The Fine and Illustrious Art of Using Shit Up

Well, I'm still looking for a new pad.  Last week, I checked out a pretty good one (another Mecca of Coolness), but I'll discuss that in another entry.  Right now, my biggest issue revolves around the fact that I have about 2 months to declutter and get rid of as much crap as humanly possible.  I'm going from a 3-bedroom house, complete with basement and shitloads of hidey-holes, to a yet-to-be-named apartment where space and storage are all still unknown factors.  I am positive that I'll need to reduce my possessions by at least half -- no easy feat in any case!

One of my new ways of doing this has been referred to as The Fine and Illustrious Art of Using Shit Up.  In little ways, I am lightening my load -- eating all of my exotic stuff from the Asian grocery, using up my most treasured incense, bathing luxuriously in as much Lush as I feel like, giving away beautiful and useful things that I know will make my friends (as well as various charities) happy.  So, even when I don't have the strength to sift through boxes and bags and closets of junk, I'm still doing my part each day, little by little, lightening the load and clearing up the tiniest bit of space for my future move.

These days, I've been consistently reminding myself of an anecdote in Amy Tan's book (not The Joy Luck Club... the other book).  The narrator had an elderly aunt who was known to be rather stingy.  During each year at Christmas, her family would send Auntie a beautiful box of fancy chocolates.  One Christmas, they received a box of the same type of chocolate from her as well, and wouldn't you know it?  The chocolate was all white, dried out, and generally nasty.  It turns out that Auntie wouldn't enjoy the nice gifts that she was given; instead, she'd stuff the boxes of chocolate into her closet, saving them to regift.  Unfortunately, by the time an occasion was good enough to merit the chocolate as a gift, the candy had turned all gross and rancid -- not a very good gift at all!  So, not only did Auntie wind up giving her beloved relatives a big box of crap, she was also being very stingy with herself too.  The chocolates were saved because they were so special, yet no one got to enjoy them.  What a waste!  It also begs the question of why Auntie didn't think that she was worthy of such a nice prezzie, when obviously her family wanter her to savor the fancy chocolate?

The same concept can be applied to so many things that we're saving for a special occasion.  Instead of holding onto that expensive perfume you have, why not luxuriate in it instead -- before it turns into rancid crap that's worse than dollar-store body spray!?  Those fancy guest soaps that you've had on display since the 1990s?  They aren't impressing anybody anymore, so if they're now too gross to use, how about putting them to good use making your own laundry detergent?  These things take up our space, and somehow remind us that "today" isn't special enough, or maybe that we're not special enough, to just go all-out and enjoy whatever it is we're saving.  Use it up!  You'll be able to enjoy it while it's still good, and you'll be decluttering at the same time.

99 DIY Lifestyle Skills

Being a do-it-myself kinda gal, I have to say that this post at over at TLC intrigued me.  I went through the list, sort of halfway nodding my head, and then I realized that there are a lot of things on the list that I can work toward, either now or after I've relocated.  Feel free to check and see how you're doing.  I'd also love to hear more unlisted skills that those reading this deem to be valuable.

My personal grading scale: 0 - not doing this, or it doesn't apply to me, .5 - I know how to do this and have been working on doing better, 1 - this is a regular part of my life.

Essential Food Skills
1. Read and understand product labels 1
2. Bake bread 1
3. Make your own bread starter and keep it going .5 (I don't consume a lot of bread)
4. Make cheese, yogurt, and kefir from local milk .5 (I can do all but kefir)
5. Preserve food by canning 0 (scary!)
6. Preserve food by drying .5
7. Forage for local wild foods safely 0

8. Raise a couple of backyard chickens 0 (I wish I had the room!) 

9. Make your own tofu,tempeh, and soy milk .5

10. Eat locally and in season 1

11. Grind your own flour .5 (I've done it)

12. Grow your own produce 0

13.Grow your own herbs 1

14.Grow your own sprouts 1 

15. Blend your own herbal tea 1 

16. Have a repertoire of vegetarian recipes you can use for various occasions 1

17. Fish or hunt responsibly if you eat meat 1 (I don't hunt, but I know the basics.)

18. Make homemade pastas and other pantry basics  .5

19. Cook a variety of foods well 1

20. Utilize a menu to minimize food waste 1

21. Throw a party without compromising your green values 1

22. Make Your Own Vanilla Extract 1

23. Sharpen kitchen knives so they last 1

24. Make homemade granola bars, granola, waffles, and other breakfast items 1

25. Make baked goods from "scratch". 1

26. Understand terms like, "organic", "Fair Trade", "all natural", and "GMO" 1

Essential Household Skills 

27. Sew well enough to repair clothing 1

28. Sew well enough to make your own clothing and reusable shopping bags 1 (not all of my clothing is handmade, but several pieces are, as well as my storage.)

29. Sew fitted cloth diapers for your baby 1 (do bunny needs count?)

30 .Knit or crochet dishcloths 1 

31. Know how to reupholster a chair .5 (I know how to, and have done it - just not WELL.) 

32. Make your ownlaundry soap 1

33. Make your own dishwasher detergent  1

34. Make your own house cleaning supplies .5

35. Use diatomaceous earth, bay leaves, and other "eco-friendly" natural pest deterrents 1

Home Maintenance and Repair Skills 

36. Use non-electric appliances rather than electric 1

37. Know where to find non-electric appliances 1

38. Program a thermostat .5

39. Tile a counter top 0

40. Use 0 VOC paint 1

41. Repair a screen 1

42.Use a caulk gun 1

43. Make simple appliance repairs such as replacing belts 0

44. Find what you need by bartering, or using CraigsList, eBay, and thrift stores 1

45. Repair a leaky toilet 0

46. Repair a leaky faucet 0

47.Replace a faucet 0

48. Check your home for energy leaks using incense, a candle, or a device that is created for that purpose 1

49. Unclog a drain without using Drano or harmful chemicals 1

50. Insulate an attic with eco-friendly insulation 1

Gardening Skills 

51 .Build a compost system .5

52. Use compost to enrich your soil .5

53. Plan a garden for your climate .5

54. Understand xeriscaping 1 (kinda)

55. Plant a multi-seasonal vegetable garden 0 (no room! wahw!)

56. Build a simple cold frame for salad all year 0

57. Build frames for raised bed gardens 0

58. Make a rainwater catchment system 0

59. Use a manual reel mower 0

60. Use companion planting methods to control pests 0

61.Build a bat house to encourage bats and decrease mosquitoes .5 (soooo want to do this!)

62. Use predator insects like Praying Mantis to control garden pests 0

63. Know what heirloom seeds are and why you should use them 1

64. How to plant open pollinated vegetables for best yields 1

65. How to save seeds from your own produce 1

66. Plant trees and bushes to cut your energy bills 0 

67. Use soaker hoses to conserve water 0

68. Sharpen and maintain tools 1

Health Skills 

69. Know how to use herbs and natural remedies to treat common illnesses 1

70. Make your own soap 1

71. Make your own skin care products 1

72. Use essential oils for health and cleaning 1

73. Make your own deodorant .5

Transportation Skills 

74. Tune up a bicycle and make repairs 0

75. Do simple maintenance on your car  0

76. Arrange or locate a carpool 0

77. Learn to use hypermiling techniques 0

78. Plan eco-friendly air travel 1

Energy Skills 

79. Install exterior solar lighting 0

80. Install a solar panel 0

81. Know where to find the most eco-friendly, green power source available to you 1

82. Connect home electronics to power strips for easy shut off 1

83. Check the wattage of an appliance 1

84. Calculate annual kilowatt usage 1

Conservation Skills 

85. Use email rather than conventional mail 1

86. Switch to a paperless office .75 (I am soooooo close!)

87. Locate the local library and use it rather than buying books, DVDs, and tapes 1

88. Adjust your settings on the computer to make it more energy efficient 1

89. Use skype and other technology to limit the need for travel to conferences 1

90. Learn to plan eco-friendly vacations, such as camping (and leave no trace) 

91. Replace a hobby with an environmentally friendly hobby 1

92. Locate and use recreational green spaces such as hiking trails, parks, and public gardens .5

93. Understand and be able to explain what cradle to cradle means 1

94. Understand and be able to explain what carbon emissions are 1

95. Understand and be able to calculate a carbon footprint as well as explain what it is 1

96. Know where to recycle technological items like computers, microwaves, televisions etc. 1

97. Identify and sort a variety of recyclable materials 1

98. Know where reusable items can be substituted for disposables 1

99. Understand and be able to explain cap-and-trade 1

My final score = 68.25%

Hmmm, that's a "D."  To be fair, a lot of it is stuff I can't help (like keeping chickens or installing solar panels, as I'm not a homeowner).  But I should try harder on the stuff that I can change!  Still, that was pretty interesting.  I'll have to see how I can streamline things a bit.

Hoarders: PGS Edition

  OK, so maybe I'm not a hoarder!  But, I am seriously drowning in crap over here lately.  I've been flirting with the idea of moving, as I've posted before.  Now that the end of my lease is coming closer and closer on the horizon (I still have several months yet), I've decided to go through my crap and seriously start to purge.  I have a few ideas of where I may be moving, but still haven't quite nailed down the perfect locale; regardless, it will be a smaller space that what I am accustomed to.

Some of you might have wondered whatever happened to my plan to donate one box each month.  Well, I didn't end up doing it every single month, but more often than not, donations were made last year.  A close relative passed away unexpectedly this past year, so donations have been going on a regular basis while we've been travelling between states for the past few months.  It's a mishmash of things -- mine, family's, whatevz.  I did, however, stop selling my used books and things on Half.com.  Way too much work, and I didn't make enough to really justify it.  Most of the stuff I wound up donating, and some of it was just tossed.

This week, I went down to the basement to see what was going on.  I was shocked to see the stuff that was piled up down there!  There were clothes that I didn't even remember that I had, or stuff that I thought was long gone (and have since replaced).  I brought up a big ole vat of things to sort through.

Here's where I worry about my hoarding tendencies... The clothes.  I have stuff that fits, stuff that doesn't, stuff for sitting around, stuff for clubbing, stuff for funerals, stuff for business meetings, stuff for psychic gigs, stuff for repairing, stuff that I save for nostalgia, and stuff that I save because I want to do something else with it.  And quite honestly, it's really hard to make decisions about what to part with.  I love my clothes.  It's not even that I buy a lot of them, but I do save things that I love.  And with the basement being what it was, I've "lost" things that have had to be replaced, so now I have extras.  Not good!

Hoarders have problems with getting rid of things, too.  It can be very hard to make decisions about what to throw out and what to keep.  

I always refer to my guide about decluttering.  (But, sometimes I save clothes that I probably won't fit into next year!)  This year, after saving a couple of boxes of clothes which I still hope to wear again one day, I've decided to just eBay them!  They are way too cute to be sitting in boxes!

I still have a few months before it's time to move; even though I've been decluttering, donating, and tossing all year, I have a whole lot more to do.  Here's hoping I'll get it finished soon!  I miss having a decluttered house! :)

Speak Out & Save the Internet!

Millions of Americans oppose SOPA and PIPA because these bills would censor the Internet and slow economic growth in the U.S.

Two bills before Congress, known as the Protect IP Act (PIPA) in the Senate and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the House, would censor the Web and impose harmful regulations on American business. Millions of Internet users and entrepreneurs already oppose SOPA and PIPA.

The Senate will begin voting on January 24th. Please let them know how you feel. Sign this petition urging Congress to vote NO on PIPA and SOPA before it is too late.

Sign the petition here.  And be sure to use the widget below to call your representatives to urge them NOT to censor the internet!

To help even more, please share this blog entry (or the links) with anyone and everyone that you can -- repost in your blog!  Forward to your friends and family via email!  Share via Twitter and Facebook.  Do it now, before the internet is changed (for the worse) forever!

Thank you!!!

Lists to Get Your Ass In Gear

We all need some help remembering things from time to time.  One of the best tools that I've found to help me keep track of my shit is 37Signals' "TaDa List" website at http://www.tadalist.com.  It's an awesome, free tool that not only helps you make your pesky to-do list, but to make several at a time, and manage the tasks in a wonderfully easy way.

I've had my account for years, and one of my favorite features is that you can make your lists public or private.  The lists are password protected as well, and stored right on the website, so you can access them from anywhere in the world.  TaDaList also comes in a widget form for my MacBook (though to be honest, I'm not much of a widget user anymore), but hopefully they'll be making an Android-compatible app pretty soon so that I can use it on my phone too.  (I currently use "Task List" on my phone, which is also not bad, but not so especially cool that I feel compelled to write a review of it.)

I use the TaDaList for all kinds of things, not just to get things done on a basic to-do list.  It's a great way for me to store information and websites for future use, shopping lists, packing lists, and managing other tasks.

February Decluttering Report

Well, unfortunately, February wasn't quite as awesome as January was.  However, I was able to keep up my momentum on ridding myself of the books, at least!

FEBRUARY'S PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 0

cause(s) helped: (didn't donate this month)

type of donation(s):  (didn't donate this month)

Items sold: 8 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (3), video games (1), CDs (1), books (3)

profit*:  $36.96

NEXT PICKUP DATE:  TBA (sometime this month!)

YTD PROGRESS:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

boxes donated: 4 (1 large, 2 medium, 1 smallish)

causes helped: Big Brothers & Sisters of America

type of donation(s): clothes, kitchen wares, toys, books, health & beauty items

Items sold: 11 via Half.com

sold items: DVDs (3), video games (1), CDs (1), books (6)

profit*:  $52.11

*Technically, this isn't "profit" since I probably paid more for the items in question -- but since I am relinquishing unwanted items, I count it as a profit. 

Review: A Period Piece on the "MyDays" App

I don't usually rave about apps, but this one is so well made and so useful that I really wanted to share it with every female Android phone user!

A few months ago, I acquired a new phone, in accordance with my T-Mobile contract.  Usually the thrill of a new phone is enough to keep me glowing for a few weeks.  I've had my Android phone for nearly four months now, and I am still finding thing that excite me all over again.  One of those exciting things is an application that I downloaded early on in my "cell phone honeymoon" days.  The application is called "MyDays," a female cycle calendar.  I'm not usually one for profligate downloading of freebies, but download it I did, and it was so useful that even the trial version has earned itself a coveted spot on my home screen.

MyDays is more than just a mere calendar; it can actually track and predict a woman's menstrual cycle and ovulation dates, as well as inform the user of her most fertile times.  The user can even notate and label days that correspond with specific conception (or contraception) practices, such as taking the pill, engaging in sex, or taking her basal metabolic temperature (BMT).  There are also functions that allow note-taking, which I've found invaluable for keeping track of my gynecological visits as well as any special circumstances, such as breakthrough bleeding or excessively bad PMS symptoms.  The one function that I haven't yet used is the "Chat & Talk" selection, which will enable you to get into touch with support, as well as chat with the other MyDays users to discuss whatever's on your mind. 

As a woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS/PCOD) and metabolic syndrome, my lady business often comes late, which is not very ladylike at all.  I've often been mystified at how surprised medical personnel have been upon asking me about "what day in [my] cycle" I was currently experiencing.  Having had irregular periods for the last 22 years, I had never realized that most women can answer such a question right off the bat -- for me, the best answers I've ever been able to muster have been "bleeding" or "not bleeding;" answers which, somehow, don't tend to impress those in the medical profession.  I've always wondered... How do other women just seem to KNOW this stuff?  I'd always felt a little weird and out of sync with the rest of womankind; considering how erratic my cycle has been, I suppose I have been out of sync in more ways than one.  However, thanks to MyDays, I was able to go to my new gynecologist (on January 26th, according to my "notes!"), whip out the ol' cellie, and promptly inform Dr. Julio that my last period started on December 15th and ended on December 21st, yet I had experienced three instances of spotting in January.  Having these answers at my fingertips not only gave me more confidence upon answering medical questions, but also empowered me.  I felt as though I was really doing something good for myself by taking my reproductive health seriously.

This application gets a glowing A+ recommendation from me.  I would recommend the MyDays app to anyone who with an Android phone and a uterus!  It would probably also come in handy for my husband, so he knows when to stock up on chocolate and ibuprofen, but that's a whole 'nother blog entry.