No room for improvement

That's right, I'm perfect as I am. Or actually, I'm learning to live with my imperfections. That's the new challenge.

I was going to write about my Disconnect challenge today, my attempt at spending less time on the Internet and, specifically less time reading blogs. Then, I read this post in The Fragrant Muse blog that made me realize how much I actually enjoy reading blogs, and that I'm meeting fabulous people and learning lots of interesting things in the blogsphere, so why stop? Of course, I want to free up some time to do other things, but I also want to stop feeling guilty for doing something that I enjoy and that it's not hurting anyone.

So that got me thinking... Lately, boyfriend and I seem to be in this self improvement race. As in: from now on, I'm going to eat more fruit and vegs, from now on, I'm going to go to bed earlier, from now on, I'm going to write/draw every day, from now on, I'm going to give up chocolate and coffee, from now on, from now on... Frankly, it's exhausting.

I'm not saying it's bad to stop and look at what you can do to improve your life from time to time, but shouldn't we also learnt to enjoy what we do? Why give up blogging if you like it so much? Why give up chocolate if it sweetens your day?

So these are some of the things I'm not giving up:

• Blogs: If I wasn't reading blogs and writing my own, I wouldn't be going to blog camp with some amazing ladies, and that's reason enough not to stop.
• Coffee: I enjoy my first cup of coffee in the morning No, I LOVE my first cup of coffee in the morning. Having a coffee in the office is a great excuse to talk to my co-workers, going to Starbucks after work is the perfect moment to relax with your journal or a book. Why give it up?
• Pastries for breakfast: I should probably be more careful with what I eat, but frankly, breakfast is one of my favourite moments of the day, and I don't want to spoil it. Plus, if you are going to eat them at all, why not eat those (bad) things in the morning, so you have the whole day to burn those calories (not that I'm burning many calories sitting here in the office, but, hey, I cycle to work).
• An untidy room: Specially if it means I'm doing something fun instead of tidying up!

What are you NOT giving up?

If you buy one thing...

Have you seen Giselle's photos for the Elle and RED campaign? The photos have appeared in 30 editions of Elle magazine to promote RED's work against AIDS in Africa. The slogan is "If you buy one thing this month, buy (RED)." I'm not buying anything at the moment, but if I were, these Converse would be mine:

Behind the book

Behind the book es una organización que realiza actividades para estimular a los alumnos de escuelas pobres de Nueva York a leer, escribir y ser más creativos. Organiza, sobre todo, charlas de escritores e ilustradores en las escuelas de los barrios pobres de la ciudad. Me parece una labor importantísima la que llevan a cabo. Muchas veces nos olvidamos de que promover la imaginacion y la creatividad de estos niños puede ser lo mejor que hagamos por ellos. Les estamos dando las herramientas que necesitan para escapar del mundo en el que viven e imaginar una vida mejor.
Además, me encanta el diseño de su página web, que os muestro arriba.
¿Conocéis alguna organización parecida en España o Sudamérica?

Behind the book is a literary arts nonprofit organization that promotes literacy among students in schools in poor neighbourhoods of New York City.
I think organizations like this do such an important job. We often forget that the best thing we may do for children in hard situations is to help them and encourage them to use their imagination and be more creative. That way, we´ll be giving them the tools they need to escape the world they live in and imagine a better life.
I also like the design of their website, that you can see above.
Do you know any similar organization in England?