'nuff said, right? Of course not!
I went on a mini-road trip today and had lots of car thinking time. I was thinking how I don't think it's important to keep up with mainstream society. I started thinking about some of my friends who would agree with me, but then if I really think about it...their "Joneses" still exist, just a different breed. The Joneses who need to impress each other with their "naturalness". You know the ones, uber-crunchy to the point of ridiculous. They are all about impressing their other crunch friends with how "against the norm" they can be. It's not about living deliberately and like they want to live, it's living to impress others. The others just aren't what we normally think of. Getting in a pissing match over who breastfed their babies longer, who buys more organic food. I know someone like this. They talk all about how "liberal" they are. But you know what? They are wearing their hippy clothes and going "au natural" JUST LIKE ALL THEIR FRIENDS. But when it really comes down to the natural sides of life, what do they do? Well, they don't cloth diaper. They don't breastfeed past 6 mos. They gag at the thought of cloth menstrual pads. And they drive a freakin' Tahoe even though they only have one small child.
Well guess what!? Sometimes I rock out in the car to Britney Spears. And the Def Leppard Greatest Hits CD may be one of the best things I can think of right now. LOL.
I might wipe my butt with flannel, but I'm not above marrying a dude from the trailer park. And I LOVE bacon. What would my Buddhist brethren think?
Sometimes mainstream is just fine.
Be who you really are :)
Screening....or screaming?
Even with the house having been for sale for quite a while, we still putter around finding things that could look better. When Venise, our Realtor, was here in the spring, she helped us clean the kitchen and she also took down the screens on the kitchen bay windows so we could clean them. We didn't think there was any hurry to get it done, because the view was even clearer without the screens, and we knew we wouldn't need the screens back up until the weather got hot enough to open the windows.
The time of warmer weather finally arrived, and Ed dutifully cleaned the screens and put them back up.
When I got home from work, I was just about to congratulate him on a job well done, when I noticed something....well, strange. There was white fluffy stuff attached to the screens at various places.
"What's that?" I asked, taken aback.
"It's cotton balls," Ed replied nonchalantly. "There were holes in the screens, so I plugged them up so the bugs can't get in."
I was appropriately aghast. "You're plugging screen holes with pieces of cotton balls?" I repeated, my mind just begging him to reassure me that I had misunderstood.
Oh, no, I did not misunderstand. There were the screens, and there were the pieces of white cotton balls. We had a house for sale, and there were pieces of cotton balls in our screens.
Surprisingly, this did not seem to bother Ed a bit. I pulled myself together and said, "Well, don't you think we need to get the screens replaced?"
Ed said, "Nah, they'll be fine."
"BUT THERE ARE PIECES OF COTTON BALLS IN THE SCREENS!" I couldn't help it. My incredulity gave way to massive irritation.
Ed tried to pacify me. "The bugs won't come in," he said. "We can also put CamphoPhenique on them, if you want to take extra precautions. Those bugs can't climb through that stuff."
I tried to breathe deeply, then lowered my voice. "I don't care about the bugs. Well, I do care about the bugs. But mostly I just care that THERE ARE PIECES OF COTTON BALLS IN THE SCREENS! Remove the screens this instant! We are taking them immediately to Sunrise Glass to get them replaced!"
It was at that point Ed looked sheepish. "I can't take them out," he said, eyes averted. "When I put them back, I got them mixed up and put them in the wrong windows. I got the left one stuck and now I can't get it out."
Well, that's just marvelous. How were we to explain this to prospective house buyers?
"And over here, we have beautiful bay windows...oh, look! It's snowing!"
Fortunately, Sunrise Glass sent someone over with window/screen experience, and he retrieved the screens effortlessly and took them in to be replaced. We picked them up in a couple of days, and Ed managed to insert them properly this time, thank goodness. I like swimming fishies, and I like soaring planets, but a cotton ball is not a screensaver I can live with!
The time of warmer weather finally arrived, and Ed dutifully cleaned the screens and put them back up.
When I got home from work, I was just about to congratulate him on a job well done, when I noticed something....well, strange. There was white fluffy stuff attached to the screens at various places.
"What's that?" I asked, taken aback.
"It's cotton balls," Ed replied nonchalantly. "There were holes in the screens, so I plugged them up so the bugs can't get in."
I was appropriately aghast. "You're plugging screen holes with pieces of cotton balls?" I repeated, my mind just begging him to reassure me that I had misunderstood.
Oh, no, I did not misunderstand. There were the screens, and there were the pieces of white cotton balls. We had a house for sale, and there were pieces of cotton balls in our screens.
Surprisingly, this did not seem to bother Ed a bit. I pulled myself together and said, "Well, don't you think we need to get the screens replaced?"
Ed said, "Nah, they'll be fine."
"BUT THERE ARE PIECES OF COTTON BALLS IN THE SCREENS!" I couldn't help it. My incredulity gave way to massive irritation.
Ed tried to pacify me. "The bugs won't come in," he said. "We can also put CamphoPhenique on them, if you want to take extra precautions. Those bugs can't climb through that stuff."
I tried to breathe deeply, then lowered my voice. "I don't care about the bugs. Well, I do care about the bugs. But mostly I just care that THERE ARE PIECES OF COTTON BALLS IN THE SCREENS! Remove the screens this instant! We are taking them immediately to Sunrise Glass to get them replaced!"
It was at that point Ed looked sheepish. "I can't take them out," he said, eyes averted. "When I put them back, I got them mixed up and put them in the wrong windows. I got the left one stuck and now I can't get it out."
Well, that's just marvelous. How were we to explain this to prospective house buyers?
"And over here, we have beautiful bay windows...oh, look! It's snowing!"
Fortunately, Sunrise Glass sent someone over with window/screen experience, and he retrieved the screens effortlessly and took them in to be replaced. We picked them up in a couple of days, and Ed managed to insert them properly this time, thank goodness. I like swimming fishies, and I like soaring planets, but a cotton ball is not a screensaver I can live with!
A Loan we can feel GOOD about
My hubby got a truck a few days ago. We've been needing one to haul crap around for a while now, as we don't really have a friend who has one we can borrow. My hubby prefers a truck anyway, so we replaced the Civic for it. No biggie.
The best part about it is that I'm proud of how well we did with the loan. The hubs previously worked for a company with a Credit Union. A real Credit Union with only 2 employees where the interest is dispersed among all the accounts. They gave him a good interest rate, and we aren't giving our hard-earned cash to "the man". I'm happy to give money to a bunch of foundry workers, screw that CEO with a mansion and a multi-million dollar salary.
I'm so glad that he remembered that he was still a member of the Credit Union. It warms my heart to know that any future *necessary* debt will be to them. When I say debt, I mean like if our AC unit breaks in July, and we need $1000 to fix it. I don't mean debt because I want to go to Red Lobster and charge it or I think I need a new iPod. I'm done with that crap.
Living within my means. Priceless.
The best part about it is that I'm proud of how well we did with the loan. The hubs previously worked for a company with a Credit Union. A real Credit Union with only 2 employees where the interest is dispersed among all the accounts. They gave him a good interest rate, and we aren't giving our hard-earned cash to "the man". I'm happy to give money to a bunch of foundry workers, screw that CEO with a mansion and a multi-million dollar salary.
I'm so glad that he remembered that he was still a member of the Credit Union. It warms my heart to know that any future *necessary* debt will be to them. When I say debt, I mean like if our AC unit breaks in July, and we need $1000 to fix it. I don't mean debt because I want to go to Red Lobster and charge it or I think I need a new iPod. I'm done with that crap.
Living within my means. Priceless.
Step one on time management
I've long known that my time arch-rival is the internet. It's an addiction. When I don't get online for a few hours, I feel like I'm missing something. Like someone might send me a million dollars to my paypal account, and I'll miss it.
My real nemesis is a chat board. I go there and just 'browse' to waste time. Read some, post some, but usually just a time-catcher. I took myself off of it today. Took away the temptation. The hubby says I will just replace the time with reading blogs. I disagree, I think that with a discussion board, you can click "new posts" throughout the day and see new things to read. With the blogs, people post once a day. I read a new post, I'd done until the next day.
So in 1 month I'll report back and report whether or not my husband is right :D
My real nemesis is a chat board. I go there and just 'browse' to waste time. Read some, post some, but usually just a time-catcher. I took myself off of it today. Took away the temptation. The hubby says I will just replace the time with reading blogs. I disagree, I think that with a discussion board, you can click "new posts" throughout the day and see new things to read. With the blogs, people post once a day. I read a new post, I'd done until the next day.
So in 1 month I'll report back and report whether or not my husband is right :D
Abundance
Because Ed is a retired minister, we receive a subscription to The Circuit Rider, a magazine that deals with theological and practical issues of the United Methodist Church. Its most recent issue concentrates on the ritual of Communion, The Lord's Supper, or whatever term one wants to use. I was struck by one comment: "Use bread that looks like bread, preferably baked by members of the congregation, and in quantities that speak of grace, generosity, and the joy of a banquet."
When I was growing up, it was cracker pieces and grape juice. That representation gradually evolved into real loaves of bread. (But still with grape juice. We were Methodists, after all.) At one point Ed and I became Episcopalians for a while. During those years, we were given dry little wafers and real wine. I even served on the Altar Guild for a short time. The ladies there taught me how to use a sixth sense to figure out how many people to expect for Commuion the next day, so we could anticipate the correct number of wafers to leave out for the priest to bless. I think it was the highlight of the week for those faithful ladies when their guess came close to the actual number - kind of like using number-picking skills to win the lottery.
When Ed became a minister and we were assigned to various churches, we were thrust from receivers to givers, in that we had to make sure there was enough grape juice (back to the Methodist way) and bread or crackers to go around. You didn't want too much, but you didn't want too little. The Holy Meal was supposed to be a banquet, and who comes to a banquet with the idea of a limited quantity of food? Better to err on the side of abundance. Rationing at Communion was just not acceptable.
As a participant of Communion or any other meal, I am pleased when I see unlimited quantities of food. Not that I eat it all, of course. The fact is that I can't really eat a large quantity of food at one time. I hardly ever get my money's worth at a restaurant buffet, for instance. Still, it gives some degree of satisfaction to see the food there in abundance. Don't worry, folks - there's enough to go around.
As I was reading the Communion article, I thought about our new house, specifically how small it will be. Going from a 4000-square-foot house to a 1500-square-foot house will be quite an adjustment, and not just physically. Emotionally there is something freeing about the idea of abundance. Whether it be space, money, food, time - it means plenty. The Thanksgiving symbol of the cornucopia, the "horn of abundance," is so full of good things that it literally can't contain them and its contents spill out and over.
As I age, I am acutely aware that my abundance of time, though still allotted to me in 24-hour increments, is limited in years. Money is not as plentiful as in the past, and soon our space will be limited also. Certainly we don't use this huge Victorian house - that's why we are trying to sell it - but it has been nice to say to friends and family, "Come on up and visit. We have tons of room for everyone!" Abundance, more than enough, brings a sort of contentment, banishes worry (unless you worry about losing your abundance!), and most of all, allows you to share. For sharing abundance is the most fun of all, isn't it?
I guess this means there is a "down side" to "down size." But, as Ed reminds me, there is abundance and then there is abundance. The root word for abundance means overflowing. Maybe it's time to think in terms of abundance as less a condition of concrete things, and more a condition of abstract things. We will have less space, but we will still have the abundance of love of friends and family, the richness of our precious memories, the plentifulness of our gifts, the bounty of our dreams.
Gotta love that abundance. Pass the bread, please. I assure you, there's plenty to go around.
Homework for Lesson 4
I'm taking this online course through Barnes & Noble, and there are just too many people there. When I started, I thought it was so great. I thought I'd be able to follow along with the post and get insight and ideas from other students. Now there are so many participants that I just can't read it all. I scan through for posts from the instructor and friends who are on there, but that's about it.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off.
Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.
Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.
Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.
What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off.
Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.
Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.
Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.
What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.
Homework for Lesson 4
I'm taking this online course through Barnes & Noble, and there are just too many people there. When I started, I thought it was so great. I thought I'd be able to follow along with the post and get insight and ideas from other students. Now there are so many participants that I just can't read it all. I scan through for posts from the instructor and friends who are on there, but that's about it.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off. (and for the record, I'm typing this as my children have a snack)
Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.
Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.
Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.
What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.
I figure it's part of my simplification....spending less time on the computer! I read what I need to and get off. (and for the record, I'm typing this as my children have a snack)
Anyway, here's my "homework" for journaling:
The introductory quote at the beginning of the work chapter is "What is at the center of your life? Carefully examine where you spend your attention, your time. Look at your appointment book, your daily schedule…. This is what receives your care and attention—and by definition, your love." When you look carefully at your daily schedule, what do you see?
I see chaos. I see someone who spends too much time on the computer "playing" just to waste time. I've started making progress on this. I realized that I compute because the baby is crabby & needs to be held, and I can't possibly get any housework done lugging around 22 lbs. That's okay, though, he needs me, and I enjoy the cuddly time. But what I DON'T have to do is sit here at the computer. I can be sitting in the floor interacting and playing with my other children as I entertain the baby. I've been doing that a lot today, and it feels great.
Consider these two rules from Janet Luhrs's dad: 1) Find something you love to do and get paid for it. 2) Live under your means. If you followed those two rules, would you spend your time in a different way? How?
Well, I'm pretty much there. I quit working outside of the home, and I sew to make money. I enjoy sewing. A lot. I already live at or below my means. It's a work-in-progress, but it's almost there. I don't "need" all the things that others think are necessary to live. I've lived above my means for a loong time, and it doesn't feel good. Where I"m at now is in limbo in between, but for once, I can see light at the end of the tunnel, and it feels GOOD. I spend my time doing what I need and want to do as opposed to trying to figure out how to get the next bill money. Now, when I sew, I enjoy it more. Before, when I sewed, I felt stressed and pressured to get things done because we needed the money.
Do you feel that you are spending as much time as you'd like with your family? If not, what changes do you need to make in your life?
Yes. One of the reasons I strive to simplify our life and live below our means is so that my husband will be able to do the same.
What is your definition of success?
Enjoying what you do.
Don't Gloat
'Cause then you will wake up one morning to a kitchen looking like
<---THIS. I posted last night bragging about how I had loaded the dishwasher and then used the same 4 plates all day. Well, the girls had gone to their father's house for the night. I made myself and Kevin a scrumptious Blueberry Cobbler from the blueberries my sweet neighbor brought me, and then we ate the ENTIRE thing. Apparently, good cobbler has the same effect as booze, because I must have blacked out about the sink. Have you ever read anything about "Flylady"? It's a site/book about organizing your life and keeping things nice and tidy.
One of the big things from Flylady is to always keep your kitchen sink sparkling. When I first read it, I did it pretty religiously for about a week. But you know how it goes- messiness is like an addiction, slip just one time and it all goes down the toilet. I remembered this morning and immediately shined my sink after making breakfast. Nice work, if I say so myself.According to Flylady, if you keep your sink clean at all times, even when your house is really messy, and you are feeling depressed about it, you can go to your kitchen and admire your beautiful sink. And you know what? It really DOES make you feel better. So ladies....GO SHINE YOU SINK :)
I haven't been keeping up with the Barnes & Noble class, shame on me. I haven't even read the book in 2 days. When my girls leave tonight, I PROMISE I will read and try to catch up. Kevin was very ashamed that I wasn't able to "keep up with my homework".
I took a cleaning sabbatical the last few days too. I don't know what the deal is, I'm just sitting on my ass playing on the computer instead of doing "real work". BUT, I did finish 80 unpaper towels of various sizes, 40 bibs, and an organic cotton outfit to sell at this weekend's craft fair :) I guess that counts for something! I also cleaned and organized my sewing area a little.
So maybe I *have* been doing something!
I am very lucky indeed
I feel very fortunate that i have a hubby who is "into" simplicity like I am. We have some different ideas and thoughts on it, but we feel the same about the basic concepts. He has been reading the Simple Living Guide along with me and has had quite a bit to say about a few things in it. Some good, some bad, some eye-opening.
As for my progress of decluttering the homestead, I haven't made any progress the last 2 days. I've been sewing for a craft fair this weekend and playing with the kids a lot. Baby boy is in a "hold me now" stage, so I have to just sit around a lot with him in my lap. He's too big to carry around and do anything! I sure will be thankful when he can walk.
I do have one accomplishment today. The girls & I have been eating off the same 4 plates all day. I just wash them off after every meal and sit them aside for the next. I want to start doing this every day. I find myself running the dishwasher TWICE a day lately, and that's just ridiculous.
As for my progress of decluttering the homestead, I haven't made any progress the last 2 days. I've been sewing for a craft fair this weekend and playing with the kids a lot. Baby boy is in a "hold me now" stage, so I have to just sit around a lot with him in my lap. He's too big to carry around and do anything! I sure will be thankful when he can walk.
I do have one accomplishment today. The girls & I have been eating off the same 4 plates all day. I just wash them off after every meal and sit them aside for the next. I want to start doing this every day. I find myself running the dishwasher TWICE a day lately, and that's just ridiculous.
You get what you pay for
most of the time, that is. I don't know what made me think of this today, but I did. I think it's important in the simplifying process. It's one "lesson" my father and grandmother were very adament about. When I married, Granny said she was buying my washing machine. Why just a washer? As per Granny, because you can air dry anything, so a washer is more important. When I went to buy it, she told me to get a Kenmore because they were reasonably priced and long-lasting. Okay. And then she said not to get the most expensive just because someone else was buying. But also not to get the least expensive, because it won't be as durable, and I'll have to end up paying for repairs in a few years. So I took her advice and got the mid-priced washer. Not too many bells & whistles- soak mode and pre-wash cycle, extra-large capacity. And I've been washing the hell out of cloth diapers for the last 6 years with no problems.
You get what you pay for. Simple enough, but think about it. Buy some cheap-ass washer for say, $100. 2 years later it breaks, so you pay $50 to fix it. Again in a few more years. Well guess what? You could have spent $200 originally and saved yourself the trouble. (and I'm totally making up numbers here, I have no ideas how much washers or repairs cost right now). Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way, but you really should research what you buy and buy SMART, not just frugel. When I was a teenager, I had a friend whose dad was a mechanic. He would buy the shittiest, cheapest car he could find and "fix it up" for her. And then spend the next year picking her up when it broke down and "fixing it" again. Then buy another car and do the same cycle again. I figure by the time she was 20 years old, if you totally up all the quick fixes and supplies he bought, she could have had a freakin' Maserati.
I think our "Wal Mart mentality" in today's society hurts us. We look at most items as disposable.
I use as much cloth as I can in my home: cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, cloth kitchen towels, cloth menstrual products, and yes...cloth toilet paper. I can't even imagine how much money I have save on paper towels alone. We still buy paper tp 'cause....well... there are some things I don't ever need to see, much less wash :D, but I buy less than 1/2 the amount of tp than I used to.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this post! Just rambling, so I'll end it here. Have a nice day.
You get what you pay for. Simple enough, but think about it. Buy some cheap-ass washer for say, $100. 2 years later it breaks, so you pay $50 to fix it. Again in a few more years. Well guess what? You could have spent $200 originally and saved yourself the trouble. (and I'm totally making up numbers here, I have no ideas how much washers or repairs cost right now). Obviously, it doesn't always work out that way, but you really should research what you buy and buy SMART, not just frugel. When I was a teenager, I had a friend whose dad was a mechanic. He would buy the shittiest, cheapest car he could find and "fix it up" for her. And then spend the next year picking her up when it broke down and "fixing it" again. Then buy another car and do the same cycle again. I figure by the time she was 20 years old, if you totally up all the quick fixes and supplies he bought, she could have had a freakin' Maserati.
I think our "Wal Mart mentality" in today's society hurts us. We look at most items as disposable.
I use as much cloth as I can in my home: cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, cloth kitchen towels, cloth menstrual products, and yes...cloth toilet paper. I can't even imagine how much money I have save on paper towels alone. We still buy paper tp 'cause....well... there are some things I don't ever need to see, much less wash :D, but I buy less than 1/2 the amount of tp than I used to.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this post! Just rambling, so I'll end it here. Have a nice day.
Something's fishy
Screensavers are intriguing. Even they are no longer technically necessary, we still use them.
On the helpful site how stuff works, they describe how the early screensavers were "designed to protect computer monitors from phosphor burn-in." Now that we no longer need them, why do we still use them? The site gives multiple reasons:
For the last few years, I have documented everything. I documented the porch being rebuilt, former co-workers whose names I cannot even remember, pictures of things I'd rather forget, other people's dogs, and photos of furniture I had for sale. I do not necessarily enjoy having such pictures as a desktop decoration, even for a few seconds. My screensaver program also had a way of trimming my good pictures, so that I had a headless person on the screen.
For all the above reasons, I figured it was time to get another screensaver. I perused my choices that are built into my iMac, but they didn't impress me at the time. I decided I would like to try an aquarium screensaver. What fun it would be to see fish swimming around! I'd have the enjoyment of an aquarium without the hassle. I asked Matt for help, and he steered me to a list of aquarium-themed screensavers made for Mac.
I downloaded one with 2 fish. Apparently, if you want more fish, you have to pay for the privilege, and I was using a limited free download. The whole thing was so cool - I chose the "depth" of the water and the method by which it entered the "tank." I could set my choice as to whether I wanted the fish to stay on the screen continuously, or whether I would allow them to move off the screen and come back on. Yes, I had the POWER! I chose all my settings, and as soon as I could see my 2 little fishes were swimming happily around the screen, I figured it was fine, and I left the room to do other things. Unbeknownst to me, the screensaver came with real aquarium sounds. And, apparently, I had forgotten to mention my new "toy" to Ed.
So Ed was in the kitchen at the sink, and when he turned the faucet off, he was alarmed to hear that water was still running somewhere. Oh, that's just great, he thought. We have a pipe busted - just what we need! So with trepidation, he quickly searched the house, finding nothing out of the ordinary. He finally went to the master bath, looked around, couldn't find anything amiss. He thought that I might have been filling the tub. He claimed the running water sound even confused the dog Babe (but that's his excuse for a lot of things: "Hey, Babe even was worried/scared/upset/excited too, just like me....").
Well, he finally traced the water sound to the computer, and there they were, my 2 new fishies, rolicking in the tank, figuratively speaking. Ed was none too pleased. He had been duped.
Of course, I thought it was hilarious.
Anyway, suffice it to say, the fishes have been terminated. I never did get to pay to download any of their colorful friends, either.
So, taking my cue from my journey to simplicity, I left the Internet and decided to use one of my built-in screensavers. It's outer space pictures - galaxies and such. Ed loves them. They are beautiful, and seeing the Milky Way reminds me that my nagging life problems are not so big after all.
I do miss my fishies, though. And I do enjoy freaking out Ed sometimes. Hmm...I wonder if someone sells downloadable asteroids?
On the helpful site how stuff works, they describe how the early screensavers were "designed to protect computer monitors from phosphor burn-in." Now that we no longer need them, why do we still use them? The site gives multiple reasons:
Here are the main reasons why:
- Entertainment - The most common reason we use screensavers is for the fun of it. Watching that macaroni dance across the screen to the tune of "Hey Macarena" can be a great diversion for a few minutes.
- Security - By setting up a screensaver with password protection, you can walk away from your computer and feel comfortable that nobody is going to be able to see any sensitive information.
- Uniform look - Many companies require all employees to use a particular screensaver. This creates a uniform and perhaps aesthetic environment and ensures that no inappropriate screensavers are displayed.
- Advertisement - Companies, particularly retail businesses, that have computers in areas accessible to customers will often have a screensaver that promotes their business or product.
- Information - A lot of screensavers provide either static or real-time information. A screensaver may cycle through a series of trivia questions. Another may pull stock information from a Web site and stream it across the screen.
- Distributed computing - Another form of screensaver takes advantage of your computer's inactivity to process data from another source. A good example of this type of screensaver is SETI@Home, which is currently utilized by thousands of computer users. This screensaver displays a graph of the radio spectrum and processes radio-signal information received from the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) servers. It sends back results based on the data processed. By using the combined processing power of all of these computers, SETI is significantly reducing the amount of time it takes to sift through all the signals received from its radio telescopes.
For the last few years, I have documented everything. I documented the porch being rebuilt, former co-workers whose names I cannot even remember, pictures of things I'd rather forget, other people's dogs, and photos of furniture I had for sale. I do not necessarily enjoy having such pictures as a desktop decoration, even for a few seconds. My screensaver program also had a way of trimming my good pictures, so that I had a headless person on the screen.
For all the above reasons, I figured it was time to get another screensaver. I perused my choices that are built into my iMac, but they didn't impress me at the time. I decided I would like to try an aquarium screensaver. What fun it would be to see fish swimming around! I'd have the enjoyment of an aquarium without the hassle. I asked Matt for help, and he steered me to a list of aquarium-themed screensavers made for Mac.
I downloaded one with 2 fish. Apparently, if you want more fish, you have to pay for the privilege, and I was using a limited free download. The whole thing was so cool - I chose the "depth" of the water and the method by which it entered the "tank." I could set my choice as to whether I wanted the fish to stay on the screen continuously, or whether I would allow them to move off the screen and come back on. Yes, I had the POWER! I chose all my settings, and as soon as I could see my 2 little fishes were swimming happily around the screen, I figured it was fine, and I left the room to do other things. Unbeknownst to me, the screensaver came with real aquarium sounds. And, apparently, I had forgotten to mention my new "toy" to Ed.
So Ed was in the kitchen at the sink, and when he turned the faucet off, he was alarmed to hear that water was still running somewhere. Oh, that's just great, he thought. We have a pipe busted - just what we need! So with trepidation, he quickly searched the house, finding nothing out of the ordinary. He finally went to the master bath, looked around, couldn't find anything amiss. He thought that I might have been filling the tub. He claimed the running water sound even confused the dog Babe (but that's his excuse for a lot of things: "Hey, Babe even was worried/scared/upset/excited too, just like me....").
Well, he finally traced the water sound to the computer, and there they were, my 2 new fishies, rolicking in the tank, figuratively speaking. Ed was none too pleased. He had been duped.
Of course, I thought it was hilarious.
Anyway, suffice it to say, the fishes have been terminated. I never did get to pay to download any of their colorful friends, either.
So, taking my cue from my journey to simplicity, I left the Internet and decided to use one of my built-in screensavers. It's outer space pictures - galaxies and such. Ed loves them. They are beautiful, and seeing the Milky Way reminds me that my nagging life problems are not so big after all.
I do miss my fishies, though. And I do enjoy freaking out Ed sometimes. Hmm...I wonder if someone sells downloadable asteroids?
The liquidation
How do you go about getting rid of your extra stuff? I like to give it to friends and family, but I feel a certain sense of guilt. I'm getting rid of it to simplify my home. Sometimes, I feel like people take what I have to quench their own "well...it's free" addictions, and they don't really *need* it. So my shirt is just going from one mama who doesn't need it to another.
Is that insane?
Is that insane?
Multi-tasking
I was reading a lot in my book last night for my online course about how bad multi-tasking really is. Doing more than one thing at once usually means you are not doing your best at either thing. So today I go to the park with the children, and I see this: mom w/ stroller talking on cellphone. I was thinking of how many things she was doing at that one moment: exercising, spending time with her child, talking to someone, and "enjoying" nature (this was at a nice, woodsy park). Now, could she possibly have been doing any of these things well? No way. She looked to me more like someone on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
Children really complicate the whole "one thing at a time" concept. It's hard, especially with more than one child. I've been thinking about this today and trying to be fully involved in just one thing at a time. I realized that a lot of the time, I will be fully engrossed in something and a kid does something else that requires my immediate attention. I also realized that I still don't have to do more than one thing- when a child needs me, I simply STOP what I am doing and assist them with my full attention. Then I go back to the task at hand with my full attention, again.
Until I really thought about this today, I would just do 2 things at once. And you know what it did? Well, obviously, it made do neither the best I could, but it also made me aggravated, stressed, and angry. Trying to put a bandage on a boo-boo and read an email at the same time is just setting myself up for pissy. So no more. I will concentrate on this more and try to do better :)
Children really complicate the whole "one thing at a time" concept. It's hard, especially with more than one child. I've been thinking about this today and trying to be fully involved in just one thing at a time. I realized that a lot of the time, I will be fully engrossed in something and a kid does something else that requires my immediate attention. I also realized that I still don't have to do more than one thing- when a child needs me, I simply STOP what I am doing and assist them with my full attention. Then I go back to the task at hand with my full attention, again.
Until I really thought about this today, I would just do 2 things at once. And you know what it did? Well, obviously, it made do neither the best I could, but it also made me aggravated, stressed, and angry. Trying to put a bandage on a boo-boo and read an email at the same time is just setting myself up for pissy. So no more. I will concentrate on this more and try to do better :)
It's not my fault
I beat my little sister.
Oh yes, I swear it’s true.
I’ve tried to stop, but really,
It’s impossible to do.
I only beat her once a year,
So please give me a break.
It hurts me more than it does her,
It makes my heart just ache.
But beatings shall continue
Up until the day we die.
September means I’m one year older,
Hers is in July.
July precedes September,
Yes, it’s factually true.
But alas, the difference in our ages
Always will be 2.
I beat my sister age-wise.
I beat her every time.
She’s always 2 years younger.
She’s always in her prime.
Here’s to my little sister!
She’s 50 years today!
No matter how she ages,
I will always lead the way...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Oh yes, I swear it’s true.
I’ve tried to stop, but really,
It’s impossible to do.
I only beat her once a year,
So please give me a break.
It hurts me more than it does her,
It makes my heart just ache.
But beatings shall continue
Up until the day we die.
September means I’m one year older,
Hers is in July.
July precedes September,
Yes, it’s factually true.
But alas, the difference in our ages
Always will be 2.
I beat my sister age-wise.
I beat her every time.
She’s always 2 years younger.
She’s always in her prime.
Here’s to my little sister!
She’s 50 years today!
No matter how she ages,
I will always lead the way...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Cleaning the Pig Sty...Stage 1
I'm starting with TOYS. I got the gals to bring all the toys from all over the house into the Living Room to sort through them all and organize. I felt like we were drowning in toys, but 'ya know what? Once they are all together and contained, there really weren't that many excess toys. I threw away all the little crap (like things they got in Kids' meals or freebies that were being handed out to kids somewhere/anywhere/everywhere). We put all stuffed animals in one big bin, all dress-up clothes in same size bin, and then everything else fit in 4 little baskets to be sat along the walls of the room/s. We have a "playroom" AKA place where we put all the toys, dollhouses, and desktop computer. There's a little twin bed in there for when the kiddos are fighting at night and we have to seperate them (.....now, now, you know you've had to do it too!) and for our occasional overnight guest. 3 of the girls all share the same bedroom, so it's really just beds and clothes.
I have an underbed storage box started for Garage Sale items.
I still have to better clean the room w/ the toys and get it like I want it. Next comes the kids' bedroom which shouldn't take too terribly long as there isn't much in it.
Next comes the kitchen- I want to put away all the extra plates, glasses, silverware. I had an awareness yesterday as I was loading up my SECOND dishwasher full- I use everything we have and then wash. Silly. If we only had 1 plate, 1 bowl, 1 cup, 1 set of silverware each, then I could just quickly wash them up after every meal, put them on the counter, and use them again for the next meal. Only run the dishwasher when I'm cooking alot and using a lot of mixing bowls, utensils, that sort of stuff. Sound good?
The other things will be:
My bedroom, my closet- the messiest of all because no one ever sees it.
Baby clothes and cloth diapers- get rid of what we don't really use
Photographs and scrapbooks/baby books- these are all over the house in no particular organized fashion.
Sewing Stuff- I've accumulated waaaay more "projects" than I will ever get to.
And last will be my garage with the finale being closing it in so we can make a spare room.
:)
I have an underbed storage box started for Garage Sale items.
I still have to better clean the room w/ the toys and get it like I want it. Next comes the kids' bedroom which shouldn't take too terribly long as there isn't much in it.
Next comes the kitchen- I want to put away all the extra plates, glasses, silverware. I had an awareness yesterday as I was loading up my SECOND dishwasher full- I use everything we have and then wash. Silly. If we only had 1 plate, 1 bowl, 1 cup, 1 set of silverware each, then I could just quickly wash them up after every meal, put them on the counter, and use them again for the next meal. Only run the dishwasher when I'm cooking alot and using a lot of mixing bowls, utensils, that sort of stuff. Sound good?
The other things will be:
My bedroom, my closet- the messiest of all because no one ever sees it.
Baby clothes and cloth diapers- get rid of what we don't really use
Photographs and scrapbooks/baby books- these are all over the house in no particular organized fashion.
Sewing Stuff- I've accumulated waaaay more "projects" than I will ever get to.
And last will be my garage with the finale being closing it in so we can make a spare room.
:)
Journaling
I started a course on Barnes & Noble University's website today. It's about Simple Living, and in the course description, the instructor recommends keeping a journal. So I guess I'm on the right track since I already started one ;)
Anyway, there will be questions and things to ponder during the course, so I will list them here and share my thoughts.
From Lesson 2:
What is the most important thing in your life? 1. Creating balance & peace in my life. That sounds like a pageant contestant, huh? 2. Raising my children against the grain of mainstream society. That might sound "wierd" to most, but I have very strong feelings about how our society thinks and functions, and it's way off track (in my opinion, of course). I want my children to feel an inner peace that does not come from material items. I don't want them to do as I have done- reach 33 years old and wonder what they have done with their lives and where all their time and money has gone.
What do you need to do to nurture your own awareness and personal growth? I need to stop procrastinating. I need to start "doing" instead of just "thinking".
What is the most recent item you purchased on "auto pilot"? How did you feel a few days after you bought the item? I can't remember. I have been consciously not purchasing things I don't need for several months now. I can pick something big from the past, though. A car. I had this huge impulse to get a "new" car. I had a job with insane driving miles, and one day I got it in my head that I "needed" a car with better gas mileage. I spent HOURS at the car lot getting the loan and all that crap. They haggled and stalled so long that I spent more than I should have just to get the Hell out of there. So, right away, I knew it was a bad deal. But I was so tired with being there so long after a long day's work already that I stayed and agreed to whatever. When I got home, I KNEW I'd made a mistake- higher payment, too long of a loan. I felt dirty and ashamed. I felt like an idiot.
How do you feel when you want things? Like a drug addict. I can't stop thinking about them until I get them at any means necessary. This is what I have been working on the past few months. I tore up all credit cards and started trying to pay them off. The debt was so bad, though, that to pay all the cards and keep my credit good, I had to charge more for the necessities (groceries). I made the decision to file bankruptcy and start over on my financial life. At that point, you can't use credit, so it actually helped me get rid of my spending addiction- if I wanted it, tough shit, there was no possible way to get it, so I've learned how to control that urge and do without. I've also been rudely awakened to what I need and what I want. I'm really proud to say today that I have gained this new awakening and am "on the road to recovery".
How would your life be different if you were fully aware of the path you have chosen? I hope that from here on out, I will be on the path I have chosen, so ask me again in 10 years.
Anyway, there will be questions and things to ponder during the course, so I will list them here and share my thoughts.
From Lesson 2:
What is the most important thing in your life? 1. Creating balance & peace in my life. That sounds like a pageant contestant, huh? 2. Raising my children against the grain of mainstream society. That might sound "wierd" to most, but I have very strong feelings about how our society thinks and functions, and it's way off track (in my opinion, of course). I want my children to feel an inner peace that does not come from material items. I don't want them to do as I have done- reach 33 years old and wonder what they have done with their lives and where all their time and money has gone.
What do you need to do to nurture your own awareness and personal growth? I need to stop procrastinating. I need to start "doing" instead of just "thinking".
What is the most recent item you purchased on "auto pilot"? How did you feel a few days after you bought the item? I can't remember. I have been consciously not purchasing things I don't need for several months now. I can pick something big from the past, though. A car. I had this huge impulse to get a "new" car. I had a job with insane driving miles, and one day I got it in my head that I "needed" a car with better gas mileage. I spent HOURS at the car lot getting the loan and all that crap. They haggled and stalled so long that I spent more than I should have just to get the Hell out of there. So, right away, I knew it was a bad deal. But I was so tired with being there so long after a long day's work already that I stayed and agreed to whatever. When I got home, I KNEW I'd made a mistake- higher payment, too long of a loan. I felt dirty and ashamed. I felt like an idiot.
How do you feel when you want things? Like a drug addict. I can't stop thinking about them until I get them at any means necessary. This is what I have been working on the past few months. I tore up all credit cards and started trying to pay them off. The debt was so bad, though, that to pay all the cards and keep my credit good, I had to charge more for the necessities (groceries). I made the decision to file bankruptcy and start over on my financial life. At that point, you can't use credit, so it actually helped me get rid of my spending addiction- if I wanted it, tough shit, there was no possible way to get it, so I've learned how to control that urge and do without. I've also been rudely awakened to what I need and what I want. I'm really proud to say today that I have gained this new awakening and am "on the road to recovery".
How would your life be different if you were fully aware of the path you have chosen? I hope that from here on out, I will be on the path I have chosen, so ask me again in 10 years.
The House...
Where the hell do I START???? With 4 kids and the crappola they accumulate, I'm just not sure where to start. I can spend an entire day getting the house spotless, but without CONSTANT attention, it is demolished w/in an hour. Seriously.
I gave 50% of the toys to Goodwill. I give clothes away as they grow out of them, and yet...it's as if I've done none of those things for the last year.
Is there a strategy I can use that is reasonable to accomplish the goal of simplifying my home efficiently?
I gave 50% of the toys to Goodwill. I give clothes away as they grow out of them, and yet...it's as if I've done none of those things for the last year.
Is there a strategy I can use that is reasonable to accomplish the goal of simplifying my home efficiently?
Day 1
I want to live simple.
I have been hearing things here and there about the concept of "Voluntary Simplicity" for a while now. I am intrigued. I just signed up through an online course from Barnes and Noble to learn more. I got my book at the library today, and I'm ready.
So I've decided to share my journey as it progresses.
About me: Well. I'm simple. I'm a mom to 4 children. I have a great husband, a roof over my head, a car to drive, and food in my fridge. I suspect that compared to other Americans, my life is pretty simple already. But I know I can do better.
My nemesis is DEBT. I've been in debt since I was 17 years old. It all started with Macy's. I got my first job there, and they gave me a credit card. Today, I am 33 years old, and since that first Macy's card, I have held some sort of debt every single day of my life. And I'm TIRED. I don't need all this crap cluttering my life. What I need is to live each moment as fully and deliberately as I can. I've worked by debt up and down several times, but now it is going to stop. I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm taking the easy way out- I've filed for bankruptcy. Not the most noble way to "start over", but it was the best option for me and the hole I have dug for myself and my family. A fresh start. A new beginning.
I have been hearing things here and there about the concept of "Voluntary Simplicity" for a while now. I am intrigued. I just signed up through an online course from Barnes and Noble to learn more. I got my book at the library today, and I'm ready.
So I've decided to share my journey as it progresses.
About me: Well. I'm simple. I'm a mom to 4 children. I have a great husband, a roof over my head, a car to drive, and food in my fridge. I suspect that compared to other Americans, my life is pretty simple already. But I know I can do better.
My nemesis is DEBT. I've been in debt since I was 17 years old. It all started with Macy's. I got my first job there, and they gave me a credit card. Today, I am 33 years old, and since that first Macy's card, I have held some sort of debt every single day of my life. And I'm TIRED. I don't need all this crap cluttering my life. What I need is to live each moment as fully and deliberately as I can. I've worked by debt up and down several times, but now it is going to stop. I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm taking the easy way out- I've filed for bankruptcy. Not the most noble way to "start over", but it was the best option for me and the hole I have dug for myself and my family. A fresh start. A new beginning.
The Name Game
In an ongoing attempt to sell or give away what we don't need, I came across a set of videotapes about grand houses on English estates. There is a tape devoted to each house, and the names are quite engaging. Penhurst Place. (I like the alliteration.) Goodwood House. Broadlands. Breamore House. Stratfield Saye. Arundel Castle. (Finally, a house that admits its true identity. I think all the others are really castles and won't admit it. Kind of like the Bar Harbor mansions calling themselves "cottages.") Wilton. Sutton Place. Chartwell. Finally, one of my favorites - Uppark. (I read that as "You Park" and it sounds like a downtown garage in Bangor.)
It takes creativity to name a house, that's for sure. When we bought this house, we had lived in parsonages for 8 years, and the whole idea of owning our own home again was exciting. The fact that we bought the house and didn't move in for 1-1/2 years added to the mystery and intrigue. The house existed more in our memories and imaginations than it did in our daily lives.
I wanted to name it, of course.
My first thought was Snowflake House. The Victorian gingerbread, painted white, reminded me of snow, one of the reasons we were moving to New England. Something was lacking with that name, however. It never flowed easily off my tongue, as if every time I started to say it, I had to think for a moment what it actually was.
My next name was a good old English manor name - Addington. Now, that had a stately ring to it, didn't it? Addington. Of course, nothing could be so clear-cut in origin, and the reason I chose Addington was my assertion that "we were adding on to the house and it was costing a ton." Well, that didn't stick either, probably because I knew that every time I said the word, I would be reminding myself of all the expense, and who wants to be reminded of that? Anyway, as much as the house has been reduced to its cost and selling price in the last couple of years, I'm glad I ditched "Addington" because it degrades the house somewhat, carving its identity out of dollar signs.
We finally did agree on a name, though. It wasn't long after we moved in 10 years ago. The chosen name was short, succinct, full of significance, and came easily to the lips. We called it Home.
It takes creativity to name a house, that's for sure. When we bought this house, we had lived in parsonages for 8 years, and the whole idea of owning our own home again was exciting. The fact that we bought the house and didn't move in for 1-1/2 years added to the mystery and intrigue. The house existed more in our memories and imaginations than it did in our daily lives.
I wanted to name it, of course.
My first thought was Snowflake House. The Victorian gingerbread, painted white, reminded me of snow, one of the reasons we were moving to New England. Something was lacking with that name, however. It never flowed easily off my tongue, as if every time I started to say it, I had to think for a moment what it actually was.
My next name was a good old English manor name - Addington. Now, that had a stately ring to it, didn't it? Addington. Of course, nothing could be so clear-cut in origin, and the reason I chose Addington was my assertion that "we were adding on to the house and it was costing a ton." Well, that didn't stick either, probably because I knew that every time I said the word, I would be reminding myself of all the expense, and who wants to be reminded of that? Anyway, as much as the house has been reduced to its cost and selling price in the last couple of years, I'm glad I ditched "Addington" because it degrades the house somewhat, carving its identity out of dollar signs.
We finally did agree on a name, though. It wasn't long after we moved in 10 years ago. The chosen name was short, succinct, full of significance, and came easily to the lips. We called it Home.
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