For a long time, I've been buying organic, fair trade coffee. I choose 0rganic for all the obvious reasons - fewer pesticides, more sustainability, etc. I choose fair trade because for just a few extra dollars a month (in my case less than $5), I can make sure I support small coffee farmers getting a fair price for their crop when they otherwise might be paid much less by a large company able to exert price pressure.
Often, when I buy coffee I notice that "shade grown" pops up in the brands I buy. I never knew what this meant, and assumed it had something to do with taste and bean variety, like the way a wine might advertise as being from a certain place. I happened to see a flyer posted at my local grocery co-op about shade grown coffee, and boy was I wrong! It turns out there are huge benefits to shade grown coffee other than taste! I am now committed to buying shade grown as often as possible.
Shade grown coffee is grown under a tree canopy in a setting that is very similar to unaltered rain forest. Shaded coffee plantations contribute to wildlife and plant diversity. When coffee is grown in the sun, the yield is higher, but the cost is less diversity, loss of habitat and greater need for more invasive farming methods such as using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Because of the technical nature of sun farming coffee, larger plantations tend to be converted which may squeeze small shade farmers out. (Information from Smithsonian National Zoological Park fact sheet.)
I am pleased to be able to buy organic, fair trade, shade grown coffee most of the time.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Personal Uniform - a simple way to dress well
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
2 tips on using your dryer
Using less energy to dry your clothes is good for the environment and your wallet. I found these two tips in the August 1, 2008 issue of Women's Day Magazine.
Separate dryer loads into light and heavy items
Since light items need less time to dry, the total time the dryer runs will be less. With only two adults in the house, this isn't practical for us since I already do only 4-5 loads a week. There isn't a good way to split it further. What I do when I have a load of mixed weight items is to set the timer for about 2/3 of the time I think I need and when the timer goes off, I remove anything that is dry. I find things like nylon running shorts and light tank tops dry quickly, but jeans and socks more slowly.
Dry you laundry loads consecutively to avoid having the dryer reheat itself each time
I cannot imagine why I didn't think of this before now! I do tend to use the Fly Lady concept of one load a day, so at first I didn't think it was practical to do this. What I have started to do is wash one load late in the day and leave it overnight in the washer. Early the next day, I'll do a second load and dry them one after the other. The clothes seem to do fine when left overnight, and I haven't noticed any moldy smell.
Once our house is further along in the remodel, I plan on drying some stuff outside, but until then at least I can use the least amount of energy possible.
Separate dryer loads into light and heavy items
Since light items need less time to dry, the total time the dryer runs will be less. With only two adults in the house, this isn't practical for us since I already do only 4-5 loads a week. There isn't a good way to split it further. What I do when I have a load of mixed weight items is to set the timer for about 2/3 of the time I think I need and when the timer goes off, I remove anything that is dry. I find things like nylon running shorts and light tank tops dry quickly, but jeans and socks more slowly.
Dry you laundry loads consecutively to avoid having the dryer reheat itself each time
I cannot imagine why I didn't think of this before now! I do tend to use the Fly Lady concept of one load a day, so at first I didn't think it was practical to do this. What I have started to do is wash one load late in the day and leave it overnight in the washer. Early the next day, I'll do a second load and dry them one after the other. The clothes seem to do fine when left overnight, and I haven't noticed any moldy smell.
Once our house is further along in the remodel, I plan on drying some stuff outside, but until then at least I can use the least amount of energy possible.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Paid survey sites
I've often wondered what the income potential is on those "Get paid to complete surveys" sites. I did some poking around and decided to sign up at cashcrate.com for a trial run and write about it. I picked this particular site for two reasons. First, there is no fee to join and access the surveys. Some surveys and offers require you to put in a credit card or pay a nominal fee in return for a larger payoff, but the site membership is free and there are lots of offers where you can earn money without putting up any money. The second reason is that there is a "MLM" or multi-level marketing aspect of it, i.e. you make money from the activities of those you refer.
After a short trial, I have concluded that this site doesn't work for me. First, I had a hard time finding any surveys I was eligible for. We don't have children, and use very few of the commercial products they are gathering information on. I use very few mixes, packaged foods, pharmaceutical products (prescribed and over-the-counter), household products, etc. I buy all my cleaning products and toiletries from the natural foods market. The few times I tried to find an offer to complete, I got a message that there was nothing I was eligible for.
Another reason I may not have had much luck is that I was unwilling to furnish some of my personal information. Having no experience with this type of thing, I didn't know that they needed lots of personal information to match you with surveys and offers and to analyze the data they collect. I was simply not comfortable revealing a lot of what they asked.
I still have an account, but I haven't visited the site in a while and don't have any plans on being active. Since I wasn't able to give it a full test, I cannot accurately review the site and it's income potential.
After a short trial, I have concluded that this site doesn't work for me. First, I had a hard time finding any surveys I was eligible for. We don't have children, and use very few of the commercial products they are gathering information on. I use very few mixes, packaged foods, pharmaceutical products (prescribed and over-the-counter), household products, etc. I buy all my cleaning products and toiletries from the natural foods market. The few times I tried to find an offer to complete, I got a message that there was nothing I was eligible for.
Another reason I may not have had much luck is that I was unwilling to furnish some of my personal information. Having no experience with this type of thing, I didn't know that they needed lots of personal information to match you with surveys and offers and to analyze the data they collect. I was simply not comfortable revealing a lot of what they asked.
I still have an account, but I haven't visited the site in a while and don't have any plans on being active. Since I wasn't able to give it a full test, I cannot accurately review the site and it's income potential.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Fixed amounts of stuff
Since becoming an adult and moving out on my own, I've always considered my space to be a limit on how much stuff I can have and not vice-versa. I've always thought that the space I live in is more important than having certain things. Admittedly, I've had some experiences that have shaped me in this way. My second apartment was one I shared with two roommates, and mine was the smallest room by far. The two women I lived with had pretty much stuffed all the other spaces before I arrived, so I lived out of only my small room. I later traveled across the USA in a car for several months with a friend. We rented a room from someone, and later I lived in a 220 square foot studio apartment for a while.
Not only did these experiences help me to learn to live with less, I learned that I liked living with less. Many of these times were the happiest in my life because maintaining my space and my stuff took so little time that I had loads of time to do lots of things. I vastly prefer experience to stuff.
When I've talked to people about my small-space living experiences, I often hear things like "I could never live in a place that small, I have too many (or much)........ This makes sense to me if someone has a stuff-intensive hobby that they love such as ice hockey or surfing, but often the comment pertains to things like clothes or books that the person really doesn't love. I view these (and almost all my stuff) as variable. If I have a large space, I can have lots of clothes; if not, then off they go.
I am curious about your philosophy on this. Do you pick a space based on it's ability to hold your existing possessions, or do you pick the space you love and alter your inventory accordingly? For which items is it non-negotiable that they fit in your space? How has your thought process changed as your life has changed?
Not only did these experiences help me to learn to live with less, I learned that I liked living with less. Many of these times were the happiest in my life because maintaining my space and my stuff took so little time that I had loads of time to do lots of things. I vastly prefer experience to stuff.
When I've talked to people about my small-space living experiences, I often hear things like "I could never live in a place that small, I have too many (or much)........ This makes sense to me if someone has a stuff-intensive hobby that they love such as ice hockey or surfing, but often the comment pertains to things like clothes or books that the person really doesn't love. I view these (and almost all my stuff) as variable. If I have a large space, I can have lots of clothes; if not, then off they go.
I am curious about your philosophy on this. Do you pick a space based on it's ability to hold your existing possessions, or do you pick the space you love and alter your inventory accordingly? For which items is it non-negotiable that they fit in your space? How has your thought process changed as your life has changed?
Friday, July 25, 2008
Medical Insurance tips
I found out just how much medical billing errors can cost when my dentist had an incompetent billing department. Almost every appointment we had was billed incorrectly, and each time it required going way back in time to find out where the discrepancy had occurred. While there were many balances they wrote off, the most striking example was when I got a bill for $435 with no explanation when I thought my balance should be zero. When I asked what the balance consisted of, the office was unable to provide documentation and wrote if off.
Medical billing is complex and intimidating for the lay person. It's much easier to just accept that what you are billed and pay it. However, I can speak from first hand experience that errors are common, and you may end up paying a lot of money you don't owe if you don't stay on top of your medical bills and health insurance reimbursements.
Here is what I learned about managing my medical bills. A lot of people think what I do is overkill, but I am adamant about not paying money I don't owe.
At the time of the visit, insist on a receipt for any payment you make at that time as well as a statement of the full cost of the services. If you don't understand the amount you are being asked to pay, ask for an explanation. You should be paying the amount of your copay, or the amount they estimate the insurance will not cover. If you have not met your deductible for the year you may be asked for the full amount of the charge.
When you get your EOB (Explanation of Benefits) statement from your health insurance provider, make sure the total charge for services on the EOB matches the information you received when you got the services. If there is a difference, call the provider and find out why. You may want to ask the insurance company as well. Don't assume the worst - just because there is a difference doesn't mean there is anything dishonest going on. I have had providers write off a portion of their normal charge for me if it is not covered by insurance. With my health insurance, providers that are in the network must charge a preset amount for a procedure so the total charge on my bill is the same as on the EOB. For non-network providers, they can charge me whatever they want but can only bill the insurance company for that preset amount.
When the provider later bills you for any unpaid amount, make sure what you are being asked to pay is the total charge minus anything you have paid, anything the insurance has paid and any amount they have opted to or had to write off. One thing that I cannot stress enough is to never pay a balance without understanding what you are paying. Mistakes happen, and they can cost you money! One reason the billing was so messed up by my dentist is that they would send a bill with just an amount on it with no explanation. Their system just printed a bill for anyone with a running balance. Insist on understanding what you are paying for, i.e. which appointments have been reimbursed by the health care company and still have balances.
Insist that the provider submit everything to the insurance company even if it seems it won't be covered. I have been surprised a few times when I asked the provider to submit something to find it covered. Sometimes it is a simple mistake that something doesn't get submitted, other times someone not in a position to decide thinks that it isn't worth submitting so it doesn't get done. I've also had claims submitted that somehow got lost in the process and had to be re-submitted. Make sure that everything gets to your insurer.
Keep track of charges with a spreadsheet. I use a simple, one-line-per-appointment spreadsheet that shows the date of the appointment, the doctor and which family member had the appointment. There are columns for each relevant amount such as total charge, amount paid at appointment, how paid (cash, check, credit card), amount reimbursed by insurance company, etc. The final two columns are for comments and how it is eventually settled, e.g. paid by check #717, etc.
The time I've spent on keeping track of medical bills has more than paid off. It only takes a few minutes every few weeks, and it has saved me a lot of money.
Medical billing is complex and intimidating for the lay person. It's much easier to just accept that what you are billed and pay it. However, I can speak from first hand experience that errors are common, and you may end up paying a lot of money you don't owe if you don't stay on top of your medical bills and health insurance reimbursements.
Here is what I learned about managing my medical bills. A lot of people think what I do is overkill, but I am adamant about not paying money I don't owe.
At the time of the visit, insist on a receipt for any payment you make at that time as well as a statement of the full cost of the services. If you don't understand the amount you are being asked to pay, ask for an explanation. You should be paying the amount of your copay, or the amount they estimate the insurance will not cover. If you have not met your deductible for the year you may be asked for the full amount of the charge.
When you get your EOB (Explanation of Benefits) statement from your health insurance provider, make sure the total charge for services on the EOB matches the information you received when you got the services. If there is a difference, call the provider and find out why. You may want to ask the insurance company as well. Don't assume the worst - just because there is a difference doesn't mean there is anything dishonest going on. I have had providers write off a portion of their normal charge for me if it is not covered by insurance. With my health insurance, providers that are in the network must charge a preset amount for a procedure so the total charge on my bill is the same as on the EOB. For non-network providers, they can charge me whatever they want but can only bill the insurance company for that preset amount.
When the provider later bills you for any unpaid amount, make sure what you are being asked to pay is the total charge minus anything you have paid, anything the insurance has paid and any amount they have opted to or had to write off. One thing that I cannot stress enough is to never pay a balance without understanding what you are paying. Mistakes happen, and they can cost you money! One reason the billing was so messed up by my dentist is that they would send a bill with just an amount on it with no explanation. Their system just printed a bill for anyone with a running balance. Insist on understanding what you are paying for, i.e. which appointments have been reimbursed by the health care company and still have balances.
Insist that the provider submit everything to the insurance company even if it seems it won't be covered. I have been surprised a few times when I asked the provider to submit something to find it covered. Sometimes it is a simple mistake that something doesn't get submitted, other times someone not in a position to decide thinks that it isn't worth submitting so it doesn't get done. I've also had claims submitted that somehow got lost in the process and had to be re-submitted. Make sure that everything gets to your insurer.
Keep track of charges with a spreadsheet. I use a simple, one-line-per-appointment spreadsheet that shows the date of the appointment, the doctor and which family member had the appointment. There are columns for each relevant amount such as total charge, amount paid at appointment, how paid (cash, check, credit card), amount reimbursed by insurance company, etc. The final two columns are for comments and how it is eventually settled, e.g. paid by check #717, etc.
The time I've spent on keeping track of medical bills has more than paid off. It only takes a few minutes every few weeks, and it has saved me a lot of money.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Microwave in bag veggies
I have finally learned, in my 40's, that I need to eat at least 5 times a day. No matter what or how much I eat, I am hungry every few hours. I'm the person back in the kitchen after Thanksgiving dinner while everyone else is still in a food coma. Not only do I need to eat often, but a bar or piece of fruit won't do it - I need a complete meal. Contrary to how it may seem, this style of eating keeps my weight stable and my energy high.
To manage this, I've learned to shortcut my food preparation where possible. One of my favorite tricks is microwave-in-bag vegetables. I buy mine mostly at Trader Joe's because their prices are great, but I've seen them at many stores. They come pre-washed and cut in the bag and you just peel off the label to reveal the vent hole and pop it in the microwave. You can use the cooking time suggested for soft, steamed veggies or I like mine just a little more done than raw. When I don't cook them fully, I can leave the half-filled bag in the fridge for use with the next meal. There is a wide variety of veggies available too - broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, baby green beans, squash, potatoes and more.
I know a lot of people don't like using the microwave, but I think these come out almost as good as steaming them in a pot and you can't beat the ease and speed of both prep and cleanup. For me, it's about making a good trade-off. If I had to drag out pots and pans and cook 5 times day, I wouldn't get anything else done. I think it's worth it to be able to easily eat a lot of vegetables.
To manage this, I've learned to shortcut my food preparation where possible. One of my favorite tricks is microwave-in-bag vegetables. I buy mine mostly at Trader Joe's because their prices are great, but I've seen them at many stores. They come pre-washed and cut in the bag and you just peel off the label to reveal the vent hole and pop it in the microwave. You can use the cooking time suggested for soft, steamed veggies or I like mine just a little more done than raw. When I don't cook them fully, I can leave the half-filled bag in the fridge for use with the next meal. There is a wide variety of veggies available too - broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, baby green beans, squash, potatoes and more.
I know a lot of people don't like using the microwave, but I think these come out almost as good as steaming them in a pot and you can't beat the ease and speed of both prep and cleanup. For me, it's about making a good trade-off. If I had to drag out pots and pans and cook 5 times day, I wouldn't get anything else done. I think it's worth it to be able to easily eat a lot of vegetables.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Ubiquitous Capture of physical items
One of the best concepts I got from GTD is the idea of ubiquitous capture. It means to capture things all the time into a trusted system where you know they will be handled accordingly. Once you get it into your system, your brain can let go of it and and focus on other things knowing it will be taken care of. If you think of calling about your magazine subscription while at the gym, that thought may hang around in your head until you write it down, put it into a PDA, leave yourself a voicemail or capture it in some other way. If you don't capture it, you may find yourself wondering later "What was I thinking about doing when I was at the gym?"
I was reasonably good at doing this pre-GTD, but having read the compelling arguments as to why it is so important I am much more focused on capturing all those stray thoughts. This concept extends to physical items as well, and I've found it really helpful to think about how I will make sure something gets handled when I decide where to put it.
What I have gotten into the habit of doing is not just putting things I need to deal with in random places, but deliberately putting them where I know I will deal with them. Of course, my main place to capture paper at home is my in bin which gets cleared every few days. I clear my kitchen counter tops every day, so sometimes when I come home late with armfuls of stuff I can put some or all of it on the counter and know that I will deal with it tomorrow. When I am grocery shopping, the receipt goes into the grocery bag because I know I will empty the bag when I get home and put the receipt where it belongs. I often put non-urgent information into my purse or wallet because I regularly clear them. I use an index card to set up my daily schedule, and if a random thought occurs to me that I don't want to take the time to put into my PDA or computer, I just jot it there knowing that tomorrow I will clear the card and start fresh. If I have pockets, that's a good place for me to put things like receipts because I clear them daily.
There are lots of right and good ways to do this. The really important thing I've learned is to think for a few seconds before I stash something in a place where it could be forgotten. I've also learned the importance of maintaining those places where I do put things on the fly.
I was reasonably good at doing this pre-GTD, but having read the compelling arguments as to why it is so important I am much more focused on capturing all those stray thoughts. This concept extends to physical items as well, and I've found it really helpful to think about how I will make sure something gets handled when I decide where to put it.
What I have gotten into the habit of doing is not just putting things I need to deal with in random places, but deliberately putting them where I know I will deal with them. Of course, my main place to capture paper at home is my in bin which gets cleared every few days. I clear my kitchen counter tops every day, so sometimes when I come home late with armfuls of stuff I can put some or all of it on the counter and know that I will deal with it tomorrow. When I am grocery shopping, the receipt goes into the grocery bag because I know I will empty the bag when I get home and put the receipt where it belongs. I often put non-urgent information into my purse or wallet because I regularly clear them. I use an index card to set up my daily schedule, and if a random thought occurs to me that I don't want to take the time to put into my PDA or computer, I just jot it there knowing that tomorrow I will clear the card and start fresh. If I have pockets, that's a good place for me to put things like receipts because I clear them daily.
There are lots of right and good ways to do this. The really important thing I've learned is to think for a few seconds before I stash something in a place where it could be forgotten. I've also learned the importance of maintaining those places where I do put things on the fly.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
My favorite chocolate
I'm a big fan of dark chocolate and my absolute favorite is Chocolate Decadence. In my opinion, they have the perfect blend of dark, rich chocolate with just enough sweetness to bring out the taste. I don't like overly sweet things and this chocolate is perfect. In fact, I ordered the small bags of chocolate covered pretzels to use as wedding favors when I got married.
They have a wide variety of products, including lots of chocolate covered things like pretzels (my favorite), nuts and dried fruit. It's easy to order, and when I visited the site I saw that they now add dry ice to your shipment so it can even be shipped in warm weather. You can buy in bulk or in regular packaging and they also offer fancy gift packaging. The gift boxes make great host/hostess gifts and are good for gifting someone who you don't know well. They also make kid-friendly things like chocolate cars, animals and coins.
If you have food issues, these chocolates are all vegan which means no diary or eggs. Except for the pretzels, all products are gluten-free as well. We have friends who keep Kosher that regularly invite us for parties. I am looking forward to ordering some of the now certified Kosher Chanukah items as a hostess gift.
Next time you need a chocolate fix or a great, unique and clutter-free gift, consider Chocolate Decadence. (Disclaimer - I have no financial stake in this company or promoting their products. I'm just a satisfied customer).
They have a wide variety of products, including lots of chocolate covered things like pretzels (my favorite), nuts and dried fruit. It's easy to order, and when I visited the site I saw that they now add dry ice to your shipment so it can even be shipped in warm weather. You can buy in bulk or in regular packaging and they also offer fancy gift packaging. The gift boxes make great host/hostess gifts and are good for gifting someone who you don't know well. They also make kid-friendly things like chocolate cars, animals and coins.
If you have food issues, these chocolates are all vegan which means no diary or eggs. Except for the pretzels, all products are gluten-free as well. We have friends who keep Kosher that regularly invite us for parties. I am looking forward to ordering some of the now certified Kosher Chanukah items as a hostess gift.
Next time you need a chocolate fix or a great, unique and clutter-free gift, consider Chocolate Decadence. (Disclaimer - I have no financial stake in this company or promoting their products. I'm just a satisfied customer).
Monday, July 21, 2008
Try to be funny
I don't harbor any illusions that I am a person people would describe as "funny," although sometimes I make people laugh. I love to laugh, and I love to make other people laugh. I didn't used to be funny at all. I'd think of something and usually not say it because I didn't want to have a joke bomb and have people looking at me with a puzzled expression. I have had the great pleasure of spending time with some incredibly funny people, and it has taught me about being funny. One of the most important things I've learned is that you have to try. The greatest line in the world will not make anyone laugh if it's only in your head.
So now I speak up. When I think of something absurd, a pun or a twist on the expected, I blurt it out and hope for the best. Sometimes I score, sometimes I don't. I've learned it's not such a big deal to say something and have people not laugh. Nobody has ever said to me "Remember when we were at dinner in 2004 and you made that unfunny statement about buses?" I have had people say to me "I was laughing all the way home about your bus comment."
A few ideas have helped me in my quest to be funny. Don't ever use a racist or offensive term or stereotype in your humor attempts. People can overlook a failed humor attempt really easily, but won't be so forgiving or forgetting when you are hurtful or offensive. Don't make fun of something that someone can't change easily like their height, ethnicity, place of birth, weight, financial status, etc. Don't make fun of misfortune, unless it is your own and you are trying to lighten your load. If you are trying to be funny, don't say things that put yourself down in a way that compels others to soothe you or correct you, e.g. "I'm so fat that......." Know your audience - the same humor that works in a close-knit group of adult women would not work well in a large meeting in your place of work.
There are a few things that I often find humor in. Look for the next step, or an exaggerated version of what is. For example, when I am served a huge glass of iced tea, instead of just saying "That's huge," I try to come up with an unexpected and exaggerated way to say it such as "I could put a diving board on this." (It doesn't seem very funny in print, but you can be funny in this way I promise). Puns are often fun as are made up words for things you see. I sometimes try to do acronyms for things (i.e. using the first letters of words to make a work such as NATO which stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
I hope I've encouraged you to try your hand at humor. It is hard to start trying, but it gets easier with time and it's really not so bad to have a joke bomb. It feels so good to laugh and make others laugh that I gladly suffer the bombs for the fun of the laughter.
So now I speak up. When I think of something absurd, a pun or a twist on the expected, I blurt it out and hope for the best. Sometimes I score, sometimes I don't. I've learned it's not such a big deal to say something and have people not laugh. Nobody has ever said to me "Remember when we were at dinner in 2004 and you made that unfunny statement about buses?" I have had people say to me "I was laughing all the way home about your bus comment."
A few ideas have helped me in my quest to be funny. Don't ever use a racist or offensive term or stereotype in your humor attempts. People can overlook a failed humor attempt really easily, but won't be so forgiving or forgetting when you are hurtful or offensive. Don't make fun of something that someone can't change easily like their height, ethnicity, place of birth, weight, financial status, etc. Don't make fun of misfortune, unless it is your own and you are trying to lighten your load. If you are trying to be funny, don't say things that put yourself down in a way that compels others to soothe you or correct you, e.g. "I'm so fat that......." Know your audience - the same humor that works in a close-knit group of adult women would not work well in a large meeting in your place of work.
There are a few things that I often find humor in. Look for the next step, or an exaggerated version of what is. For example, when I am served a huge glass of iced tea, instead of just saying "That's huge," I try to come up with an unexpected and exaggerated way to say it such as "I could put a diving board on this." (It doesn't seem very funny in print, but you can be funny in this way I promise). Puns are often fun as are made up words for things you see. I sometimes try to do acronyms for things (i.e. using the first letters of words to make a work such as NATO which stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization).
I hope I've encouraged you to try your hand at humor. It is hard to start trying, but it gets easier with time and it's really not so bad to have a joke bomb. It feels so good to laugh and make others laugh that I gladly suffer the bombs for the fun of the laughter.
Friday, July 18, 2008
The right way to floss
Did you know there is a right way to floss your teeth? Not only is it important to do it, but it's important to do it right. A few years back, I was having my teeth cleaned and the hygienist chided me for not flossing. I was taken aback, as I had been flossing every night, even when I was tired or didn't feel like it. She had me show her how I flossed, and that's how I found out I was doing it wrong. It wasn't hard to learn to do correctly, and it's made a huge difference in my checkups.
What I was doing was just putting the floss into the space between the teeth until it hit the point of the gum that extends between the teeth. I would remove the floss and go to the next tooth. What she showed me to do was this: Put the floss between tooth A and tooth B. Once you hit the point of the gum, pull the floss against tooth A and continue to move the floss down between tooth A and gum until the floss won't go anymore (don't force it). Hold the floss more tightly against tooth A and use it to scrape along the side of tooth A under the gum line and back to the top of the teeth. Repeat 1-2 times until the floss no longer removes anything. Start again between tooth A and tooth B, except this time do tooth B. When tooth B is done, move to the gap between tooth B and tooth C and repeat the process.
(As with any dental issues, ask your dentist about what's right for you.)
What I was doing was just putting the floss into the space between the teeth until it hit the point of the gum that extends between the teeth. I would remove the floss and go to the next tooth. What she showed me to do was this: Put the floss between tooth A and tooth B. Once you hit the point of the gum, pull the floss against tooth A and continue to move the floss down between tooth A and gum until the floss won't go anymore (don't force it). Hold the floss more tightly against tooth A and use it to scrape along the side of tooth A under the gum line and back to the top of the teeth. Repeat 1-2 times until the floss no longer removes anything. Start again between tooth A and tooth B, except this time do tooth B. When tooth B is done, move to the gap between tooth B and tooth C and repeat the process.
(As with any dental issues, ask your dentist about what's right for you.)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
How I set up my day
I am always fascinated to peek into other people's lives. I love getting a glimpse of what they do in the course of a day and how they schedule their time. I frequent several time management/productivity websites and love hearing from others. I call myself a student of human nature, but my husband thinks I'm just nosy!
I think there are enough other people curious about this that I am going to share how I set my day up. I use a blend of Flylady, GTD, Franklin Covey, and probably a few others. I use mostly digital but some paper too. My system evolved over the years, and in it's most recent evolution supports my schedule-intense life as a work at home dog mom, wife to a husband who works long hours outside the home, and project manager of our remodeling of a fixer upper.
Years ago when I worked full-time outside the home, we lived in an apartment and had no dogs. My schedule was much simpler than it is now. Since I am self-employed and set my own hours and work from home, it seems (especially to me) that I should have infinite time on my hands to get everything done. The reality is that it is far from true, and just managing my schedule is a big task. I have to factor into every decision that one of the dogs is a puppy who cannot yet be left unattended without being in a crate, so I can only be gone for short periods throughout the day. Traffic in Los Angeles is a big factor too - I trip that takes 10-20 minutes can take an hour or more during rush hour, and rush hour is actually many hours. I often go to several store researching my next house project, and anyone who has ever done home improvement knows that no project is ever completed without at least two trips to the hardware/home improvement store. Suffice it to say, deciding what to do today and at any given moment is complicated.
To assist me with my scheduling, I use routines a la Flylady. My "must do" routine happens after morning dog care and breakfast, and includes taking vitamins, cleaning up the kitchen, putting in a load of wash, etc. It's all the little things that keep me on top of the ever-creeping entropy that tends to invade a house. The "good to do" routine includes desk time (calls, mail, bills, etc), maintenance, small house projects, and progress on whatever big project is in the works now. I also use GTD principles as well, so I track my to-do items by context (e.g. errands, home at my desk, home in work clothes, etc). I prioritize a la Franklin Covey, and use their notation of an open circle to note a task in progress.
Early in the day, I do a scheduling session for myself where I distill the day down to a 4x6 index card. I use a PDA to keep my calendar, to-do lists and project lists, but it has so much information in that I find it overwhelming to be constantly choosing what to work on from such a large list. By using the index card, I give myself enough room to write what I need, but am forced not to write too much. I also only have to consult my master list (the PDA) once, and once I've decided what to do today I don't need to rethink it.
I start by putting in my appointments in a list on the right side of the card. I try to approximate the day by putting morning things on top and later things lower. Then I look at my list of errands and see if any fit nicely in with where I will be for my appointments. If so, and it works for the puppy, I add it in. Next, I fit in my work time and "must do" routine somewhere in the schedule.
Next, I look at the next action(s) on each of my current projects and consider in what context they need to occur. If I can fit any in today, I start a list on the left side of the card. Finally, I fit in however much of the "good to do" list in as possible. Most days I can get to it (appointments, errands, must do, next actions on big projects and good to do), so this seems to work for me.
I love having my day distilled down to an index card. Everything that is going on seems much less overwhelming and I have one "go to" spot to see what to do next. My routines really help keep the place in shape during the chaos of remodeling and keep me from having to decide what home care to do every day.
I think there are enough other people curious about this that I am going to share how I set my day up. I use a blend of Flylady, GTD, Franklin Covey, and probably a few others. I use mostly digital but some paper too. My system evolved over the years, and in it's most recent evolution supports my schedule-intense life as a work at home dog mom, wife to a husband who works long hours outside the home, and project manager of our remodeling of a fixer upper.
Years ago when I worked full-time outside the home, we lived in an apartment and had no dogs. My schedule was much simpler than it is now. Since I am self-employed and set my own hours and work from home, it seems (especially to me) that I should have infinite time on my hands to get everything done. The reality is that it is far from true, and just managing my schedule is a big task. I have to factor into every decision that one of the dogs is a puppy who cannot yet be left unattended without being in a crate, so I can only be gone for short periods throughout the day. Traffic in Los Angeles is a big factor too - I trip that takes 10-20 minutes can take an hour or more during rush hour, and rush hour is actually many hours. I often go to several store researching my next house project, and anyone who has ever done home improvement knows that no project is ever completed without at least two trips to the hardware/home improvement store. Suffice it to say, deciding what to do today and at any given moment is complicated.
To assist me with my scheduling, I use routines a la Flylady. My "must do" routine happens after morning dog care and breakfast, and includes taking vitamins, cleaning up the kitchen, putting in a load of wash, etc. It's all the little things that keep me on top of the ever-creeping entropy that tends to invade a house. The "good to do" routine includes desk time (calls, mail, bills, etc), maintenance, small house projects, and progress on whatever big project is in the works now. I also use GTD principles as well, so I track my to-do items by context (e.g. errands, home at my desk, home in work clothes, etc). I prioritize a la Franklin Covey, and use their notation of an open circle to note a task in progress.
Early in the day, I do a scheduling session for myself where I distill the day down to a 4x6 index card. I use a PDA to keep my calendar, to-do lists and project lists, but it has so much information in that I find it overwhelming to be constantly choosing what to work on from such a large list. By using the index card, I give myself enough room to write what I need, but am forced not to write too much. I also only have to consult my master list (the PDA) once, and once I've decided what to do today I don't need to rethink it.
I start by putting in my appointments in a list on the right side of the card. I try to approximate the day by putting morning things on top and later things lower. Then I look at my list of errands and see if any fit nicely in with where I will be for my appointments. If so, and it works for the puppy, I add it in. Next, I fit in my work time and "must do" routine somewhere in the schedule.
Next, I look at the next action(s) on each of my current projects and consider in what context they need to occur. If I can fit any in today, I start a list on the left side of the card. Finally, I fit in however much of the "good to do" list in as possible. Most days I can get to it (appointments, errands, must do, next actions on big projects and good to do), so this seems to work for me.
I love having my day distilled down to an index card. Everything that is going on seems much less overwhelming and I have one "go to" spot to see what to do next. My routines really help keep the place in shape during the chaos of remodeling and keep me from having to decide what home care to do every day.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Hiring and working with contractors
Hiring contractors to work on you house is no small thing. A bad one can drag the job out and leave things almost worse than when the job was started ( I speak from experience on this one!). A good one is a like a trusted ally on your side. It's important that they be able to do the work right (i.e. safely, in compliance with applicable codes, as specified in the contract, etc), but also that they be a good partner to work with especially for long term jobs.
The LA Times ran two articles on working with contractors. The first is on hiring contractors, and contains a lot of really great, detailed information on how to make a good choice. My impression is that a lot people will be put off by the suggestions in this article, such as visiting the contractor's prior jobs, talking to their previous subcontractors, and reading their insurance policy, but they are great suggestions. I did a lot of research on how to hire contractors, and much of what is suggested in this article did not come up in my research. Having gotten badly burned by two of my contractors, I can tell you first hand that this level of due diligence is a good thing. I did a lot of due diligence and still had some bad contractors, so maybe this extra level of research would have prevented that.
The second article is on how to deal with a contractor. I don't agree with the author's suggestion to be wary if the contractor does not have an office. A lot of the contractors I worked with, including the best one who was really good, do not have an office and instead manage their business from home. Most of their work takes place at job sites, so the office is really just for processing payroll and paperwork and some storage. If a person has room in their home, why would they incur the expense of an office?
There are a few really good tips in here. First, it mentions getting a fixed price contract instead of a cost-plus, where you pay the contractor's cost plus a markup. I agree strongly with this, as it shifts the burden of the job going badly to the contractor. If the contractor messes up and the job ends up costing extra, that should not be an extra cost to you. Second, it mentions being really specific in your contract. This cannot be stressed enough! Even if you have an honest person who is not trying to scam you, verbal communication is subject to much more misunderstanding and may not be legally binding. I had several drafts of almost all of my contracts to make sure all the details were in. My experience was that the good contractors were more than happy to put anything in the contract and the bad ones acted like they were insulted at putting our discussions in writing.
Third, the article mentions paying when a phase is completed and not by time spent. This is really important, as again it shifts the risk of mistakes to the contractor. I learned the hard way that this has to be in writing as well. In one of my many contracts, I allowed myself to be sweet-talked into not having a payment schedule in writing and it was a disaster. Make sure that a written payment schedule, with payments triggered by task completion, is part of your contract. This also eliminates embarrassing, unpleasant negotiations later ("gee, I really didn't want to pay until X was done" ..... or "gee, I really thought I'd have your check so I could make payroll"). Both parties have the same expectations, and as a homeowner it makes it easier to manage cash flow.
The LA Times ran two articles on working with contractors. The first is on hiring contractors, and contains a lot of really great, detailed information on how to make a good choice. My impression is that a lot people will be put off by the suggestions in this article, such as visiting the contractor's prior jobs, talking to their previous subcontractors, and reading their insurance policy, but they are great suggestions. I did a lot of research on how to hire contractors, and much of what is suggested in this article did not come up in my research. Having gotten badly burned by two of my contractors, I can tell you first hand that this level of due diligence is a good thing. I did a lot of due diligence and still had some bad contractors, so maybe this extra level of research would have prevented that.
The second article is on how to deal with a contractor. I don't agree with the author's suggestion to be wary if the contractor does not have an office. A lot of the contractors I worked with, including the best one who was really good, do not have an office and instead manage their business from home. Most of their work takes place at job sites, so the office is really just for processing payroll and paperwork and some storage. If a person has room in their home, why would they incur the expense of an office?
There are a few really good tips in here. First, it mentions getting a fixed price contract instead of a cost-plus, where you pay the contractor's cost plus a markup. I agree strongly with this, as it shifts the burden of the job going badly to the contractor. If the contractor messes up and the job ends up costing extra, that should not be an extra cost to you. Second, it mentions being really specific in your contract. This cannot be stressed enough! Even if you have an honest person who is not trying to scam you, verbal communication is subject to much more misunderstanding and may not be legally binding. I had several drafts of almost all of my contracts to make sure all the details were in. My experience was that the good contractors were more than happy to put anything in the contract and the bad ones acted like they were insulted at putting our discussions in writing.
Third, the article mentions paying when a phase is completed and not by time spent. This is really important, as again it shifts the risk of mistakes to the contractor. I learned the hard way that this has to be in writing as well. In one of my many contracts, I allowed myself to be sweet-talked into not having a payment schedule in writing and it was a disaster. Make sure that a written payment schedule, with payments triggered by task completion, is part of your contract. This also eliminates embarrassing, unpleasant negotiations later ("gee, I really didn't want to pay until X was done" ..... or "gee, I really thought I'd have your check so I could make payroll"). Both parties have the same expectations, and as a homeowner it makes it easier to manage cash flow.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Life expectancy of house components
Here's an informative piece on how long the various parts of your house can be expected to last. One of the points made in the article is that regular maintenance will extend the life of the parts of your house. I recently wrote on maintenance for my dishwasher and washer and dryer.
This is the first home I've owned, and I am continually surprised by the massive amount of time it takes to maintain it. We have a fairly small house (1,100 square feet), but houses simply have a lot of maintenance. We have ivy, ficus, bamboo and palm trees outside that all need regular trimming (only the bamboo was our choice, the rest was here when we bought). All of the wood (doors, gates, decking, trim) outside needs regular refinishing. Inside, all the appliances require maintenance. The tile needs periodic resealing. The hard water we have leaves deposits on anything it touches.
I enjoy being a homeowner, but there sure is a lot of work just to keep it in proper shape. Many times when I talk to people thinking of buying a house, they are shocked by what I tell them. Owning a house is great for some people, but I think it's a good idea to think about how much time you are willing to spend on maintenance. Maintenance seems to take more time on older homes too, so that should factor in as well.
This is the first home I've owned, and I am continually surprised by the massive amount of time it takes to maintain it. We have a fairly small house (1,100 square feet), but houses simply have a lot of maintenance. We have ivy, ficus, bamboo and palm trees outside that all need regular trimming (only the bamboo was our choice, the rest was here when we bought). All of the wood (doors, gates, decking, trim) outside needs regular refinishing. Inside, all the appliances require maintenance. The tile needs periodic resealing. The hard water we have leaves deposits on anything it touches.
I enjoy being a homeowner, but there sure is a lot of work just to keep it in proper shape. Many times when I talk to people thinking of buying a house, they are shocked by what I tell them. Owning a house is great for some people, but I think it's a good idea to think about how much time you are willing to spend on maintenance. Maintenance seems to take more time on older homes too, so that should factor in as well.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Tips on calling in sick
I've written before about guidelines for being professional, and calling in sick properly is part being a professional. Here is a list of tips for calling in sick:
Calling in sick: here's how it's done
These are all good tips, but the one that really stands out for me is this:
"DON'T give your supervisor all the gory details of your illness, pain and suffering. It smacks of exaggeration. Make the call short and to the point."
As someone who has taken sick calls from others, I can tell you your supervisor will appreciate being spared the details! Gross descriptions of what's wrong with you will not bolster your credibility, make your calling in sick any less disruptive, or gain you any sympathy. You can use a vague term such as "under the weather" or just "sick," but at most use a broad category such as flu, cold or bad back. If your condition is embarrassing or personal, it may be tempting to lie but don't. If you get caught, it will hurt your credibility. It's better to be unspecific and allow your company to ask for more information if someone wants it.
Be sure to read up on your company's sick policy - you may find unexpected benefits. I once worked for a non-profit that allowed you to use sick time for regular medical and dental appointments. Some companies allow you to use sick time when someone in your care is sick as well.
From the employer's side, many companies could do a better job of allowing employees to call in sick. I worked the first few years of my career for big corporations and although the written policy was that sick time was allowed, it was clearly frowned upon. You were simply expected to be at work unless you were in the hospital. I went to work many times with a fever or flu that was probably contagious rather than call in sick. Later, I changed careers and worked in social services in a facility that served a large number of homeless people. In this setting, both staff and clients got sick a lot and we had a generous number of sick days. At first, I was sent home several times for being at work while sick. It took me about a year before I made the adjustment to realize that this organization really didn't want you at work when you are sick. Having been in both situations, I can tell you that I felt much more valued by the second organization.
Calling in sick: here's how it's done
These are all good tips, but the one that really stands out for me is this:
"DON'T give your supervisor all the gory details of your illness, pain and suffering. It smacks of exaggeration. Make the call short and to the point."
As someone who has taken sick calls from others, I can tell you your supervisor will appreciate being spared the details! Gross descriptions of what's wrong with you will not bolster your credibility, make your calling in sick any less disruptive, or gain you any sympathy. You can use a vague term such as "under the weather" or just "sick," but at most use a broad category such as flu, cold or bad back. If your condition is embarrassing or personal, it may be tempting to lie but don't. If you get caught, it will hurt your credibility. It's better to be unspecific and allow your company to ask for more information if someone wants it.
Be sure to read up on your company's sick policy - you may find unexpected benefits. I once worked for a non-profit that allowed you to use sick time for regular medical and dental appointments. Some companies allow you to use sick time when someone in your care is sick as well.
From the employer's side, many companies could do a better job of allowing employees to call in sick. I worked the first few years of my career for big corporations and although the written policy was that sick time was allowed, it was clearly frowned upon. You were simply expected to be at work unless you were in the hospital. I went to work many times with a fever or flu that was probably contagious rather than call in sick. Later, I changed careers and worked in social services in a facility that served a large number of homeless people. In this setting, both staff and clients got sick a lot and we had a generous number of sick days. At first, I was sent home several times for being at work while sick. It took me about a year before I made the adjustment to realize that this organization really didn't want you at work when you are sick. Having been in both situations, I can tell you that I felt much more valued by the second organization.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The wrinkle care setting on the dryer
After yesterday's post on maintaining your washer and dryer, I wanted to share one more tip on getting the most from your laundry machines. My dryer has a setting called wrinkle care, and I never even knew it! What it does is continue to spin the clothes periodically after they are done drying in order to keep them from wrinkling. What a great feature! I use this a lot when the dryer will finish while I am busy with something else and don't want to interrupt what I am doing. For safety, you should not operate the dryer or any other appliance when you are not home or not nearby. In the event of a fire or water leak, you'll want to be able to address it right away.
Be sure to read the manual for your washer and dryer - I've found all sorts of great features I didn't know I had.
Be sure to read the manual for your washer and dryer - I've found all sorts of great features I didn't know I had.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Maintaining your washer and dryer
Did you know that your washer and dryer need regular maintenance? I never knew this and never thought about it. I've lived most of my adult life in apartments where presumably someone else did the maintenance. The one time prior to this house that I owned a place, I never thought about it. I was surprised to learn that regular maintenance is a really good idea.
Consult the manufacturer of your machines, but for mine, here is the recommended maintenance:
Dryer -
Clean the lint screen - this is the same process that should be done before drying every load. Remove the lint from the lint screen using your fingers.
Wash the lint screen - buildup can occur on the screen which makes it less able to catch lint. Wash it with a brush.
Clean the exhaust duct - some quick reading online reveals that built up lint in the exhaust duct can be a fire hazard. Have the duct professionally cleaned, or use a flexible duct brush on the end of a long wire (look for a dryer cleaning kit).
Inspect the exhaust duct hood - This is the cover of the duct where the duct vents outside. It should be inspected for damage and to make sure it still protects the duct.
Clean the lint trap using a vacuum cleaner attachment - There is a small attachment for the vacuum used for cleaning this area. The lint screen keeps a lot of the lint from entering the lint trap, but to get anything that does slip through, this attachment can be used on the vacuum.
Washer -
Clean the soap dispenser - I was able to completely remove this, and was grossed out to see that soap residue was now a black film. It took quite a bit of hand scrubbing, but I eventually got it clean.
Clean the water filter - I didn't even know I had a water filter here, but according to the manual I only need to clean it when an error message shows on the display panel or when the machine is pulled out.
Clean drain pump filter - This is a filter that catches objects that are in the water that is draining from the machine. I had to drain several small containers of murky water first, and when I pulled the filter itself out, it was nasty! There was hair, wood chips, a small nail and lots of black, smelly goo. Again, it took a lot of scrubbing in hot water but it did come clean.
Both washer and dryer -
Wipe outside
Clean windows
Clean inside of drum - the manual for my machine suggests that the drum be wiped out regularly, especially if you have hard water.
I put this together based on the recommendations for my washer and dryer. I suggest either hiring a professional to do your regular maintenance or carefully following the manufacturer's instructions. As much as this was not fun, somewhat gross and took a while (about 2 hours), I was really glad to know that my washer and dryer are clean inside and out. I had noticed the clothes didn't seem to be getting as clean and had a slight unfresh smell (not exactly bad, but not like clean laundry), but after the maintenance both machines are working better. I did my first maintenance after having the machines for a year and a half and there are only 2 adults and 2 dogs here, so I'm sure that heavier users may see more accumulated dirt than I did.
Consult the manufacturer of your machines, but for mine, here is the recommended maintenance:
Dryer -
Clean the lint screen - this is the same process that should be done before drying every load. Remove the lint from the lint screen using your fingers.
Wash the lint screen - buildup can occur on the screen which makes it less able to catch lint. Wash it with a brush.
Clean the exhaust duct - some quick reading online reveals that built up lint in the exhaust duct can be a fire hazard. Have the duct professionally cleaned, or use a flexible duct brush on the end of a long wire (look for a dryer cleaning kit).
Inspect the exhaust duct hood - This is the cover of the duct where the duct vents outside. It should be inspected for damage and to make sure it still protects the duct.
Clean the lint trap using a vacuum cleaner attachment - There is a small attachment for the vacuum used for cleaning this area. The lint screen keeps a lot of the lint from entering the lint trap, but to get anything that does slip through, this attachment can be used on the vacuum.
Washer -
Clean the soap dispenser - I was able to completely remove this, and was grossed out to see that soap residue was now a black film. It took quite a bit of hand scrubbing, but I eventually got it clean.
Clean the water filter - I didn't even know I had a water filter here, but according to the manual I only need to clean it when an error message shows on the display panel or when the machine is pulled out.
Clean drain pump filter - This is a filter that catches objects that are in the water that is draining from the machine. I had to drain several small containers of murky water first, and when I pulled the filter itself out, it was nasty! There was hair, wood chips, a small nail and lots of black, smelly goo. Again, it took a lot of scrubbing in hot water but it did come clean.
Both washer and dryer -
Wipe outside
Clean windows
Clean inside of drum - the manual for my machine suggests that the drum be wiped out regularly, especially if you have hard water.
I put this together based on the recommendations for my washer and dryer. I suggest either hiring a professional to do your regular maintenance or carefully following the manufacturer's instructions. As much as this was not fun, somewhat gross and took a while (about 2 hours), I was really glad to know that my washer and dryer are clean inside and out. I had noticed the clothes didn't seem to be getting as clean and had a slight unfresh smell (not exactly bad, but not like clean laundry), but after the maintenance both machines are working better. I did my first maintenance after having the machines for a year and a half and there are only 2 adults and 2 dogs here, so I'm sure that heavier users may see more accumulated dirt than I did.
Gilled Desserts
I was really intrigued by this article on using your grill to make dessert. It's filled with great ideas for grilled desserts that I, at least, had never thought of. Some of the desserts sound pretty high-calorie though, and I want to add my own low-calorie version of a simple, grilled dessert.
Start with juicy, ripe peaches (you can use other fruit as well). Skin the peach as follows:
Cut a small "x" on the non-stem end. Cook the peach for 1 minute in a pot of boiling water and immediately dunk it into an ice bath to stop the cooking. The skin should peel off easily beginning at the "x."
Slice the peach and remove the pit. Grill both sides at low temperature.
This simple recipe was absolutely delicious, rich and sweet. As described in the article, the sugar caramelizes and the grilling enhances the flavor. It tastes like something much more fattening than it is. If you are not concerned with calories, you may want to add soy ice cream (you could use regular, but as a vegan I use soy ice cream), and/or serve the peaches with waffles or cookies.
Enjoy!
Start with juicy, ripe peaches (you can use other fruit as well). Skin the peach as follows:
Cut a small "x" on the non-stem end. Cook the peach for 1 minute in a pot of boiling water and immediately dunk it into an ice bath to stop the cooking. The skin should peel off easily beginning at the "x."
Slice the peach and remove the pit. Grill both sides at low temperature.
This simple recipe was absolutely delicious, rich and sweet. As described in the article, the sugar caramelizes and the grilling enhances the flavor. It tastes like something much more fattening than it is. If you are not concerned with calories, you may want to add soy ice cream (you could use regular, but as a vegan I use soy ice cream), and/or serve the peaches with waffles or cookies.
Enjoy!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Perfectly good
On Thursday, I linked to an essay by author and programmer Paul Graham on stuff. Professional Organizer Jeri Dansky (whose blog I love), pointed out a very thought provoking part of this essay:
"Beware of anything you find yourself describing as 'perfectly good' "
So true!
This reminds me of when we were clearing out the massive amounts of junk (and it was truly junk) left behind by the prior owner of our house. There were piles everywhere of old papers, moldy clothes, a bucket of rusty keys, etc. People would often "advise" me on what to do with all this stuff - sell it, donate it, etc. The dreaded "perfectly good" phrase came up often, as in "You shouldn't throw that away, it's perfectly good." Or, "You should donate (or sell) that, it's perfectly good." What's funny to me is what people think is perfectly good. As Paul Graham implies, most of the junk was anything but perfectly good. It was filthy, moldy, missing parts, rusty, incomplete, etc.
The other really funny thing was that after this happened a few times, my response became "You are welcome to come take anything you want before I trash it." Nobody took me up on it! It's funny how someone's assessment of what is worth keeping is different when they are not doing the keeping.
For the record, I did not donate any of the junk. There was a lot of mold and general filth on everything left here, and I did not want to take the risk of sickening someone or contaminating someone else's space. It took six months, but all of it got disposed of appropriately (toxic waste dump, recycled, construction dumpster, etc).
"Beware of anything you find yourself describing as 'perfectly good' "
So true!
This reminds me of when we were clearing out the massive amounts of junk (and it was truly junk) left behind by the prior owner of our house. There were piles everywhere of old papers, moldy clothes, a bucket of rusty keys, etc. People would often "advise" me on what to do with all this stuff - sell it, donate it, etc. The dreaded "perfectly good" phrase came up often, as in "You shouldn't throw that away, it's perfectly good." Or, "You should donate (or sell) that, it's perfectly good." What's funny to me is what people think is perfectly good. As Paul Graham implies, most of the junk was anything but perfectly good. It was filthy, moldy, missing parts, rusty, incomplete, etc.
The other really funny thing was that after this happened a few times, my response became "You are welcome to come take anything you want before I trash it." Nobody took me up on it! It's funny how someone's assessment of what is worth keeping is different when they are not doing the keeping.
For the record, I did not donate any of the junk. There was a lot of mold and general filth on everything left here, and I did not want to take the risk of sickening someone or contaminating someone else's space. It took six months, but all of it got disposed of appropriately (toxic waste dump, recycled, construction dumpster, etc).
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Paul Graham on Stuff
This is an excellent, short essay on stuff by author and programmer Paul Graham. He makes some great points and uses some personal experience as examples. One thing that really resonated with me was the idea that too much stuff is stressful because we use brain energy to map our surroundings:
"I think humans constantly scan their environment to build a mental model of what's around them. And the harder a scene is to parse, the less energy you have left for conscious thoughts. A cluttered room is literally exhausting."
I have long thought this, but was unable to put it into words as well as he does here. I am naturally observant, and tend to take in a lot of information about my surroundings. I feel very stressed in a cluttered environment and it greatly impairs my productivity and serenity. I fell comfortable and soothed with lots of empty spaces. When something is not put away, it triggers an open loop in my brain, e.g. "that needs to be put away."
I actually go to great lengths to keep my space uncluttered; for example, I take out the blender, coffeepot and grinder every morning and put them away every day. The grinder gets used twice a day (we grind flax seeds for us and the dogs, not coffee) and I value my clear counter top so greatly that it is worth it to me to take it out and put it away twice every day.
In some ways, clear spaces are easier for me to maintain. I know when I am done my daily straightening of the kitchen when all the surfaces are clear of things and wiped down. It's a snap to clean and polish my countertops (I regularly wax them because they are made of concrete) because there is nothing on them. When I am ready to cook, my prep space is clean and ready to be used.
Whatever your preference, I think this is a useful concept.
"I think humans constantly scan their environment to build a mental model of what's around them. And the harder a scene is to parse, the less energy you have left for conscious thoughts. A cluttered room is literally exhausting."
I have long thought this, but was unable to put it into words as well as he does here. I am naturally observant, and tend to take in a lot of information about my surroundings. I feel very stressed in a cluttered environment and it greatly impairs my productivity and serenity. I fell comfortable and soothed with lots of empty spaces. When something is not put away, it triggers an open loop in my brain, e.g. "that needs to be put away."
I actually go to great lengths to keep my space uncluttered; for example, I take out the blender, coffeepot and grinder every morning and put them away every day. The grinder gets used twice a day (we grind flax seeds for us and the dogs, not coffee) and I value my clear counter top so greatly that it is worth it to me to take it out and put it away twice every day.
In some ways, clear spaces are easier for me to maintain. I know when I am done my daily straightening of the kitchen when all the surfaces are clear of things and wiped down. It's a snap to clean and polish my countertops (I regularly wax them because they are made of concrete) because there is nothing on them. When I am ready to cook, my prep space is clean and ready to be used.
Whatever your preference, I think this is a useful concept.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Weighing myself daily
There are many different opinions on how often to weigh yourself. Some people think weekly is best and some use other intervals. What works best for me it weigh myself daily, on my digital scale that shows body fat percentage as well. This is my regimen whether I am in a weight loss mode or in a maintenance mode.
I am familiar with the arguments against doing this. For some people, it can lead to an unhealthy obsession with their weight. For others, their morning numbers can ruin or make great a whole day. Other people argue that 24 hours isn't enough time to see results and that a longer interval is necessary. Some people get too focused on making the numbers go down rather than making healthy lifestyle changes.
I have found, through many years of experimentation, that a daily weigh in works best for me. I think the most effective part is that it keeps me immediately accountable for my actions. It's easy to indulge on a Saturday night knowing my next weigh in isn't until next Saturday morning. If I have to face the effects of too much salt, fat and processed junk food in 12 hours, I'm much less likely to eat it. I can see right away if I've creeped up for a few days in a row, rather than seeing it almost a week from now. I know if I am a little high for a few days in a row, that I need to make a course correction. The good thing about this for me is that it's a minor correction - the weight gaining behavior has only been going on a few days and has only caused a small gain. If I see a high number on a weekly weigh in, it's easy for me to dismiss it and by the time it shows a pattern I have a week or more of damage to undo rather than just a few days.
How often do you weigh yourself? Why?
I am familiar with the arguments against doing this. For some people, it can lead to an unhealthy obsession with their weight. For others, their morning numbers can ruin or make great a whole day. Other people argue that 24 hours isn't enough time to see results and that a longer interval is necessary. Some people get too focused on making the numbers go down rather than making healthy lifestyle changes.
I have found, through many years of experimentation, that a daily weigh in works best for me. I think the most effective part is that it keeps me immediately accountable for my actions. It's easy to indulge on a Saturday night knowing my next weigh in isn't until next Saturday morning. If I have to face the effects of too much salt, fat and processed junk food in 12 hours, I'm much less likely to eat it. I can see right away if I've creeped up for a few days in a row, rather than seeing it almost a week from now. I know if I am a little high for a few days in a row, that I need to make a course correction. The good thing about this for me is that it's a minor correction - the weight gaining behavior has only been going on a few days and has only caused a small gain. If I see a high number on a weekly weigh in, it's easy for me to dismiss it and by the time it shows a pattern I have a week or more of damage to undo rather than just a few days.
How often do you weigh yourself? Why?
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Getting your rental deposit back
Here is a great article from the LA Times on documenting the condition of your rental when you move in so that you don't pay for damage you didn't do when you move out. I've done some of the things suggested, but this article provides a very thorough list of things to document. It does not mention taking pictures though, which I would do as well.
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