Decanter Crud Meets Collective Wisdom

We have a few beautiful glass wine decanters. Coincidentally, two of them were drained to empty about the same time and both had a lot of wine debris left in the bottom. I remembered that the last time this happened, I found some creative, simple solution but couldn't recall if it had been vinegar, bleach, or some other magic potion, none of which worked this time around.

Obviously it was time for Google.

Reading a number of suggestions, the one which seemed easiest was to drop a denture cleaner tablet like Polident into the decanter along with some hot water and let it sit a bit. I liked the idea that this cleaner was clearly safe for ingesting. We tried it and voila! Within an hour the debris was all floating.

I never tire if the miracle of the internet, where we all share knowledge. This isn't up there with delivering a baby or building a windmill for power to a village in Africa, but it worked!

For a Green Wedding: Bambu Veneerware, Alternative Registry, and Paperless Post

Last week we celebrated our son's wedding - it was incredibly powerful and joyous, and also, I am delighted to report - very green. The centerpieces, lovingly created by the bride's dad, were herb gardens. The food was vegetarian. Dozens of other touches, like electronic invitations via Paperless Post, cut down on waste. They created their own alternative bridal (and "groomal"?) registry and were able to convey their values in a manner way more personalized and idealistic than those endless and somewhat tasteless store-managed gimme lists. What was really nice about the Alternative Registry is that they could either list a specific item with a link to a store, or simply say "We want a knife sharpener - if you know about knife sharpeners, we totally trust your judgement, since we have no idea what to pick." Once the item was purchased, they simply removed it from the registry, so whoever went there next didn't have to feel like all the good stuff was gone.

At a party we hosted in their honor, we bought Bambu Veneerware, pictured here. It is pricey and while it will compost, and is therefore a sustainable disposable [unless you think that's a contradiction in terms], I am happy to report that it is REUSABLE. The plates are quite attractive and sturdy, but because they are lightweight, practical to schlep to potlucks or large events. They must be handwashed, and the sooner the better. One quirk is they take about 24-36 hours to dry. But then you can totally use them again.

Congratulations to bride and groom! We are so proud of all the thoughtful decisions they made! (especially in choosing one another!)

Cell Phone Toilet Drops

NotSayingWho dropped his/her cellphone in the toilet. Said dropper was mortified, and also pretty upset. Water damage is an exclusion in cellphone policies, and the meter on the phone showed a lot of damage. What to do? March right over to the cellphone store and fork over a lot of money for a replacement?

The first trick is to place the wet cell in a container of rice, gleaned from online research. The Dropper had already tried this, and it had failed. Apparently, though, a lot of cellphone drop in toilets. Happens more often than you'd imagine. A quick google of "cellphone toilet" turned up loads of conversation threads where people shared effective solutions. One was to put the cell in a ziplock bag with an absorbing pad from new shoes and leave it for a day or two. Another said to use the rice trick, with a light shining on it, for a day or two. Fortunately, that worked. Ah! Life back after cellphone exile.

Point is: no matter how unique your problem might seem to you - as in, who else could do something so dopey? - you are not alone. Google your way out of it! Likewise, if you have a technical problem, odds are lots of other people with the same product have encountered it too. The internet is a remarkable way to get help.

Take a Climate Change quiz and it will send $2 towards solar flashlights to Haiti, courtesy of the Clinton Global Initiative. The test is ten questions and hits on some interesting points. There may be some upward limit, but I didn't see it in a quick look-see.

A fun quiz, new knowledge, and a brighter tomorrow in Haiti! What more can you ask for? Take this quiz about climate change sponsored by the Clinton Foundation, and have $2 donated on your behalf to purchase solar flashlights for people living in Haitian camps. The goal is to have 100,000 people take the quiz so that 20,000 energy-saving flashlights can be donated.

This quiz highlights the Clinton Foundation's commitment to climate change issues including deforestation, waste management, retrofitting buildings, and clean energy projects.

While on the site, be sure to check out the Clinton Foundation-supported events hosted in cities across the U.S. and take some time to learn about the issues being tackled by the Clinton Foundation.