How to volunteer with Healthy World Cafe

As a nonprofit, our operations rely heavily on volunteers. We'd love for you to join us!

We'll have two shifts � 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. � on each cafe day (Monday through Friday), plus additional times on weeknights and weekends for special events.

We've introduced a new online system for coordinating volunteers, called YourVolunteers.com. We love this system because it is non-profit focused and meets our needs � we hope you like it too!

Here's how it works. First, create your username...

1. Follow the link to http://bit.ly/HWCvolunteer and click Register. Enter a username and password. (We recommend writing that down so you remember!) 
2. You will see �Success!� Then, click on Login Now and go back to sign in using your just-created username and password. (Remember to check the box about being human!) Then, click sign in.
3. Scroll to bottom of terms of service page and click I Accept for YourVolunteers.com's Terms of Service. Ta Da! You�re in! 

Once you're logged in, share your contact information...

1. We'd love to get your contact information. Click the tab at the top called You, and complete Your Contact Information. (Don't forget to hit submit!)
2. If you wish to sign up for The Week Ahead emails (the last option on the same dropdown menu under �You�), please do! YourVolunteers.com will then send a reminder email for the shifts you sign up for � just click Change on the Week Ahead emails page.

And sign up for shifts!

1. Go to the Shifts tab in the top menu bar. Choose Scheduled Shifts by Calendar from the dropdown menu. The �forward� and �back� arrows at the top of the calendar will navigate months. You are able to go up to 3 months ahead to select the day(s) you wish to volunteer.
2. Select the day you wish to volunteer to view the shifts � for a typical cafe day, that will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1 to 3 p.m. (Come in at 12:30 to grab lunch before working the second shift!) Select the one(s) you want, then click Add. If there is availability, you will see assigned appear on the right. You will receive an email a week ahead as a reminder, if you sign up for that form of contact. (See step No. 4 above!)

That's it!

We appreciate in advance your patience with us and the system. We know there�s a learning curve, so please contact us if you need help. We have a new dedicated email account just for volunteers and scheduling of shifts: HWCvolmgr@gmail.com.

Please check out our volunteer guidelines in advance, available at www.healthyworldcafe.org.

See you at the cafe!

Only when I larf

I'm still improving with the antihistamines although you wouldn't think it to look at my miserable face. My eyes have almost stopped watering except in bright light, but I'm still sniffing a fair bit and sneezing sporadically - and I've developed an annoying cough when I laugh that feels like fiery razor blades in my throat. Lovely. I have to get better tomorrow because on Saturday I'm visiting my mum and I refuse to let this stupid allergy spoil things. Arrrgh I'm do pathetic letting this get me down so much, it's only hayfever!!!  In my defence it's hurts to breathe.  And I'm wearing myself off my antidepressants at the moment so I have some excuse for slightly variable moods.
Onto more cheerfulish things - I finished my contract today and am free of the project from hell. I have a nice 4 day weekend before I start the next one on Tuesday and I'd like to feel well enough to make the most of it, even if the forecast shows plenty of typical bank holiday weather happening. I'm hoping the forecast is as accurate as usual and we have at least grey skies (and low pollen) but dry, dry, dry...

Food today:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with my homemade sausage patties
Lunch: broccoli cheese soup
Dinner: chicken thigh fillet stir fried with microscopic amounts of leek and orange pepper plus more generous amounts of mushroom and romaine lettuce
Snacks: cheese

Cough

What rubbish weather today.  And it didn't even have the decency to produce a corresponding drop in pollen levels as recompense for the dull grey skies.
I've been really down and rather depressed today for no particular reason. My antihistamines are finally having an effect so I can more or less breathe and I'm sneezing less often, plus my ultrastrong Painkillers have done wonders for the damned eye, so I really should feel better emotionally as well as physically - but I don't. I'm fed up. Maybe something to do with relapsing into bad habits yesterday I suppose. Hopefully a decent night's sleep tonight - and my last day on this job tomorrow - will make me feel better better as opposed to just less horrible...

Food today:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with 2 little homemade sausage patties
Lunch: Salad with cold chicken
Dinner: keto breaded fish with salad
Snacks: cheese

Yesterday was not a good day

I felt absolutely lousy all day, having hardly slept Monday night because I was so congested I could hardly breathe. So I worked from home instead of dragging my sniffing, sneezing, eye streaming self into the office.
I also comfort ate all day - nothing that is excluded from my diet, but in quantities that made it very undiet friendly all the same. I also drank some whisky to feel better and took some nytol last night both to help me sleep and for its being an antihistamine.
So today I regret eating so much yesterday but because I steered clear of gluten and sugar I don't feel bloated, which is something. I am in the office, and thanks to the antihistamines and lower pollen count so far I feel like I just have hayfever (yesterday I was wondering whether it was a cold teetering on the edge of becoming pneumonia - but I'm a well-known hypochondriac)
Hopefully today will be a better day...
ETA forgot to mention that all the eye watering is also making my right eye ache like hell....

Chrissie, the red nosed tester...

It was freezing first thing this morning but also clear, and beautifully sunny all morning. Which would have made me happier if I'd anticipated being able to get out there, but feeling so lousy made that a lot less appealing. It was still nice to look at out of the window (through streaming eyes)
Of course just for a change I had a meeting running into lunch time anyway...
For the first time in weeks, today I wanted to buy chocolate. I didn't. But as I sneezed, sniffles and wept my way through the day I did overdo the cheese and the peanut butter somewhat. In the past when I've had hayfever it's begun with itchy eyes and ended with watery eyes, but today has been much worse - and still is, as I can hardly see to type. And did I mention it makes my right eye ache as well? No walks until the antihistamines kick in...

Only 3 working days till I switch jobs....

Food today:
Breakfast: eggs scrambled with mushrooms and spinach
Lunch: Salad with cold beef
Dinner: chicken salad
Snacks: cheese & PB

Aaarrggh

Is it a cold? Is it hayfever? I don't know...  But I am MISERABLE today

One of those days...

I really wanted a walk at lunchtime today and for the second time in 2 days my boss arranged a meeting that clashed. Yesterday she decided half way through I didn't need to attend; today she just didn't show up. I'm sorry, but that's really inconsiderate in my book - obviously things can come up, but so can a quick word to say sorry, can't make it, we'll do it Monday instead. Grrrrrrrr.
Still, at least today I'd remembered my lunch!
And only 4 more working days...

Food today:
Breakfast: leftover turkey burger with an egg
Lunch: Salad with cold chicken thigh, avocado and feta cheese
Dinner: bits and pieces - cold meats and cheese mostly
Snacks: homemade pork rinds