LUSH Tells the Naked Truth about what it means to be an environmentally-friendly company

I had to chuckle the other day when I heard about this PR stunt that was projected to get a lot of attention at the Somerset Collection in Troy...

LUSH, a global company that sells toiletries and shampoos was planning to have employees disrobe for a half an hour to promote its products' environmentally smart "naked" packaging (they don't use bottles or tubes). The employees that volunteered would have been wearing aprons that said "Ask me why I’m naked." Their butts would have been the only *private* part exposed.

The Somerset Collection was quick to veto the idea saying something along the lines of "our customers are too conservative for this type of promotion."

In my opinion, I think it was a genius way for them to get attention, even though the event didn't happen. I heard a few radio interviews and saw media coverage in the local papers and it made me curious, so naturally I checked out the company's Web site and made a mental note to stop by the store next time I'm at Somerset.

According to the site, more than 50 percent of the store’s products are package-free, and all of its paper bags, cardboard boxes and re-useable tins are made from recycled materials. It's also states that packaging contributes to 2 percent of overall greenhouse gases, and plastic uses 8 percent of the world’s oil resources. The U.S. consumes 79.6 million tons of packaging each year, and more than half ends up in landfills.

During last year alone, approximately 3 million plastic bottles were not manufactured, transported and disposed of because customers chose to buy LUSH’s solid shampoo bars instead of a bottled product.

To me, they have a wonderfully 'cheeky' idea. I give 'em mad kudos for trying something interesting, even if it doesn't take off with the masses.

Too bad Somerset doesn't seem to have much of a sense of humor in all of this...

Preparing for the Next 'Round of Heroes @ the Paralympics

I don't know about you all, but I'm not a big sports fan. I try to know who's who in Detroit sports and who are the big guns when it comes to the big teams, but for the most part, I really just don't care. I appreciate the talent needed to suceed, but sports in general are just not that interesting to me...

Except anything surrounding the Olympics. I don't know if it was my Greek roots coming out, or if I just watched the games much more than I have in years past, but the 2008 games were the best I've seen ever. (Very big kudos to NBC for great coverage!)

Yes, there was scandal. But, there was also record-breaking triumph. There were tears, sweat and blood. It's true -- the Olympics are truly composed of the drama folks like me need to enjoy sports. And I truly enjoyed every minute!

Just when I thought the Olympics were done (tear), I read a great story and learned we've only just begun with the gold medal inspiration. September 7-17th, 4,200 disabled athletes from around the world will compete in the Paralympics in Beijing.

Paralympians are categorized into five different groups: spinal cord injury, amputee, visual impairment, cerebral palsy and ‘les autres’ (basically, French for those who don’t fit in the other categories). There are 20 different events including wheelchair basketball, archery, swimming and wheelchair fencing, among others. (How sweet would those be to watch?!)

One fellow American I will be rooting for is Melissa Stockwell, a solider who lost her leg in Iraq. She rocks! Read her ESPN story Little Leg,' big heart and positive thinking here and prepare to be inspired. Gold medal or not, she's a true American hero...in more ways then one.

Go Paralympians -- I know I'll be rooting for you all!

Sunday Song - "Skin Deep" by Buddy Guy

Excited for my upcoming road trip to Chicago to see one of my favorite people EVER, I'm picking out Chi-town native blues artist Buddy Guy's new single "Skin Deep" as this week's song. AWESOME song with a GREAT, positive message...and what artist can beat those hot guitar licks?

Eat Pray Love: A Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia

Elizabeth Gilbert's novel, Eat, Pray, Love has gotten many thumbs ups across the globe. I've just finished the book and I personally have enjoyed it immensely (although there are folks who beg to differ). There's just something about the way she carries herself that makes me want to be her friend (mostly by setting her straight half the time...).

Instead of describing the entire book and the parts I liked/disliked, I figure I'd just list some of the most memorable quotes spoken since there was a lot of wisdom hidden in the pages...

"Richard from Texas" describes soul mates:"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master..."

"You don't want to go cherry-picking a religion," a friend of mine once said. "Which is a sentiment I completely respect expect for the fact that I totally disagree. I think you have every right to cherry-pick when it comes to moving your spirit and finding peace in God. I think you are free to search for any metaphor whatsoever which will take you across the worldly divide whenever you need to be transported or comforted... You take whatever works from wherever you can find it, and you keep moving toward the light."

"Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really need to be certain it's what you want before you commit."

"You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight."

"There's no trouble in this world so serious that it can't be cured with a hot bath, a glass of whiskey, and the Book of Common Prayer."

And my personal fave: You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be.

Great summer read. I highly recommend it!

Sunday Song: "Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos

There's songs you just get certain feelings with. "Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos is one of those songs for me.

I won Tori's Little Earthquakes album during a contest at a 6th grade dance. I looked at it and thought, "Who the heck is Tori Amos?"

My girlfriends Leah and Nikki said "Oh, she's really good. I think you'll really like her."

I did.

This track is one of my favorite songs ever. The lyrics are different, strange -- but in a good way. Many say the song was written to give a voice to her inner rage from being raped by an obsessive fan. To me, the song discusses how she was silent for many years about what happened to her, but does not want to remain silent anymore. It could take on several other meanings, but that's really up to the listener to decide.

Startlingly original, the song's combo of piano, strings and Tori's hauntingly beautiful voice make it an instant 90's classic. Take a listen for yourself here.

The Logic Behind My Blog Name

A friend asked me why I named my blog Staircase to Earth's Loveliness.

My answer: When I was younger, I had a huge sticker collection I used for arts & craft-type stuff. I had a pile of the stickers I vowed to myself that I would never use or trade (too pretty, too funny, etc.). One said:

My soul can find no staircase to heaven unless it be through earth's loveliness.

- Michelangelo

I've been smitten with that expression ever since...To me, it means it simply means to have fun conquering those stairs called life and don't forget to enjoy all the beauty the world offers along the way.

...and most importantly, always keep climbing!

One Year of Bloggin'

Today is officially my one year blogging anniversary, so happy birthday to my beloved escape from negativity -- Staircase to Earth's Loveliness!

It's amazing how therapeutic writing in this blog has been for me. Each day, I find myself focusing in on positive things (partially because I'm always looking for topics) and doing away with any negativity that comes my way. This is my real-life version of "The Secret" -- we all really do have the power to create our own destiny and mine just so happens to include writing positively!

So why do I even bother to write this blog? I am pretty sure it's just a few friends and randoms that read it, so what's the point?

I like lists, so I thought long and hard and this is what I came up with on why I decided to start blogging:

6. I love the area in which I reside and gosh darnit, I love America as a whole. Yes, both Detroit and America have ups and downs, but I've chosen to only make note of the ups in my blog -- our melting pot culture, rockin' music and the wonderfully talented people I see/meet/hear about on a daily basis that make me proud.

5. I've always enjoyed reading the blogs of others. And while reading a blog doesn't make me a natural blogger-that-you-can't-get-enough-of, it did make we want to give it a shot.

4. I'm an expressive and I always like to say what's on my mind (just ask my hubby). Sometimes people may not feel like listening to my ramblings, so this serves as a way for me to get my [positive] thoughts out there.

3. I need to practice my writing, grammar and spelling. Yes, I get a lot of practice with work...but I'm not perfect nor do I ever claim to be. This is a good way for me to see where I can expand my skills.

2. On the other side of this, when I blog, my writing standards are lowered. A blog is more informal than writing for work and just matches my personality more-so. I have writer's ADD...a little bit of this, a little bit of that. (Maybe that explains why I like using Twitter, too?)

and #1. There are a lot of things I just want to write down or save and put in a box for a rainy day (quotes, stories, songs, etc.). Some of these items are ones I don't want to forget, some I know I may need to recall in the future (i.e. so I can teach my children appropriately one day) and some are just because I like them.

All in all, you can expect to see a lot more from where this chick is headed...