While preparing for our early newscast today, several members of the Fox Toledo News crew found it funny that it seems everything these days is blamed on the economy.

Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken’s sound bite is what set off this thread. He was talking about the reason why we’re not having a Children’s Wonderland display this year.

But after so many months of downturn and struggle, we sometimes don’t realize how much of our lives are affected by the economy, because it’s happened so gradually.

See if any of this sounds familiar in your life–
Sales projections are down.
All of your magazines now have headlines touting bargain gifts and budget friendly meal ideas.
Charity donation requests all say the need is up.
You’re driving your car longer and considering whether each repair is necessary.
Combining errands is the norm, forget joyrides.
You’ve gotten used to the potholes and no longer wonder when they’ll be fixed.

I’m sure you could add to this. Hang in there, and when in doubt, blame the economy.

Yes, I’m about to go into a rant. You’ve been warned.

When I was a kid in the 70s, the mainstream environmental movement centered mostly around not littering. Dioxins, including PCBs and Agent Orange were grabbing most of the headlines. Recycling on a large scale was still many years away. But school kids got it drilled into our heads that you put trash in a trash can. Seemed simple and clear enough to me.

Yet in late 2009, someone (maybe several someones) is/are throwing entire fast food bags out their car window in rural western Lucas County. Plastic bottles filled with tobacco spit, too. I pick up their trash every week or so from my front yard. Not a big effort, but more of an effort than it would have been for the original owner of the trash to dispose of it properly in the first place.

Why do they do it? Are they that lazy? Are they hiding an eating disorder or nasty habit from someone? Do they just not care about the environment, anyone else’s property, about behaving like a responsible adult? I keep hoping to catch the offender in the act. Maybe get a license plate number. I know the world has worse problems, but this one is just thoughtless and yes, trashy. If you litter, do try to clean up your act. And if you share my frustration, keep picking up your little corner of the world and at least take satisfaction in the fact that you care enough to do something.

I learned a new word this week. People who work in a business of choosing and rearranging words for a living sometimes get excited about such things.

Locovore: Defined as someone who eats locally produced foods.

In the green revolution, we used to hear mostly about organic foods, those grown without weed and bug killing chemicals. While organic can be a good thing, ask yourself this– Is it really good to buy organic foods that have to be shipped long distances around the globe? In addition to using fuel for transportation, that food isn’t so fresh anymore after all of that time and sitting around.

So that thinking has many people making more of an effort to eat what’s grown on local farms. The added benefit there being economic. You’re helping the local tax base and supporting your own neighbors as they try to make a living. At the same time you are rewarded with fresh, seasonal food that often tastes much different (better) than the average fare at local supermarkets.

Even the supermarkets are catching on to this trend. Lately I’ve been noticing more signs in Giant Eagle, Kroger and Monette’s pointing out that items are at least grown in Ohio or Michigan.

Sure, we’re busy. Sure, we don’t always have time to gather groceries at the farmers’ market AND the mega-mart, but if you’re out for a drive on the weekend and cruise past a farm stand, I urge you to take five or ten minutes. Stop. Look at what they have. Maybe grab a bag of apples and a vegetable you’ve never tried. You can find recipes for just about anything online. It’ll make you feel good. I promise.

I hope you’re going to vote. I plan to before heading to the gym and then to work.

It’s going to be interesting to watch Issue 3, Toledo’s race for mayor and Oregon’s too. Toledo City Council offers plenty of competitive drama, as do a long list of school levies, other taxes, school board races and contests for township trustee.

I was personally robo-called six times today and several more over the weekend. Elections are always stressful in a newsroom, so we’ll all be glad when the numbers and totaled and the results are history.

If you still have questions about who’s running for Toledo Municipal Judge or City Council or what Issue 2 (agriculture) or 4 (care of the elderly) are all about, you can watch FOX Toledo’s “You Decide 2009 Election Preview Special”, posted on our website among the top stories.

Maybe I’ll see you at the polls. Wear your ‘I Voted Today’ sticker with pride.

Maybe you’re a natural in knowing what to wear and how to accessorize. If so, feel fortunate.

Most, including me, are not.

That’s why you need a clothing buddy. A close friend, relative or spouse who’s allowed to tell you, “Those pants are not flattering.” or “You really should wear the coral, not the pastel green.”

You have to have enough trust in this person to know that they know what they’re talking about, and snipping at them with a defensive comment is not allowed. It’ll make them hesitant to tell you the truth next time. You don’t want that.

One of my clothing buddies is a fellow female reporter here at Fox Toledo. She’s always ready with an honest opinion. She’s stopped me from buying some things that probably would have been fashion mistakes. She’s told me when I look my best, so I can learn from those choices and try to repeat what’s good.

I have an event to go to Sunday, a fundraiser for the Anne Grady Center, a home in Lucas County for people who are developmentally disabled. It’s a fairly dressy event. I’m planning to wear a long black velvet dress, but had no solid idea what to do with shoes and jewelry. Just a few minutes ago I showed a picture of the dress to my clothing buddy. She had instant suggestions of items already in my wardrobe which would work.

Thank you clothing buddy. You’re so much better that those high-priced Hollywood stylists. And Buddy, keep wearing the jewel tones, they flatter your hair and skin.

Last week, Friday October 16th, I was driving home from work around midnight.
There was a pink glow in the sky, different from the usual city light pollution. Different from clouds with light reflecting on them.

It looked like vertical streaks. And from where I was in the corn and beanfields of western Lucas County, these faint pink streaks could be seen to the west, north and east, almost like a curtain in the sky.

These weren’t the dancing, moving northern lights that you’ve probably seen video of. Just static, pinkish, vertical streaks. But since it’s only the third time in my life I’ve seen the phenomenon, I was very excited to see them.

Since that night, I keep looking at the sky, hoping to see the lights again, but so far, even on clear nights, nothing.

Keep your eyes open and let me know if you get a glimpse of them.

The people who sell bleach kits are making a lot of money these days. But keeping your teeth white, much like keeping the weight off, is easier than starting over with a daunting task ahead.

Here’s a tip I learned from a hygenist at my dentist’s office. Brush your teeth *before* you have a drink that’ll stain your teeth. In my case, they were talking about coffee and tea, but I suppose you could apply the wisdom to colas, red wine, anything dark and staining.

They told me the idea is that brushing first gets rid of the layer of plaque that builds up, and that staining compounds can cling to.

Of course a rinse with water or brushing afterward is also a good idea, but the *brushing* before my coffee suggestion was new to me and seems to be working, so I thought I’d share.

That’s all for now. My hot tea is now cool enough to drink.

I am in the middle of a push to get organized. You wouldn’t know by looking at my desk at work. It looks pretty much like it always does.

What’s different is at home. Furniture had to be moved to clean some carpets at the same time I was reading a book on closet makeovers. After discovering a chest of drawers was broken, all of the contents ended up on the floor. They’re still there.

I’m hoping the excitement about sorting and purging and organizing that I got from that book will stick with me long enough to get those piles sorted and neatly put somewhere.

I dream of living a clutter-free life. I know it’s probably not possible, but that’s the ideal I’m looking at and working toward.

Is it that I’m too sentimental toward useless old stuff? Is it that I lack the knowhow to set up useful storage systems? Or do I just make choices every day to spend my life doing other things like cooking, reading or exercising, instead of putting things away.

I’m giving myself time. Hopefully by mid-winter, I’ll be able to find things in the clothes closet, the garage AND the kitchen cabinets. Wish me luck. I’ll need it. I welcome your advice if you’re an organizing pro.

We sometimes take for granted that this area has area has art and commercial glass know-how. I’ve been trying to take advantage of the local classes and resources, including Prism Glassworks in Maumee and the classes at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion.

My friend and co-worker, Heather Miller, did the hour-long flower sculpture making class in June in the museum’s hot shop. She’s raved about it ever since, so last Friday night I went back with her and tried it for myself. The teacher, in our case Adam, patiently demonstrates what you’ll be doing with dangerous, molten glass, how not to get hurt and what your creative choices are. Then each student goes through the process. The teacher grabs the metal rod or tools whenever you, the student might get hurt or appear too awkward, as you’ll see I did while using the giant tweezers.

Cost is $25 for non-members, just $15 for museum members. They told us the Toledo Museum of Art will be offering these through the end of 2009 on Fridays at 6, 7 and 8 p.m.  It’s best to call a few days in advance to buy your tickets, because class size is limited to what the teacher can handle in the small hot shop.  Closed toed shoes and pulled back hair are required.

As I write this, I’m watching the first of two episodes of the half hour version of the game show. The man who cuts the FOX Toledo News team’s hair, Matthew Gonzales of Matthew Vincente Salon was holding one of the cases tonight.

Because they make contestants sign a contract promising they won’t reveal what happens until it airs, I don’t know whether he gets selected as an actual contestant or wins any money yet. Even though the show airs on this station. We’ll all find out tomorrow evening at 6  together.

It’s been fun learning some of the behind-the-scenes secrets of how they do the show.

I learned from Matthew that auditions are brutally quick and thorough. They even sent producers to interview his family and friends. A little like an F.B.I. background check.

They put contestants through almost a boot camp of what to say, how to behave, how to open the case, even how to clap properly. They practice closing the little plexiglas box when they indicate “No Deal”. It doesn’t just happen like it appears to when you watch the show.

My favorite insider secret, which we discuss in tonight’s Talk Back interview segment, First at Ten, is the unusual method used to keep the men on the show from sweating through their shirts when they get nervous or excited under the hot studio lights.

Feminine pads under their arms. No kidding.