- Greek Yogurt Whips
- Schoolhouse Rock
- Spray Sport Sunscreen
- Kings Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
- Graduation parties
- Cake carriers
- Plays
- One Night Werewolf (Game)
- Dragon Teeth, by M. C. (Book)
- Sheetz gas station advertising
- Oil paintings
- Ansel Adams posters
- Thermoses that keep coffee hot for the next day
- Sweet Potato Chips
- Long, comfy sweaters
- Reduced Price Grocery Stores
- Comfy old cotton sheets
- Framed poetry
- Multivitamins
- Squares of sunlight on the floor from the windowpanes
- Pretty laptop cases
- Road trips
- Homemade apple pie
- Waterloo by ABBA (song)
- Sending out packages in the mail
- Grandma Bonnie's chocolate peanut butter cake
- Cousins
- Spring landscaping
- Signing a lease
- Round trip tickets
- Paved walking trails
- Apple blossoms
- Jurassic Park (movie/book/sequels/etc.)
- Blue and white tile
- Drinking black coffee
- Polytopia
- Woven cream summer blankets
- Old carved wooden doors
- Reese's Puffs cereal
- Kids playing soccer
- Hard boiled eggs
- Waterfalls
- Kaow Soi
- Ziplock bags
- First aid kits
- Table lamps
- Solitaire on a smartphone
- Ice cream sandwiches
- The rule of thirds
- Airports
- College libraries at 2 a.m.
- Guest houses
- Old people eating at Bob Evans
- Water fountains with higher spouts to fill water bottles
- Music reccomendations
- Tea fields
- Headphones
- Macroeconomics
- Paper lanterns
- Ikea chairs
- Parking garages
- Not having any checked luggage on a flight
- Lost In Space, TV show
- Individual applesauce cups
- Aldi
- Laughing with someone else
- Unfinished books
- Coffee in blue and white Cazumél mugs
- Sheer white curtains that let in the light
- Sturdy entry tables
- Warm socks for Christmas
- Sister time
- Going clothes shopping at goodwill
- Handmade gifts
- Seinfeld
- Rimworld
- Twinkle light creations
- Flyers for food
- Grinding your own coffee
- Pretty bottles of dish soap
- Comfy old couches
- December Spring days
- Wind
- Thunderstorms
- Coffee shops, Joe 'n' Throw
- Matching tactical backpacks
- Fridges covered in photos and notes
- When all the bills are paid
- Paychecks in the mailbox
- Having lists and plans together
- Sauve cherry blossom hair conditioner
- Clean towels and laundry
- Finishing books
- Striped santa hats
- Red bird peppermints
- Quiet Sunday mornings alone
- Clean cars
- Rooms with good lighting
- Leftover Christmas ham
- When your mom schedules your doctors appointment for you
- Imperfect furniture
- Putting your hair up
- Flossing
- Being remembered
- Ordering photos from Walmart, nine cents apiece
- "Hello, love," on the phone
- Christmas card photos
- Anticipation of packages in the mail
- Cherry blossom print
- Thawing frozen strawberries
- Clean refrigerators
- "I hope winter doesn't try to catch up with us in April"
- Albuterol
- Ordering textbooks for the next semester
- Giving people gel pens and silly putty and stress balls just for fun
- Putting everything away
- Noisy refrigerators
- Shadows
- Clouds
- Paintings of sunsets, deliciously frivolous
- "Not Connected to Wi-Fi"
- Deadbolts
- Rediscovering old favorite things
- Not knowing what to do with leftover Christmas candy
- Making a "warm" out of pretty fabric and cheap rice
- Brooklyn 99, TV show
- Student Spotify
- The first "Happy New Year" text
- Calling your grandma
- Loving people
- Driving the interstate when you can't sleep at night
- Catching up on podcasts
- Bluetooth speakers
- Chocolate covered pretzels
- Sleeping during the day after a night shift
- When your drink is the perfect temp so it feels warm going down
- When the muse returns to you
- The serendipity of a floral ballcap
12.30.2018
138 More Favorite Things
8.28.2018
Actually Useful College Tips For Homeschoolers
1. You will have online homework.
2. Class notes and schedules and syllabuses and grading and other stuff will be online.
3. When the teachers (or anybody) gives you the codes or addresses of online ANYTHING, pay attention and write it down. You may think you don't want, or won't need, an online textbook, and then later on you'll find out that there is a portion of it which you can access free and there's a quiz on there that is due by next class. That's an example, but the important thing is that ONLINE STUFF IS A BIG PART OF COLLEGE NOW. There's probably a college website with a student login that lets you use other programs, like school mail and homework, learn to use it. Everything's on there.
4. You will be responsible for scheduling your classes, probably on your first day of orientation. This will be online, probably in a computer lab which is just a room full of computers and desks. If you don't know how to do this, you can ask for help or you can talk to your academic advisor.
5. You will have an academic advisor assigned to your major and this advisor is a person who will help you figure out what you want to schedule. If you have changes that you want made, or you are concerned about your grades in a class, this advisor is who you talk to.
6. The first week (I think) is the only time you can add/drop classes. Figure out if your math class is going to be super hard within that first week and if it is, go talk to your advisor about having tutoring or an easier class.
7. Yeah, there's drinking and drugs and lots of stupid stuff but it's not that hard to avoid.
8. Parking probably sucks.
9. Printing is expensive, and you will have assignments that you will need to print and turn in. Plan on it.
10. Do ALL the extra credit work that is offered, this helps make up for points you miss on tests and so forth.
11. A syllabus is a document that your professor makes available on the first day of class (or that's the plan) and it outlines how the semester of class is supposed to go. This lets you know, usually, if you need a textbook.
12. You don't always need the textbook, and if you do, sometimes you just need it for random reference and an online version is just as good because you don't need to actually study it.
13. It's ok to be late for a class, just be quiet about it. It's ok to just get up and leave, just be quiet about it.
14. At least at my school, the food on campus is expensive. Think about that ahead of time.
15. There is a website called Rate My Professor that shows you reviews other anonymous students have posted about some of the professors. Maybe English is a hard class for you, if so, you can look on this website before scheduling your English class to learn which teachers might be more willing to work with you outside of class or have less confusing lectures.
16. Take notes. Research the Cornell note taking method. Use Quizlet.
17. Save EVERYTHING YOU DO. Like just get a filing cabinet or something, save all your work. Sometimes you will need it three classes later and it's really good to have it on record somewhere.
18. Be prepared for all the adults around you to suddenly view you as immature, irresponsible, and generally pretty dumb. Especially when you're a freshman. Maybe you are a hard worker, maybe you've held a full time job for years and helped run a house full of kids or wrote a book or rebuilt an engine, but all that doesn't matter. The point is, they work with a lot of kids who are just that-kids, and they haven't grown up yet, and they're going to lump you right in with the rest of them. Don't get offended, it's not personal, even if you think it is. Just steadily prove them wrong by being responsible with your time, work, and effort. :)
19. You're going to have to teach yourself a lot outside of class.
20. You can apply for scholarships every year, and some every semester. If you're not sure what you qualify for or what the application process is, ask your academic advisor. If you don't know who your academic advisor is, ask around because that person is crazy-important.
21. There are classes that you can test out of (study for them independently and then take a test.), some of these programs are CLEP and DSST. Your school might provide other options, like online summer classes. These can save big-time on your tuition, so talk to your academic advisor about other ways to get credits and transfer them in.
22. In some classes (and most freshman classes) attendance is part of your overall grade.
23. If you know you aren't going to make it to a class or if you have late homework, go ahead and talk to your professors as soon as possible and ask if there's any arrangements you can make for those. Some professors will accept late work, even if they tell the class emphatically that they won't, if you show up with it and look worried enough. Some professors will let you skip a class if you do an additional project or something, and that will keep your grades from dropping.
24. If something happens that prevents you from attending class or whatever, like a flat tire or a doctors' appointment, DOCUMENT IT THOROUGHLY. Remember, your professors do not view you as a capable or trustworthy human being, and they will probably be very suspicious of your reasons for not making it to class or for having late homework. A lot of kids try to cheat with this stuff, which means for the rest of us we have to be a lot more intentional about our explanations for things.
25. Most of the time, updates about canceled classes or changing homework assignments or other things, are going to be online. You might also be able to sign up for text updates for some classes, but make sure you check whatever online login you have for your school for these things.
26. Your professors probably have different ways that they prefer to be contacted, sometimes they put this in their syllabi, sometimes they just say it in class. At any rate, respect their requests on this because otherwise they may just not get your message. Some professors have office hours, others are adjunct-professors (meaning they don't have an office), some prefer scheduled appointments and others prefer walk-ins. Sometimes they want you to use the school email, other times their personal email, sometimes they prefer texts, other times they want you to call. Just figure it out and know that it's different for each professor.
27. If you don't know; ask. Ask anybody, and if they don't know, ask somebody else.
28. There's a thing called Midterms and it has to do with exams, and there's a thing called Finals which also has to do with exams. I don't know how these work yet, but I'll let you know when I do. :)
29. Khan academy is THE BEST math supplement if you don't understand things, and it is free.
30. I actually prefer online textbooks because it requires me to write out the things I want to remember, instead of just marking them on paper, and then writing again when I have notes. It gets it into my brain better.
31. There's going to be a lot of fees during the first semester for random stuff, like parking passes and online access codes to do your homework (think of it like an extension of the cost of textbooks and plan for it), so be prepared for that.
32. Homework assignments probably won't be very clear. Don't freak out, just poke around for a little bit and if you can't figure it out on your own, contact your professor and ask for clarification.
Good luck! And thank the good Lord that you'll never have to look at another Saxon math book again. :)
2. Class notes and schedules and syllabuses and grading and other stuff will be online.
3. When the teachers (or anybody) gives you the codes or addresses of online ANYTHING, pay attention and write it down. You may think you don't want, or won't need, an online textbook, and then later on you'll find out that there is a portion of it which you can access free and there's a quiz on there that is due by next class. That's an example, but the important thing is that ONLINE STUFF IS A BIG PART OF COLLEGE NOW. There's probably a college website with a student login that lets you use other programs, like school mail and homework, learn to use it. Everything's on there.
4. You will be responsible for scheduling your classes, probably on your first day of orientation. This will be online, probably in a computer lab which is just a room full of computers and desks. If you don't know how to do this, you can ask for help or you can talk to your academic advisor.
5. You will have an academic advisor assigned to your major and this advisor is a person who will help you figure out what you want to schedule. If you have changes that you want made, or you are concerned about your grades in a class, this advisor is who you talk to.
6. The first week (I think) is the only time you can add/drop classes. Figure out if your math class is going to be super hard within that first week and if it is, go talk to your advisor about having tutoring or an easier class.
7. Yeah, there's drinking and drugs and lots of stupid stuff but it's not that hard to avoid.
8. Parking probably sucks.
9. Printing is expensive, and you will have assignments that you will need to print and turn in. Plan on it.
10. Do ALL the extra credit work that is offered, this helps make up for points you miss on tests and so forth.
11. A syllabus is a document that your professor makes available on the first day of class (or that's the plan) and it outlines how the semester of class is supposed to go. This lets you know, usually, if you need a textbook.
12. You don't always need the textbook, and if you do, sometimes you just need it for random reference and an online version is just as good because you don't need to actually study it.
13. It's ok to be late for a class, just be quiet about it. It's ok to just get up and leave, just be quiet about it.
14. At least at my school, the food on campus is expensive. Think about that ahead of time.
15. There is a website called Rate My Professor that shows you reviews other anonymous students have posted about some of the professors. Maybe English is a hard class for you, if so, you can look on this website before scheduling your English class to learn which teachers might be more willing to work with you outside of class or have less confusing lectures.
16. Take notes. Research the Cornell note taking method. Use Quizlet.
17. Save EVERYTHING YOU DO. Like just get a filing cabinet or something, save all your work. Sometimes you will need it three classes later and it's really good to have it on record somewhere.
18. Be prepared for all the adults around you to suddenly view you as immature, irresponsible, and generally pretty dumb. Especially when you're a freshman. Maybe you are a hard worker, maybe you've held a full time job for years and helped run a house full of kids or wrote a book or rebuilt an engine, but all that doesn't matter. The point is, they work with a lot of kids who are just that-kids, and they haven't grown up yet, and they're going to lump you right in with the rest of them. Don't get offended, it's not personal, even if you think it is. Just steadily prove them wrong by being responsible with your time, work, and effort. :)
19. You're going to have to teach yourself a lot outside of class.
20. You can apply for scholarships every year, and some every semester. If you're not sure what you qualify for or what the application process is, ask your academic advisor. If you don't know who your academic advisor is, ask around because that person is crazy-important.
21. There are classes that you can test out of (study for them independently and then take a test.), some of these programs are CLEP and DSST. Your school might provide other options, like online summer classes. These can save big-time on your tuition, so talk to your academic advisor about other ways to get credits and transfer them in.
22. In some classes (and most freshman classes) attendance is part of your overall grade.
23. If you know you aren't going to make it to a class or if you have late homework, go ahead and talk to your professors as soon as possible and ask if there's any arrangements you can make for those. Some professors will accept late work, even if they tell the class emphatically that they won't, if you show up with it and look worried enough. Some professors will let you skip a class if you do an additional project or something, and that will keep your grades from dropping.
24. If something happens that prevents you from attending class or whatever, like a flat tire or a doctors' appointment, DOCUMENT IT THOROUGHLY. Remember, your professors do not view you as a capable or trustworthy human being, and they will probably be very suspicious of your reasons for not making it to class or for having late homework. A lot of kids try to cheat with this stuff, which means for the rest of us we have to be a lot more intentional about our explanations for things.
25. Most of the time, updates about canceled classes or changing homework assignments or other things, are going to be online. You might also be able to sign up for text updates for some classes, but make sure you check whatever online login you have for your school for these things.
26. Your professors probably have different ways that they prefer to be contacted, sometimes they put this in their syllabi, sometimes they just say it in class. At any rate, respect their requests on this because otherwise they may just not get your message. Some professors have office hours, others are adjunct-professors (meaning they don't have an office), some prefer scheduled appointments and others prefer walk-ins. Sometimes they want you to use the school email, other times their personal email, sometimes they prefer texts, other times they want you to call. Just figure it out and know that it's different for each professor.
27. If you don't know; ask. Ask anybody, and if they don't know, ask somebody else.
28. There's a thing called Midterms and it has to do with exams, and there's a thing called Finals which also has to do with exams. I don't know how these work yet, but I'll let you know when I do. :)
29. Khan academy is THE BEST math supplement if you don't understand things, and it is free.
30. I actually prefer online textbooks because it requires me to write out the things I want to remember, instead of just marking them on paper, and then writing again when I have notes. It gets it into my brain better.
31. There's going to be a lot of fees during the first semester for random stuff, like parking passes and online access codes to do your homework (think of it like an extension of the cost of textbooks and plan for it), so be prepared for that.
32. Homework assignments probably won't be very clear. Don't freak out, just poke around for a little bit and if you can't figure it out on your own, contact your professor and ask for clarification.
Good luck! And thank the good Lord that you'll never have to look at another Saxon math book again. :)
4.30.2018
Spring Things
- Spring peepers.
- Lions teeth on the banks.
- Easter dinner.
- Crocuses.
- Daffodils.
- Rain.
- Kids dressed up in the obligatory Easter dresses or Easter suits.
- Mint starting to come up from the mud and last year's dead grass and twigs.
- Wind.
- Curled up ferns.
- Drain pipes.
- The love song of the Chickadee.
- Cinders on the asphalt.
- Mud.
- Robin red breasts.
- Puddles.
- Hanging out sheets on the clothesline on windy days.
- Early nightfall.
- The beginnings of skunk cabbage, poking up green in marshy spots.
- Return of the birds.
- Malted milk easter egg candies.
- Forsythia with snow on it.
- Spring cleaning.
- Big, splashy waterfalls with all the snow-melt.
- Road work.
- Light blue skies.
- Really wanting a tomato from your own garden.
- Cold.
- Seed packet displays at stores.
- Not wearing a jacket.
- Having a stuffy head.
- The first dandelion.
- Chicks and ducklings at feed stores, balls of fluff on sawdust and under heat lamps.
- Getting out the bikes and checking the tires.
- Hyacinths.
- Feeling suddenly closer to the ground because all the insulation that snow provided is gone.
- Buds on the apple trees.
- Buying sunflower seeds to plant when it gets just a tad warmer.
- Suddenly really wanting bright colors.
- Hiking and not being able to sit down because everything's muddy.
- Overflowing creek beds.
- College kids coming home for the summer.
- Picking up branches in the yard.
- Wondering if the lawn mower still works after sitting still all winter.
- Farmers complaining about there being too much rain to fix fence and let the cows out.
- Spring beauties (tiny, stripey flowers.)
- The first trip to the park with the kids.
- The first hot day.
- Dyeing Easter eggs with kids, making a multicolored mess of the kitchen.
- Cleaning out/vacuuming the car.
- The ice cream shop opening up for the season.
- Putting away the heavy blankets and feeling organized and then being cold & digging them out again.
- Finding a teaberry patch in the woods.
- Mother's Day.
- Ramps. Ramp dinners at the fire halls. Ramps and potatoes. Ramps and bacon. Ramps and cheese.
- Being able to see houses and things that you can't see in summer because of the leaves in the way.
- Opening stuck windows.
- Not starting up a fire in the woodstove because you don't really need it.
- Perfectionist people raking gravel and cinders out of their yards and back into the road.
- Counting down to the last day of school.
- Starting to think about a summer vacation.
- The first firefly.
- Gaither music.
- Burning sticks that fell off of trees during the snow, having a bonfire and s'mores.
- Mandarin orange cake.
- Putting out hummingbird feeders, cooking up hummingbird juice with sugar, water, & red coloring.
- Storing away the winter coats and digging out the hoodies and jackets and rain coats.
- Farmers perking up.
- Icicles dripping from the eaves as they melt.
- Letting winter calves out to pasture for the first time, watching them run and play.
- Shearing sheep, shearing alpacas.
- Customer appreciation days at greenhouses.
- Baby goats (there's not much in the world that's cuter.)
- When the ducks and the geese come back to the lake.
- "Here Comes The Sun," by The Beatles, played on repeat.
- Redbuds along the highway.
- Taking the cars through an undercarriage wash to get all the salt off and stop the rusting.
- Old time Easter hymns.
- St. Patrick's Day, which is also my sister's birthday.
- Cleaning up all the flower pots, getting rid of old leaves and sticks, getting ready to plant.
- Rainbows
- Thawing slush and ice.
Things I Am Legitimately Scared Of
Big ocean creatures.
Someone being in or under my car when I get into it.
Uncovered windows at night, gaping darkness housing possibly big ocean creatures.
Barky dogs of all sizes.
Large birds like swans, turkeys, etc.
Falling off something tall that I'm standing on, like the edge of a rock cliff or the edge of a building.
Falling off a dock into the water.
Food and drinks being too hot and burning me.
Going off the side of the road into the ditch while driving (there's not much berm in most of WV)
Bees and wasps and such.
These are all things that I'm afraid of more than I rationally should be, and I don't know why. There's, of course, the more complicated fears like fear of disappointing my parents or fear of not being able to support myself financially or fear of losing people that I love, but the fears listed above should not be that scary to me. I shouldn't be scared of a tiny dog barking or of one wasp at a picnic or of going into the ditch when I know I'm driving right where I should be. But I am. I wonder why, sometimes. Genetics? Some code in my brain that I don't know about? Traumatic experiences as a kid that sank into my survival instincts and then I forgot about them? Maybe it's a universal mystery, why we fear things we don't need to.
Someone being in or under my car when I get into it.
Uncovered windows at night, gaping darkness housing possibly big ocean creatures.
Barky dogs of all sizes.
Large birds like swans, turkeys, etc.
Falling off something tall that I'm standing on, like the edge of a rock cliff or the edge of a building.
Falling off a dock into the water.
Food and drinks being too hot and burning me.
Going off the side of the road into the ditch while driving (there's not much berm in most of WV)
Bees and wasps and such.
These are all things that I'm afraid of more than I rationally should be, and I don't know why. There's, of course, the more complicated fears like fear of disappointing my parents or fear of not being able to support myself financially or fear of losing people that I love, but the fears listed above should not be that scary to me. I shouldn't be scared of a tiny dog barking or of one wasp at a picnic or of going into the ditch when I know I'm driving right where I should be. But I am. I wonder why, sometimes. Genetics? Some code in my brain that I don't know about? Traumatic experiences as a kid that sank into my survival instincts and then I forgot about them? Maybe it's a universal mystery, why we fear things we don't need to.
4.22.2018
My Favorite Luxuries & Luxuries I Don't Care About
1. Movie marathons.
2. Wearing pajamas all day.
3. Having multiple drinks with the same meal (e.g. coffee, orange juice, and water with breakfast.)
4. Long car rides where I can sit alone in the back with a book, headphones, pillow, big hoodie, etc.
5. Buying books at full price from bookstores instead of online.
6. Being home alone (I have a family of 11, this is a luxury.)
7. Driving really far to go to a second hand bookstore (likely doesn't save money due to gas, but still.)
8. Ice cream with peanut butter.
9. Riding on the back of a motorcycle.
10. Spending the night in a hotel.
11. Fresh, seasonal fruit.
12. Burning candles.
13. Really long showers.
14. Doritos and sour cream.
15. Sugar-mash strawberries.
16. Driving around aimlessly for way too long and listening to music.
17. Fresh flowers.
18. Afternoon naps.
19. Pretty stationery.
20. Nice spices and oils and cooking sauces/flavorings.
21. A/C in the summer, enough to get down under the 80s.
22. Real maple syrup, raw honey.
23. Spotify.
24. Having all the proper layers of bedding (pillow protector and pillow case, mattress pad, etc.)
25. Heat in winter, enough to get above the 70s, or the 60s at night.
26. Going to movies in the theater.
27. Getting food at the theater, specifically swedish fish. :)
28. Buying books to read at leisure instead of checking them out at the library.
29. Good quality beef hot dogs, instead of the cheaper chicken ones.
30. Good work shoes that are kind to my feet.
31. Sleeping in with no alarm, then fixing a giant brunch.
32. Putting sour cream on my food (like eggs, beans, etc.)
33. Real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
34. Second ferment kombucha- it's a luxury for me because of the time involved and fridge space.
35. Staying up late. I'm a night owl but it does suck the next day so it = luxury.
36. Having patina-d and/or durable furniture/floors/house stuff so I don't have to worry about keeping it nice.
37. Carbonated drinks and drinks with straws.
38. Glass drinking glasses and ceramic dishes-I grew up with stainless steel so thrift store dishes are an artistic luxury.
39. Getting the oil changed on the car at Walmart or wherever, instead of doing it myself.
40. Framed photos of my family and friends.
41. The right B&B pickles: best is Mt. Olive, then Great Value, then Sweet Gherkins, then all the others.
42. Big parking spots, driveways with a loop to pull around. (Country life; space isn't an issue.)
Stuff I Don't Care That Much About And Can Happily Thrift Or Go Without:
1. Fancy refrigerators with ice/water thingies in the doors.
2. Name brand clothes/new clothes.
3. Jewelry - I'll lose it eventually, so quality is not a thing for me, I just like something shiny. :)
4. New cars/nice interiors on cars. As long as it has decent mileage and safe tires, I'm good.
5. Amusement parks/concerts/other loud things that are confusing and really loud and peopley.
6. The beach. Seriously, I could have just as good a vacation in a mountain in a motel somewhere.
7. Nice furniture. I solemnly swear I will never own a coaster. Coasters decrease quality of life.
8. Coffee. Maxwell House does it for me, if I buy a drink in town it's a luxury as a time saver.
9. Nice quality silverware. Seriously could not care less.
10. Quality of bath towels and sheets. As long as they're clean and plentiful, I don't care what type.
11. Purses. If they work and are versatile enough to go anywhere, I'm happy with hand me downs/thrifts.
12. Makeup. Cheap mascara is honestly just as good, the rest I don't care about or wear much.
13. TVs, Sound systems, headphones, video game systems. Really don't care. I kinda like radio.
14. Cable TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Magazine/Newspaper subscriptions, etc.
15. Having really nice social media accounts. It's my life. I post what I want, not what you want.
16. Polished windows. I mean, within reason. But fingerprints should not matter. See the coasters, above.
17. Manicured lawns and flower beds. I mean, honestly. Flowers happen-yay! Hours with the weedeater...nah.
18. Canned beans. Dried are just as good, WAY cheaper, and not that hard to prep.
19. Coconut oil. It's my generation's crisco. It's a solid fat. I'm not spending extra for it.
20. Fancy salt. Sea salt, himalayan pink salt, gray salt - good grief. It's sodium. Get it with iodine to avoid goiters.
21. Fancy flooring. I actually prefer plywood, tile, or linoleum, it's cheaper and less upkeep/less pain to replace.
22. Clorox wipes; gimmicky cleaning products. Soft scrub, Murphy's Oil, and apple cider vinegar are good enough.
23. Hot tubs/pools. I cannot relax in a hot tub. I have tried. I am a 'reads by the pool' type.
24. Nice camping gear. Army surplus is good enough. Bivy Saks and Alice packs with frames: good to go.
25. Complete sets of dishes, etc. that are ruined if one breaks. Hodgepodge is better because of the peace of mind.
26. New books for the sake of looks. If I buy them new it's a luxury because of the time/location.
27. Seasonal decor beyond the staples (Christmas tree, maybe a fall centerpiece, etc.)
28. Collectible stuff, signed stuff, stuff like that. Not worth the $. I mean, if it's your thing, that's cool. But, meh.
29. Any media that costs money, with the two exceptions of: Spotify and books. There's SO MANY free options.
30. Umbrellas. I am not water soluble, I will not melt.
2. Wearing pajamas all day.
3. Having multiple drinks with the same meal (e.g. coffee, orange juice, and water with breakfast.)
4. Long car rides where I can sit alone in the back with a book, headphones, pillow, big hoodie, etc.
5. Buying books at full price from bookstores instead of online.
6. Being home alone (I have a family of 11, this is a luxury.)
7. Driving really far to go to a second hand bookstore (likely doesn't save money due to gas, but still.)
8. Ice cream with peanut butter.
9. Riding on the back of a motorcycle.
10. Spending the night in a hotel.
11. Fresh, seasonal fruit.
12. Burning candles.
13. Really long showers.
14. Doritos and sour cream.
15. Sugar-mash strawberries.
16. Driving around aimlessly for way too long and listening to music.
17. Fresh flowers.
18. Afternoon naps.
19. Pretty stationery.
20. Nice spices and oils and cooking sauces/flavorings.
21. A/C in the summer, enough to get down under the 80s.
22. Real maple syrup, raw honey.
23. Spotify.
24. Having all the proper layers of bedding (pillow protector and pillow case, mattress pad, etc.)
25. Heat in winter, enough to get above the 70s, or the 60s at night.
26. Going to movies in the theater.
27. Getting food at the theater, specifically swedish fish. :)
28. Buying books to read at leisure instead of checking them out at the library.
29. Good quality beef hot dogs, instead of the cheaper chicken ones.
30. Good work shoes that are kind to my feet.
31. Sleeping in with no alarm, then fixing a giant brunch.
32. Putting sour cream on my food (like eggs, beans, etc.)
33. Real vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
34. Second ferment kombucha- it's a luxury for me because of the time involved and fridge space.
35. Staying up late. I'm a night owl but it does suck the next day so it = luxury.
36. Having patina-d and/or durable furniture/floors/house stuff so I don't have to worry about keeping it nice.
37. Carbonated drinks and drinks with straws.
38. Glass drinking glasses and ceramic dishes-I grew up with stainless steel so thrift store dishes are an artistic luxury.
39. Getting the oil changed on the car at Walmart or wherever, instead of doing it myself.
40. Framed photos of my family and friends.
41. The right B&B pickles: best is Mt. Olive, then Great Value, then Sweet Gherkins, then all the others.
42. Big parking spots, driveways with a loop to pull around. (Country life; space isn't an issue.)
Stuff I Don't Care That Much About And Can Happily Thrift Or Go Without:
1. Fancy refrigerators with ice/water thingies in the doors.
2. Name brand clothes/new clothes.
3. Jewelry - I'll lose it eventually, so quality is not a thing for me, I just like something shiny. :)
4. New cars/nice interiors on cars. As long as it has decent mileage and safe tires, I'm good.
5. Amusement parks/concerts/other loud things that are confusing and really loud and peopley.
6. The beach. Seriously, I could have just as good a vacation in a mountain in a motel somewhere.
7. Nice furniture. I solemnly swear I will never own a coaster. Coasters decrease quality of life.
8. Coffee. Maxwell House does it for me, if I buy a drink in town it's a luxury as a time saver.
9. Nice quality silverware. Seriously could not care less.
10. Quality of bath towels and sheets. As long as they're clean and plentiful, I don't care what type.
11. Purses. If they work and are versatile enough to go anywhere, I'm happy with hand me downs/thrifts.
12. Makeup. Cheap mascara is honestly just as good, the rest I don't care about or wear much.
13. TVs, Sound systems, headphones, video game systems. Really don't care. I kinda like radio.
14. Cable TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Magazine/Newspaper subscriptions, etc.
15. Having really nice social media accounts. It's my life. I post what I want, not what you want.
16. Polished windows. I mean, within reason. But fingerprints should not matter. See the coasters, above.
17. Manicured lawns and flower beds. I mean, honestly. Flowers happen-yay! Hours with the weedeater...nah.
18. Canned beans. Dried are just as good, WAY cheaper, and not that hard to prep.
19. Coconut oil. It's my generation's crisco. It's a solid fat. I'm not spending extra for it.
20. Fancy salt. Sea salt, himalayan pink salt, gray salt - good grief. It's sodium. Get it with iodine to avoid goiters.
21. Fancy flooring. I actually prefer plywood, tile, or linoleum, it's cheaper and less upkeep/less pain to replace.
22. Clorox wipes; gimmicky cleaning products. Soft scrub, Murphy's Oil, and apple cider vinegar are good enough.
23. Hot tubs/pools. I cannot relax in a hot tub. I have tried. I am a 'reads by the pool' type.
24. Nice camping gear. Army surplus is good enough. Bivy Saks and Alice packs with frames: good to go.
25. Complete sets of dishes, etc. that are ruined if one breaks. Hodgepodge is better because of the peace of mind.
26. New books for the sake of looks. If I buy them new it's a luxury because of the time/location.
27. Seasonal decor beyond the staples (Christmas tree, maybe a fall centerpiece, etc.)
28. Collectible stuff, signed stuff, stuff like that. Not worth the $. I mean, if it's your thing, that's cool. But, meh.
29. Any media that costs money, with the two exceptions of: Spotify and books. There's SO MANY free options.
30. Umbrellas. I am not water soluble, I will not melt.
4.20.2018
6 Guest Bathroom Essentials
1. A fan.
A fan in a bathroom is just a good idea, especially if you've got a window to point it towards. In addition to the benefit of air circulation, it can also provide some much-appreciated sound insulation for guests and residents alike.
2. A candle or wax melter.
A candle, or if you have younger guests, a plug in wax melter will make your bathroom smell nice while providing an odor mask, which can be appreciated in a bathroom. Plus, there's just something about candles that provide a sense of a well-kept home.
3. Plenty of toilet paper and towels-where your guests can find them!
If you're anything like me, it can be uncomfortable to have to snoop in someone else's drawers and cabinets for what I need, even if they've assured that it's ok to do so. Do your guests a favor, and if you don't store extra staples like toilet paper, towels, and perhaps even some basic toiletries in plain sight, at least put up some cute labels on drawers or baskets to point them in the right direction.
4. A lock on the door.
Most bathrooms have locks on the doors, but I'm sure we've all had the experience of using a restroom in someone else's home and discovering that the door does not lock. If it's your home, it's probably not something you even think about-especially if your co-residents are accustomed to knocking-but if it's not your home, it can be a bit of an anxiety factor. A simple hook and eye set costs only a few dollars and is a cinch to install, and believe me when I say that it will make your guest bathroom much more comfortable for your visitors.
5. A trash can. With a liner.
This is pretty self-explanatory. It's a bathroom and there may be items that need thrown away from baby diapers to used tissues, etc. Please don't make your guests ask you where to throw things away or feel that they need to smuggle dirty diapers home in their diaper bag. Just provide a can, with a bag, and maybe even a lid for good measure.
6. A Hamper for used towels.
If your guests are going to be using your shower, please do provide a place for them to put their towels when they are done. Leaving them on hooks and towel racks always feels a little awkward if you don't know someone else's system. Don't forget to make it obvious that this is what the hamper is for, again with the cute little labels. :)
4.17.2018
I Live In A Metal Box Of Death
Note: this is a complainy post that I wrote last summer and never published, I found and read it just now and it made me laugh so I thought I'd share it. You're welcome.
After about three months of non-stop, drizzly, thundery rain (and one weird snowstorm in the middle of May), we have been "blessed" with an entire week of hot, humid, sunshine-and-blue-skies, sweat soaked summer.
And when I say sweat soaked, I am not talking about pretty little sparkles on foreheads. I'm talking about drenched. I'm talking about shirts that stick to peoples backs and shimmering mirages on the pavement and a sudden spike in ice cream sales in the surrounding four counties. Survival of the fittest, folks!
I live in a renovated school bus, AKA a metal box of death when it gets above 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
I got a window fan, but I guess window fans aren't made to fit the windows of school buses, so it's kind of propped up on my desk pointing straight at me. There's also a little fan that was installed to circulate air by the bed area, but it's stuck pointing in one direction so it's pretty useless unless you stand in the hallway with your head at a weird angle.
Also, I have no fridge currently. I talked to a lady named Sharon that I met over the pillow bin at the local Goodwill and we hit it off and she said she had a mini fridge I could have for free, if I wanted to pick it up. But then she had to leave before we finished talking. I gave her my phone number, so we'll see if she calls.
Anyways, here I sit. Drinking lukewarm coffee and dreaming about air conditioning.
It's even worse at work, because I work in a bakery where the convection ovens (Convection means 'blows hot air around inside') are vented into the kitchen. Saves money on heating for the owners in winter, but in the summer it sucks to be the rest of us. Even with all the possible windows and doors open and both fans they have running, it just blows hot air around. Bleh.
I mowed grass the other day for a few hours and got sun burned so bad that it hurts to wear clothes. I'm thinking I should maybe join a nudist hippie commune. I already have the school bus! ;)
After about three months of non-stop, drizzly, thundery rain (and one weird snowstorm in the middle of May), we have been "blessed" with an entire week of hot, humid, sunshine-and-blue-skies, sweat soaked summer.
And when I say sweat soaked, I am not talking about pretty little sparkles on foreheads. I'm talking about drenched. I'm talking about shirts that stick to peoples backs and shimmering mirages on the pavement and a sudden spike in ice cream sales in the surrounding four counties. Survival of the fittest, folks!
I live in a renovated school bus, AKA a metal box of death when it gets above 76 degrees Fahrenheit.
I got a window fan, but I guess window fans aren't made to fit the windows of school buses, so it's kind of propped up on my desk pointing straight at me. There's also a little fan that was installed to circulate air by the bed area, but it's stuck pointing in one direction so it's pretty useless unless you stand in the hallway with your head at a weird angle.
Also, I have no fridge currently. I talked to a lady named Sharon that I met over the pillow bin at the local Goodwill and we hit it off and she said she had a mini fridge I could have for free, if I wanted to pick it up. But then she had to leave before we finished talking. I gave her my phone number, so we'll see if she calls.
Anyways, here I sit. Drinking lukewarm coffee and dreaming about air conditioning.
It's even worse at work, because I work in a bakery where the convection ovens (Convection means 'blows hot air around inside') are vented into the kitchen. Saves money on heating for the owners in winter, but in the summer it sucks to be the rest of us. Even with all the possible windows and doors open and both fans they have running, it just blows hot air around. Bleh.
I mowed grass the other day for a few hours and got sun burned so bad that it hurts to wear clothes. I'm thinking I should maybe join a nudist hippie commune. I already have the school bus! ;)
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