Sometimes I feel like the Andy Rooney of this blog. I often write about my gripes and there are many gripes swirling around the atmosphere at the present moment. I don’t even know where to begin with the oil spill in the Gulf. I can’t watch or listen to it anymore. It isn’t that I’m apathetic. I simply get a pit in my stomach and a feeling of doom when I see the pictures of the beautiful blues of the water being tarnished by sludge. Some people aren’t beach people. I am. It is my valium. It is my ambien. It soothes my soul.

I often buy those bags of fresh herbs at the supermarket and use only the portion a recipe may call for. I can’t tell you how many half used, rotten bags of mushed up herbs I’ve thrown out over the years. Imagine my delight when I found out you can take a handful of herbs, put them in a cup of cold water and refrigerate them.

I don’t like trashing things that I spend good money on. I would much rather give them away to somebody who is in need of the item. Here are a few websites to help you get rid of your things and do some good at the same time.

Send your old cell phone to Cell Phones for Soldiers. The phones are sold to a company that recycles them. Cell Phone for Soldiers uses the money to buy calling cards for troops stationed abroad so they can phone home for free. Go to cellphonesforsoldiers.com to print a free prepaid shipping label.

If you need to dispose of your old eyeglasses, OneSight accepts prescription glasses, bifocals and nonprescription sunglasses in marked bins at LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical and Sears Optical stores nationwide. The organization provides the used glasses, along with free eye exams, to those who can’t afford them at 20 clinics around the world. (onesight.org)

The National Cristina Foundation will match your used tech equipment – a computer, printer, software, fax machine, monitor, mouse or any other parts – with an organization near you that needs it. Many are nonprofits that provide education or training to at-risk students or people with disabilities. (cristina.org)

If you have musical instruments that are of no use to you anymore, donate the instruments to the Roots of Music. This is an after-school program in New Orleans that teaches children ages 9-14 how to read and play music. The nonprofits also provides students with academic tutoring and hot meals. Instruments must be in working order. (therootsofmusic.com)

Shop Often: Instead of shopping for groceries once a week, try shopping every other day. That way, you buy only what you need so produce doesn’t go bad.

Onions have so many wonderful benefits that have been used thru the ages. Did you know that sleeping with sliced raw onions can help bring down a fever?

I read this article in Woman’s Day magazine where they listed web pages in which you can decrease receipt of those pesty pieces of junk mail that clog your mailboxes.