Small Change

These little devils...also known as "small change." Let's just say, nickels and dimes are a very present part of my life and, quite possibly, the bane of my existence. Pennies, nickels and dimes...tossed into a tip jar-these, are considered "tips."

Here's a real tip: Throw a dollar into the tip jar folks. I'm poor, not making much-I engage you, smile, ask you questions about yourself (and like most people, who love the sound of their own voice and love, even more, to talk about themselves), you divulge...and I, listen. I make you a latte, and even put a pretty heart in your morning cup of joy. Or, I smile sweetly at your obnoxious child demanding; "Chocolate mint in a sugar cone, now!" While banging her grubby little hands impatiently on the gelato case. You pay, and maybe throw a few pennies my way (probably because those pennies are weighing your wallet down anyways).

Just throw a dollar in the jar folks, tip the people who offer you a service. If you can afford a four-and-a-half dollar latte, please don't cut corners while neglecting the girl smiling at you from behind the counter. When you go out, factor a good tip into your budget. I demand change! But please, not your "small change," unless of course you're too greedy to even consider a whole dollar, in which case, your change, will be gladly accepted (look, you're turning me into a working beggar). But keep your pennies, oh and your foreign currency too!

Change.1

Alright, mine is über cliché but here it is:

We have a park a few blocks away from us. There is this cute little pond where some turtles live -- they like Cheerios -- so I went to go feed them because the weather is changing and when it gets too cold the turtles hibernate, I think; I'm almost positive they don't migrate. Anyway, this represented change to me in a few ways. First, when we first got here it was so humid all the time so going outside was not fun and even the idea of walking to the park made me start to perspire, but since the season is changing the park is a much more inviting idea -- strolling around the park with the cool air biting through my sweater sounds heavenly. Second, I love that there are colors that define Fall. Sure you can randomly assign colors to winter, spring, and summer -- but everyone knows that Fall is here when the leaves begin to change. The beauty of Fall is one of my few consolations in the transition to Winter. 

Bonus: Here is one of the turtles! In the background are some of the birds that kept stealing the Cheerios!