TreeHuggingLunatic.com

Should I blog tonight? All work and no play makes for a dull Tree Hugging Lunatic…

Why is it that hippies like tie-dyes? Is there any scientific reason for it? I realize I’m making a broad generalization here, but seriously… it’s been my experience that the majority of the people I’ve met who call themselves hippies like tie-dyed clothing.

I do actually have a theory about it. (Yes, of course I do!) I think that people who are relaxed and down-to-earth (a.k.a. hippies) are in touch with their artistic sides. Tie-dying stuff is an easy way to be creative, and wearing tie-dyed clothing is a cool way to show off your creativity to others.

So maybe I’m full of veggie bologna with this theory. (It’s happened before.) But honestly, I do believe that it’s very important to be in touch with your creative side.

I’m writing this blog while I’m sitting on a floor pillow in a Japanese tea room-inspired alcove in the fabulous Safehouse Coffee and Tea in historic downtown Griffin, Georgia. I came here tonight because I’m a member of the Artisans’ Guild of Griffin, and we meet here every Tuesday night.

Sometimes, we have an artist present some special craft technique or related information; sometimes we just hang out. It’s quite common to see people drawing, or writing, or playing music here. And it’s completely expected that there will be smiles, and hugs, and fabulous coffee.

They actually roast the beans on site and grind and press them to create the most aromatic, savory coffee around. After you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand that, to the team here at Safehouse, coffee and tea are art forms.

I joined the Artisans’ Guild a little over a year ago, and I’m so thankful for the impact it’s had on my life. I love the connections I’ve made with so many cool, artsy people, and I feel so much better when I release my inner artist by doing something creative. If you haven’t tried something artistic lately, I highly recommend it. You don’t have to show anyone the finished product if you don’t want to. But the process itself can be very cathartic.

In addition to my “day job” as a web designer, in the past year I’ve enjoyed making handcrafted jewelry, beaded “floss-style” bookmarks, the t-shirt/mug/canvas bag designs you see plastered all over the TreeHuggingLunatic.com site, along with various other creative endeavors. Shoot, I’ve even enjoyed tie-dye!

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

Today is the day we celebrate Martin Luther King, Junior’s birthday, and as we celebrate the advancement our society has made in racial acceptance, I think it’s a good opportunity to talk about a subject that’s been on my mind lately.

Have you ever heard someone make a racist, sexist, or otherwise offending joke and others laughed at it because it was easier than taking a stand? I hate that! People need to know when something truly ain’t cool. I know there are times when the offending joker is a client you need to treat carefully or an otherwise nice person using bad judgment and you don’t want to or can’t afford to risk alienating them. But even if you can’t show your full outrage, you can at least groan as you lightheartedly say, “I can’t believe you said that! That is so offensive!”

I think it’s important to teach our children about speaking up when we hear injustices and also about avoiding stereotypes and negative jokes in general.

The other day, my little boy made some “stupid” joke or something similar—I don’t recall exactly. But I remember saying to him, “Why don’t you make jokes about how great others are instead of cutting them down?” He proceeded to imitate Mommy with the hand opening and closing like a person talking while he said in a high-pitched voice, “I’m Mommy. I’m so great; I’m so great…”

I laughed with him but explained that he was actually mocking me. I suggested he call me, “Mommy the Magnificent.” (Do I have an ego, or what?!) He groaned and used a voice typically reserved for responding to parental reminders to complete unpleasant chores as he said, “Mommy the Magnificent…”

I called him on the tone of voice and suggested he use a delightful, happy voice. I demonstrated by calling him, “Ethan, the Excellent,” in my best royal announcer voice—you know, the one that announces visitors to the royal ball right before the trumpets blare. He laughed at my silliness.

I giggled with him as I made my point: “You know I was being silly and making a joke, but deep inside, it felt a little good, didn’t it?” He admitted it did. “Well, that’s the way it is with negative jokes, too. People may know you’re being silly and just making a joke, but deep inside, negative jokes can make people feel a little bit bad. He seemed to really understand my point, and I felt proud of my parenting skills.

Then he asked, “Can I go play video games now, Mommy the Magnificent?” (Okay, you can call me Mommy, the Manipulated…)

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

I like to make people happy. It’s like a drug to me. If I see that I can help someone or somehow make a difference in someone’s life, that gives me a natural high that’s hard to beat. And helping others can take many forms.

I remember when I was in high school (centuries ago), and there was a popular girl in one of the grades ahead of me. She wasn’t the most beautiful girl (although she was plenty attractive), and I don’t recall any memories of her being the head cheerleader or spelling bee champion. What I remember is her smile.

She didn’t know me at all; I was an underclassman, and I don’t think we ever officially met. But every time I saw her walking down the hall, she would smile at me. She beamed the most beautiful, “Life is great, and you are wonderful,” smile at me and everyone around her. She positively glowed with a love for all mankind.

I know it always made me smile back whenever I was near her. And now, I consciously make an effort to smile at others in the hope that it may bring at least a touch of happiness into someone’s life.

There are so many ways you can help people; there’s no need to limit the possibilities. And when you help someone, even in a small way, it can give you a great sense of well being. It can make you smile from the inside out, and that alone can make all the difference.

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

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A fundamental attitude of all Tree Hugging Lunatics is that we don’t care what other people think about us. Well, that’s not exactly right. Some of us do care; we just don’t let it prevent us from taking the actions we think are right. If you like to do the right thing when it’s convenient, that’s better than nothing, but still a bit short of the mark. But if you regularly think about doing the right thing, you research options or seek out the truth about a variety of issues, and you do the right thing even when others may think you’re a fool, then you’re a true Tree Hugging Lunatic.

I had a wonderful grandmother, Mae Scott, whom I called Nannie. She influenced me in many ways. I remember she introduced me to the lessons of an amazing author and speaker, Leo Buscaglia. She let me listen to an old audio cassette where Buscaglia’s powerful personality inspired people to be more loving. One of the attitudes he encouraged has stayed with me for years: He encouraged people to be crazy. He talked about the fact that, when people think you’re crazy, you can get away with so much more. “That Buscaglia? Oh, he’s just crazy!” I loved how that inspired me to be true to who I am, regardless of what others think.

So go on and embrace your lunacy! It’s a good thing.

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

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For Christmas, my husband, Mike, got a stereo upgrade he’d been dreaming about for months. Now, I’m not quite the audiophile or electronics geek that hubby is, but I appreciate a decent sound system as much as the next guy. Plus, I think it’s important to be the supportive wife and offer appropriate, well-placed oohs and ahhs so we’re connected in his time of high-fidelity jubilation.

Mike explained that this one particular seat had been fully optimized for the ideal sound experience, so I sat down in the magic spot and opened my ears. He had a “Spa Radio” station on via satellite, and the song that was playing featured Tibetan singing bowls, which are particularly beautiful bells that produce multiple harmonic overtones. As I listened, the clear, resonant tones washed over me and reverberated through the room in a blissful trance-inducing wave delivered via five-channel surround sound.

Hmm… Maybe there was more to his little electronic hobby than I realized. I think I’m glad I humored him. In my semi-transcendental state, I focused on my destiny. I envisioned living up to my true potential and making a tremendous positive impact on the world. Suddenly, with the spiritual sound of melodic bells ringing and ringing everywhere and penetrating my weary bones, I felt that we had managed to flip the materialism of the holiday into a sign of hope for the future, or at least a tool to help us get there.

I know in our society, it’s easy to get caught up in a “get more stuff” mentality any time of the year, but especially during the holidays when the gift giving tradition has the potential to really accentuate the commercialism of our culture.

How many ways can you think of to flip that materialism into a benefit? Are the kids sequestered away with their latest toys or gadgets? How about playing together to turn it into quality family time? Is somebody just dying to spend that new gift card? How about turning the mini shopping spree into a bonding night out? Got new bikes or other outdoor gear? How about letting them be tools to help you commune with nature? I’m curious… What other ideas do you have?

I’m not saying that every piece of junk piling up in our overcrowded materialistic homes can be turned into springboards for world peace, but with the holidays just behind us and January now in full swing, I think it’s a marvelous way to “ring” in the New Year.

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

Welcome to the new TreeHuggingLunatic.com blog, where I’ll be taking a humorous look at making ethical choices. I decided to start the blog out on January 1st, since there’s something satisfying about the fresh start on New Year’s Day. Let’s hope it last longer than a new year’s resolution!

To start off the New Year, I created this design for t-shirts, buttons, etc. It’s a very basic slogan: 2009 – Gonna Be fine!

There are a few things I like about this design. Let’s start with the fact that it’s hard to go wrong with a gratuitous rhyme. But the other thing is that I like the simple optimism and lightheartedness. It would be easy to sit around ranting and raving about the war, the state of the economy, etc. (We could say, “2008 – Not so Great!”) But instead, I’m embracing the hope and promise before us. Happy New Year!

Respectfully Submitted,
Kelly Palmatier

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