Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway!

Okay, so here are a few of the things I've done in my life-- been on TV and won a game show, run the Honolulu Marathon after raising $3,000, JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE. You would think that going around the neighborhood asking local businesses to start recycling and possibly donate their cans and bottles to me would be relatively easy. And it was. But I have been putting this off and off and off. Yay, procrastination. I walked two blocks with Max this afternoon asking local businesses if they recycled and if anyone else picked up their recycling.

One local business, Suburban Martini (which I think is a great store, and Kelly, I love your stuff, and Daisy is too cute) was very into my project. She took a card and said she'd call when she got any sizable about of stuff together and suggested I ask the bar next door. She thought they had someone pick up the recycling, but what did it hurt to ask?

At the bar next door, Gem City Grill, I stopped at the front door. There was a sign that read "No one under 21 may enter." With Max in my arms, that sign almost stopped me from going in. I hemmed and hawed and went back and forth. It was like a force field pushing me back. No, scratch that. It wasn't the sign pushing me back. It was fear. But I thought myself out of it. "What's the worst that could happen? The other store was really nice. What are you afraid of?" I literally went up to the door, turned around back to the car and went back to the door twice. But, I went in and nodded at the man at the bar at 11:00 a.m., who smiled at Max. I continued past the girl shooting pool and found someone who worked there. Tracy (?) told me they already had an older couple who came to pick up the recycling every Wednesday, but she said she used to be an environmental consultant in the early 90s. Oh, that got my attention! And she told me how Waste Management paid people to talk about worm farming and recycling at schools. Also, she used to work for a company called Ecosynthesis. Oh, you can bet I'll check that one out! So, no cans, but I got a little knowledge.

And on and on I went. One block, then another and finally success! Daniel at Y Sharis Spa was a little dubious, I think, as to what I was doing, but I happened to have a brand new recycling bin I got from Bottles and Cans.com and he let me give it to them. He seems to not think they get many bottles and cans, but he will let me come once a week to pick them up. (We'll see how many pile up, little by little. Maybe it'll be a few, maybe not so much.)

Anyway, next I stopped at T Phillips Alehouse and Grill on Myrtle and talked to the bartender there, who was very friendly. She suggested that most of the local bars and restaurants set out their recycling around midnight or 1:00 a.m., and if I was interested I could pick them up then. Hmm... we'll see.

After that, it had been about two hours. My extrovert was tired and I don't know why, but each store seemed like another rock to climb. I was so proud of myself for feeling nervous and anxious and going in anyway. So, we'll see if I hear from Kelly at Suburban Martini, or Lori at Monrovia Florist. But if nothing else, I DID something!



Edited to add: Can total: 3267