【推荐2】Twenty years ago, German-born Kathrin von Rechenberg left Paris, France, where she used to work for some luxury brands. She didn’t leave to make a fortune. In search of a particular kind of material called fragrant cloud organza(香云纱), she came to Shunde, a small city in South China’s Guangdong Province.

Rechenberg has a passion for making clothes at a very young age. When she was 11, she made her first dress by herself. Then she went to a specialized school for three years to improve her skills in clothes making. After earning the first prize in a clothes making competition in Germany, she won a full scholarship from the top haute couture (高级女式时装) school in Paris. There, she worked for famous haute couture houses as an honor graduate.

But instead of following the steps of some famous designers in haute couture houses, she simply quit her job, and made her way to China to explore the beauty of fragrant cloud organza. As a result, she created her own brand, Rechenberg Art Couture, and found a way to express her own philosophy in making clothes.

Rechenberg learned that the production of the material involves more than 30 intervals of dyeing(染色) and natural drying at each interval, while the last step is to cover the fabrics with mud so that the latter’s rich iron elements can react with the tannic acid and silk fiber to change the colors. After the dyeing, the fabrics must stand for years before the entire process is completed. However, such materials nourished (滋养) by the natural soil, water, and sunshine have a unique energy and become fabrics that can “breathe”.

She draws inspiration from geometric lines and architectural shapes and reduces unnecessary tailoring to preserve the original art design as much as possible. For Rechenberg, a perfect cut should be precise and smooth, just like Chinese calligraphy, which is often finished at one stretch. In addition, she always avoids complicated decorations. “Making clothes is about taking off things unnecessary, and you have more strength when it is kept simple,” she said.

In 2020, Rechenberg was awarded the title of friendship ambassador of China’s textile intangible cultural heritage. Meanwhile, her own brand has become increasingly popular.

【推荐1】Do I think the sky is falling? Sort of.

My husband and I were recently in Egypt, where the temperature was a bit warm for my tiny princess self. So, we left Egypt. Back home, my dearest friends struggled with health stuff, with family craziness...

The game of life is hard, and a lot of us are playing hurt.

I ache for the world but naturally I’m mostly watching the Me Movie, where balance and strength are beginning to fail. What can we do as the creaking elevator of age slowly arrive? The main solution is to get outside every day, ideally with friends. Old friends — even thoughts of them — are my comfort.

Recently I was walking along a beach with Neshama. We go back 50 years. She is 84, short and strong. Every so often, she bent down somewhat tentatively (踌躇地) and picked up small items into a small cloth bag.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m picking up micro litter. I try to help where I can.”

I reminded her of an old story. A great warhorse comes upon a tiny sparrow (麻雀) lying on its back with its feet in the air, eyes tightly shut with effort. The horse asks it what it’s doing.

“I’m trying to help hold back the darkness.”

The horse laughs loudly, “That is so funny. What do you weigh?”

And the sparrow replies, “One does what one can.”

This is what older age means. We do what we can.

We continued our walk. Neshama bent tentatively to pick up bits of litter and started to slip, but I caught her and we laughed. We are so physically vulnerable in older age, but friendship makes it all a rowing machine for the soul. We can take it, as long as we feel and give love, and laugh gently at ourselves as we fall apart. We know by a certain age the great lie in our life — if you do or achieve this or that, you will be happy and rich. No. Love and service make us rich.

【推荐2】The Amazon Rainforest, often called the “lungs of the Earth”, has always mesmerized me with its biodiversity (生物多样性) and local tribes (部落). When I had the chance to join a research expedition, I took it, excited about the adventure ahead. I didn’t know it would be a great experience.

The journey into the rainforest was tough, such as the dense leaves, endless rain and the sound of insects and animals. However, the beauty of the rainforest was amazing.

One of the most exciting parts of the trip was meeting a local tribe. Their way of life, so connected to nature, was different from our urban lives. Learning about their customs and understanding their relationship with the rainforest was a special experience. It made me realize how separated from nature we have become in the technological advancement.

The trip was not without challenges. Walking in the forest, dealing with the bad weather and dealing with the fear of the unknown tested our willpower. However, every challenge we overcame brought a sense of achievement and strengthened our team bond. It taught me the importance of teamwork and adaptability.

As we left the rainforest, I recalled the impact the trip had on me. It was not just an adventure but a journey of self-discovery.

My trip to the Amazon rainforest was a meaningful experience. It was a journey that pushed my boundaries(边界) taught me valuable lessons and left me with unforgettable memories. It was not just a trip, but an exploration of the unknown and a reminder of our responsibility towards our planet. The adventure may have ended, but the journey continues, as I carry the lessons and memories with me, influencing my life and choices.

【推荐3】No young person makes the decision to be a soldier lightly. As much as we support our children, we also have some fears. I remember so well when our son Jimmy decided to be a soldier after college. His father and I were so scared of what his decision might cost him. Sharing the news of his decision turned out to be a little bit scaring as well. We’d assumed that those around us, family, friends and community would join us in supporting him and honoring the decision he was willing to make. Most people we told respond positively.

But I also heard what my friends said like: “I’m so sorry. You must be disappointed with him.” and “Couldn’t you change his mind?” The hardest one came from the mother of our son’s high school friend. One day she asked if she could talk to me. “I hope you understand, but I’ve forbidden my son to have anything to do with yours,” she said. “I just can’t risk that my son Simon will see the decision your son has made as a possible choice for his life.”

These responses were upsetting to me, and I did my best to protect my son from them. But one night he shared that he had also heard similar comments. I asked him how he felt about that. He faced me with his answer. “These responses didn’t bother me. I know that not everyone can get what I’m doing. But there is something that I feel I must do. I believe that I’ll become a good soldier.” I knew then that he had made the decision for the right reason.

The reason why I’m sharing this today is to share tips on how to respond to this kind of announcement. The encouragement from family and friends is important. Those friends who backed Jimmy’s decision gave us strength. And we could share our struggles with them.

【推荐1】Alexander Tsao, a keen rock climber for several years, was climbing the walls at a gym near his home in Redmond, Washington, when he noticed that the ropes were frequently being replaced with new ones. Just 16 at the time, Tsao wondered what happened to the old ropes. He asked the gym owners and found out the ropes had to be discarded regularly due to safety regulations. He was surprised to find that so many ropes were sent to landfills.

This discovery inspired him to find a solution to the environmental issue of climbing rope waste. He considered possible ideas and ways to up cycle the discarded ropes, deciding to turn them into leashes (拴狗带) for dogs.

Once he had made his plan, Tsao contacted all the climbing gyms in Washington State, introducing his idea of recycling old ropes. Some were doubtful at first, but many gyms agreed to donate their used ropes. Tsao spent months testing and designing his products and filling documents to become a nonprofit organization which he called Rocks2Dogs.

To make the leashes, Tsao and volunteers first wash and dry the ropes. They cut them into different lengths, ranging from4 to 10 feet, and then burn the ends to prevent them from fraying (磨损). They add a clip and handle to each end, and cover the leash’s hardware with shrink tape.

Because making the leashes now is a full-time job, Tsao has asked his friends, family and neighbors for help. “We have made and sold over a thousand leashes, which add up to over 10,000 feet of rope being saved from landfills,” says Tsao. The leashes come in various colors. There are also half-price leashes made from ropes with slight imperfections. These start at $7.49 while most other leashes start at $ 14.99. To date, the nonprofit has raised more than $ 35,000. Much of this money has been donated to animal shelters.