I know this is old, but it's still a goodie!
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/random-chain-of-kindness-at-tims-goes-on-for-hours-185398352.html
Monday, January 28, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Men try out labor pains
Maybe if more Republican men did this for 8 hours straight, they would feel differently about being against contraception and abortion.
http://www.neatorama.com/2013/01/21/Men-Try-Out-Labor-Pains/
http://www.neatorama.com/2013/01/21/Men-Try-Out-Labor-Pains/
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Flu season
This year, the flu seems to be particularly bad. After realizing just how bad it has gotten, and how many people in my own office around me were sick with it, I got myself a flu shot for the first time ever. Unfortunately, I'm reading that the shot takes two weeks to take effect, and plus there's no guarantee that the shot will keep you safe from this year's strains of flu.
Aside from taking the flu shot, I've been making extra sure to wash my hands exceptionally well. I usually wash my hands well, so I now fear that perhaps that's not enough. My company was kind enough to issue everyone a small bottle of hand sanitizer, so I think I'm going to start using that every time I touch something on the subway that other people tend to touch, like poles and handles. If I could, I'd stay home and self-quarantine myself, but that's probably going a bit too far.
Normally, I would not be so paranoid. However, this year sounds like it's pretty bad, and there are other circumstances that make getting the flu now a particularly bad time. So hence, the paranoia. I really don't want to come down with anything debilitating for the next several months.
Aside from taking the flu shot, I've been making extra sure to wash my hands exceptionally well. I usually wash my hands well, so I now fear that perhaps that's not enough. My company was kind enough to issue everyone a small bottle of hand sanitizer, so I think I'm going to start using that every time I touch something on the subway that other people tend to touch, like poles and handles. If I could, I'd stay home and self-quarantine myself, but that's probably going a bit too far.
Normally, I would not be so paranoid. However, this year sounds like it's pretty bad, and there are other circumstances that make getting the flu now a particularly bad time. So hence, the paranoia. I really don't want to come down with anything debilitating for the next several months.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Violence against women act
Things like this make me feel depressed:
http://gawker.com/5974873/whatever-happened-to-the-violence-against-women-act
http://gawker.com/5974873/whatever-happened-to-the-violence-against-women-act
Friday, January 11, 2013
Composting
Late last year, I bought the Envirocycle mini compost tumbler to start composting in my urban home. It's quite small and can fit on top of a table, but I just set mine on the floor. It's been a little over a month since I started dumping stuff into it on a weekly basis and it's getting full. Unfortunately, because it's winter, there is not much rotting going on. :-(
Once it fills up a bit more, I'll have to stop putting stuff into it. At first, I tumbled the thing every week, but since it's been so cold and nothing's happening, I've given up on doing that until the weather warms up. Because it is so cold, I am unable to tell if I'm putting in enough "browns." I tried sniffing it, but I can't smell anything, especially since everything is probably frozen. Then there's the issue of whether or not I'm keeping the stuff wet enough. Again, moisture is just freezing up in there so I'm not sure if it's at the consistency it should be.
In any case, it looks like I'll have to wait until it's warmer to know for sure how to proceed and facilitate rotting. I am pretty excited to see it rot! I can't wait!
Once it fills up a bit more, I'll have to stop putting stuff into it. At first, I tumbled the thing every week, but since it's been so cold and nothing's happening, I've given up on doing that until the weather warms up. Because it is so cold, I am unable to tell if I'm putting in enough "browns." I tried sniffing it, but I can't smell anything, especially since everything is probably frozen. Then there's the issue of whether or not I'm keeping the stuff wet enough. Again, moisture is just freezing up in there so I'm not sure if it's at the consistency it should be.
In any case, it looks like I'll have to wait until it's warmer to know for sure how to proceed and facilitate rotting. I am pretty excited to see it rot! I can't wait!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Maintaining a home is hard work!
This is not news to anyone, but maintaining a home is hard work! I find it is especially difficult to keep up with housework when working full time and dealing with long commutes. If only I didn't need to sleep!
When we first moved into our new place, my first priority was settling in, getting furniture and finding a place for everything. I'm still not completely happy with the way the kitchen is organized and the basement is still a mess because we're using it as a storage/staging area. There is still too much clutter on the small table in the dining room and the office needs reorganizing as well. A house's work is never done.
Eventually, big projects aside, I settled into a more regular cleaning routine. At first, I was too ambitious and if I did everything on my checklist every day, I would have no time to sit down or relax. So I started spacing tasks out more. After all, do I really need to dust the whole house every other day? I also took the advice of Scrooge McDuck to "work smarter, not harder!"
Here are some things I've started doing that I find beneficial:
1. When I am about to use the tub or sink, I first spray a vinegar spray on the surfaces and let it sit for a few minutes. Then when I brush my teeth or shower, I wipe down the sprayed surfaces with a cloth. This allows me to keep the bathroom presentable all the times.
2. Washing and prepping veggies on Sunday saves me lots of time on weeknights. Prepped veggies means I can come home, heat up the wok and toss the food in right way and start cooking. It definitely saves a lot of time!
3. Hubby and I used to waste a lot of food, though we certainly don't mean to. Planning out meals is a great way to avoid wasting food. When I know what I'll be making, I can have a more efficient shopping trip, buying only what I need that week. Not only am I saving money, but time as well.
4. Shopping at the supermarket is a horrible experience, unless I go late. During peak hours, the place is so crowded that I can bare move 2 feet before having to stop and wait for someone else to get out of my way. Either that or I'm the one in someone's way. Going late avoids the crowds and allows for a much more pleasant experience. I can actually take time to focus on what I'm buying, rather than fuming at the old lady pushing her cart into me.
5. Getting stuff delivered can be a good thing! I have stuff delivered to the house all the time. At times I feel guilty about all the shipping, gas and cardboard boxes that I'm using up, but the bottom line is, I simply don't have the time to devote to going to all the different places that have the things I need. Some places have what I need, but are not of good quality. I am lucky enough that I can get most of my daily needs delivered right to my door - from groceries, to pet supplies to air mattresses. I like buying certain things in bulk, and not having to lug a year's worth of sugar across several blocks is a good thing!
6. Freezer meals are great! Some days when I come home, I really don't want to touch the stove. I just want to pop something into the microwave or oven and voila! Food is on the table! Every so often, I'll make a big batch of tomato sauce, veggie soup, lasagna, pumpkin pie or chickpea patties. We'll eat some and freeze the rest. The night before I plan to eat it, I take it out of the freezer and put it into the fridge. If it's not fully defrosted by the time I come home, I stick it in the microwave. I like freezing my food in single serving portions inside of freezer and oven safe containers that come with covers. For instance, I bake the lasagna in an oven and freezer safe container. When it cools, it goes into the freezer. Later, it gets defrosted in the fridge and when I come home to eat it, I warm it up in the oven. I love functional containers!
7. Doing a few chores every day means feeling less overwhelmed on the weekends. In the beginning, I tried to do all my chores on weekends, which meant for very busy weekends! Often, I either didn't finish or just got frustrated with all the work I was making myself do. These days, I find that if I quickly clean areas during the week, I don't have to do them during the weekend, which saves me a great deal of frustration and keeps the house clean. Some people recommend setting a timer for 15 minutes and just do as much as you can until the timer is up. What works for me is a list of tasks for each day and checking them off when I get home. Daily tasks include wiping down the dining table after eating, wiping down the kitchen countertops and stoves, and loading and unloading the dishwasher. Every other day, I dust, check and water the plants, and add to the mini compost tumbler. Ideally, I should also sweep and mop the kitchen and dining room floors, but I just can't get my energy up enough to manage that. Cleaning the floors remain a weekend task
So that's all I got for now! Later!
When we first moved into our new place, my first priority was settling in, getting furniture and finding a place for everything. I'm still not completely happy with the way the kitchen is organized and the basement is still a mess because we're using it as a storage/staging area. There is still too much clutter on the small table in the dining room and the office needs reorganizing as well. A house's work is never done.
Eventually, big projects aside, I settled into a more regular cleaning routine. At first, I was too ambitious and if I did everything on my checklist every day, I would have no time to sit down or relax. So I started spacing tasks out more. After all, do I really need to dust the whole house every other day? I also took the advice of Scrooge McDuck to "work smarter, not harder!"
Here are some things I've started doing that I find beneficial:
1. When I am about to use the tub or sink, I first spray a vinegar spray on the surfaces and let it sit for a few minutes. Then when I brush my teeth or shower, I wipe down the sprayed surfaces with a cloth. This allows me to keep the bathroom presentable all the times.
2. Washing and prepping veggies on Sunday saves me lots of time on weeknights. Prepped veggies means I can come home, heat up the wok and toss the food in right way and start cooking. It definitely saves a lot of time!
3. Hubby and I used to waste a lot of food, though we certainly don't mean to. Planning out meals is a great way to avoid wasting food. When I know what I'll be making, I can have a more efficient shopping trip, buying only what I need that week. Not only am I saving money, but time as well.
4. Shopping at the supermarket is a horrible experience, unless I go late. During peak hours, the place is so crowded that I can bare move 2 feet before having to stop and wait for someone else to get out of my way. Either that or I'm the one in someone's way. Going late avoids the crowds and allows for a much more pleasant experience. I can actually take time to focus on what I'm buying, rather than fuming at the old lady pushing her cart into me.
5. Getting stuff delivered can be a good thing! I have stuff delivered to the house all the time. At times I feel guilty about all the shipping, gas and cardboard boxes that I'm using up, but the bottom line is, I simply don't have the time to devote to going to all the different places that have the things I need. Some places have what I need, but are not of good quality. I am lucky enough that I can get most of my daily needs delivered right to my door - from groceries, to pet supplies to air mattresses. I like buying certain things in bulk, and not having to lug a year's worth of sugar across several blocks is a good thing!
6. Freezer meals are great! Some days when I come home, I really don't want to touch the stove. I just want to pop something into the microwave or oven and voila! Food is on the table! Every so often, I'll make a big batch of tomato sauce, veggie soup, lasagna, pumpkin pie or chickpea patties. We'll eat some and freeze the rest. The night before I plan to eat it, I take it out of the freezer and put it into the fridge. If it's not fully defrosted by the time I come home, I stick it in the microwave. I like freezing my food in single serving portions inside of freezer and oven safe containers that come with covers. For instance, I bake the lasagna in an oven and freezer safe container. When it cools, it goes into the freezer. Later, it gets defrosted in the fridge and when I come home to eat it, I warm it up in the oven. I love functional containers!
7. Doing a few chores every day means feeling less overwhelmed on the weekends. In the beginning, I tried to do all my chores on weekends, which meant for very busy weekends! Often, I either didn't finish or just got frustrated with all the work I was making myself do. These days, I find that if I quickly clean areas during the week, I don't have to do them during the weekend, which saves me a great deal of frustration and keeps the house clean. Some people recommend setting a timer for 15 minutes and just do as much as you can until the timer is up. What works for me is a list of tasks for each day and checking them off when I get home. Daily tasks include wiping down the dining table after eating, wiping down the kitchen countertops and stoves, and loading and unloading the dishwasher. Every other day, I dust, check and water the plants, and add to the mini compost tumbler. Ideally, I should also sweep and mop the kitchen and dining room floors, but I just can't get my energy up enough to manage that. Cleaning the floors remain a weekend task
So that's all I got for now! Later!
All Glory to the Hypnotoad!
This past holiday season, I did not just shop for others, but I also shopped for myself. For the most part, I am happy with my purchases, except for one. It is the Hypnotoad. On an impulsive whim, I bought the figurine (doesn't actually move its eyes or make noise - it's just cute!) and now I have no idea where to put it. It lived in the bathroom for a while and now it has moved into the bedroom.
Despite its adorable charm, I would rather not have yet another object in the house to dust and maintain. This is especially true since he doesn't actually wobble his eyes or make the Hypnotoad noise. After all, he's just a figurine that I got for fun, and now it seems, I am over it.
Still it seems like such a waste to get rid him considering the fact that I've had him less than 2 months. So alternative that I am considering is bringing him to work as a desk toy. He can sit on my desk where I can stare at him staring at me. With him at work, I can not feel guilty about getting rid of him, but he is also out of the house when I'm trying to dust and wipe everything.
Despite its adorable charm, I would rather not have yet another object in the house to dust and maintain. This is especially true since he doesn't actually wobble his eyes or make the Hypnotoad noise. After all, he's just a figurine that I got for fun, and now it seems, I am over it.
Still it seems like such a waste to get rid him considering the fact that I've had him less than 2 months. So alternative that I am considering is bringing him to work as a desk toy. He can sit on my desk where I can stare at him staring at me. With him at work, I can not feel guilty about getting rid of him, but he is also out of the house when I'm trying to dust and wipe everything.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Brewing your own Kombucha
My first taste of kombucha did not leave me wanting more. In fact, I disliked it. However, I had heard so many good and miraculous things about it that I thought I would give it another shot and bought a bottle. It was a hot summer day and I was craving something sweet and fizzy and that bottle totally hit the spot! From then on, I loved kombucha! The only problem is, they're so expensive!
So one day, I decided to make my own. I didn't bother buying a scoby (kombucha mother). Instead, I grew one from a store-bought bottle of kombucha. You can read how to do that here:
http://www.paprikahead.com/2009/07/how-to-brew-your-own-kombucha-from.html
Now that I have a healthy scoby going, I brew and bottle every 2 weeks and I make it with green tea. Hubby likes his fizzier so he likes to keep the bottles at room temperature to continue fermenting for a while. The longer they ferment in the bottles, the fizzier it gets. I don't mind drinking it as soon as it tastes right.
Now, I don't put much stock in the reports of how kombucha cures stuff and does all these miraculous things. I just like the taste and I do think it's healthy because it has live cultures in it that helps digestion. Other than that, it's also fun to know that I can make something so yummy at home!
So one day, I decided to make my own. I didn't bother buying a scoby (kombucha mother). Instead, I grew one from a store-bought bottle of kombucha. You can read how to do that here:
http://www.paprikahead.com/2009/07/how-to-brew-your-own-kombucha-from.html
Now that I have a healthy scoby going, I brew and bottle every 2 weeks and I make it with green tea. Hubby likes his fizzier so he likes to keep the bottles at room temperature to continue fermenting for a while. The longer they ferment in the bottles, the fizzier it gets. I don't mind drinking it as soon as it tastes right.
Now, I don't put much stock in the reports of how kombucha cures stuff and does all these miraculous things. I just like the taste and I do think it's healthy because it has live cultures in it that helps digestion. Other than that, it's also fun to know that I can make something so yummy at home!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
A new year, a new start
Happy 2013 everyone!
This coming year, I have many resolutions and many plans. Most are the same ones I had last year. Haha! However, that's not a bad thing as it shows that I'm still trying and haven't given up. In any case, my goals are all related to living healthier and more frugally. Some of my resolutions are:
1. Cook most dinners and pack most lunches. This not only allows me to live healthier, but also saves a lot of money. This is a repeat from last year as I lost sight of this goal halfway through the year.
2. Create a household cleaning schedule and share chores with hubby. Since hubby works late, I'm not expecting an equitable division of labor here. However, I do like to have the option of saying that I'm too tired to do the chores and just point to the list so hubby can step up. The way I see it, in order to keep the house spic and span, certain things need to be done regularly.
3. Grow more food. Last year, we planted two heirloom tomato plants, some store bought scallions (ate the tops and just planted the bottoms) and some store-bought celery (again ate the tops and planted the bottom). The scallions and celery were miserable though the celery is, amazingly, still alive and green in our back yard. The tomato plants were planted too close together and tried to kill each other, resulting in only a handful of tomatoes. This year, I'm going to do things differently. I'll plant two tomato plants farther apart and also put tomato cages around them. I also have garlic growing on the side, some mint growing in a pot and a horseradish root buried in a big planter. I currently have a couple of citrus trees under grow lights, but I don't think they're going to make it through the winter. :-(
4. Take more breaks from staring at stuff. I spend all day staring. I stare at my computer at work, I stare at my phone when commuting, I stare at the TV when I'm relaxing and I stare at my iPad before bed. That's a lot of staring and my eyes are always feeling dry and strained. It's time to give them a break by taking hourly breaks every day. So this year, I'm going to try to break away from backlit screens every hour by taking a walk around the house or office floor, even if it's just to pet the cat or get a drink of water.
5. Run 5K by the end of the year. I want to exercise, but I can never keep it up because I'm super lazy and always tired. So I figure if I have a concrete goal in mind, I can be motivated to keep moving. So the goal is to run 5K by the end of the year. Yeah, I'm taking it easy, but it's better than doing nothing!
So that's it! My 2013 resolutions. I wonder how many I'll be able to keep!
This coming year, I have many resolutions and many plans. Most are the same ones I had last year. Haha! However, that's not a bad thing as it shows that I'm still trying and haven't given up. In any case, my goals are all related to living healthier and more frugally. Some of my resolutions are:
1. Cook most dinners and pack most lunches. This not only allows me to live healthier, but also saves a lot of money. This is a repeat from last year as I lost sight of this goal halfway through the year.
2. Create a household cleaning schedule and share chores with hubby. Since hubby works late, I'm not expecting an equitable division of labor here. However, I do like to have the option of saying that I'm too tired to do the chores and just point to the list so hubby can step up. The way I see it, in order to keep the house spic and span, certain things need to be done regularly.
3. Grow more food. Last year, we planted two heirloom tomato plants, some store bought scallions (ate the tops and just planted the bottoms) and some store-bought celery (again ate the tops and planted the bottom). The scallions and celery were miserable though the celery is, amazingly, still alive and green in our back yard. The tomato plants were planted too close together and tried to kill each other, resulting in only a handful of tomatoes. This year, I'm going to do things differently. I'll plant two tomato plants farther apart and also put tomato cages around them. I also have garlic growing on the side, some mint growing in a pot and a horseradish root buried in a big planter. I currently have a couple of citrus trees under grow lights, but I don't think they're going to make it through the winter. :-(
4. Take more breaks from staring at stuff. I spend all day staring. I stare at my computer at work, I stare at my phone when commuting, I stare at the TV when I'm relaxing and I stare at my iPad before bed. That's a lot of staring and my eyes are always feeling dry and strained. It's time to give them a break by taking hourly breaks every day. So this year, I'm going to try to break away from backlit screens every hour by taking a walk around the house or office floor, even if it's just to pet the cat or get a drink of water.
5. Run 5K by the end of the year. I want to exercise, but I can never keep it up because I'm super lazy and always tired. So I figure if I have a concrete goal in mind, I can be motivated to keep moving. So the goal is to run 5K by the end of the year. Yeah, I'm taking it easy, but it's better than doing nothing!
So that's it! My 2013 resolutions. I wonder how many I'll be able to keep!
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