I love my schnauzers. I’ve never loved paying their grooming bills. Every seven weeks or so, I’d cough up $120 for the two of them to be washed and brushed and body clipped. And Luke, bless him, has anxiety. I used to think people who said their pets had anxiety were forcing human concepts onto animals, but he’s terrified of…
An honest review of Republic Wireless (after 937 days as a customer)
I’m a Mac user, so it was with some trepidation that I went back to an Android in 2017. But my iPhone’s battery was going, and if I replaced the phone, my existing $45/month didn’t-exist-anymore-but-we’ll-let-you-keep-it-if-you-give-us-your-soul Sprint plan would be defunct. I’d have to upgrade the plan and pay an extra monthly fee for having a smartphone (???), which was going…
Bedroom coffee station beats the snooze-button game
I’m not a morning person, but I’ve been especially terrible about waking up for the last month. Alexa is my alarm and it’s all too easy to say, “Alexa, snooze” over and over until it’s get-up-or-you’ll-be-late-for-work time. So last night in a fit of determination, I moved my coffee station to my bedroom, hoping that if all I had to…
Little ways to be kinder to yourself every day
It took me years to learn this: It’s not selfish to take care of yourself. It’s not selfish to take care of yourself! Part of taking care of yourself is treating yourself like you matter. Here are small ways to be kind to yourself throughout the day. Eat off of real plates. It only takes a moment to clean up…
What about Haida?
Yesterday afternoon, I checked out the book Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami. The lingering question in my mind, as I sat tear-streaked at the kitchen table, listening to the last notes of a classical piece that followed the recording, was, “What happened to Haida?”
How turmeric accidentally treated my depression
It started with a box of tea. Ginger, my evening go-to, was out of stock on Walmart’s website and rather than make a store run (an introvert’s nightmare) or go without (and suffer the inevitable dizziness that would follow–no thanks), I opted for a box of ginger and turmeric tea, which had positive reviews and was about the same price.…
Washing the last pan
My sister and I like to joke about the “last pan.” Both of us have a habit of leaving one dish in the sink–usually a frying pan, or the 6-quart saucepot. A big one that doesn’t fit in the drying rack. It takes ten seconds to spread a dish towel on the counter so it can dry alongside everything else, yet we both fight the impulse to leave that one last pan in the sink.
Finding time to do the things you really want
The most common excuse I hear from friends and family members when it comes to things like working out, learning another language, getting organized, or even reading a book is, “If only I had time.” I used to say it too. I used to say it a lot.
How I significantly cut back my monthly expenses
In 2014, I was left with a hefty mortgage, a house’s worth of utility bills, and two dogs. I’ve always had an innate drive to save money, so I wasn’t in immediate trouble, but I knew my expenses would quickly drain my bank account if I didn’t make some serious changes.
Why the Echo Dot is great for writers (and everyone)
Alexa (that’s one thing you can call her) is the closest I’ve gotten to my dream of a robot butler. Here’s why, as a human and a writer, I’m in love.