female role models . . .

Women's Work in Ethiopia

Sometimes when I get together with girlfriends, we complain about the chores that fall on us.  Why is it up to us to pick up toys, organize playdates, buy birthday presents, plan meals (insert your least favorite task here)?, we moan.

Before I went to Ethiopia, I knew that my woes were fairly trivial.  Seeing the back-breaking, monotonous work women do in Ethiopia, I vowed to complain less.

My earlier post about coffee included a picture of rows of women hand sorting coffee beans.   This job seemed cushy compared to some of the other work we saw.  To start, homes in the villages and many in the city don't have running water.  Women and girls walk to public water points or other water sources, stand in line and wait for a turn to fill a 20-25 liter containers, and carry home the water their families will use for the day.  In some villages, girls spend so much time collecting water, they don't have time to attend school.

Driving up a long, steep road to a church built above Addis Ababa, we saw women carrying bundles of eucalyptus on their backs.  These women start walking up the road at 4 a.m., we were told.  They gather eucalyptus branches in the woods, tie them into large bundles, and carry them down the hill where they sell the bundles for firewood.  The reward for this day long process?  About $1.

On one drive, we saw scores of women sitting outside the Sudan Embassy.  Our driver told us that they were waiting to get work visas so they could go to Sudan to look for jobs.  Don't they know how dangerous it is?, we asked.  No, he said.  But they usually come back within a month or two.

An avid bird watcher on our trip asked our Ethiopian guide about a bird she saw.  After stating he couldn't answer her question, he said, We don't watch birds.  We survive.

NOTE:  The UN Millennium Goals seek to eradicate poverty and hunger by achieving decent work for all, and to promote gender equality.  For more details, click here.

Coffee in Ethiopia

One of my favorite things about Seattle is the availability of incredible coffee. When I heard that Ethiopia considers itself the birthplace of coffe, I knew I would enjoy my trip -- or at least be wide awake to experience it.

The coffee in Ethiopia is amazing! Even the hotel coffee was strong and delicious. The waitress at our hotel in Addis Ababa came to our table each morning with a pitcher of thick, dark coffee and a pitcher of hot milk.

In Ginchi, our group ordered macchiatos by the tray. These drinks came in small cups with a shot of coffee and a little steamed milk. The cost of 20 to 30 cents per macchiato was a welcomed break from the $3 lattes. I found impossible to have less than two. Some members of our group had four or five a morning.

Americans are not the only ones who appreciate Ethiopian coffee and the ritual of drinking it. Ethiopians welcome guests with a coffee ceremony. At this ritual, a woman dressed in a traditional white gown, roasts coffee over a small fire and then brews it in a clay pitcher called a jebena. The hostess burns incense during the ceremony and serves the coffee with popcorn. We asked, but never heard a satisfactory answer, how a seemingly New World food (popcorn) made it into this traditional ceremony.

Noticing our love of coffee, our tour guide arranged for a visit to a coffee wholesaler in Addis Ababa. At the wholesaler, we watched men carry large sacks of green coffee beans to sorting machines:


After the beans were sorted by machine, they went through a hand-sorting process. This picture shows women hand sorting the beans:

The wholesaler exports the coffee beans unroasted. It does, however, roast small batches for local customers. We were lucky enough to taste some of these coffees. We sampled coffees from Sidamo, Yirgacheffe. and Lekempti. We were told that Yirgacheffe is very popular in Ethiopia. I liked the Sidamo the best.

You may recall a dispute between Starbucks and Ethiopian officials over the sale of Ethiopian coffee in the United States. This article explains the dispute. Basically, Ethiopians, encouraged by Oxfam, were looking to share more of the profit from the sale of Ethiopian coffee in the United States. Eventually, the two sides came to an agreement. I must admit, however, that the Ethiopian coffee I purchased at Starbucks didn't come close to the coffee I enjoyed in Ethiopia. Hopefully the coffee I brought back will taste better.

So, what's it like in Ethiopia?

My trip to Ethiopia generated so many potential blog posts. Before I get too deep into water and sanitation needs or Ethiopian coffee, let me tell you a little about what it's like in Ethiopia.

We started our trip in Addis Ababa. Addis has approximately four million people, many traffic circles and only two or three stoplights. The streets are crowded with cars, blue and white minibuses, people and, every now and then, donkeys. This picture gives you a sense:

UPDATE:  The picture above was taken by Sam Effron.  I found it through a Google search and thought it provided a great illustration of traffic in Addis Ababa.  Many apologies to Sam for not providing credit in the original post.  

Driving down the road, we saw men playing Foosball on tables out in the middle of dirt sidewalks, buildings under construction with wood scaffolding and cement floors that didn't seem very level, vehicles loaded with people and goods. One pickup truck we saw near The Mercado was stacked 10-12 feet high with sacks and sacks of items from the market. A goat balanced on top of the tower of purchases.

Our hotel was relatively fancy with an elevator, wi-fi and flush toilets. We saw many people in town standing in line to get water at public water points. And power outages seemed like a common occurrence.

The second part of our trip was spent two hours outside of Addis. We stayed in a town called Ginchi and visited two nearby villages where Water 1st sponsored water projects. The courtyard of our hotel in Ginchi looked like this:

During the day, donkeys and other animals wondered into the courtyard. At night, our drivers parked their 4x4s in the courtyard. And inexplicably started the engines hours before we were supposed to leave.

The countryside near the villages we visited was beautiful and reminiscent of California.

The villagers live in one room huts with no electricity or running water, dirt floors, and very little furniture. Frequently, animals spend the night in these homes. Women build cooking fires in these poorly ventilated homes, creating a very smoky environment.

Trip Anticipation

I leave for my trip to Ethiopia with Water 1st in about 36 hours.  I've packed super-duper bug repellant, supplies for the schools we will visit, and crisp $20 bills.  I've tried some Ethiopian Sidamo coffee from Starbucks (a little chalky and bitter for my taste).  I even have a new hair style that doesn't require a flat iron.  

Sometime the anticipation of a trip is as much fun as the trip itself.  I've enjoyed learning about Ethiopian history, politics and society.  But really don't know what to expect.  We went to Botswana in 2002.  I came back thinking, the experience was unlike anything I'd ever done.  And, that was a posh, touristy trip where everyone spoke English and catered to tourists.

Several people have told me, This trip will change your life.  I'm not quite sure what that means.  Will I come home cured of my Lego Batman and Gossip Girl addictions?  Will I come home knowing what I should be when I grow up?  With a passion for international development?

People told me law school would completely change the way I thought and approached problems.  It didn't.  Maybe in the era of Oprah and reality television, it's too easy to say an experience is life changing.  I'll happily settle for a deeper understanding of Ethiopia and a chance to help people in need.

BabyCenter Ovulation Alerts aka Booty Caller

I'm not sure what I think about BabyCenter's new text service, Booty Caller.  Sign up for the service, answer a few questions, and you will receive texts during your ovulation window.

I get that people are busy and modern conveniences should make their lives easier.  Still, text messages as foreplay seem a little much.

For more information on the Booty Caller, look here.