Meet the Readers: Cindy and Ric

Once a week or so I’m going to profile the very special people who read this site. If you’d like to participate, shoot me an email.

Tell us about yourself.

Ric and I met right after Katrina (August 2005) brought him up to NY from New Orleans. I was teaching an English class, he wandered in, and the rest, they say is history. We are both over 60, though everyone agrees we don’t look it. I am superintendent for a group of management entities on Union Square, here in downtown NY. Ric is a merchant seaman and ships out often during the year, leaving me to manage the houses, collect gentle used clothing for textile rescue, recycle laundry soap, mentor the young, and cook for our neighbors.

How long have you been reading the site?

I can’t remember when I discovered your site but I must be visiting you for at least a year. That feels correct.

What’s your favorite kind of post?

My fave posts are enjoyed for different reasons: the Muslim scarves for young ladies are about fashion…and something deeper, sociologically, if you see what I mean. The snot nose wipes for kids are fun, and also practical. The drinking glasses made out of recycled bottles appeal to the environmentalist in me. The chicken hotel was just plain funny. The postings about women going into business, wherever and wbaever, also appeal to me, a mature person always looking of opportunities which may not at first be apparent, but which someone has seen as valuable. My motto is? “Let it make you think…further”

Is there something that you’d like us to be writing about that we’re not?

I really resonate to coverage of mature related themes: businesses, items designed to enhance mobility and health, things which have a world view for developing countries (empowering native people, especially), housing resources and recycling furniture and construction supplies, and reduce, renew, rebuild.

What other sites do you read regularly?

I visit other sites but none quite like yours. Our interests are, (Ricardo’s and mine) as you may have guessed extremely eclectic, but you have it nailed in terms of business resources, and I enjoy checking in with you every few days, just to “goose” my own thought processes and give myself something to gnaw on, idea-wise.

Anything else?

It is Sunday morning. After I finish writing this I will go out on my walkabout, through the neighborhood and uptown, with my shopping cart. Along the way I will find discarded clothing, household items, and usable glass and plastic. My community focus is primarily about this and, in fact one of our homeless regulars nicknamed me “Soap Lady”. NY’ers are a lazy lot, and when they put out their recycling in bags they seldom if EVER rinse out those big orange Tide bottles? I bring them back here, to my shop next door, toss them in the wash with the clothing I have found, and voila!! Free soap, clean clothing to donate or use for anyone in need, and at a fraction of the usual cost. What’s bad???

Thanks for offering a really valuable site. Hope this helps put some meat on the bone…Best from the Apple! Cindy and Ric

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