Day 56: In lieu of sending flowers, plant a tree

Every time I've lost a loved one, the funeral home has been flooded with flowers and plants from well-wishers. The flowers die quickly; the plants are a nicer thought because they last so long.

Taking that one step further, in lieu of flowers, why not consider planting a tree in honor of the deceased and sending a card that states your intention? It's a gift that will last beyond our lifetime.

Day 24: Donate blood

January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, a time to highlight the importance of giving life through the donation of blood and to honor past and present donors and encourage new ones. Only 3 out of every 100 Americans are blood donors.

There are several organizations you can reach to donate.

Your local chapter of the American Red Cross is one. Another is United Blood Services, which offers a reward program for donors. By donating blood once a year, you will receive a personalized blood donor card, cholesterol results, access to online scheduling and a personalized thank you from a donation recipient. You also gain access to the donor rewards store, where the more you donate, the more gifts you will receive in the form of gift cards or movie tickets.

My contribution: I scheduled an appointment through UBS but was unable to give because I was anemic. I plan to take iron supplements and try again next month.