We're Poor

According to Paul Graham, "the poorer people are, the more stuff they seem to have." Or is it because our abode is so small it seems like we have so many things? Nah, we got too many stuff, including statements that date back to who knows when.

And unless you're extremely organized, a house full of stuff can be very depressing. A cluttered room saps one's spirits. One reason, obviously, is that there's less room for people in a room full of stuff. But there's more going on than that. 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.

(This could explain why clutter doesn't seem to bother kids as much as adults. Kids are less perceptive. They build a coarser model of their surroundings, and this consumes less energy.)

Been trying to declutter 'cause it actually does cause me to feel like my spirits are sapped, depressed, and even exhausted. MSO can't understand why I get all frustrated when I see like five empty milk cartons around the sink that he's saving for his mother. Or why it's bothersome to see a desk chair in our child's room when all it's doing is holding his clothes. Yeah, I shouldn't sweat the small stuff but this explains it. =S

Lifehacker Lover

Does anyone else think this is a wondrous site? It's filled with all types of goodies that help you, well, "geek to live" as they say.

One of today's posts, Learn the finer points of puncuation, contained a link to this article about "10 flagrant grammar mistakes". I know I've been guilty of some of these but this is a big pet peeve that you probably see on a daily basis. So take note the correct ways 'cause you don't want to look stupid, do you? Go ahead and share others that you have encountered.

Another post that we just may have to try out in our cabinets involves 2x4s. Cheaper than purchsing those slide out types of baskets that we were looking to get. The clutter of cans can be overwhelming, especially when you keep buying something that you already have at the back of the cabinet. Makes you almost want to create a spreadsheet using Docs & Spreadsheets to keep track of the cabinet's contents. =)

I'll now get my overload of cuteness to help me through the week...

Maybe Down To Earth

Made my way to the Pearlridge Down To Earth store yesterday and as soon as I walked into the door I could just smell the healthiness. Or maybe it was all that aromatherapy crap by the door. It's a rather small store with rather small and short aisles. One small annoyance is that it felt as though I was constantly moving out of the way for their employees who were in numbers. Everywhere I turned there was an employee. Whether restocking, helping a customer, or just standing there, one was unfortunately where I wanted to be.

Another small annoyance was that one of the employees asked me if I needed help looking for something. I politely informed him that I didn't need help and that I was just looking. His reply of "Okaay." rubbed me the wrong way as it implied that I should be asking for his help and that I was missing out on his grandiose, exceptional knowledge of the health and beauty products we were surrounded by. Whatever.

Then, I finally head to the cashier with my basket full of organic and no-meat products only to be rung up by a multitasking employee, eating chips from a container right next to the register (Yuck, touching dirty $$$!), answering every call that comes in and transferring those calls, and looking closely at the products to see where the barcodes are in order to ring them up thus taking longer. (Maybe he's new or maybe he just can't remember where barcodes are on the products that he constantly rings up.)

Oh, and to finish off the transaction, he doesn't even hand me my receipt. It's left on the counter for me to pick up myself! Guess I should be appreciative that he wished me a nice evening. Not!

I just left there feeling like what the hell just happened. I also thought of another store that I could go to for the type of products that they sell and I came across a possible meaty alternative to Down To Earth. We'll see.

Multipurpose Painter's Tape

In an everlasting attempt to get MSO to multitask, we've enlisted the temporary (I hope!) help of some painter's tape to hold up what we hope will help. Say that fast three times! This is our new 60-day dry-erase planner to keep track of all the appointments, deadlines, classes, etc. that will just increase as time goes on.

And what great coincidence it is that Gee Why directed me to this Lifehacker post about how to resourcefully use some painter's tape to babyproof a hotel room. Painter's tape is awesome! So awesome that it still remains on a light fixture as part of the decor in the bedroom.

Super Mom Lessons

In a previous post I had mentioned an article titled "Stop Trying to Be Super Mommy" which was in the January 2007 issue of Parents. I finally read it and I suppose I should be thankful for the forewarning by the mother of two who suffered and recovered from a near-fatal cardiac arrest. Just as she did, I feel like as a mom I do have to do mostly everything and my family comes first.

She writes about her experience and the lifestyle leading to it, and provides five lessons learned that she says applies to every mom cause

No matter how expert you are at the motherhood juggling act, it's impossible to follow through on every responsibility when you're sick or convalescing. We have to let things fall apart just enough so that we can put ourselves back together. And when we let that happen, we discover something truly amazing: Everything is just fine. We learn that we're not indispensable, and while this may bruise our ego, it's a great boon to our health.

For me it's not so much a bruising of the ego but more a situation of getting things done 'cause if I don't do them they probably won't get done even if I ask. =S

Here are the five lessons:

LESSON #1: Adjust Your Standards - Asking for help from your spouse or your friends can be effective, but lowering your standards can be more beneficial.

I'm truly guilty of not allowing TV (only sports occasionally) or the dishes to pile up in the sink. What can I say? There are supposed to be other activities besides TV, and the dishes are needed tomorrow and there won't be time to wash them in the morning.

MSO won't wash the one cup in the sink 'cause he feels like he should wait till there are four so that he can wash them all one time. I feel like it's faster to wash the one and have four clean cups available rather than to wait and wash the four in a rush 'cause there are no clean cups available.


LESSON #2: Figure Out What Really Matters, and Forget the Rest - Does worrying about what your kids are wearing to school, what they have in their lunch box, and what foods are in the cupboards really that important? Are Post-it instruction notes really necessary for your spouse?

It was almost as if I was reading about myself. I try to put the clothes for the next day on the dresser, and pack the bags. This is to help save MSO time in the morning 'cause he probably never leaves at the same time each day (read: he's always late!).

I also put Post-it notes for MSO when I don't have time to do something or to remind him about something.


LESSON #3: Make a New To-Do List - Review your to-do list and decipher what is optional vs. obligatory.

For me there's always a list of things to do. In my mind much of it is required and all I can do is whittle away at it. Naps? Hah! Sometimes. Tired and cranky? Most of the time.


LESSON #4: Don't Freak About Fast Food - Your kids won't be condemned to a life of sloth and girth if they eat from fast-food restaurants.

Never heard that saying about moms keeping the fast-food industry afloat. I thought that MSO was doing that during his lunch time. I'm no Rachael Ray or Martha Stewart, but I'm really trying to discover quick, healthy meals to prepare during our hectic week. As much as I can I won't turn to the Colonel, the pizza guy, and Ronald. Just this past weekend I was the mean mommy who turned down a St. Patrick's Day cookie that was offered.


LESSON #5: Feel the Joy of Being a Mom - When the difference between options and obligations are understood, the tasks that you take on that really do matter can bring great joy.

As much as I worry about so many things as a mother, I do feel that joy when I see the changes as well as the cute and quirky actions. Makes you wanna do it all over again...Hah!

Living The TV Star Life

We got baby's Shape-O® Toy aka "classic rattle, shape-sorter and counting toy," and my Open House™ Chip ’N Dip bowl that "provides easy access to dips and salsa". Tori Spelling just had a coed baby shower sponsored by Tupperware, and she and her husband (Who is this guy and what does he do?! He's in almost every picture with her.) are pictured here with those items. And yes, that Tupperware. So I'm feeling like a TV star. Okay, maybe not. I don't have any TV shows or never starred in Beverly Hills 90210 which I have to say MSO did watch religiously. =)

Are You Really Gonna Use It?

A pet peeve that I have in the abode is not with the pet (for the most part) but with MSO and his ability to keep things, rather little bits of things around till it goes bad, mold grows on it, it collects into an almost unmanageable pile, whatever, and I find it.

Take this darn bottle of Listerine or lack of it. It was in the cabinet in this state for who knows how long. I asked him if he's going to use it. He says he is. I'm speechless...almost.

Another thing he's left bits of is food which he keeps saying he'll eat later but might result in a satiate bird. But not before they collect mold in the refrigerator. Cleaning out the refrigerator has become a regular chore for me every now and then. Just throw it away!


LATEST: This is a perfect example of the itty bitty bits of food that MSO just can't seem to finish 'cause he's full, and will even go so far as to put it in a container and into the refrigerator...to sit and sit and sit and sit and sit there till I end up throwing it out.