My mom was visiting this past week and mentioned an article she’d read about a woman who had 100 belongings. I didn’t really think much about it till someone shared this article on Facebook. I have since read Tammy Strobel’s blog about social change through simple living. And she had a guest blog from the writer of Becoming Minimalist.
I really love the whole concept and plan to start working on this right away (what’s one more thing in my life?). The author of Becoming Minimalist started simplifying his life by cleaning out his car. I’m starting with my iPod. I’m a bit of a hoarder when it comes to music. Ideally, I like to listen to a CD before I put it on my iPod so I know if I really like it but this rarely happens. Instead, I have an iPod full of music – some I don’t like and some I’ve never even heard! I often listen to my iPod on shuffle and it’s annoying when I have to keep hitting Next because I don’t like a song. Whenever I eventually need a new iPod I’ll definitely be more selective about what I put on it.
I have 26GB of music on my iPod so I guess this isn’t really starting small – that’s 823 albums by 584 artists. It’s going to take me a while to go through everything and decide if I want to keep it. It’d probably be easier to start in the kitchen!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Reuseable Bags
We’ve been using reusable bags at the grocery for over a year. We have 2 Kroger bags and 2 Trader Joe's bags. Four bags is USUALLY enough for us. We’ve gotten into the habit and remember to take them 99% of the time. We even have 2 reusable produce bags (we lost one but I want to buy more anyway). I hate when I make an unplanned trip to the grocery and don’t have any bags. While I could just store the ones we use in the car, the ones we have aren’t very compact and definitely won’t be lasting indefinitely.
I’ve been contemplating the purchase of some new reusable bags for MONTHS. I want some that are sturdy yet compact when folded and I want them to be durable. At first, I thought I wanted a set of Envirosax, preferably this style. But when I finally decided to buy them, they were out of stock. In the meantime, I kept looking at the ones on reuseit.com. I want some that will work at Kroger and Walmart so the cashier doesn’t huff and puff when I pass them over so I’ve also considered something like this. But I also like these and these.I think this is a case for Nancy!
I'd love to hear what you use as well as suggestions about what I should buy!
I’ve been contemplating the purchase of some new reusable bags for MONTHS. I want some that are sturdy yet compact when folded and I want them to be durable. At first, I thought I wanted a set of Envirosax, preferably this style. But when I finally decided to buy them, they were out of stock. In the meantime, I kept looking at the ones on reuseit.com. I want some that will work at Kroger and Walmart so the cashier doesn’t huff and puff when I pass them over so I’ve also considered something like this. But I also like these and these.I think this is a case for Nancy!
I'd love to hear what you use as well as suggestions about what I should buy!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Get it together!
I have sensed that some people are under the impression that I have it together. I do not. I hate to ruin the façade but it is true. I only have it partly together. Some of the time. Yes, we use cloth diapers while both working full time. Yes, we make our baby food. But have you seen my refrigerator? Trust me, you don’t want to. Another case in point, my emotional state.
We started a new sitter this week. Our old sitter is in the family way and is hopefully by now relaxing and preparing for her family’s newest addition. When we started with Caitlin (sitter #1) when the babies were about five months old, they were too young to care that she wasn’t me. This, in addition to several other factors, made it much easier to leave my awesome babies with her every day and head off to work. Now, the babies are nine months old and painfully aware when I leave them with this new stranger.
We took them over there for a little bit before the first day and they did fine. But this past Monday was a different story. It doesn’t help that by the time I drop them off, it’s about time for their first nap. And while each day has gotten better for Regina (new sitter), each morning has gotten harder for me. If this is going to be the trend for this week, I’m dreading tomorrow and Friday. I had to fight back tears as I drove away. And it got me thinking about how on earth I can be a stay-at-home-mom, again. What could we get rid of so I could be with my babies? Even if we cancelled the cable/internet, that wouldn’t be enough. My car will be paid off next year but even that wouldn’t be enough for me to quit working. Renting wouldn't be any cheaper than our house payment so that wouldn’t work either. Do you think my lender would care if I stopped paying my student loan? Sadly, even that wouldn’t help either. Maybe we need to play the lottery.
We started a new sitter this week. Our old sitter is in the family way and is hopefully by now relaxing and preparing for her family’s newest addition. When we started with Caitlin (sitter #1) when the babies were about five months old, they were too young to care that she wasn’t me. This, in addition to several other factors, made it much easier to leave my awesome babies with her every day and head off to work. Now, the babies are nine months old and painfully aware when I leave them with this new stranger.
We took them over there for a little bit before the first day and they did fine. But this past Monday was a different story. It doesn’t help that by the time I drop them off, it’s about time for their first nap. And while each day has gotten better for Regina (new sitter), each morning has gotten harder for me. If this is going to be the trend for this week, I’m dreading tomorrow and Friday. I had to fight back tears as I drove away. And it got me thinking about how on earth I can be a stay-at-home-mom, again. What could we get rid of so I could be with my babies? Even if we cancelled the cable/internet, that wouldn’t be enough. My car will be paid off next year but even that wouldn’t be enough for me to quit working. Renting wouldn't be any cheaper than our house payment so that wouldn’t work either. Do you think my lender would care if I stopped paying my student loan? Sadly, even that wouldn’t help either. Maybe we need to play the lottery.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Flashback to December 2007
It's funny to read this now. While I still agree with the album choices, there are definitely some I'd add... but maybe later.
Sometimes thoughts flow into my mind and I am overcome with an urgent need to get them down, to share them. I am in the process of making a special CD for a special friend who is going through a big life change right now. I had asked for input of a few select people and k8 suggested The Heart of Life from John Mayer's Continuum.
I can't always associate the name of a song with the actual song so I pulled it up in my iTunes and was instantly hit with this need to express how much I love this entire CD. For me, this CD is one of those rare CD's where you can put it on, listen to the ENTIRE thing and just go to a happy place. The minute I played this song I was reminded how much I love this CD (sometimes I have to put a CD into early retirement so that I won't get sick of it from listening to it too much).
My next thought was being at home all comfy on the couch, sipping tea during late afternoon…listening to John serenade me to sleep. There are many other CD's that I like to listen to beginning to end.
Here are a few of them…in no particular order.
The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance
Alright Still – Lily Allen
American Idiot – Greenday
Descended Like Vultures – Rogue Wave
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – Foo Fighters
Love.Angel.Music.Baby – Gwen Stefani
Songs About Jane – Maroon 5
Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
Let Go & Under My Skin – Avril Lavigne
Sometimes thoughts flow into my mind and I am overcome with an urgent need to get them down, to share them. I am in the process of making a special CD for a special friend who is going through a big life change right now. I had asked for input of a few select people and k8 suggested The Heart of Life from John Mayer's Continuum.
I can't always associate the name of a song with the actual song so I pulled it up in my iTunes and was instantly hit with this need to express how much I love this entire CD. For me, this CD is one of those rare CD's where you can put it on, listen to the ENTIRE thing and just go to a happy place. The minute I played this song I was reminded how much I love this CD (sometimes I have to put a CD into early retirement so that I won't get sick of it from listening to it too much).
My next thought was being at home all comfy on the couch, sipping tea during late afternoon…listening to John serenade me to sleep. There are many other CD's that I like to listen to beginning to end.
Here are a few of them…in no particular order.
The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance
Alright Still – Lily Allen
American Idiot – Greenday
Descended Like Vultures – Rogue Wave
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – Foo Fighters
Love.Angel.Music.Baby – Gwen Stefani
Songs About Jane – Maroon 5
Third Eye Blind – Third Eye Blind
Let Go & Under My Skin – Avril Lavigne
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Revisiting July 28, 2007!
In honor of my 30th birthday, I decided to put together some of the things I've learned and observed in my 30 years on this planet. Some of these things may seem like contradictions…the key, as in everything else, is finding the right balance.
1. Keep a real dictionary nearby - the potential to learn new words is greater this way. You can't help but see nearby words!
2. Be objective - or at least TRY to be objective, all the time.
3. Don't take things personally. What does it matter what other people say or do? Trust me, this is truly liberating and will save you a LOT of headaches. It takes work but its well worth it.
4. Keep your bad thoughts to yourself. Ninety nine percent of the people you encounter on any given day at any given moment do NOT want to hear YOUR sob story – they have their own! Stay upbeat and positive and people will love to be around you. This is something I still struggle with.
5. Send handwritten mail - people LOVE to get mail that isn't bills!
6. Smile
7. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
8. Never put anything valuable in your trunk after you've reached your destination. If you want to do this, stop before you get there and do it. If you wait until you've gotten wherever it is that you're going, a mean person could be watching you, drill a whole in your trunk, and take your purse.
9. Credit cards are bad....use with extreme caution.
10. Learn to balance your check book and do it!
11. ALWAYS say please and thank you.
12. Don't be afraid to ask questions...(most of the time) it is better to find out than go around not knowing what you don't know! There are also some occasions where there are things you should already know and asking would make you appear uneducated. It is important that you learn the difference. My rule of thumb is – is knowing the answer to this question necessary for me to continue on this conversation OR will not knowing the answer to this question cause potential problems?
13. Floss
14. Don't hold grudges. This messes up your Qi.
15. Don't be afraid of a little COLOR...in your wardrobe, in your diet, in your life.
16. Carry your cell phone charger in your carry-on. You never know how long you'll be stuck without it if your luggage gets lost.
17. Don't sweat the small stuff. Seriously, it is not worth getting upset at inanimate objects. If something isn't working, take a break. Go back later when you can handle it.
18. Use a Neti Pot twice a day. It may seem gross but it will improve your health and overall quality of life.
19. Don't be afraid to try new things...especially new FOODS. Yum. And, of course, the Neti.
20. Don't be afraid to admit that you're wrong.
21. Practice active thinking....whenever you read, see, or hear anything - actually THINK about it and decide if you truly believe it! If you don't, form you OWN opinion!
22. People who claim they have a lot of anything (work, money, girth), usually don't.
23. Learn alternate routes to work, school, church - anywhere you frequent, BEFORE you actually need to. This will come in handy in times of extreme traffic, weather or acts of God and you get to take the scenic route and actually ENJOY it.
24. You can always learn a lesson from your interactions with other people.
25. It's all relative. This little tidbit came from Mr. Snyder in the 8th grade but I didn't fully understand it until recently. We are constantly comparing things, people, and places. So keep this in mind when you're feeling high and mighty AND when you're feeling down in the dumps. This is yet another reason to just be yourself. THAT should be Nike's slogan.
26. We all have the right to be 100% content, happy and loved. Do not let others get in the way of this right. You have to look out for yourself.
27. Sometimes you have to be selfish.
28. Don't go around saying "sorry" all the time. Not only is this habit annoying, but it lessens the impact of the word when you truly mean it and makes it appear as if you are to blame for things when you're not.
29. Always be on the lookout for your next job. I read this gem in one of my FAVORITE books, The Big Sister's Guide to the World of Work.
30. Be nice. You get more with sugar :)
I am sure my thoughts and beliefs will continue to shift over the years. Maybe I'll update this list when I turn 40…and maybe at 50 and 60. I can't even fathom what things will be like in 20 or 30 years. My precious iPod will be an antique by then!
1. Keep a real dictionary nearby - the potential to learn new words is greater this way. You can't help but see nearby words!
2. Be objective - or at least TRY to be objective, all the time.
3. Don't take things personally. What does it matter what other people say or do? Trust me, this is truly liberating and will save you a LOT of headaches. It takes work but its well worth it.
4. Keep your bad thoughts to yourself. Ninety nine percent of the people you encounter on any given day at any given moment do NOT want to hear YOUR sob story – they have their own! Stay upbeat and positive and people will love to be around you. This is something I still struggle with.
5. Send handwritten mail - people LOVE to get mail that isn't bills!
6. Smile
7. Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!
8. Never put anything valuable in your trunk after you've reached your destination. If you want to do this, stop before you get there and do it. If you wait until you've gotten wherever it is that you're going, a mean person could be watching you, drill a whole in your trunk, and take your purse.
9. Credit cards are bad....use with extreme caution.
10. Learn to balance your check book and do it!
11. ALWAYS say please and thank you.
12. Don't be afraid to ask questions...(most of the time) it is better to find out than go around not knowing what you don't know! There are also some occasions where there are things you should already know and asking would make you appear uneducated. It is important that you learn the difference. My rule of thumb is – is knowing the answer to this question necessary for me to continue on this conversation OR will not knowing the answer to this question cause potential problems?
13. Floss
14. Don't hold grudges. This messes up your Qi.
15. Don't be afraid of a little COLOR...in your wardrobe, in your diet, in your life.
16. Carry your cell phone charger in your carry-on. You never know how long you'll be stuck without it if your luggage gets lost.
17. Don't sweat the small stuff. Seriously, it is not worth getting upset at inanimate objects. If something isn't working, take a break. Go back later when you can handle it.
18. Use a Neti Pot twice a day. It may seem gross but it will improve your health and overall quality of life.
19. Don't be afraid to try new things...especially new FOODS. Yum. And, of course, the Neti.
20. Don't be afraid to admit that you're wrong.
21. Practice active thinking....whenever you read, see, or hear anything - actually THINK about it and decide if you truly believe it! If you don't, form you OWN opinion!
22. People who claim they have a lot of anything (work, money, girth), usually don't.
23. Learn alternate routes to work, school, church - anywhere you frequent, BEFORE you actually need to. This will come in handy in times of extreme traffic, weather or acts of God and you get to take the scenic route and actually ENJOY it.
24. You can always learn a lesson from your interactions with other people.
25. It's all relative. This little tidbit came from Mr. Snyder in the 8th grade but I didn't fully understand it until recently. We are constantly comparing things, people, and places. So keep this in mind when you're feeling high and mighty AND when you're feeling down in the dumps. This is yet another reason to just be yourself. THAT should be Nike's slogan.
26. We all have the right to be 100% content, happy and loved. Do not let others get in the way of this right. You have to look out for yourself.
27. Sometimes you have to be selfish.
28. Don't go around saying "sorry" all the time. Not only is this habit annoying, but it lessens the impact of the word when you truly mean it and makes it appear as if you are to blame for things when you're not.
29. Always be on the lookout for your next job. I read this gem in one of my FAVORITE books, The Big Sister's Guide to the World of Work.
30. Be nice. You get more with sugar :)
I am sure my thoughts and beliefs will continue to shift over the years. Maybe I'll update this list when I turn 40…and maybe at 50 and 60. I can't even fathom what things will be like in 20 or 30 years. My precious iPod will be an antique by then!
Friday, July 23, 2010
An Oldie but a Goodie....from 2008
I always wanted to be a cheerleader. My mom was a cheerleader and I had seen pictures. It looked like a lot of fun and I wanted to do it. Plus the uniforms were cute and who doesn’t love perky cheerleaders (I know some people are really annoyed by them but not me)? I tried out in seventh and eighth grade but never made it. So when there were only four or five girls trying out for six or seven spots (my memory is horrible) my freshman year, I thought I would finally get my chance.
Before I go any further I have to back up to my traumatic eighth grade year. I really liked one of my friends and was constantly harassed by his girlfriend who was a freshman. We had been good friends since fifth grade and it had progressed to something more but he wouldn’t break up with his meanie girlfriend. Since only eighth graders were allowed to go the eighth grade dance, he asked me. And that’s when I got my handwritten death threat from this gem a lady (I still have it and always get a kick out of reading it when I run across it). If that whole mess happened today she would get in SO MUCH trouble! He finally broke up with that bitty and we had a like a week of bliss until I found him making out with one of my good friends at a party.
Flash forward to my freshman year cheerleading tryouts. Nasty ex-girlfriend’s mother was the cheerleading advisor (or somehow involved) and I KNOW that is the reason I didn’t make it.
At the time I was very traumatized…as most fourteen year old girls are by such things. But now I look back and have several questions/thoughts I’d like to share.
1. Why did this mother/advisor feel the need to inflict her power on me and keep me from doing something I could’ve done and been very good at? She very well could’ve kept me from discovering my life’s calling as a cheerleader (LOL).
2. What kind of ADULT meddles in the lives of teenagers? Especially after their daughter is no longer even dating the boy who caused the mess! Get a life! Besides, is this behavior really something you want to teach your children?
3. Cheerleading could’ve been my way out of band. My parents had already made it clear that I wasn’t quitting band "just because." But in my mind, if I had another extra-curricular activity that prevented me from being in band, they’d let me quit.
I’m not going to name names. And it isn’t out of fear. It’s not of respect for them either – because I have none. It’s more out ofself-respect and knowing that I don’t need to belittle someone else to feel better about myself (at least not today and definitely not about this). I do take comfort in knowing that there are a handful of people out there who know who I’m talking about and hopefully you’re as amused by this story as I am.
And for all of this, I’d like to saythank you. Thank you for being a stereotypical, conniving woman. Thank you for helping me realize the kind of person I don’t want to be. Thank you for not allowing me to become a cheerleader and thus forcing me to stay in band. I was a much better French horn/flute/baritone/saxophone player than I would’ve been a cheerleader. Not to mention, I made some great friends in band (and have even managed to hold onto a few). That’s not to say that I couldn’t have done the same if I had cheered but I’m happy with the way things turned out. Thank you for teaching me to not let mean people get OR KEEP me down!
Before I go any further I have to back up to my traumatic eighth grade year. I really liked one of my friends and was constantly harassed by his girlfriend who was a freshman. We had been good friends since fifth grade and it had progressed to something more but he wouldn’t break up with his meanie girlfriend. Since only eighth graders were allowed to go the eighth grade dance, he asked me. And that’s when I got my handwritten death threat from this gem a lady (I still have it and always get a kick out of reading it when I run across it). If that whole mess happened today she would get in SO MUCH trouble! He finally broke up with that bitty and we had a like a week of bliss until I found him making out with one of my good friends at a party.
Flash forward to my freshman year cheerleading tryouts. Nasty ex-girlfriend’s mother was the cheerleading advisor (or somehow involved) and I KNOW that is the reason I didn’t make it.
At the time I was very traumatized…as most fourteen year old girls are by such things. But now I look back and have several questions/thoughts I’d like to share.
1. Why did this mother/advisor feel the need to inflict her power on me and keep me from doing something I could’ve done and been very good at? She very well could’ve kept me from discovering my life’s calling as a cheerleader (LOL).
2. What kind of ADULT meddles in the lives of teenagers? Especially after their daughter is no longer even dating the boy who caused the mess! Get a life! Besides, is this behavior really something you want to teach your children?
3. Cheerleading could’ve been my way out of band. My parents had already made it clear that I wasn’t quitting band "just because." But in my mind, if I had another extra-curricular activity that prevented me from being in band, they’d let me quit.
I’m not going to name names. And it isn’t out of fear. It’s not of respect for them either – because I have none. It’s more out ofself-respect and knowing that I don’t need to belittle someone else to feel better about myself (at least not today and definitely not about this). I do take comfort in knowing that there are a handful of people out there who know who I’m talking about and hopefully you’re as amused by this story as I am.
And for all of this, I’d like to saythank you. Thank you for being a stereotypical, conniving woman. Thank you for helping me realize the kind of person I don’t want to be. Thank you for not allowing me to become a cheerleader and thus forcing me to stay in band. I was a much better French horn/flute/baritone/saxophone player than I would’ve been a cheerleader. Not to mention, I made some great friends in band (and have even managed to hold onto a few). That’s not to say that I couldn’t have done the same if I had cheered but I’m happy with the way things turned out. Thank you for teaching me to not let mean people get OR KEEP me down!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Domestic Affairs
I'm having an affair...with Corningware. I've already admitted my sins to my dad, but can't bring myself to tell my Fiesta. It all started a little over 4 years ago when Sean & I were on our honeymoon. There was some French White Corningware with lids in our timeshare. We were AMAZED by how well it warmed up our leftovers. They were as perfectly heated as they were in the restaurant.
Off and on over the past four years I've often thought of those dishes and how wonderfully they helped warm up leftovers. I had even mentioned it to dad about HLC coming up with some kind of lid to fit on some of their bowls. He said it wasn't possible because they allow for a 1/8 inch variation (EITHER WAY!) on all their dishes. So there would be no way to make the lid fit all dishes.
I haven't given up on my press for lids that fit my Fiesta, but I broke down and bought Sean a 20 oz French White cup with vented lid to warm up his lunch in. I just washed it and feel a little bad about my Made in China cup. But one little cup won't hurt. Right?
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