So if you haven’t heard yet, Stone Temple Pilots are back with a brand new single called Between the Lines.  Local radio station 106.7 KROQ started playing the song recently and after hearing it for the first time I found a distinct similarity between it and Nirvana’s “Stay Away”.

Any die hard Nirvana fans that have heard the song probably picked up on the similarities as quickly as I did.  When Between the Lines reaches the bridge it goes into a sequence that is very reminiscent of the verses to Nirvana’s “Stay Away”.  Below are clips from the new Stone Temple Pilots song Between the Lines and a clip from Nirvana’s “Stay Away”.  What do you think? Strong similarity or blatant ripoff?

Between the Lines Bridge

Stay Away Verse

It’s hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since my first March of Dimes March for Babies walk.  Last year Misty and I entered as a two person team and were able to raise just over $200 to help support the March for Babies cause.  This year we have pledged to walk again, and with the help of my readers and social followers we hope to increase this years donations even more.

The March of Dimes March for Babies is a walking event that helps raise money to support community programs that help raise awareness and help mothers to have healthy, full-term pregnancies. The March for Babies also funds research to find answers to the serious problems that threaten babies and cause premature births.

The March of Dimes March for Babies is more than just a charity event for me; it is a reminder of the value of life and of the battles many babies have to go through just to make it through those first few months of life.  I am a father of twins, and while they have grown to be happy, healthy toddlers, there was a point in time where my wife and I were terrified that maybe they wouldn’t make it. And even after they were home we continued to struggle with my daughter’s digestive problems and had to regularly monitor my sons heart murmur.

Sadly, many parents are less fortunate and many of their babies never make it home from the hospital.  Last year during the event we spoke to many parents who had lost their little ones and heard he heartbreaking stories of being given a life just to have it tragically stripped away again.

To learn more about why the March of Dimes March for Babies means so much to me, you can read about the day my life changed forever; October 7, 2007.  I know first hand the emotional turmoil that comes with a premature birth, and I know the heartache and the hardships parents go through those first months.  I can only imagine how terrifying it must be to be a baby in that condition, to be hooked up to numerous machines and tubes left to sleep in a plastic box only to feel the warmth of a parents touch when visits permit. It’s hard, it’s miserable, and no parent should have to endure it, or the loss of their child.

So please, help us to fight premature births and make a donation today.  Even if you donate only a dollar, your contribution goes a long way when added to all the other money raised by the March of Dimes for this cause.  You can donate to the March for Babies using the link below, or if you’re interested in other ways to help or to join our team that is walking in Riverside on April 24, you can contact me directly.

A couple years ago I did a post on how to buy from local growers and suppliers in an effort to go green and go local.  At the time my local and organic produce mostly came from the local grocery chain Henry’s.  However earlier this year Misty and I discovered a great opportunity which allowed us to have locally grown, organic produce delivered straight to our door from a local farm.

Farm Fresh To You began in 1992 as an organic produce home delivery service under the direction of Kathleen Barsotti, the farm manager of Capay Organic.  Since then Farm Fresh to You has  expanded and now delivers organic produce fresh from the fields of Capay Organic and other local organic farms straight to homes and businesses throughout California.

Over the last month Misty and I have had our produce delivered by Farm Fresh To You as the primary source for fruits and vegetables.  The produce is delivered on a schedule that works best for you, either weekly, every two weeks or monthly.  We started with a larger box of produce every two weeks, but found that it was simply too much produce for what we would use on a regular basis.  We then switched to a weekly smaller delivery, which yielded too much fruit on a regular basis but just enough vegetables for the week, so we have since switched to a medium sized delivery every two weeks in hopes that it will be just right.

Switching to Farm Fresh To You for our produce has forced us to do a number of things we weren’t doing before.  First we are hyper aware of our produce stock, which means we have been much less wasteful.  Second we are being forced to cook healthier meals using a variety of fruits and vegetables that we probably wouldn’t have normally purchased on our own.  Kale, chard, and collard greens are among some of the most common items we have been forced to find creative ways to cook with.  Had we been shopping for fresh produce on our own, we never would have introduced these ingredients into our diet.  Finally it has helped us become more organized.  Having produce delivered on a schedule forces us to sit down each week and plan out our meals.  No longer can we just wing it with whatever is in the fridge.  To ensure we don’t waste the produce we have to stick to a strict menu and plan ahead.

Overall our experience with locally delivered produce has been a pleasant one.  In fact the first day I saw the box on my door step I was so giddy I took a picture and shared the experience on twitter.  It has helped adjust our lifestyle and has made us feel a lot better about our produce buying and green living decisions.  Many produce delivery companies simply deliver produce from various locations, Farm Fresh To You is focused on delivering produce from their farms and a select few local farms they trust.  If you’re interested in Farm Fresh to You visit their website, and if you use the promo code 6164 you can save $5.