Pam’s Comments (group member since Dec 29, 2016)

Pam’s comments from the Our Shared Shelf group.

Alright! How did everyone do?

I encourage everyone to add a post below answering these prompts:

- What did you think of the challenge?
- Share an anecdote of your experience living with 30 pieces of clothing
- How were you able to incorporate creativity into the challenge?
- What will you take with you now that the challenge is over?

Hello everyone.

How are you doing?

I know many of us are inundated with emotions and figuring out how to live in this apocalypse while we struggle to make sense of the aftereffects of COVID-19 and, at least here in the US, the injustice and racially charged atmosphere that surrounds us.

One of my favorite teachers, Krista Tippett, says "The Greek word “apocalypse,”... does not mean a catastrophic undoing. It means an uncovering — the lifting of a veil." Just like the skies over polluted cities where the smoke has cleared; the veil has been lifted and we are are finally able to see what has always been before us; pockets of animosity, pillars of fear, and mountains of inequality that can overwhelm us who have intentionally or unintentionally lived blissfully unaware and unmoved.

How we react to the unveiling speaks to our values and convictions. Returning to what was before is an option. Moving forward to a new future is one as well. But one that is harder. One that requires us to turn inward and take stock on what we hold dear. This personal inventory will ask us "what is helping us to become who and what we want to be", "what is an artifact of a time no longer", and "what is actively preventing us from that goal?"

With that new understanding of self can you maintain a clear view of what has always been in front without loosing sight of it as our days become fuller and time once again is blocked out in a schedule.

I recommend that you don't let the veil fall back down. That instead you embrace the ability to finally see. For once you can see, you will know what steps to take to finally move forward.

May you be safe, may you be kind,

-Pam

Ashlynne wrote: "Hi, I am a newsie here. My name is Ashlynne. I’m not a flaming or committed feminist, though I’m aware we females have a little of that in all of us. But I’m curious, just what is your definition o..."

Hello Ashlynne; this specific thread is for sharing books. If you want to take a deeper dive into your question, I recommend checking out threads like these below:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And so many others.

Enjoy!

Florian wrote: "I noticed an important point: washing machine. Let me clarify my words. Currently I'm "lockdown" in Paris and it turns out we have a washing machine in our place but in my apartment (which is not i..."

As atletic wear isn't part of the 30 items you can keep (nor PJs) I assumed wash day would be you in pj bottoms and a tank top.

But I love what you wrote Sandra... There is never truly a one size fits all.

Let's keep the discussions civil. Remember, gone or not, we're still following the rules laid out to us.

Charles wrote: "I’m a bit confuse but why don’t we read one of them? Is that because of the pool that have been made a month ago? It’s a bit surprising we don’t read Emma’s unmissable on her book club, unless ther..."

Thanks for the question Charles.

At this time we won't be reading them as a community for the following reasons:

1) we already are currently reading her pick Sex and World Peace along with Overdressed.

2) Reading multiple books may be easy for some of us with the means, but with libraries shut down, sellers having long lead times, with some books not in multi language print AND the sheer cost of purchasing in a time when some of us can't pay rent, purchasing 4 additional NEW books isn't easy for all of us.

I don't want to put undue burden on someone in an already stressful time. As such, I would like them to remain as recommendations and not required OSS reading.

That said... One of her picks (Braiding Sweetgrass) was already on our Eco-feminisim list. No reason why the others won't make it on a future poll.

Just a reminder... Self promotion is against our rules and will get your comment deleted. If it's done multiple times it will get you banned from the site

Hello lovelies!

Emma posted on IG of her recommended quarantine books. She listed these as her completely unmissable essentials.

We won't be reading these as a book club, but you're welcome to pick them up and let us know in the comments below what you think and how these have helped you during quarantine.

Untamed
This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
Black on Both Sides: A Racial History of Trans Identity


What books would you add to your personal quarantine list and why?

Florian,

Very simply, take a selfie wearing red and use these hashtags. @niwrc and @survivalinternational

The goal is to spread awareness by starting the conversation.

❤️

Hello Jonathan!

I recommend that instead of reading other's interpretations of Watson's feminism that you read her introduction to each book she chose for OSS. That offers you a clear understanding of her understanding of the philosophy as well as her growth in the subject.

Hello OSS!

I am challenging YOU to a 30 day, 30 pieces capsule wardrobe event in honor of our Member Selected Book Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.


It’s super easy, especially today.

Gather 30 items of clothing from your closet: tops, bottoms, and shoes. (PJs, underwear, gym clothes hats scarves, jackets, bags you get a pass on.) Count again to make sure you have 30 pieces total.

Bag up or place every other item into your closet or out of reach. They are there if you need it but out of the way so you can't easily be tempted to use it.

For the next 30 days, you get creative and make outfits out of those 30 pieces!

Share your experience down below. What was it like to pack up all your clothes? Have you done something similar in the past?

Inspiration:
A big thanks to MeerderWörter for telling me about this

https://emilywrecker.com/blog/2018/3/...

Hello. I mean the "announcements" folder is only for Moderators to announce to the entire OSS. Topics that don't originate from a moderator will be moved.

Other folders, such as the one you are in now, are for topics of conversation that fit the folder.

For example
folder: Emma's Picks
topics are on her current pick: Sex and World Piece Book including
- Reviews of book
- books like Sex and World Piece
- and now this one.

Does that help clear it up?

Moving this to Emma's picks. Announcements are for moderators only.

Thanks!

Hahaha!

I love this campaign and have enjoyed the various IG videos.

This campaign seeks to inspire men to help balance the burden in their households. Whether its learning to use that new vacuum cleaner, or the game you play when washing the dishes, we want to hear your stories. In sharing these stories of positive male role models from all over the world, we hope to inspire many more to do their fair share.

Share the load!

Aww, very sweet! Happy belated birthday!

I use a brush with bristles for a dry rub, Sandra, so I agree. Supposedly its good for cleaning lymph nodes as well as helping your skin.

I also have "strawberry" skin, where my pores on my legs can become easily clogged which makes my skin look like I have strawberry seeds in it. The dry brush and a sugar scrub are very helpful to cleaning my skin where a regular loofah or cloth can't. And man do my legs feel so great after!

Keerthikanth wrote: "Piplantri village in Rajasthan stands as a contradiction in a country like India where female foeticide has been a common practise. The village’s former sarpanch Shyam Sundar Paliwal was instrument..."


That is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing Keerthikanth

Week 3; Beauty industry and exfoliants

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/micro...

The Issue: The invention of microbeads was a minor medical breakthrough; they could be used to treat cancer, help with HIV research and even form the technological basis behind home pregnancy tests. Microbeads are designed to get into hard to reach places. In science they are primarily used to separate biological materials. Once magnetically charged, for example, they can be attracted to the surface of certain types of cell or bacteria.

They’re also an environmental disaster.

Microbeads are not captured by most wastewater treatment systems. ... Once in the water, microbeads can have a damaging effect on marine life, the environment and human health. This is due to their composition, ability to adsorb toxins and potential to transfer up the marine food chain.

Specifics:
- According to the UK parliament’s environmental audit committee, a single shower can result in 100,000 plastic particles being washed down the drain.
- A September 2015 study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology estimated that 808 trillion plastic microbeads are washed down US household drains every day.
- Of those, eight trillion make it through water treatment plants and out into lakes, oceans and rivers.
- Microbeads adds to the microplastic in the ocean. Microplastic or the broken pieces of unrecyclable plastic
- It is estimated that between 15 and 51 trillion microplastic particles have accumulated in the ocean, with Europe alone flushing between 80,000 and 219,000 tonnes of microplastics into the sea each year.
- Cosmetic companies' voluntary approach to phasing out plastic microbeads simply won't wash,” said Creagh. “We need a full legal ban, preferably at an international level as pollution does not respect borders.”


What was once a major selling point for refreshing, cleansing cosmetics has now become a byword for environmental disaster. A couple of years ago packaging triumphantly declared the presence of cleansing microbeads – they're now hidden in the list of ingredients under the guise of polyethylene and polypropylene.