First of all, let me say that I'm writing this post as a way to get a lot off my chest. If you think it's about you, maybe it is and maybe it isn't. It's not about attacking anything or anyone, it's just my feels at 7am and my stream of consciousness.
I was going to post about Mackinac Island, and I will, but I wanted to post about this first. Recently, one of my favorite people decided that they couldn't handle Facebook any more - too many sad stories, too much politics, etc. Some of my other friends have noticeably declined in their use as well over the years, whether that's due to privacy concerns, being careful because of jobs, or just getting tired of it. The favorite person who dropped off Facebook also recently told me that they were having more email, text, and phone calls with people, and that it was great and that Facebook wasn't missed at all. I'm really happy for the people that they are reaching out to and making the effort to keep in touch with (I'm not one of them, unless I initiate the conversation first).
Here's the thing about Facebook: love it or hate it, for me it's a way to keep in touch pretty easily. I know lots of people that are all like, "I don't give a crap what you ate for breakfast." I get it. I have friends that post about every workout, about every accomplishment that their kid has and how much earlier they did that than your kid, about the gourmet dinner that they made. I have friends with whom I heartily disagree on matters of religion and politics. But I feel connected to them. I have friends from all over the country and some in other countries. Yeah, maybe posts about breakfast or dinner are mundane, but at least I know one more thing about that person than I did before I looked at Facebook. Because let me ask you, exactly how many people really keep in touch in ways other than social media? I'm just as guilty. I call one person multiple times a week - my mom. Maybe I should reach out more in more old-fashioned ways, but I feel like I share a lot on Facebook, certainly the best parts of my days, and that goes to 90% of my friends, if they choose to look. Social media makes it feel a little bit more that relationships aren't one-sided. A little less like you're always the one initiating, or always waiting for that phone call.
I was approaching a point this summer when I thought about leaving social media. Political posts, guilting posts (you clearly don't care enough about X,Y,Z), just all the negativity got to me. But then I made a conscious effort not to get sucked in. I quit clicking on posts that I knew would only upset me. It's social media, not earth-shattering news. And my feed did change. There are some of those posts that pop up regularly, but mostly it's more updates on friends' lives, kids, pets, funny stories, and it's a happier place to be. And I do enjoy some of the stuff that pisses me off. I have some friends from high school that are very right wing, and in case you haven't noticed, I'm a flaming liberal. But I like some of their posts, and I even comment sometimes, because I enjoy a good intellectual debate sometimes. I have colleagues - people that work in the same relatively small university as me - who I feel that I know so much better because of what they post on Facebook. Maybe I should have lunch with them more often, or maybe I should go sit in their office, but honestly, time gets in the way sometimes. So I enjoy "getting to know them" in a different way.
I get sick of people blaming our breakdown of society on social media. Yeah, it can be frustrating, but I'm sure people said that when the telephone was invented that letter writing would go out the window. Communication methods change.
I guess I'll stop ranting now and get off my soapbox. I leave you with this - don't be stupid about Facebook or other social media - no drunken half naked pictures of yourself, please. But quit being so skeptical. Tell me how your day was, what's on your mind, to pray for your grandma, or just what you had for breakfast. Put on your tinfoil hat and get out there, people!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
One week in a capsule
This post is about the capsule wardrobe concept. I figured one week in, I'd review it and tell you what I've learned so far, and what I've liked and not liked.
The concept: You get 37 items in your capsule for 3 months, including shoes and accessories. You don't have to count underwear, workout wear, or stuff you don't leave the house in.
My version - I have around 39 pieces. It's a big transition time here in Kansas and we've had temperature spans of 40 degrees in the past week, which really sucks for trying to narrow down your options. I counted 3 sweaters in there, but in the next 3 months, I will probably have to hit my sweater stash hard. At that point, I'll put away my lighter clothes. Also, I didn't count tank tops or leggings, since I wear those under other things. And I did limit my shoes, but not my jewelry or scarves. In the strictest versions, 33 or 37 or whatever is it, including jewelry.
On cleaning out your closet: You are supposed to take out every piece of clothing and every pair of shoes out, lay it out, and sort it into donate/sell, maybe/off-season, and capsule piles.
My version: I actually did this. I have 2 large trash bags bound for Goodwill. It was actually easy, once I faced up to my packrat tendencies. One thing that drew me to this concept was the reality check that was supposed to come with it. You aren't going to wear that "someday." You bought the blouse a year ago, and you hate it, get rid of it. Someone else will love it. Stop hanging on to the shirt/jeans/shorts that haven't fit in forever. It was kinda cathartic, actually. I also liked that there was a maybe pile. I don't want to get rid of everything! I have 2 maybe piles - a summer/spring and a winter. We have seasons here, what can I say.
Things I've learned so far: I have a crap-ton of black clothing. I made fun of New Yorkers all the time when I lived there, but apparently now I dress like a native. So, right now, my options are limited. With the weather in the high 80's last week and only about 1/3 of my 39 pieces suitable for hot weather, I felt very limited. And I'm feeling like I wear the same things over and over. But this week I'm headed to MI with highs in the 60's, so I am excited to really bust out some more interesting stuff.
What it's done for me so far: It hasn't magically made me more stylish. I haven't woken up and exclaimed that I have found a whole new way to pair that shirt with those pants. It has made me realize that I have a ton of black and that I take the concept of basic tops to a whole new level. So, that's useful - the next time I go shopping, I'm going to look outside my comfort zone! Add a little color to my shirts. Maybe try a pattern - who knows? I'll be a wild woman. I do think packing for the MI trip will take me 10 minutes. It's also really made me think about shopping and what I'd buy if I did go in a much more conscientious way.
Overall: I think right now there are more plusses than minuses, but I have to say, I"m ready for the weather to cool off so I can bust out the fall shoes, the sweaters, the scarves. I'll check in when the weather changes and let you know. :) In the meantime, I will wear my black t-shirts, my black dresses, my black tanks, and embrace my inner Morticia.
The concept: You get 37 items in your capsule for 3 months, including shoes and accessories. You don't have to count underwear, workout wear, or stuff you don't leave the house in.
My version - I have around 39 pieces. It's a big transition time here in Kansas and we've had temperature spans of 40 degrees in the past week, which really sucks for trying to narrow down your options. I counted 3 sweaters in there, but in the next 3 months, I will probably have to hit my sweater stash hard. At that point, I'll put away my lighter clothes. Also, I didn't count tank tops or leggings, since I wear those under other things. And I did limit my shoes, but not my jewelry or scarves. In the strictest versions, 33 or 37 or whatever is it, including jewelry.
On cleaning out your closet: You are supposed to take out every piece of clothing and every pair of shoes out, lay it out, and sort it into donate/sell, maybe/off-season, and capsule piles.
My version: I actually did this. I have 2 large trash bags bound for Goodwill. It was actually easy, once I faced up to my packrat tendencies. One thing that drew me to this concept was the reality check that was supposed to come with it. You aren't going to wear that "someday." You bought the blouse a year ago, and you hate it, get rid of it. Someone else will love it. Stop hanging on to the shirt/jeans/shorts that haven't fit in forever. It was kinda cathartic, actually. I also liked that there was a maybe pile. I don't want to get rid of everything! I have 2 maybe piles - a summer/spring and a winter. We have seasons here, what can I say.
Things I've learned so far: I have a crap-ton of black clothing. I made fun of New Yorkers all the time when I lived there, but apparently now I dress like a native. So, right now, my options are limited. With the weather in the high 80's last week and only about 1/3 of my 39 pieces suitable for hot weather, I felt very limited. And I'm feeling like I wear the same things over and over. But this week I'm headed to MI with highs in the 60's, so I am excited to really bust out some more interesting stuff.
What it's done for me so far: It hasn't magically made me more stylish. I haven't woken up and exclaimed that I have found a whole new way to pair that shirt with those pants. It has made me realize that I have a ton of black and that I take the concept of basic tops to a whole new level. So, that's useful - the next time I go shopping, I'm going to look outside my comfort zone! Add a little color to my shirts. Maybe try a pattern - who knows? I'll be a wild woman. I do think packing for the MI trip will take me 10 minutes. It's also really made me think about shopping and what I'd buy if I did go in a much more conscientious way.
Overall: I think right now there are more plusses than minuses, but I have to say, I"m ready for the weather to cool off so I can bust out the fall shoes, the sweaters, the scarves. I'll check in when the weather changes and let you know. :) In the meantime, I will wear my black t-shirts, my black dresses, my black tanks, and embrace my inner Morticia.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
New Projects and 337
Dave and I have owned 4 houses together. Out of all of them, this is the one that feels permanent. Like we'll be here in 5 years, or 10, or 40. The last house was amazing and we loved it, but it started to feel small pretty soon after we had Ian (tiny person = so.much.stuff. Our houses in Alabama always felt temporary - probably because I was in grad school for most of living in them and we didn't know where the next move would take us. But this house is big, it's old, it has character, and it's in a great neighborhood. And we have no plans to move, have more kids, buy a combine (Ian wanted one last year and said we could keep it in the back yard), or get a pony. So we are working on the house, not with the intention of sprucing it up to sell, but for us. Oh, and we're doing the floors because our dogs are jerks and some of them mark in the spots that Shelby and Dolly had accidents.
So this weekend we tackled the dining room. I'm assuming the only people who read this blog are also my friends on FB, so you can see pics there, but needless to say, I'm pretty thrilled and proud of us!! Out of the 3 houses we've lived in with hardwood floors, these are the nicest by far. I can't wait to tackle the living room and sunroom. One room a weekend, though. :)
My other project is my closet and wardrobe. I'm going to simplify a little bit and become a nudist. Just kidding - ain't nobody want to see that. I'm going to try building a Capsule Wardrobe. I got the idea from a blog I read. Here's a great blog about it The 333 Project. There are slight variations - the blog I was first reading about it on uses 37 pieces of clothing. So you dump your whole wardrobe on your bed and sort it into "Love", "Maybe", and "Donate" piles. The love pile is stuff that you absolutely love, fits well, and is in good shape. If something is in the love pile, but is worn out, you can replace it. The maybe pile is stuff that you're not sure you want to get rid of - off-season clothing, sentimental stuff, things that you think you might wear again, and then the donate pile is stuff that you won't miss and don't wear.
So, for a 3 month period of time, you get to choose 33 (or 37) pieces. That includes shoes, and accessories. It is supposed to include jewelry (not sure if I can do that - might have to ease into that one)! It doesn't include workout clothes (that you only work out in), at-home loungewear, sleepwear, and socks and underwear. The concept behind is that most of us own so much that we have a hard time deciding what to wear and that having fewer pieces that all go together will make us more creative, stylish, and less consumed with having stuff. If you know me AT ALL, you know that I'm not a minimalist. I'm not a hoarder, but I am a firm believer in "someday, sometime" when I will certainly need that item I gave to Goodwill or sold at a yard sale. I am going to try this because a) I can still keep stuff - I just get it out of sight for awhile to see if I truly want it b) I am horrible about keeping stuff that doesn't quite fit, but almost fits, or I really hate the way that it fits but I can't give it away because I haven't worn it to death and c) I kind of am trying to figure out my own style when it comes to clothing. I'm in a job where the only requirement is that I come to work clothed. It's great and not great because there's so much freedom. I also like this idea because it works for people who live in a schizophrenic, multi-season climate. I was told when I moved here, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." And it's so true. Mom and I were just talking about how warm October was last year - right up until Halloween night where Ian had to trick-or-treat wearing snow pants under his costume. Right now is a transition time - it's blistering hot this weekend - might snow in two weeks. So I like that I will choose a few transitional pieces for my capsule for the next 3 months, and if I goof up, I just go to the attic and trade some stuff out.
I'll update later on what I choose. I haven't gone through the wardrobe yet. I have been thinking a lot about investing more into my wardrobe and spending more for quality as I replace things. For instance, I normally shop at Target and Old Navy. Nothing wrong with that, but I shop there sometimes purely because they're cheap. For things like jeans, I think I'm going to try a custom online service. For $30-40 at ON, I can get jeans that mostly, sorta fit. For $60, I can get jeans that are custom made for me. Pretty cool. But I'll still shop at the cheap places - I've gotten some great stuff there too, like my go-to LBD that really can be worn to work or a wedding. We'll see how it goes. :)
So that's just a little bit of what I've been up to this weekend. I hope you're having a great Labor Day weekend, whether that involves a BBQ or scrubbing floors.
So this weekend we tackled the dining room. I'm assuming the only people who read this blog are also my friends on FB, so you can see pics there, but needless to say, I'm pretty thrilled and proud of us!! Out of the 3 houses we've lived in with hardwood floors, these are the nicest by far. I can't wait to tackle the living room and sunroom. One room a weekend, though. :)
My other project is my closet and wardrobe. I'm going to simplify a little bit and become a nudist. Just kidding - ain't nobody want to see that. I'm going to try building a Capsule Wardrobe. I got the idea from a blog I read. Here's a great blog about it The 333 Project. There are slight variations - the blog I was first reading about it on uses 37 pieces of clothing. So you dump your whole wardrobe on your bed and sort it into "Love", "Maybe", and "Donate" piles. The love pile is stuff that you absolutely love, fits well, and is in good shape. If something is in the love pile, but is worn out, you can replace it. The maybe pile is stuff that you're not sure you want to get rid of - off-season clothing, sentimental stuff, things that you think you might wear again, and then the donate pile is stuff that you won't miss and don't wear.
So, for a 3 month period of time, you get to choose 33 (or 37) pieces. That includes shoes, and accessories. It is supposed to include jewelry (not sure if I can do that - might have to ease into that one)! It doesn't include workout clothes (that you only work out in), at-home loungewear, sleepwear, and socks and underwear. The concept behind is that most of us own so much that we have a hard time deciding what to wear and that having fewer pieces that all go together will make us more creative, stylish, and less consumed with having stuff. If you know me AT ALL, you know that I'm not a minimalist. I'm not a hoarder, but I am a firm believer in "someday, sometime" when I will certainly need that item I gave to Goodwill or sold at a yard sale. I am going to try this because a) I can still keep stuff - I just get it out of sight for awhile to see if I truly want it b) I am horrible about keeping stuff that doesn't quite fit, but almost fits, or I really hate the way that it fits but I can't give it away because I haven't worn it to death and c) I kind of am trying to figure out my own style when it comes to clothing. I'm in a job where the only requirement is that I come to work clothed. It's great and not great because there's so much freedom. I also like this idea because it works for people who live in a schizophrenic, multi-season climate. I was told when I moved here, "If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes." And it's so true. Mom and I were just talking about how warm October was last year - right up until Halloween night where Ian had to trick-or-treat wearing snow pants under his costume. Right now is a transition time - it's blistering hot this weekend - might snow in two weeks. So I like that I will choose a few transitional pieces for my capsule for the next 3 months, and if I goof up, I just go to the attic and trade some stuff out.
I'll update later on what I choose. I haven't gone through the wardrobe yet. I have been thinking a lot about investing more into my wardrobe and spending more for quality as I replace things. For instance, I normally shop at Target and Old Navy. Nothing wrong with that, but I shop there sometimes purely because they're cheap. For things like jeans, I think I'm going to try a custom online service. For $30-40 at ON, I can get jeans that mostly, sorta fit. For $60, I can get jeans that are custom made for me. Pretty cool. But I'll still shop at the cheap places - I've gotten some great stuff there too, like my go-to LBD that really can be worn to work or a wedding. We'll see how it goes. :)
So that's just a little bit of what I've been up to this weekend. I hope you're having a great Labor Day weekend, whether that involves a BBQ or scrubbing floors.
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