It's gotta be better than crushing rocks for a dollar a day.

That's the longest blog title ever. But it's appropriate.

I'll admit it right now: I'm not a giver. Atleast not to charity. I do donate a dollar here and there to Riley or March of Dimes when I buy something at Target or the gas station, but as far as regularly giving, I don't do it. I can't afford it, especially now that I have a young child and we live in an economy equivalent to a toilet. One time when I lived in Bloomington, the Fraternal Order of Police called me. The guy asked me to donate money. I told him that I was a college student and that I did not have any money to donate. The very next day I got another call from the SAME Fraternal Order. I told them that just yesterday a guy called and I told him that I had no extra money (EXTRA money...oxymoron, huh?) to give. The Fraternal Order guy said, "Yes, I know we called you yesterday, but your response was not satisfactory." WTF?!? It isn't satisfactory that I'm in college and working full time and can't afford to give you 25 bucks? Go suck eggs, dude.

So I'm not a charity donator. I wish I was. If I had more money, I'd donate. Really, I would. But only to worthy causes. I refuse to buy magazine subscriptions so a high school kid can go on vacation. I will never do that. Go get a REAL job like the rest of us had in high school...or don't go on vacation. I will not buy coupon books with coupons that I will NEVER use in a MILLION years, i.e. ZooBook. I will never use 700 bucks worth of golf coupons. Especially since I live in a place where I could only play golf for less than half the year. I will not use 23 oil change coupons in the one year before the book expires. Do the math...I'd have to drive almost 70,000 miles a year to use that many oil change coupons. Not. Gonna. Happen.

But I do wear jewelry. I do support recycling. I do support helping people help themselves (with LIFE, not VACATIONS). And I like pretty things. I am a girl after all. And I love BeadforLife. I love what they're about and I love what they're doing. We live in a country where breaking rocks in a quarry for 10 hours a day in 100+ degree weather only to go home with ONE dollar is simply unimaginable. We can't fathom that. We, in our egotistical, egocentric mindsets would simply refuse. And then we'd go stand at the interstate exit ramp with a sign. I'm not trying to piss off anyone. I'm just saying.

So, please go check out BeadforLife. Those women make some beautiful beaded jewelry...out of recycled magazines!! It really is amazing. I'm wearing a bracelet RIGHT NOW and no one knows it was made from paper. My mom has a turquoise-colored one and people think it is real turquoise. And if you got an invitation to my open house for Saturday, please try and make an appearance. If you didn't receive an invite and you want one, please let me know ASAP!! You won't be sorry. I'm even baking cupcakes!! There are bracelets that start at just 5 bucks. And it really is a good cause.

This photo is courtesy of BeadforLife. Aren't these just amazing??