Never Though I'd Say "Shoes"

They say "never say never" & I've learned so much of that in recent years. Another thing I'm definitely thankful for is shoes. There. I said it. Actually I typed it. Same thing. 😂 I'm grateful I've shoes to wear.

Women are granted a grander selection & variety of footwear; they don't just wear shoes. Heels, flats, boots, sling backs, stilettos, wedges, & more. (I say "more" because I know there are more, although I've not learned enough about what I've available to wear on my own two feet to write about it here in this post.)

Dad used to always make sure to wear his shoes. Less chance of anything falling on his toes, or feet in general. And he was a big advocate of keeping our feet (& therefore our whole bodies!) warm simply by wearing our shoes. In fact, I believe that Dad's slippers got less use simply because so often he'd wear his shoes clear through the entire day that his slippers were hardly ever worn.

In the Christmas Eve traditions on which Mom raised us, we were to wear our shoes (a pair of these weren't sufficient) to the dinner table for our traditional Christmas Eve meal. It went along with making sure that the door to the house was locked as well as a few other fun facts. We were showing gratitude for actually having shoes to wear.

I used to find the variety women have with garments & accessories to be too much; essentially I found it to be more than I needed & overwhelming. I used to find the simplicity that men have, with wearing a random polo shirt or dress shirt with a random pair of khakis or similar slacks & one of their potentially two pairs of shoes to be ideal. 😊 & I'd be jealous then too. I'm getting better & acknowledging the freedoms we women have, the options we've available; our ability to utilize the day's weather report to our advantage, rather than bemoaned by it.

I used to be a Friday slacks wearer; that was my personal built-in "business casual". I'd wear something more "professional" Monday through Thursday. And by "professional" I mean I'd wear either a skirt & top, or a dress. On each of these days I'd be walking about my business wearing the only shoes I had available; the only shoes I'd ever bother buying: these. In more recent years I've been sticking to skirts & dresses for the entire workweek, although I occasionally toss it up & wear a shorter pair of heels.

I've always been a fan of my height; I'm a solid 5' 6" tall. I've never felt the need to wear heels, or any of the variety of women's shoes designated in the category of heels (sling-backs, stilettos, etc.). I've always understood these varieties to be ideal, to be designed for, to be meant for & marketed to, those women who were, well, short. Or, at least to women who identified themselves as short, most likely because they were typically around much taller men & women, where they'd be looking to add a few inches "manually" in order to "keep up" with these "when shoeless" taller folks.

I've learned differently. I've learned to embrace wearing heels & have gotten much better at improving my wardrobe array. I've also begun to embrace these & am now adding a few pairs into my collection. I've just ordered these & these; soon I'll be ordering this pair too. These three pairs will work well with the black, gray, & taupe/beige colors I frequently wear.

I found a pair of these in a brick & mortar store less than a month ago. I wore them around the store for a bit since when I initially put them on they fit quite nicely. I found myself apprehensive as it seemed only certain that, once I did, in fact, opt to purchase these, apparently 2" high heels, they wouldn't seem such a guarantee.

I wasn't much for the pattern, a flower one, as I don't typically care for this pattern on my clothing or my accessories. Ultimately I found the pattern not-so-obvious & also recognized that the flowers were a silver/gray atop a black background making these heels a particular find for all I might wear being of these colors, or at least, being able to better bring these colors together whenever I might wear them.

I've come a long way though, & wearing a 2" high pair of these is next to natural for me at this point. These, for me, were an original preference; they served as a "cheat" way for me to shift from the comfort & stability the balance a flat provided - right on into the height a heel provides.

Being all dressed up in a cute skirt & top with matching tights, & no shoes or heels - that's an outfit I like & one that I feel "good" in. Then again, I've always most preferred just being barefoot.

Dad would get frustrated with me back when I'd been in junior high school. It was the summertime & I was headed out on an errand with him. I think we were headed to pick up something for a project we were working on in the yard. This was definitely my "slip ons" era, & I eagerly wore casual, junk shoes that I could slip on & off & with which I didn't need to wear socks. I'd put them on to go on these such errands; I'd take them off as soon as I could. This frustrated Dad. I'd hop in the passenger seat, buckle up, & slip off my shoes up above my feet as soon as possible; we'd likely not have even backed out of the driveway yet. Dad would roll his eyes, purse his lips, & say, "Put your shoes back on." in his firm, yet practical tone. He'd sound irritated, yet ready with solution; that was his style. He wasn't a whiner. I'd reluctantly oblige to the necessary extent while feeling like a little rebel whenever I could sneak any quick moment sans shoes. 😎

Shoes, in whatever form we wear them, are a necessary attribute to most any "look". And, yes, any of us lucky enough to have the shoes we need for the look, or the purpose for which we need them (i.e., hiking boots if we're expecting to be on a hike soon), then we certainly do have plenty for which to be thankful. We're warding away the disease & other negatives that come with not having any footwear, or maybe inappropriately fitting & overly worn footwear as well as pairs improperly designed, say, without arch support. Footwear's also become a "necessary evil" especially whenever we might be confronted with the known sign: "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service".

Despite my affection for being barefoot when possible, I'm well aware of how great it is that I do have the footwear I need & I'm abundantly appreciative of that. 😍



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Living a First World Kinda Life

Those commercials on television show suffering people, typically the children, who are in need of a decent meal, clothes, proper hydration, & much more, they're children in Third World countries & we (definitely me!) are living in First World countries.

Not too much time ago much was on our minds as at-that-time-recent headlines had been discussing proper restroom options for everyone, even those who don't consider themselves to be either female or male, as most commercial location restrooms are marked for one or the other. And a meme began floating around (proper terminology: getting shared around) about how these folks in the Third World would just like a restroom in general.

It got me thinking about how many locations have "family" restrooms which are set up similar to what would be found in most any house. (I'd like to say "all houses", though the absolution seems squint-worthy.) These family-style restrooms seem to eliminate the "his" & "hers" commercial location-type restroom predicament. Although, it is true, any of these folks living in Third World countries would be quite content just to have any old restroom/bathroom to use.

So would a runner. That is, a runner who's participating in an event. At events, volunteers & participants alike are reduced to standing in long lines at a strip of port-a-johns. Sometimes runners don't even have a chance to get to a port-a-john, & simply step aside & sort of hide-away. (Run a search on it; there's tons of articles on best eloquence for this action.)

Then there are the construction workers. Another group of folks regularly visiting their local port-a-john. These workers also "brown bag" it. Though I'm guessing they really "hard-sided-cooler" (like these) it more than not. Their work is labor intensive & their hardy replenishment suits best in something a bit more solid than an ordinary "brown bag". (Really, what do I know; there's likely to be some who do use an actual brown bag, & regularly. 😁)

Restrooms/bathrooms, food & food storage, & hydration, specifically water purification. That's right, this stuff. Some must boil theirs regularly. Many people don't even give their plain tap half a chance, they instantly are lining up these & these in so that they might not have anything enter their system which could possibly be harmful. In this movie, Reese's character mentions about boiling & purifying on the go.

I had a phase when flavored water was my thing; I bought this regularly. I've moved on. I do stick with the reusable variety (see here), though I most often also stick with tap water. If it's my tap then I'd attach one of these, the kind that leaves in the fluoride while removing everything else that doesn't belong. I actually prefer my water to be room temperature, otherwise, straight from the tap.

All in all I'm grateful for running water (& all sorts of plumbing 😍); I'm thankful to be living in a First World country (with all of my "First World Problems" 😉), & my appreciation is constantly growing for all that I do have, which is so much more than I'll ever truly realize.



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Vroom, Vroom

Or is it "Zoom, Zoom"? 😊

Another reason to be thankful: I've my own vehicle. I've had a few vehicles in my day. I'm not really a truck driving type o' gal, although there's definitely a time & place when having a truck handy, that is the pick-up variety, or, at least in knowing someone who'll "loan" theirs out, is super convenient (like when someone's moving). The most of a truck I've driven is a U-Haul & that was a pretty brief experience. I doubt I logged even twenty miles with it; it was probably more like ten miles.

The vehicles I've had have mostly been of the compact variety. I've had one SUV, this one, which was at the [heavy] suggestion of an at-the-time confidant. The most that I miss about that vehicle is the large amount of cargo space. Of course. 😜 That's kind of an SUV thing. I didn't care for the ease of peering in the vehicle's windows either; I need more privacy with my vehicle. & no, bothering with tinting the windows wasn't an option. I also miss that the 12-volt power outlet remained active while the vehicle was turned off.

I started out with one of these. Well, that's not entirely true. This was the first car I purchased. It was great for me &, as Mom has said, "You loved that car." She's right, I did. I didn't know much about hatchbacks & the brilliance of having one's car end at the back window (& the ease of backing up & other confidences that come with the hatchback). That first car & I got along pretty good for well over a decade. It became my little "half classic". 😎

I've written before about the awesomeness of using pull-through parking spaces when parking (check it out here 😁). Another thing I've found to be awesome, which is more specific to just compact vehicles, is their ability to be tucked further into a parking lot space. Say when there's plenty of parking lot traffic & there's hardly any spaces, (like a weekend such as this one that's currently commencing), & a driver is going 3 to 5 mph through a parking lot, & they suddenly think they've seen an open parking spot. They pull up to it with great anticipation, & then, boom, nope! There's a tiny compact car that's parked as far back into the spot as possible making it seem that there's an opening where there actually isn't. I've been the loser of this situation, & I'm sure I've been the cause of it as well. That's just how that one goes sometimes.

I didn't get my current vehicle from the dealership, rather I got it from a resale shop. I was between it (a violet gray hatchback) & another compact (blue sedan); each was a different make. There I was, needing to make this "one or the other" decision, where I really wanted the hatchback to be the blue vehicle, & it was a lovely shade of blue. When I'd purchased this car I was glad it was available in the green that I bought, because even though I adore blue, I didn't think that the blue shade the maker offered was ideal on this car. By this maker, however, it was.

So there I was, on a dark weeknight, 'round this time of the year, & the salesman brought the two vehicles, the hatchback & the sedan, into the service area where I could view them more realistically for their more real colors, away from the parking lot lighting, & away from the fluorescent lighting of the showroom (where I'm not so sure any space existed either).

After just having had the beauty of the SUV hatchback, I selected the compact car - with the hatchback once again. I really do love that, when locking the vehicle, there's the option with one click to just hear a tiny confirmation click, although with a double click, I can listen to the standard "beep" (which, incidentally, I do find rather frustrating 😡). There's a trunk on this hatchback, though a bit smaller than a sedan would offer. It comes with a removable lid flap to either add space, or provide more privacy, whichever the user most needs; I use each option regularly. I'm able to use my vehicle as a refuge & I'm thankful for that. It can be shelter from a storm, the UV rays of the sun, pounding rain drops, the cold of winter, & even the heat of summer.

Thanks to this, which, no it didn't come with the vehicle 😂, I bought it separately, I'm, once again, able to use my vehicle's 12-volt power outlet even when the vehicle isn't turned on, just like it worked out back when I had the SUV. 😊 Only this time I can easily charge my laptop, use my tiny shredder, charge my phone, & other minor electrical outlet needs, all within the confines of my car (oh, & I could charge my tablet too, though I'd have to dig it out, & make use of it for it to need to be charged 😏😂). Sometimes my tiny little hatchback is the best place for me to "hang". Knowing that, along with some neighborly Wi-Fi access (typically when my "hanging" is somewhere 'round a local park), I can plug in from the front seat of my vehicle & get done what I need to most anywhere.

There was a time, decades ago, when I managed my day via public transportation. I worked a daylight shift, Monday through Friday, & it was in downtown where the local public transportation ran the most; it only made sense to leave my car back at the house as I'd have had to pay a steep price to park it nearby the office.

Riding public transportation is just that, public & transportation. Riders wait in all sorts of weather & precipitation for their buses, though when it's cold they don't wait for the bus to warm up, & when it's hot out, they don't wait for the bus to cool off 😎 (unless the a/c simply isn't working on that particular bus, then this is another story 😧). They're expected to not eat or drink while on riding the transportation. Commuting with items, anything bulky, is also complicated. There's no guarantee of silence, if preferred, or even a pleasant conversation. Riders are only guaranteed a ride when there's room to board a bus; they're not guaranteed a seat. Riders often stand for the duration of their commute. This might be before & after their workday.

There's likely to be a walk, a stroll of some sort, for a distance between the bus' stop & where each rider needs to be (which, if perceived positively, can be a welcome, healthy stretch - it had been one for me 😍). There's no stalling on the bus; when it gets to where it needs to be, riders need to exit the bus. This is the same case, in reverse, for boarding the transportation system.

When driving a vehicle it's easy enough to leave a few minutes earlier or later, & when plans get scheduled after the workday's commenced, it's the rider, not the driver, who needs to check their bus schedule to ensure a successful trip back to their bed at the end of the day.

Filling up the gas tank, intermittent oil changes, carwashes, general wear & tear, auto insurance, topping this off, replacing these, needing new ones of these, all do happen. These are all conveniences & inconveniences of public transportation versus riding in/maintaining one's own vehicle. Yes it can be possible to nap aboard a bus, & not so much while behind the wheel of one's own vehicle, though I'm loaded with thankfulness for the security my vehicle brings to me. 😊💗




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The Short of It & The Long of It

There was a time, not too long ago, when I washed my hair every. single. day. There was also a time, not too long ago, when I hardly, if ever, used conditioner while washing my hair. Basically, I'd thought that shampooing was of the higher, & more prevalent importance, in so that, if I'd happen to run out of "on-hand" conditioner, then I'd forego it until I'd bother to remember while out-n-about, that I, in fact, needed to pick-up another bottle.

Then there were the brands which I'd curtail to...As most any young girl would, I grew to know, trust, & rely upon the same brands as my mother did. Mom relied on the cheap brands. Discount shampoo & conditioner. Foregoing conditioner was always an easy option. We ran out at the house? We'll water it down until we get a relevant coupon & get another bottle when they run a sale. That was our style; that's what I knew.

As a child, the "hairdresser" Mom & I would use didn't discuss these things with us; I was too young to really understand what I was missing out on & moved on before it was really possible to find out why. Though I simply don't think that particular hairdresser was ever of the mind to discuss these important points with Mom & I during our appointments.

Since those products weren't of the best quality, my skin wasn't too thrilled with them. Eventually I changed them up a bit; although, it turns out that I switched over to this product which, in the right circle, is considered to be worse. Ouch. (Just because the product contains almond oil, doesn't mean that it's a good option to use in your hair.)

So there I was with yet another change. Though I'm learning about conditioning too & I now use products such as these. I'm learning about not washing my hair so frequently. (I've also purchased these to help keep me covered while I'm generally showering on those "in between" days.) And that even washing, with water only, isn't the best way to go on the in-between days. So much to learn. 😊

*****

In my day I've had hair so short I could rub my hands all through it in complete irritation & look up & no one would know what I'd just done; it was so short it didn't, it couldn't move. I've also had my hair so long that I was trying to figure out how to manipulate it out of my way, other than braiding it or simply pulling it into a ponytail. Once during high school I even tried taking an elastic headband & flipping my hair up from the bottom underneath of the band in order to try something different while also keeping it out of my way (& also while trying to be nonchalant). The look lasted just a short portion of a school day; it was too awkward.

I've grown my hair to donate it a few times; I've also grown my hair because I simply felt like growing it. That's actually where my hair is now: Long, because I feel like having it rather lengthy; I'm enjoying it.

For the majority of my adolescent years & probably for at least a decade post college graduation, my hair was cut to a standard just-above-my-shoulders length. With my thick hair I found it easiest to use this length as a personal balancing act. When my hair had been "layered" before, that's when I'd been disappointed to the extent of tears because my hair wasn't being layered appropriately. I'd had so much trouble translating to any stylist about keeping my hair long, while also layering it.

I could see many others out-n-about with satisfying styles they'd rightfully wear proud, yet I'd struggle because my "mop" of a hairstyle would remain all. one. length. Or, otherwise be trimmed up too much in the layering attempts. I roll my eyes as I type this because I'd never win; it became such an ongoing battle.

All the while this was happening was also the timing of when I'd been using the wrong hair products, which were these hair products, or not enough of them; my innocence certainly wasn't helping my situation.

*****

Though people do change. I used to be one of the ones who thought it didn't make sense to visit a hairdresser, a trained stylist. Now I've begun to figure out how to eliminate frizz, add softness, & even though I've "heavy hair", be able to wear a hat for a period of time without attaining "hat head", or even pull my hair up & not have my hairband leave a lasting impression. I understand that taking the time while showering to, after shampooing, use a good amount of a good quality conditioner from the roots, through to the tips of my hair, & then allowing that good quality conditioner to work on each lock of hair while I bath the rest of me, is very important too.

I'm one of the ones now who realizes a traditional, given standard isn't necessarily the best norm. As much as a gal can look stunning wearing an appropriate short style, sometimes a guy who wears his locks longer is a really great thing; & sometimes it's the guys who know a thing or two about properly taking care of their locks. Also sometimes facial hair is the best for a guy; it really depends on who the guy is. (And, if it's "Noshavember"! 😂 What's that all about? Click here.)

The long of it might be my hair length. 😜😍😂. The short of it might be that people changing isn't all that bad; in fact, it's sometimes just plain grand. It's important to embrace things outside the socially stereotypical norms. 😊 The short of it might also be how great it can be that we all do change; that we're able to gain appreciation for things [read: styles] which we'd otherwise simply not consider as appropriate & that we can be thankful that these options exist (as well as that each of us who looks great in a particular style comes to know it & embrace it in so that others can enjoy them looking "simply their best": simply stunning!). I know I've come a very long way & appreciate a guy with longer locks (& facial hair) now in a way in which I'd never realized the stereotypes of my younger years had shielded me.



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Guarding From the Grind

This, I believe, is unlikely appreciation, an appreciation for mouth guards. That's right; these. And not for the purpose of protecting teeth from a hockey puck; no, from grinding them all the way up & into my gum lines & away forever, that's why I'm so thankful for their invention.

I spent many years thinking I wasn't brushing my teeth properly; I'm probably still not really brushing right. My lower front teeth have, since sometime in high school, been exposed at the base of the gum line. Originally it was just "my two front teeth", 😂 then it became my four front teeth. This probably happened sometime during my late college years.

Then more than a decade passed by & I began to notice that my two, front & center, upper teeth were beginning to encounter the same problem. Strangely enough they were encountering the same problem differently. The gum line wasn't receding equally.

When I smile, my teeth show. That sounds silly to write, though there are many people who, when they do smile, very beautiful, broad smiles, they have a toothless grin (& it's not because they've no teeth! 😊) Fortunately while my teeth are showing, my lips do not fold up (or down) & out revealing these extensive "root revealing" gum line views. I'm able to confidently smile with my teeth showing! 😏 & without considering that the roots of my teeth are on display. (Which wouldn't be a "smile worthy" cause anyhow!)

Quite recently I've been informed by a few people (separately though) that it's not been due to improper brushing (which I've been attempting to improve & "perfect" through all of these years), it's because I'm grinding my teeth while I sleep. For a number of reasons I've been amazed to learn this.

For one, Mom's shared stories of my talking in my sleep. She's noticed that (more than one time), though missed hearing my teeth noisily chomping away through the night; hmmmm...

For another, I've slept nearby & in the same space as others through this time (I did live in the college dorms!), & no one's ever mentioned this oddity. I mean, I'm not expecting my same-age college classmates to call me out on something like this, because: priorities! It's just slightly baffling that no one (not even post-college) noticed anything out-of-the-ordinary enough to say so.

I'm not moping, though. I'm more 😕.

And, for roughly a year I've been learning a lot more about these. The first product I purchased was this. I didn't know what size I needed, so I felt confident in selecting it. The larger, or as I'd call them, adult-sized guard, fit me to a tee; excellent. This gave me two guards. The other two were "child-sized" & I did give them two a few kids I knew who were in need. The other great thing about this purchase: it came with a blue plastic container for "during the day". I didn't even need to tell the company of my preference for the color blue. 😉

After this purchase containing child-size guards, I wanted to select a product with only adult-size guards included. This was my next pick. This purchase included no "during the day" container, though I'm still using my first one for the same purpose. I've still four guards in the purchase, & they all fit my mouth. The only difference is that they remind me a bit of having worn braces.

The manufacturer curves their silicon differently & this isn't to the same shape of my mouth & teeth. I know that I'm welcome (maybe even encouraged?) to boil these guards once I've received my purchase & before I begin wearing them to sleep in order to have them fitting more specifically to my mouth, my personal mold. I'm hesitant to do so in that I don't wish to mangle the guard; the results from the boiling cannot be undone, so this would be bad.

The good thing is that they're obviously working. I mean, I've grinded my way through multiple guards enough that I've had to make this second purchase. Right now it seems that I work my way through a guard about every three months. That's the breaking point - literally - of the device for me; that's when I see the silicon with a slit through the middle & I become concerned to wear it in that I might have a piece break off, go down my throat & then I'd choke, all the while I'd be trying to sleep.

This guard has taken to the shape of my teeth eventually. (This is the part which reminds me of wearing braces.) Though it's still uncomfortable, to that extent, even once it's taken some shape.

Sometimes it's frustrating & annoying to need to pop the guard in, especially when I'm already laying down & am cozy with the blankets wrapped up tightly. Knowing how my teeth look in my gum line, can be encouraging enough to get back up. If I'm that tired, then sometimes not. And if I'm out-&-about, then I disregard ensuring that the blue case tags along. Potentially a bad habit, I know.

I'm still figuring out my next purchase. Which manufacture offers a silicon already molded most to my mouth while also only sending me adult-sized molds? Hmmmm...

Time will tell. All the while I remain thankful these were invented.



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Memory Makers

They call them "triggers" online now-a-days, I think - since so often the memories end up being toward the bad, or negative. I know at least for me there's certainly plenty of memories as triggers.

I've a tendency to notice most anything; I'm meticulous like that. It can eat at me too. In a really bad way. I'll notice all the wrong; the mistakes. I'll also notice coincidences that remind me of random people I know, or once knew.

Say, for instance, license plates. Initials get to me. I see them a lot. It used to be "cute", now it's just become annoying to me that I do it. I just see the initials of people I know, which, in turn leaves me thinking of them. It shouldn't be the most concerning thing, though it's not something I do fondly.

Oftentimes their initials cause me to recall enough about something, whatever, it might be, it's not a good thing, whatever it is. They're not people who've remained in my life, so there's the dismissiveness of the relationship too.

*****

At the same time there are things which bring out so much good. It oozes. I believe this may be why candle manufacturers have such success. Vanilla, chocolate, fresh linens, caramel, & so many others...

These are trigger scents, though they are also the scents where memories have been made. And they don't necessarily need to be scents either, that is, to be root in us, to establish those engrained memories.

*****

It may've been that Mom's deodorant happened to be a powder fresh scent. Then again, smelling baby powder does win me over more so than does the smell of gasoline, bleach, body odor (stinky feet anyone?), passing gas, certain cooked seafood, green peppers, & this or this for sure. Ugh!. & Yuck!

Orville & his competitors know this winning scent, even add a bit of melted butter to the scent mix. Whether treating the wood floor, the tile floor, the bathroom, or the main course of the next meal, this ingredient's a crowd pleaser.

Ultimately, even though I hardly run dry on the more miserable memories of Mom, whenever someone might spray something that's a "powder fresh" scent, I warm up on the inside as if chocolate chip cookies would be baking on the oven rack. That is, even though there's nothing "all natural" about these manufactured products encasing a fresh scent of powder, or any other scent for that matter.

With this scent I feel Mom's warmth; her happy smile for that moment in time with me. When she'd have just finished blow drying her hair for the day & running her hairbrush through her short mane while sitting on the edge of her bed where one of the mirrors attached to her dresser appeared before her.

Maybe it was the residual warmth of the hairdryer encompassing our moment as if a soft fleece clung through the air immediately around us, like a furnace heater adding an additional layer of warming temperature to the preset warming temperature of the house's thermostat.

They say these scents also assist in learning, which makes sense (no pun intended! 😂😃😲) since the learner would be remembering things when learning the same as anyone would remember a personal positive or negative memory.

There's a huggable, loveable, squishy quality to this smell. I'm grateful & thankful to have scents in this world to help create these, very important, enriching memories.



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For Favorites

It's not just color for which I'm thankful; it's favorite colors. I've certainly written about my adoration of the color blue. And not too far behind being the color green.

Color is helpful, although favorite colors make for much convenience. I'm picturing a line-up of children, even adolescents, & there are items-by-color that are for these tykes to use; they gravitate toward their preference, that which has become their favorite color. That color becomes an associated one to them, & when they're in need of things, say a jacket, really any article of clothing, these for cafeteria time, these for kids homework, these for differentiating everyone after bathing, these for bathroom sink needs, a plate & cup from which to eat their meal, these particular associated colors can become great signifiers.

Favorite colors can also help to select gifts. How many times do we see something in a store & think, just because we've seen it & it happens to be in "Aunt Sally's" favorite color, that it's an ideal gift for her & that we should, indeed purchase it for her? Likely way more often than we should. Although then we know we've got "Aunt Sally" covered when it comes time for the next gifting occasion & we become less anxiety ridden. Three cheers for that!

Favorite colors also help in the reverse. Say someone feels expected to gift me something. Even if I'm definitely not in need of that item, I know I'm typically much more receptive to receiving (& less obvious of my less-than-thrilled to be receiving) of said item when it's a shade of blue, or even of green. Having that "favorite color" assists the moment & motion to move more smoothly.

And I'm pretty sure that having "favorite colors" assists families with fewer spats. There's less concern over which kid has what or who will play with a particular toy whenever there's something for each child in their preferred color.




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Thankful for Technology

Alright! I'll say it. I'm grateful & thankful for technology. I've a hard time admitting it as I think a lot about being away from technology. I'm typically not on my smartphone, & I like to think that I'm only on my laptop for research purposes. Though I do realize that "research" can be an opinion kind of word.

I've a tablet, though I believe it's been over a year since I've even turned it on. It's an "old school" version where I need to use the Wi-Fi local to where I am when I'm using it as it's not like a phone where it carries its own data. Yep, it's an old tablet, & for just $10 a month for the service of maintaining the additional line, I can own & operate a "current version". 😂 There's simply no need.

What's been important to me in my technology? Well, I charge my phone from my laptop occasionally. I'm also a flash drive user. USB ports are necessary. And more than one at that. If I'm bothering to buy the laptop, I might as well be able to charge my phone (or download/upload to it) while I'm messing around on my flash drive. Or, more than one flash drive. 😏 Cause, yes, that has happened.

I also like having the calculator pad (in addition to the horizontal line-up of numbers above my qwertyuiop keys). It simply makes it, well, simpler to work on numerical figures & calculations. And having a the calculator pad typically ensures that there's a "delete" button included as well, which I do have, & I do enjoy having. 😊

The only thing I needed to add to my laptop was some more memory in so that it wouldn't work so hard to think & take care of me all the while I had it running. I bought this, got it installed, & my laptop's been thanking me ever since. 😂

Why didn't I get a Chromebook? Especially if speed is of the essence? Simply because I'm a gal who does plenty offline. I've many a DVD that I pop into the CD slot (which is also why I've needed a large [enough] size screen - to adequately view said DVDs). I've lots of MS & other documents which I simply have stored on my hard drive (& some on flash drives too 😎). I might like the speed of a Chromebook, though I'd be missing a lot of other accessories of which I've grown to expect in a device so closely resembling a typical laptop.

*****

What's also important to me in my technology, specifically my smartphone? Simplicity. With lots of storage space. I recently spent a calendar year with three different brand new phones. The first was the only joke. That's where the salesman took advantage of me (even though I spent plenty of time checking on as absolutely much about my situation as possible). Bottom line: He sold me a phone with hardly any space because he had them in stock & wanted to get them out the door since they weren't currently any longer. Of course I'd no real way to know this fact.

So I take a lot of photos. To be more specific: I take a lot of "notes" with my phone. This takes up tons of Gallery App space. And therefore plenty of space on my phone, less I make sure to maintain & clear off what's not as necessary as often as possible. This doesn't always happen so timely. 😞 This is also how I came to learn that I do take quite a few photos as I began getting notifications telling me that my memory was nearly gone (it was at 5% left).

When I discussed this with the salesman (a different salesman at a different franchise) I was ultimately sold a new phone (for just a bit more a month, though I'd already wholly owned that first one). It wasn't what I really needed & it cost too much for me to manage. I didn't like the phone's style & was generally let down all around. ...Which is why as I sat sitting around to pay a final-bill-of-the-year for something else which I despised, I happened to notice a huge banner in a competing phone company's store window about switching to them & them buying out your current plan. It was "the holiday season" so bargains were bound to be lurking around. I was hesitant as it'd been a rough year in phones & phone plans for me.

I figured I might as well check into it & so I did. I asked what they had to offer me & it turned out that their plans were better than the ones that my then current phone company offered. The switch just seemed to make sense. I showed them the phone that I'd been using at the beginning of the year, which fit my personality, though didn't hold enough space. That's when I learned that it wasn't available any longer, & much of the reasoning behind this was because of how little space it contained. Though a comparable phone with adequate space was now available. I saw it & was sold. It's this phone; the same phone I'm still using today.

*****

I greatly miss having a slide out keypad; that's the feature I've never been able to wrap my brain around having been discontinued. It was so easy to type any message...& to switch from one thing to another. Slide it out & slide it back, flip the device around & be back in the game. Now it's all gone because the manufacturer's gave up on the copula of us who'd still hung on. Those slide out keypad phones hardly had any memory; I think I was able to have one app on those phones before running out of space.

Despite "missing" my slide out keypad phones, one thing I definitely embrace now-a-days is the ability to take screenshots. & boy, do I ever. I certainly do. I said I take notes. Plenty of those notes are screenshots, though there are lots which are regular, ordinary photos too. The slide out keypad phones which I had didn't also have the function for the screen shot. Lose one awesome characteristic, gain another. 😕

*****

Now I'm even more excited because I've learned that, when I switch from being a post-paid customer to a pre-paid customer I'll save quite a bit of money each month & I'll get more for my money. Data, that is. If I run out, it's shut off until the next month (which is what I'd always wanted from my post-paid phone plans anyway) instead of charging me a whole bunch for a tiny overage. And also if I don't use up all my data, then even the tiniest amount will be rolled over until the following month with no limit as to how much data can be continuously rolled over. This I also like.

I'm a book reader of the tangible kind at heart. I most enjoy mixing things up in the kitchen, pulling out some yarn & a crochet hook, pulling together a weather-appropriate running outfit & lacing up, or heading out for a simple hike; I could easily go without technology for days, weeks, a month or more. And if I did I'd be remembering those days, those ones from just a few decades ago when we all were doing all of these things a lot more often...because technology, at least as it's used in our everyday lives today, didn't yet exist. 😜

Even though I can easily pass the time on by without using any technology. at. all. I very easily can spend time using technology too. It speeds up a lot of processes &  also saves plenty of time. I'm thankful that it does exist. Even if only to go surf this site. 💓😂💕




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While You Were Sleeping

This is a book I read a few decades ago. "Mad About You" had probably just begun arriving in our living rooms at 8 p.m. on NBC when I did .😎😂 In it, Paul Reiser has the first page starting at, I believe, Page 58. He explains that when we get excited to read a book, & we get started on it, even get going on it a bit, someone sees & asks us how far along we are; how many pages have we read? We look & find ourselves saying something like, "three", maybe "eight", though nothing glamorous - cause we've just begun reading it. Therefore he begins on Page 58 or so, which doesn't sound nearly as pathetic, or as if the reader is "just beginning".

Reiser also writes about how much he loves to be sitting. He writes about how much better sitting is to him than standing, walking, or doing other things wherein he cannot be relaxing & recouping. After he writes about sitting, he then goes into explaining of his love for lying down, or even being asleep. He writes about how much he truly loves lying down, whether watching television, napping, or sleeping.

Sleeping & rest are things which many find either overrated, or extremely necessary & might even get more of than they should, more often than they should. Both sleep & rest are rejuvenating times when we get to enjoy these under our heads & these covering all over ourselves, even when we twist & turn. 😍 Curling up with a beloved pillow (perhaps one of these?) stuffed beneath ones head, with a favorite soft, plushy blanket, that's both wide enough (maybe overly so by many inches 😍) & long enough (that it stretches far up underneath the chin, as well as tucking far around the base of the mattress, cushion, or just our feet & lower legs in general, all of which is likely what makes this blanket our favorite 😍😂), & maybe along with some of this for fans of things that are herbal, this for the fans of things including cocoa, this for those looking for a bit of spice, or this for those of us interested in adding a bit of alcohol to the mix; this for ambiance with a scent & a flame, this for almost the same, or this for those of us who enjoy including essential oils, & maybe one of these if we're in need of a bit of sound commotion as well.

I'm typically "on the go", scheduling & spending each moment, each minute caught up in some planning, or figuring out one. more. thing. that makes sense to complete & accomplish; to place that proverbial checkmark in that proverbial square. Oftentimes it is just when I take the time to sit, chill, crochet, & maybe re-watch this movie (or, any other movie 😂) that I'm able to appreciate just how much our bodies need this healing time. Despite not typically giving my body the due rest it deserves, I'm certainly thankful that I readily have the resources available to lie down. Maybe there is something to that childhood car seat & the many naps we capture at that age. 😏 Check out this & this for car seat napping as an adult. 😊




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Use Them Again & Again

Something that I use everyday, something that I hoard, something that I get crafty & make [read: crochet] from time to time, are these. I use them so often I've written about them before, here. 😊) They're durable, helpful, super useful, reusable [read: recyclable], colorful, washable, foldable (so they don't take up much vehicle space either), & lots more.

I'm not sure if there's technically been a craze on them, though in the whole realm of recycling, many brick & mortar stores use their reuse-ability as a discount or sales ploy. This includes two of the main grocers I support. One provides customers with the option to "keep" or "donate" a nickel for each bag they reuse at the checkout. Depending on how much a customer spends (item size-wise, not monetarily), deems how many bags they'd be choosing to use. Just buying an item or two, (or three)? Then it's likely that you'd only be reusing one bag. That's a nickel you'd be able to donate to the store's current selected charity. Otherwise "keep" your nickel & essentially get a "nickel off" coupon on your total order. Buying a few produce items as well as, say a container of cottage cheese & another of yogurt, maybe a bottle of this & this too? These last four items would suite well bagged separately from the produce items & at the register they'd organize your purchases as such. That'll then become a dime saved off your total order. 💰Cha Ch'ing!💰

I've also found bringing in my own bags with which to shop assists with eliminating the need for the ever-bulky cart as well as managing a basket (& certain discount grocers don't offer baskets as shopping options ☹). I prefer to "sweep" through the store's aisles & sort of "weave" as I might when I'm running in a large group at the beginning of a run & maybe a "dodge & weave" seems necessary; this is similar to how I oftentimes enter a grocery store. Having these bags right alongside me, just over my shoulder, makes for an efficient "breeze-thru", & therefore, satisfaction.

While one grocer monetarily rewards for reusing bags, another charges, & has a variety of recyclable, as well as reusable bags tucked away just underneath their belt counter where each customer can set down their selection while waiting in line, stand back, & quickly notice that, "Oh wait, these bags will be helpful, & for a nickel for the smaller size, & a dime for the larger size, why not?" And so these customers toss a bag or two from the sales shelf below to their order sitting atop the belt headed toward the smiling cashier. This same discount grocer also applauds customers for bringing in their own bags, so they're not all "money-bad" in the bagging department; it's just their own version of being resourceful.

Another grocer, where I do not shop very often (further distance as well as minimal product need) offers customers to reuse their bags for a chance to win a store gift card. I see this "promo" as an "in between". It's only a chance & it's not an instant reward. Couple these pursed-lips-causing-moments with my already infrequent visits to this grocery chain, & I simply allow these cashiers to load up a paper bag (which, I of course, recycle! 😂)... I fill these paper bags with my paper recycling from random personal paperwork to mailbox paraphernalia to cardboard off of containers (basically, wrappings) after purchasing & once I begin using them.

Then there are the options with the "ordinary" grocers who always have basic "grocery store plastic bags" available, & they always automatically bag your order right into these plastic bags. Still recyclable: instant in-house, bathroom & bedroom trash can liners. Tie them up & pop them into the top of the household's main bag; or, if already filled, it's simple enough to keep the room fillers alongside the main bag for trash pick-up (or to walk the load to the appropriate dumpster).

If shopping at a warehouse store, these, as I've written about before in this post, can come in handy when dealing with bulkier items. They've multiple length handles, so depending on load size & weight, the user can best determine how to appropriately & efficiently carry their purchase well.

These really are the way to go. I'm in constant appreciation of the ability to reuse & recycle. Buy some or click here & learn how to make your own out of these. 💗😂💓



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A Silent Foreign Language

The first foreign language I learned was Spanish. I learned the language for three years in high school, then tested into the review class (cause I'm that kinda student 😞) followed by Spanish I & Spanish II as a college student. These were the "Arts" classes I took to earn my affiliated requirements for my Bachelor of Arts degree. My other option was to struggle through [read: disintegrate] a few credits of various mathematics courses, & my college years seemed to be my "off" years for understanding & comprehending much of anything mathematical. Besides, if I'd have taken that route I'd have earned a B.S. degree, a.k.a. a b___s*** degree. 😂

Like eating mulch, 😂 as a kid, right behind my brother, & somewhat following suit, I signed up to learn Spanish. Our school happened to offer more than one foreign language, just not like now-a-days where kids begin learning their foreign languages long before middle/junior high school & high school. We could've also chosen to learn German; which, as kids who are part German, also made plenty of sense, especially from a genealogical perspective. At the same time Dad wasn't necessarily ready to learn alongside of us, or for being a learning board from which to bounce our newly learned skills. He'd have helped us out, he always did if asked, yet he wanted this to be our decision. And so it was. Spanish seemed to be a "general", or "cover all" foreign language to learn. And so we did. Sort of.

My brother & I never spoke in Spanish to one another. If we said anything, it was general phrases & such that Mom & Dad definitely could also follow. The most significant thing I figured out on my own was, "Mas de la leche por favor." Which I'd use during dinner occasionally. I felt so cool. I'm shaking my head & rolling my eyes with pursed lips as I type this. I was ridiculous.

Despite my having attempted to learn Spanish, or any German, I did find myself rather intrigued by another "foreign" language, especially somewhat post college. I think I'd always found it fascinating, though I'd never really taken the extra moments needed to really get into the language.

It was probably around that time, a few decades or so ago now, when I did learn how to sign the alphabet. The problem was, like any kid would learn their ABCs & only be able recite them in order, I could only sign the alphabet in order from A to Z, & I couldn't exactly read anyone signing to me (not that I actually had anyone with which to bounce my admiration for sign language either 😜).

So on grew my great interest in all things signing & sign language, though never truly dedicating the necessary time toward actually learning it (except for borrowing a number of never-cracked-the-binding books on the topic from the local library).

Fast forward about a decade. I turned into my prime for being invited to all things "baby", which meant it was "Baby Shower Time". I'd long been crocheting many a gift for most people I knew (baby-wise or otherwise 😊); sometimes this just wasn't appropriate or feasible.

And this happened right around the time that the hype in gifting all things "baby" happened to be, of all things: books. I perused Amazon & found a few books which seemed to be "just right" such as this book & this book. Ultimately, however, this is the book I've now purchased a few times (for this same gifting purpose), which I especially preferred since it's not gender-specific, & there still are plenty of parents-to-be who choose to not learn in advance whether they'll be having a boy or a girl.

I've grown to appreciate plenty of languages, & I'm excited that learning any language is something we're free to do (as long as we put in the right amount of effort) at any age. The set of German cassettes (this is the Amazon link to the more modern set of CDs of the same set of cassettes) I picked up along the way to study continue to collect dust awaiting insertion in a boom box I've kept around for just this purpose, & those Spanish classes from "back then" are the history that they are for me; it's awesome to me that sign language exists. I truly see it as a foreign language.

I appreciate that it's available to be learned & easily can be. One never knows when they might meet someone who's deaf or hard of hearing & in need - or, that they just want to assist. As a cashier, for instance, knowing sign language can really boost a relationship with these types of customers; it could help make a sale. Or, maybe a friend or family member might bring someone with them to a gathering who's of this profile. Maybe someone will {gasp} join your family who's of this profile.  And, as I remember from a particular book in this series, even adolescent's familiar with the language can help someone out in desperate need of all places: the public restroom; which, I believe, along with other related sign language hurdles, is a storyline mentioned in this book.



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A Skillet Sensation

While we're at it, let's hang out in the kitchen some more. Frying up some eggs while the poacher's down. A whole different version, yet so very similar (soft yoke if preferred), of a finished, cooked egg.

I'd gotten myself one of these about a year ago. As a kid Dad would poach any of us eggs who'd want some; typically it was just me & Dad chowing away on the poached eggs. I specifically remember that the device he had for poaching could poach up to six at once because I'd think about how it was a shame we'd only be making two eggs in the device. Always being sure to balance, those two eggs would be cooked directly across from one another in the poaching tray; never next to one another. 😛

As I'm typing this, I'm also realizing, although we typically ate our scrambled eggs in two's, when Dad would pull out the poacher, it was only one egg each that we'd be eating. Hmmm...

I'm currently pondering which one of these will work best as a strong substitution to this one, the one I've used too many times since I purchased it a year ago. Apparently its design isn't meant to poach eggs five or more times a week (occasionally, yes 😎😋). Or, (also?) there's a reason it carries a single-digit dollar amount fee. 😏

I don't have any recollection of making omelets in the house. From time to time one of us would get ambitious [read: very hungry] &, while out at a restaurant, order an omelet & be well loaded down from the high content protein. One particular restaurant had a really good chicken omelet. Whenever I ordered that, I typically didn't eat anything else the whole rest of the day; it was that filling.

I also remember that as a child, my brother developed a distaste for eggs, particularly scrambled eggs. I think he'd manage his way through hard-boiled eggs, or it was that he preferred them hard-boiled. (This also came in handy at Eastertime. 😋) Due to his distaste, I followed suit & also developed a distaste. 😂  (When I was five years old I also ate mulch from the oversized fresh mulch load in our driveway. Why? Well, duh...because my brother had just eaten some. 😜)

So Mom took me "aside" & (I think my brother was in the living room, which was the next room over, watching television, while Mom) sat with me at the dining room table. She (her version of "kindly") explained to me what was going on. She did basically flat out say that just because my brother didn't care to be eating these eggs didn't mean that I didn't care to be either & that there were things I ate as a baby which I was already "claiming" I didn't like (anymore). She didn't say it directly, though she insinuated that she was confident that I did enjoy my eggs scrambled; that I did enjoy eggs in general, & she didn't want me to be passing them up (just because I'd watched my brother do so); I'd be missing out on an awful lot. She certainly was right; & I'm grateful that she made this "dining room moment" happen (even if I think the way she made the moment happen, & how she explained things during it, weren't exactly amazing 😏). Eggs are a grand high-protein, low-costing meal.

I'm also thankful to have learned how to properly prepare an egg in a skillet. Having one of these is essential 😊; also, some of this prepping the skillet in advance. Unless, of course, you've just cooked some fatty meats where their remaining grease will serve the same purpose (& quite well 😋). This coconut oil works wonders. It's cold-pressed, which is better than warm-pressed as it allows for the food's natural flavors, whereas the warm-pressed coconut oil does not.

Something else I'd have never done as a kid, which I happily do now: Dice up some mushrooms & onions, tomatoes & sweet peppers & sauté them just a touch. Magic happens. They melt decadently in your mouth. Especially alongside some eggs. 😋😍



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Soup Making Style

Chicken soup has become a bit of a "staple" of mine to make. So has beef vegetable. And black bean soup too. Well, actually, I've only made the latter once, although it turned out quite well & I intend to add it to my "soups" repertoire.

It seems entirely incidental, however, as it's hardly been any time since I first "figured out" how to cook a chicken, then to include the other add-ins making for an actual soup. Not long after I cooked my first chicken or two, I found myself with a spare day & ended up cooking two whole chickens. It seemed so simple & a great way to prepare some quick protein for a little bit of money.

It also made for a good chuckle since I'd hardly owned one of these for long. Having it around makes for a much more pleasant experience when it comes time to cook a chicken & make the soup. I'm aware that there are other ways to prepare chickens too, 😜😋 though I believe I've a bit of a ways to go before I get that bored with what I've been doing & finally get around to switching it up. 😂

What I've decided thus far is that, at the rate I'm going, I should get one of these; it's bigger. I've a tendency to have my broth near overflowing. That's bad. 😎😉 & a great inconvenience. 😏

Soup has so many benefits. Broth is a natural medicine. I've been excited this whole time that I've finally figured out the soup making process; I'm randomly attempting different versions & styles of soup.

It might've been a decade ago when Mom was finally getting around to walking me through the process of "how to make soup", though things were going on all around us, which kept me from the kitchen, & therefore, when the recipe had finished, as we sat consuming the soup, I noted aloud I'd no real notion of exactly what all had gone into actually making the soup that day; I'd not really learned the process.

I'm grateful now that it does mostly make sense. I understand about adding more water depending on serving size (or richness of the broth). I understand about lowering the temperature in a slow cooker style, for additional cooking of the foods into the broth & general softening & tenderizing. I'm grateful to finally comprehend "sweating" & that, basically dumping spices & seasonings into water along with random food, isn't the key to developing a broth or a soup. 😝😂 (This is a reality I learned from an online group where I decided to openly asked simply because I didn't know any better, & I wanted to figure this whole "soup making thing" out & then found that I was somewhat defending myself to these very helpful cooks, though none were interrogating or demeaning me, responding that I've been quite familiar with how to bake in these; that I do know my way around a kitchen. I truly felt rather silly.)

It's only been the chicken & beef vegetable soup that I've made in this. The black bean soup for which I gave a whirl happened to be a small enough recipe for one of these. I'd been a huge fan of beans, specifically various dry beans; the kind that come in the one pound plastic bags. I used to make them, spread out along the base of an elongated slow cooker with an inch or so of water covering them; they turned out great that way. It was happenchance that I found my way to them at the time, & I'm not even exactly sure at what time of year I'd enjoyed them when I did.

What I'm thankful to have recently learned is that beans, specifically the black beans, are chalked full of Vitamin D, a vitamin many folks residing in the Northern Hemisphere tend to lack come this time of the year (the dreaded "Standard Time"), making cooking up lots of bean dishes a seemingly good, very fiber filling, as well as tasty, meal.

And here I sit, with a bowl of black bean soup, next to my laptop as I type, along with an avocado diced up into the soup, & a heavy spoonful of salsa atop that too. Avocado & black beans: very delicious & very filling. 😋😉😁



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