It's a marshmallow world

There are some mysteries of life we're not supposed to ever figure out: why you lose one sock when doing laundry, how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop, or perhaps one of these nuggets that always seem to pop up.

However, the mystery around how to make marshmallows is not one of these things. Learning how to make marshmallows is a magical and amazing process. Making marshmallows can get you out of whatever gloom you happen to be in (more on this later) and people don't actually believe that you can do it. Because who makes marshmallows except Jet Puff?

The answer: I do. I make marshmallows. And I make homemade graham crackers (because Martha Stewart told me to). Pause for a moment to consider this information and enjoy this at the same time:

I'm guessing that Frank and Dean were drinking heavily before this was filmed. I can't be certain but if my Rat Pack knowledge serves me correctly, that was really a staple of every performance. That accounts for the choreography and the fact that Frank is sort of holding Dean up as they come down the piano key steps. However, it's awesome and fun and marshmallow-y so we should all watch it every holiday season just for smiles.

I learned to make marshmallows about 4 years ago (before this whole trend started so I clearly like things before liking them is cool). I found a recipe in a copy of Woman's Day magazine my mom had. It seemed simple enough and my mom gave me her 20+ year old stand mixer so that I could try it out (because my mom is great and had her own shiny Kitchen Aid stand mixer to use). Around the same time, I also got the Martha Stewart Cookies cookbook and decided to try to make homemade graham crackers. This is also the cookbook in which Martha quotes Proust before a recipe for madeleines so you know it's amazing.

Anyway, the whole experiment was a success. My co-workers enjoyed a random homemade treat (microwave s'mores aren't too bad) and I've made this combination over and over again ever since. I've tried peppermint marshmallows (a little toothpaste-y but excellent in hot chocolate), raspberry and strawberry (interesting but not my favorite), and chocolate (no surprise that these are wonderful).

My first batch ever, 2009

But my go-to marshmallow is vanilla - lovely, snowy vanilla marshmallows. Something so simple and easy is always the best. When you start, you don't think that the ingredients (gelatin, sugar, corn syrup or simple marshmallow syrup, vanilla, and water) are going to come together into the fluffy magic that is a marshmallow. But then you put everything in the stand mixer and 15 minutes later - viola! Marshmallow heaven. The first time I made them I watched the mixture change from clear liquid to marshmallow and it was awesome. I had no idea that's how it all worked. And I made a very bold declaration: that making marshmallows could get you out of a Lou Reed gloom if you were in one.

What's a Lou Reed gloom you ask? In several episodes of the Gilmore Girls, Lane and Rory discuss their gloomy moods based on music or musicians. Lane uses "Lou Reed gloomy" to describe her conundrum of actually liking a Korean boy (which her mother would love) and that this one fact ruined him/their relationship for her. Later episodes discuss Johnny Cash gloom.

I love the idea of describing your mood based on musicians. I've taken this a little further than the Girls and divided my gloom scale into five levels:

1. Lou Reed gloom - encapsulated by the song "Perfect Day" in which Lou has a perfect day with a person that clearly just keeps him around for no reason. I also like the way he says "sangria" in this song. There's hurt and love and gloom.
2. Johnny Cash gloom - Have you heard his version of "Hurt"? Even before that there was always a little gloom in his songs - regret, longing, violence, bad behavior.
3. The Smiths/Morrisssey gloom - Do I have to explain this one? Just because you put an 80s pop beat to a song doesn't make it peppy. Loneliness, despair, angst, and a little loathing abound.
4. Hank Williams gloom - "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" just about sums it up. There are plenty of peppy Hank Williams songs too but most of his songs are about loss and being used (story of his life). That yodel was a cry for help, my friends.
5. Radiohead gloom - This particular kind of gloom also involves paranoia. Whenever I listen to Radiohead I immediately think "At least I'm not Thom Yorke."

(As an aside, I really like sad songs so even if I wasn't particularly gloomy I could still listen to a great sad song any day. Like these or early Wilco.)

Last batch, August 2012

I've made marshmallows a lot since that first batch. Usually it's because I'm bored and figure that the my co-workers really need a treat the next day. But on a few occasions, I made marshmallows because I was in one of the above moods and the process and the magic (and the goodness) at the end snapped me out of it. Who knew something so simple could be so powerful?

Tomorrow is marshmallow and graham cracker day at my house. I'm teaching a few friends how to make both. I'm going to make vanilla marshmallows today and tomorrow we'll do another vanilla and maybe chocolate and peppermint (depending on their preferences). I have some chocolate too so s'mores will also be on the menu. If anyone is feeling gloomy, I suspect this process will get them right out of it and into a blissful, marshmallow state.

It could be all the sugar but I like to think it's magic instead.

Put the celery down and walk away

It's almost Thanksgiving! I hope that you're prepared for the next several days of eating, football watching, shopping, awkward conversations about your love life, and holiday drinking. Just remember that if you do drink, have a DD or stay where you are. Make smart life choices, Island readers.

I've spent the last two Thanksgivings in California so I'm looking forward to enjoying the day with my parents and brother. Last year, I had Chinese food and watched Hallmark and Lifetime holiday movies while I packed to move to my new apartment. I don't understand why neither network has contacted me about my idea for a new movie. I thought it was pretty great and would go over well with their target audience. Hallmark and Lifetime, I'm still waiting. Let's plan a time to talk over hazelnut coffee and homemade scones. We can also talk about our feelings and how we make lists about love. And how Annabeth Gish would make a phenomenal leading lady for the movie.

Moving on.

I can never decide if Halloween or Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Both have so much to offer in holiday awesomeness. Halloween has candy, scary movies, costumes, and the crisp cool air of fall. Thanksgiving has stuffing, giving thanks, and pie. I could use Charlie Brown cartoons to decide this but I love It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown as much as I love A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Maybe I'll just have to leave them tied for first. This balances out the fact that I loathe New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day equally. Order restored to the universe.

Usually, Thanksgiving is just the four of us (my parents, brother, and me). Over the years, we've adopted "Thanksgiving orphans" (usually my brother's friends) and sometimes we get wild and don't cook a traditional meal (last year the three of them had homemade lemon chicken - get right out of town Garland family). But normally, we're pretty traditional at Thanksgiving: mom's stuffing, Scott's pumpkin pie, dad's cranberry relish and/or pecan pie. I usually help with the stuffing and the rolls. We watch the parade, the dog show, some football, and Charlie Brown. Sometimes we get really rowdy and watch a James Bond movie or two. I don't nap so I normally end up reading while everyone else takes a nap before dessert. My parents like to send me home with a healthy amount of leftovers; my mom and I actually discussed them on the phone today (we're "making" my dad make double the cranberry relish so I can take more home for leftover sandwiches - that's how we roll).

Thanksgiving is usually fairly uneventful. I don't remember any major food mishaps although Mack, the dog, did eat an entire loaf of bread today. It was intended for stuffing but I got a replacement so it  should be fine. Since it's usually just the four of us there aren't any awkward/inappropriate conversations about my love life (although my mom does sometimes drop hints about it without being mean or anything). The craziest thing I've ever witnessed on Thanksgiving was two women fighting (physically had to be separated kind of fighting) over the last celery at a grocery store in Hawaii. It was not pretty.

So really I guess my favorite thing about Thanksgiving it's that it's quiet and normal and nice. There's not a lot of stress and everyone seems happy to be together and there's time to enjoy pie (with real whipped cream). The only thing anyone ever complains about is that the dog show doesn't give enough screen time to the corgi. Do they even understand how adorable corgis are? Have they heard of the internet?

A final thought: if you're going shopping on Black Friday, please remember the following:

• You're missing awesome holiday movies on tv because you're in line at a store.
• Shopping online involves staying in your pjs for much longer on a Friday. Staying in your pjs on a weekday is decadent so I don't understand why you'd want to throw that away to shop.
• Be nice to the clerks and other people working on the holiday. It's not their fault that their store only got two of the monster sized tvs (you should read the fine print my friend).
• Remember where you parked. 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Island of Misfit Toys! Hope you have a celery-fight free day.

Paris, Je t'aime

There is a moment in the film Paris, Je T'Aime when Carol (the amazing Margo Martindale) discusses the moment she fell in love with Paris. It goes a little something like this:

Sitting there, alone in a foreign country, far from my job and everyone I know, a feeling came over me. It was like remembering something I'd never known before or had always been waiting for, but I didn't know what. Maybe it was something I'd forgotten or something I've been missing all my life. All I can say is that I felt, at the same time, joy and sadness. But not too much sadness, because I felt alive. Yes, alive. That was the moment I fell in love with Paris. And I felt Paris fall in love with me. 

I have never been to Paris but in my heart I know exactly what Carol means. I have been in love with Paris since I was a little girl (oh the cliche I know). I have no idea why I focused so specifically on Paris or even exactly when it happened but traveling to Paris is one of those life dreams/goals that has always been there. Maybe it started when we moved to Louisiana and I started taking French in school (the 4th grade y'all). Of course now my French is terrible (this is what happens when you don't practice).

In my mind Paris is magical and wonderful. I envision twinkling lights, the Eiffel Tower, and smartly dressed Parisian couples walking arm in arm down the Champs Elysee. I will immediately be smarter, funnier, and more interesting the moment I land. Despite the fact that my French is terrible I will be able to order perfectly in every cafe. I will finally understand why people wear scarves unironically. I will master the art of the casual glance and wearing red lipstick without issue.

And so finally I am going to Paris. I've been saying that for years but it's finally happening. This June I will celebrate my 34th birthday in the City of Light. Well not my actual birthday - I'm going a week later. I don't know why it's taken me so long to go. I never imagined that I'd go to Rwanda before going to Paris but maybe that's the way that life is supposed to work. You end up going somewhere when you're supposed to go. Now that I've picked my dates, am about to book my flight, and am still deciding on where to stay, the planner in me has been unleashed. What to do while I'm in Paris?

Do I take a literary walking tour of the Left Bank, stopping to see Paul Verlaine's garret, the original Shakespeare & Company, and many of the haunts of Hemingway? Do I spend the day wandering Pere Lachaise visiting with Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, and Oscar Wilde? What about all the markets and cafes and cookware shopping? Did you know that I can go to store upon store and just buy cookware and cookbooks like Julia Child? What about the Eiffel Tower? Shouldn't I see it at sunset and during the day? Is it wrong that I have no desire to go to the Louvre although I know I should probably go? What about Chanel? Do they offer a tour of Paris according to Amelie? That would make my life so much easier. Decisions are the worst.

My other conundrum about this trip is what to wear. Obviously, I need a very comfortable pair of walking shoes and probably something other than jeans. Why can't I just dress like Gwyneth Paltrow in View from the Top? Because I'm not a flight attendant, can't wear hats, and look awkward in yellow. Comfort is important but so is style in the fashion capital of the world.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I have months to plan and ponder and muse about how to spend my Parisian days and what to wear while doing it. For now, I just want to channel Carol and her fanny-pack and her love of Paris. I want to imagine myself sitting in a lovely park enjoying a bright and sunny Paris afternoon. And feel the city fall in love with me as much as I have fallen in love with it.

Shaken not stirred

If I accomplish nothing else with today's post, at least this theme song will be in your head. I recommend that you play it while driving on any mundane errand. It's fine if you drive a Ford Fiesta, playing this song while driving will immediately make you feel cooler and awesomer.

It's difficult not to love James Bond (37 Bond girls can't be wrong). He's debonair, he's sophisticated, he's witty, he's handsome, he looks good in very tiny shorts, and he always saves the day. It doesn't matter who the villain is or how many henchmen or henchwomen he has thrown at him, James Bond always comes out on top (and you can take that phrase any way you want - it is James Bond after all.)

We're celebrating 50 years of Bond this year. Twenty-three films later (and lots of spoofs and a firm place in pop culture), we're still watching the British spy and hanging on his every move. I've seen all 23 movies, many multiple times. My dad is a huge Bond fan and we occasionally watch the movies on holidays since nothing says holiday quite like James Bond. (Example for Thanksgiving: I am thankful for Daniel Craig being shirtless much of the time in all three of his Bond movies.)

Ian Fleming created the character of James Bond in 1952 with the publication of his first spy novel, Casino Royale. Bond, also known as 007, is a member of MI6 (British Intelligence Service) and would continue as a character in over 16 novels and many short stories. The Bond books are among some of the most famous in the world. The Ian Fleming Publications site is wonderful if you want to learn more about the novels and Ian Fleming's other work. I also like that there is a "conspiracy theory" about James Bond. Makes sense if you think about it.

Anyway, I remember seeing Sean Connery in Dr. No for the first time. Connery was the original Bond and Dr. No was the first Bond film. What doesn't he do right in this movie (or any of his other Bond films)? He's charming, flirty, funny, tough, and drinks the perfect martini. Sean Connery will always be my favorite Bond (he's my dad's favorite too). Five other actors have played 007: Roger Moore, George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and the current Bond, Daniel Craig. If I had to rank the Bonds this would be my order:

1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Pierce Brosnan
4. Roger Moore
5. George Lazenby
6. Timothy Dalton

Yes, George Lazenby is before Timothy Dalton. Lazenby was only in one Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service (and it was only because Sean Connery was holding out for more money which is why George only lasted one film). I would rather watch that movie everyday of my life than either of the Timothy Dalton films. Something about Dalton annoys me to death so I can't take him seriously as Bond (although I think he's hilarious in Hot Fuzz). Anyway, I think Daniel Craig is truly the best Bond since Sean Connery and the newest film, Skyfall, is the best of his Bond films to date. I saw it last weekend and it was amazing. Action packed, impressive scenery, and modern. Bond has finally stepped into the 21st century.

So what is it about James Bond that makes us keep going back for more? Is it just that an attractive actor is cast in the role and there are Bond girls and car chases and buildings blow up? I don't really think so. Bond movies appeal to a specific fantasy world that none of us live in. How many of you spend your day participating in espionage, driving fancy cars, and wearing clothes that fit you perfectly? And saying pithy things? I'm going to guess none of you. M (the magnificent Judi Dench in the current films) has a great monologue towards the end of Skyfall about working in the shadows and how most of us don't want to know about the shadows. I agree with her totally but I also think that's why we like these movies so much. For a few hours, we get to live in the shadows.

Interestingly, Skyfall humanizes James Bond in a way that isn't often seen in any of the other movies. He's tired and starting to look old, continually referred to as a relic (which is a theme in the Bond movies since the Brosnan days). It's also a lot closer to the Bond in the novels than the Bond of many of the movies. One review I read compared Bond to Lester Burnham from American Beauty (Sam Mendes directed both films). It makes sense - Bond in moving is in midlife crisis mode and this movie is the equivalent of him quitting his job, working out, and generally not caring about anything.

Goldfinger is probably my favorite Bond movie. Let's just start with the fact that Sean Connery wears a tux under his wetsuit in the opening sequence. Who does that? It's the epitome of debonair cool. This is also the Bond movie that gave us one of the greatest movie urban legends of all time: that Shirley Eaton, the actress who dies from being painted gold had died in real life because of the paint. She's still alive but her gold form is as iconic as James Bond himself. I also really love Oddjob, Goldfinger's henchmen, who kills people with his hat and has a great death scene of his own. I'm also fairly certain that this is the only Bond movie where a majority of the action takes place in Kentucky. If James Bond had been an American spy, maybe his drink of choice would have been a mint julep.

And because I can't help myself, another list:

My Ten Favorite Bond Theme Songs

1. Goldfinger - For real, listen to Shirley Bassey's voice on this song. It is amazing.
2. Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney and Wings
3. Skyfall - Adele
4. Nobody Does It Better - Carly Simon
5. Diamonds Are Forever - Shirley Bassey
6. Another Way to Die - Jack White and Alicia Keyes
7. A View to a Kill - Duran Duran and James Bond!!!! The video for this song is pretty awesome.
8. The Man with the Golden Gun - I love Lulu. Who doesn't? 
9. For Your Eyes Only - Sheena Easton
10. Goldeneye - I can't help it - it's not a great song but I love Tina Turner and it's magical.

And by the way, Kevin Spacey would be an excellent Bond villain. I think we need to make this happen.

Videos from youtube.com

She's crafty

I've always considered myself crafty. I don't mean that I'm particularly sly or cunning; I'm referring to the artistic definition of crafty. I can make things out of paper and I enjoy embroidery (especially when it involves Russian nesting dolls or hedgehogs). I've never tried to sell anything that I've made but I do like to give handmade items as gifts. I hope people like what I make. You can never really tell if someone is just being polite or honest when they tell you they like a handmade item. It's sort of like when you'd make something for your parents in elementary school; they had to like it and tell you what an awesome job you did. It's their job. As is lying occasionally to make you feel better. Go parenthood!

I appreciate the fine art of painting on roof tiles and making albums into journals or putting a bird on things. These are all things I can get behind. I like the idea that people can sit in their apartments or houses or their parents' basement and create something that makes them happy and in turn, brings some sort of happiness into the world. I also appreciate that these crafters have figured out the universal truth about humans: we will buy anything. Especially if it has a cute animal, gnome, or dinosaur on it. Humans are weak.

And so today, I found myself at Crafty Bastards, an annual arts and crafts fair in DC that I had never heard of until yesterday. A friend told me about it; one of his friends is one of the vendors and he was going to be there helping her out. When he sent me the link, the first thing I saw was that Berkley Illustration would be there. How could I resist?

If you don't know about Berkley Illustration you should take some time and visit their website. I discovered Ryan Berkley and his animal creations when I moved to California. My office has a holiday party every year and we were discussing the upcoming party and the gift exchange. Two of my co-workers kept telling me about this gift from the year before. It was a painting of a meerkat in aviator clothes. They called it Meerkat Amelia Earhart. No one had a picture of it so I decided to do what any other person in the 21st century would do: I googled "meerkat Amelia Earhart" and "meerkat aviator" and found my way to Berkley Illustration's Etsy store.

Yes, I'm now the proud owner of a meerkat aviator print. This alone was worth the Metro ride and the crowds.

There's also this handsome hedgehog who hangs in the entryway of my apartment. I may also have one featuring a T-Rex wearing a western shirt and a cowboy hat. I just can't help myself when it comes to these delightful animals. It's not just that the prints are whimsical (and you know how I love whimsy), it's that he writes a little story for each one. It's awesome and hilarious.

Crafty Bastards was held at Union Market, recently renovated and shiny and new. It's reminiscent of the Ferry Building in San Francisco although much smaller and in a random location. The history of the market goes back to the 1870s. Like lots of things in DC, it's undergone several different versions and lives in a neighborhood that seems at odds with a trendy, artisan market. As you walk to Union Market from the Metro, there are lots of different ethnic stores and markets too. I walked over to the fair with a woman I started talking to on the Metro and she suggested walking through the surrounding market so I could see the whole area. It was a good suggestion - it was interesting to see the contrast between the older parts of the neighborhood and the shiny new part.

I'd like to come back and visit the market again when it's not a zoo. There were so many people! This is what happens when it's 65 and sunny on a Saturday in November in DC. The only reason I found my friend amongst the vendors (even though I knew the booth number) is because he's really tall and I could see him over the crowd. His friend uses up-cycled and salvaged leather to make purses, wallets, and belts. I bought a lovely purple wrislet from her. You can find Catherinette on Etsy too. She had this awesome red purse that I loved but it was a little out of my budget for today. Maybe next time.

I enjoyed my day at Crafty Bastards although I could only stand the crowd for about two hours. By that point, I had had enough of hipsters elbowing me to look at journals made from recycled book covers and Jay McCarroll's scarves and socks (yes, the first winner of Project Runway was there too). So I gathered up my reusable tote bag (nice little gift as we came in) and my wonderful purchases and made my way back to the Metro and home.


Now I just have to figure out where the meerkat and T-Rex will end up in the apartment. Or maybe one of them should make their way to the office. Nothing says office cube decor more than a T-Rex in a western shirt.

You gotta participate for your right to party

Hello Patriots! It's almost Election Day! A time when we get to participate one of the great parts of the civics experiment that is the United States of America. A time when people wear their "I Voted" sticker as a badge of honor and take their young children with them to vote so that they can experience the awesomeness of being American and participating. And possibly in that one moment of watching their mom or dad vote, they too become a civics geek like me. I can dream.

I try to stay away from the political on the Island as much as possible. I know I wrote about my distaste for/loathing of Rush Limbaugh several months ago and showed my patriotism by attending the 2nd largest Fourth of July parade in the US (or so people tell me), but I've never been overtly political on this blog.

And I will not start today.

I'd rather spend today discussing citizenship and participation. By citizenship, I don't mean nationality or the legal rights to live in a place. What I mean is the other part of citizenship: the rights, privileges, and duties of being a citizen. I take being a citizen very seriously and you should too. Being a citizen is no laughing matter AND it is not something that any of us should take for granted ever. I did mean to shout when I typed that and. That's how important citizenship is to me. I was that kid in elementary school who got upset if I didn't win citizen of the month or get a good mark in citizenship on my report card. I still have the report cards to prove this.

We have a very powerful role in the way that our country works. Unfortunately, we tend to only think about what it means to actually be a citizen every four years during election cycles. We forget that citizenship is a 24/7, 365 day a year responsibility. Voting is only one part of being a citizen. It's a fundamental and very important part of being a citizen but it's not the only part. If you are voting this year, good work! I'm proud of you. You are participating and using your voice. We may not agree on the candidate or the issue (or maybe we do-who knows?) but I like you and appreciate you. If I was at the polling place with you, I'd give you a gold star to wear along with your "I Voted" sticker. I care about voting that much.

Seriously, I get mad and feel ill when people tell me they're not voting. Why is this even a choice a person would make? Do you really want other people to be your voice? That doesn't even make sense to me. And don't tell me it's because you're tried of the rhetoric or the negativity of the campaigns. I get that but I also know that if you don't vote, you can't change either of those things. Your voice and vote matter. So make it happen, Patriots. Get out and vote.

And yes I understand that we all have a choice in life especially when it comes to voting or not voting. That's part of being American and having freedom and all. I just think it's a bad choice and you know, I only want you to make good choices. Because I care.

Moving on.

Voting is not the only way we exercise our citizenship. Paying taxes, serving on a jury, taking your garbage out on the appointed day, volunteering your time to a cause - these are also ways in which we participate in our communities and our nation. Many of these things seem like chores and are boring but they're important for the social fabric of our nation. And I think we've forgotten one of the most fundamental ideas of citizenship.

Being nice to one another.

If I learned anything from my teaching days, it's that teenagers have a hard time understanding the larger concept of citizenship because the majority of the actual activities typically associated with citizenship are activities that they are not really able to participate in. You know what they do understand? Being nice to people. And caring about the community they live in. When I taught civics (particularly 9th grade civics), I spent a lot of time discussing these aspects of citizenship. And I think that my students got it. I keep up with many of them on the FB and they seem to be living extraordinary and interesting lives. Many are politically active (high five!) and seem to be good citizens (double high five!). I'm proud of them and hope they pass that down to the next generation.

In honor of my former students and because I want you all to participate, here are 10 non-boring, non-political ways that you can be a good citizen:

1. Put your shopping cart in the shopping cart return area rather than leaving it in a parking spot. If you can't return it to the return area for a legit reason (being in a hurry is not a legit reason by the way), at least try to leave it in such a way that would not prohibit the next person from parking in the spot.
2. When driving and trying to merge into a lane, wave when a person lets you in. They didn't have to and it will make them happy that they did.
3. If someone drops something, pick it up for them and return it.
4. Hold open doors for people. I come from the South where people, particularly men, do this naturally and without pause. The rest of the country needs to get on board with this.
5. Talk on your cell phone in appropriate places and at appropriate volumes. For real, I don't care how much of a jerk so and so is, turn the volume down because it's early and I just want to enjoy my coffee.
6. Volunteer your time to an organization or cause. Make sure you pick something that you truly believe in and are passionate about.
7. Agree to disagree. And move on. If someone believes in something you will more than likely not be able to change their minds. It's not worth frustration, screaming, and a stream of curse words (and I swear like a sailor sometimes so I get it). Just agree to disagree and move onto a topic that's less controversial like the fact that puppies are cute.
8. Go to the Fourth of July parades/events in your city or town. Seriously, nothing is better than a parade and you can't get better than a Fourth of July parade.
9. Get a library card and use it. I love, love, love libraries and I fear for their safety some days. Reading is fundamental friends but libraries are also so much more. They can be the center of a community. Libraries often host events too (book clubs, lectures, artist talks, family events). There's something for everyone at your local library.
10. Be nice to people. If the Dearborn Police can put this on the side of their cruisers, each and every one of us can do it in our daily lives (see above photo). It takes more energy to be a jerk.

There you have it - ten ways to easy and non-politically be a good citizen. Try doing at least one of this things this week. I think you'll enjoy it and want to do more.

Happy citizening! (Yes, that is a made up word but isn't it glorious?!)

And because I borrowed a little from a Beastie Boys song, here you go. Kick it!