Posts from — October 2007

Blog Action Day is the day when Bloggers — around the web and world — join together to give a universal voice to help save the environment!  After all… WE ALL live on this earth and it takes so little to make a difference!

Personally… I am ashamed to admit until a few years ago I never gave much thought to saving the environment.  I thought: “What could I do?”  “Who would listen to me!”

During a phone conversation with a friend I learned quickly that I could and would eventually make a big difference in my own life as well as the lives of others in my community – or borough as they call the divisions of NYC – which would ultimately impact on the environment.

Heres the deal…

I had been bitterly complaining how I needed to declutter my home.  I had accumulated so much stuff over the thirty (30) years I have been living here that I had no idea where to start because all of it was good — I thought — even if I did not need it myself!  I wish this were not so, but it is!

During a phone conversation with my friend she mentioned hearing about an organization called FreeCycle.org.

She told me there were chapters all over the United States and I believe in other countries as well.

From the FreeCycle.org Website:

Welcome! The Freecycle Networkâ„¢ is made up of 4,142 groups with 3,957,000 members across the globe. It’s a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (& getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer (them’s good people). Membership is free. To sign up, find your community by entering it into the search box above or by clicking on “Browse Groups” above the search box. Have fun!

My friend suggested I visit the FreeCycle.org website to see if there was a chapter in my area.   She went on to say… IF NOT “you can start one!”  I did not want to hear that.  I know how much dedication it takes to run any group successfully and I just did not have the time.  However, after a few months watching others unsuccessfully try I founded FreeCycleBronxNY.

Long story short, after 13 months of building a heathy Bronx Chapter of FreeCycle.org I passed it on to four other people who took over where I left off.

What I learned from all of this is HOW YOU and I / EVERYONE can help to save the environment while helping others in your community/communities and giving new life to the treasures or trash you no longer need.  For sure the old saying: “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure!”

NOTE: Trust me, not everything passed on in a Freecycle group is trash.  I recently was gifted a wonderful lightweight dictaphone which will help me to get my thoughts down on Blog.

A PERSONAL NOTE FROM ROZ:  Founding the Bronx NY Chapter of The Freecycle.org Network was probably the most selfless action I have ever taken.  I am proud each time I see the items passed on and received as I know what it means — first hand — to the giftor and giftee/recipient.  My only regret is that I could never get enough help or press to make FreeCycleBronxNY a household name in each Bronx NY home. It was the most frustrating thing for me. 

Posted by Roz Fruchtman / Blog Views By Roz

Today is Blog Action Day

Today — October 15th 2007 — bloggers around the world and web are uniting to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind – the environment.

Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

Blog Action Day is about MASS participation.

Go to BlogAction.org and sign up.  Give your Blog a Voice!

Posted by Roz Fruchtman / Blog Views By Roz

It’s been a while since I posted at BlogViewsByRoz.com.  I do not review as much as I used to as my time and focus has turned to my own creative projects.  However, I still have my hands in once in a while.  Those who know me, know I am hardly ever at a loss for words and have many “Views” on many things.

My dirty little Summer Secret was the CBS reality show Big Brother 8.  I can’t even believe I am saying this as I NEVER in the eight years it has been on TV gotten this involved.  But the Donatos — Evel Dick Donato and his daughter Daniele — captured my heart.  Long story short… they are father and daughter and had not spoken for two years.  It was a Big Brother twist to have them in the house together and see where it led.  It lead to a fabulous reunion with both of them winding up as the “last two standing!”  Evel Dick won the grand prize of half a million dollars with Daniele coming in second with $50,000.  But they both shared the biggest prize of all… the reconciliation of a father and daughter!

EVEL DICK UPDATE:  It did not stop there… Evel Dick Donato (he’s really a love) won two awards at the Fox Reality Show Awards viewed on the Fox Reality Station – Saturday, October 13, 2007.  As well… Evel Dick (not so evel/evil) as he is the VERY FIRST Big Brother winner who cares enough about his fans to keep them updated on his MySpace.com website!

I will admit I do not think I will ever get that involved in anything as it was terribly draining. Imagine getting so emotionally involved with people one does not even know!  For me… I think my own life experiences got in the way and I wanted the two of them to make up before it was too late. The only regrets I have with my own parents who are now long gone is that it could have been so much better, but it was their choices and not mine.  That does not make it any easier.  It is a subject I have come to terms with and do not discuss often.  However, it made me a stronger person and more compassionate and empathetic toward others.  I truly believe it is why I am so wrapped up in my online communication site Say It With eCards.  It is all about the feelings!

Secondly I have spent the last year updating and upgrading my Judaic eCards Club Say It With eCards. The site does not even look like a distant relation to his predecessor Graphics Schmaphics Exclusive Judaic Greeting Club.

Say It With eCards has a new — more professional — look, a new name and the new hi-tech ember features and benefits the big guys offer.  I am so proud and was so inspired — still am —  that I designed almost non-stop and Say It With eCards offers more than 3,400 Judaic eCards — the largest assortment of Judaic eCards on the entire web.

Let us not forget “my health scare” 1 1/2 years ago when I almost lost the sight in my right eye from a sudden retina detachment.  After about 10 days of running back and forth to the doctors and things progressing for the worse instead of better I had outpatient surgery by a fabulous retina specialist in the Bronx, NY – Dr. David Haft.

With God’s favor and guidance over my doctor’s skillful hands my eyesight was restored and I am here typing with clear vision.  It is a miracle at best!  The biggest miracle aside from my eyesight being restored was that during my convalescence I was able to start work on the new eCard Say It With eCards.  That in itself was a challenge, but the doctor assured me it would not hurt me as long as I felt well enough to do it! It was not always easy, but it was a better diversion than wringing my hands wondering when I would see again!  Let me tell you, it made me lots more compassionate and sensitive to those who have vision problems.  By the grace of God mine were only temporary! However, I was told… because I had a torn retina in one eye the chances of it happening in the other eye were increased dramatically! 

Saturday was so productive that I am still wired at 5:50AM EST on Sunday morning.  Not good!  Well, I am off to rest for a while.  I am not sure about sleep, so I will settle for resting!

See you again VERY soon!

Roz

Posted by Roz Fruchtman / BlogViewsByRoz.com & SayItWithEcards.com