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"feelin’ patriotic"
The latest project from uber-talented Jessica Hische is 52×52.org. Not to be confused with 52times52 (I’ll get to that in a minute), both projects have similar ideas. 52×52 is a new site that urges people to commit to making a charitable donation every week for one year (hence the 52). Sure, it’s a play on words, hinting that you should donate $52 each week, but let’s be real – most of us can’t afford that. So do what you can, even if it’s just a dollar.
Each week the site will highlight a different charity and call on those willing and happy to help others to donate – either to the site’s featured charity or one of your own choosing. They are not functioning as a middle-man either, simply a messenger to talk about various organizations and how you can help.
SwissMiss featured the site over on her blog earlier this month and some of the comments she received are quite brazen. Of bit of a commentary shit storm if you will. I get that the economy is in the toilet and many people may not be able to afford to donate cold hard cash to an organization, but I definitely appreciate the idea behind the site. And I don’t see anything wrong with a friendly reminder to be a little more philanthropic. In my opinion, being generous and open-handed is good for your soul. And it feels good.
Having not spoken with Jessica myself, I don’t know if she was inspired by 52times52. I would say that the odds are high. In the beginning of the year, a New York couple, calling themselves Giver Girl and Giver Boy, pledged to do what 52×52 asks – donate $52 each week for the entire year. 52times52 is a blog they established to track their journey. Giver Girl and Giver Boy were inspired by Resolution11, which is very similar in design to Hische’s 52×52.
Idealistic? Maybe. Generous? Most definitely. Admirable? I think so.
I make a couple of donations a year, but certainly not every week and usually not more than $50. If money weren’t so tight, though, I think I’d do it more. To certain causes close to my heart anyway. What do you think? Do you donate to charity and if so how often and how much? And is it a one time thing or something you try to bring into your life routinely? What are your standards (if any) for giving? I’m interested to hear different people’s perspective on this one.
Top: Love print from Famous When Dead on Society 6
Today is no joke, people! Three very important things are happening. Today is …
- National Rum Day. Suh-WEET! Now I can blame my love of the drink on the nation. America made me do it!
- National Bratwurst Day. Could there be a day more special than one devoted to a meat weiner? I mean, really.
- National Tell a Joke Day. Good or bad, everyone has a favorite. What’s yours?
In honor of these fabulously made-up holidays, let’s celebrate! Here’s a little something in honor of each one.
National Rum Day
A recipe for a Strawberry Ginger Mojito from the over-the-top stylish gals at Fashionably Bombed, who were another highlight of my recent BlogHer ’11 experience. Check them out (later, obviously), they are AWE – SOME!
National Bratwurst Day
~1 lb of bratwurst
2 tbsp butter or olive oil, divided
I bag frozen tater tots or cubed potatoes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cheddar cheese, shredded
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bratwurst in a pan – either sliced or remove casing and cook just the meat. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Using the bratwurst pan, cook onions in butter until translucent and tender. Deglaze with the veggie broth.
- While onions are cooking, cook potatoes in olive oil in a separate pan until brown and tender.
- Place cooked potatoes in a casserole dish.
- When onions have finished cooking, mix them with the bratwurst meat and sour cream and layer on top of the potatoes.
- Layer cheese on top and cook for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
National Tell a Joke Day
- What do you get when you cross a hippo, an elephant, and a rhino? Helephino!
- What do you call an Ethiopian with a penny on its head? a Quater-Pounder!
- What’s the difference between a pregnant woman and a light bulb? You can unscrew a light bulb.
I cannot and will not be held responsible for the validity of these holidays or the quality of these jokes. So there.
Did you know that there is an entire day devoted to America’s favorite food? That’s right, today, July 13th, is National French Fries Day!
The first fries are said to date back to the 17th century in Belgium. The inhabitants of the region, which was then known as the Spanish Netherlands, often accompanied their meals with small fried fish. When weather conditions were too dangerous to fish, they “julienned” potatoes to resemble the fish. They then fried these potatoes, which served as excellent substitutes!
I do love me some fries and far be it for me to not observe a national day of celebration. Looks like I’m having fries for lunch today. Too bad I’m not in New York, because I’d really like to go here. A whole restaurant devoted to fries? Holy hell.
Kermit the Frog is going on a field trip! Jim Henson’s widow has donated the original Kermit (along with 10 other muppet collection characters) to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. I grew up with Kermit and his friends so this is definitely an exhibit I would really enjoying seeing. I’ll be in the area (sort of) in October… D.C. – here I come!
I’ve been tasked with dessert for the annual 4th party this year adn rather than a traditional and geeky patriotic red, white and blue dessert, I think I’ll make this one instead. Considering it had my mouth watering the instant I saw it and it calls for “instant” ingredients making it ridiculously easy, I’m pretty much smitten.
Happy fireworks everybody!
BETTER THAN ROBERT REDFORD DESSERT
photo and recipe via Noble Pig – adapted from Family Circle
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, plus more for top of cake
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar (not granulated, as is mistakenly shown in the picture)
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 cups milk
2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding
2 boxes (3.4 ounces each) instant chocolate pudding
Chocolate, milk or dark to make chocolate shavings
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix flour, walnuts and butter. Pat into prepared dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool completely.
- In a bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust.
- Prepare vanilla pudding using 2 cups of the milk. Spread over cream cheese layer. Prepare chocolate pudding with remaining 2 cups milk. Spread over the vanilla pudding layer. Spread remaining whipped topping over pudding. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate shavings. Cut into squares.
