Use It Up!

In an effort to continue to reduce our level of "stuff" and to waste less, I've decided to impose the following rule: I am not allowed to buy more of something until I've used it up. I am particularly thinking of bath items. I have several bottles of partially used lotions, body wash, bath bubbles/salts... So I am not going to buy any more until all of them are gone. I also often buy shampoo and conditioner at the same time, when really I only needed the conditioner, so I end up with a stash of shampoos. No more! This concept can be applied to all sorts of items, of course. Lotion is just where I'm starting.

I also try to do this every now and then with groceries. Instead of planning my menu and then making my grocery list, I will look at what I already have in my cabinet and try to build a menu using the things I already have.

I did a google search for "use it up" and found a similar entry on Unclutterer. Of course this isn't an original idea. But that doesn't mean it's not a good one. Use it up!

Spring Fever

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"
~ Mark Twain

Loud Boys

I usually love singing along with my girls in the morning, but every now and then, it feels good to yell with the boys. Here's the lineup of songs that played on the radio during my morning commute. I screamed and sang and I am pumped up to start the day!

Beastie Boys - So Watcha Want
Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye
Pearl Jam - I Got ID
Social Distortion - Ring of Fire
Foo Fighters - Best of You
Puddle of Mudd - She Hates Me
Green Day - American Idiot
Muse - Starlight
Dropkick Murphys - I'm Shipping Up to Boston

Go Green - Beer

Okay, so you've said that you already turn off your lights, unplug your chargers, take short showers, use cold water in your washer, etc. You're ready for something more. Here's something else to think about.

Whenever someone says "buy local", it seems that most people tend to think of produce. And yes, we should all absolutely be trying to support our local farms and buying in-season produce as often as we can. But try expanding the "buy local" concept to other things you buy. For example...beer.

Drinking local micro-brews is not only more eco-friendly, but they also quite frankly taste better than most of the national brands. Yes, there are some good international beers, but try to save those for when you're on vacation. There are tons of very good choices close to home. I am lucky enough to live in New England, which has an abundance of good-quality beers. Some of my favorites include: Long Trail (VT), Gritty's (ME), Geary's (NH), Wachusett (MA), Otter Creek (VT) - and OC actually also has a very nice organic beer! Several of these companies are also very "green" themselves. Check out Long Trail's site as an example. Yes, I'm lucky. But most regions of the country have decent micro-brews. Check some out, find some favorites, and leave the Coors Light on the shelf next time.

Last beer tip for this week: Order draft when you're in a bar and save the bottle. Here is the tip from Ideal Bite: It also has links to sites where you can search for your own local beers.

Dining Room

I don't really have a good "before" picture to show, but trust me - this is a vast improvement! This room is already a nice place to be, and now we just need a couple finishing touches. I love the bowl my sister got me from Turkey on the buffet. We also put a couple plants back in the window. Just need a vase of flowers on the table and a picture on the wall. Ahhhhh...

Once

You've probably heard the music from "Once" at this point, at least the Oscar-winning song, "Falling Slowly". If you haven't seen the movie, I'd recommend it. The music is touching and beautiful, and the story is simple and sweet. It's the kind of movie that makes you smile, long after the movie ends. And if you haven't heard the music, give it a listen. The entire soundtrack is great, and the artists, Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (or Glen's band, The Frames), have other CDs that are worth a listen as well.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

One of my goals is to reduce the amount of "stuff" we have in the house, especially stuff we never use. It just ends up cluttering closets and rooms. I regularly give piles of things to the VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America). Not only is it a good cause, it's tax-deductible, and they come and pick up your stuff! They accept just about everything (clothes, shoes, dishes, toys, appliances, curtains, even jewelry or cosmetics). Here's the Donation Program Site for more information.


Here's another way to clear your space. Do you have stuff that you don't ever use but think nobody would want? Don't throw it away! Go to Freecycle, offer it up, and chances are, someone will want what you're offering. Seriously. Extra potting soil, or packing peanuts, or moving boxes, old halloween costumes, anything. I was able to freecycle a box of empty baby-food jars last year. You also never know what you might find out there - people in my network regularly offer up kids clothes, furniture, exercise equipment... Not that I need more stuff.

Pandora

As I mentioned previously, I am a sucker for girls with guitars. I love a lot of music, actually, and I love finding new music. Since becoming a mom, I haven't been able to spend as much time listening to and finding new music, and it's something that I miss. My sister is fabulous at providing me with new artists to check out, though, and she just passed along a very cool music site. It's called Pandora. Check it out! Basically, you put in the name of an artist or song that you like, and it plays a "radio" station for you that consists of music with similar styles. It's a great way to find new artists you may like but haven't heard of, but it's also just a great radio station to turn on when you're making dinner or hanging around the house.

The Full Monty

K and I were channel-surfing the other night, and we caught the last 15 minutes of The Full Monty. Have you seen this movie? It's such a good movie, and it makes me giggle and happy-cry every time. If you haven't seen it, put it on your list for the next time you're headed to the video store and can't seem to find anything worth watching. If you have seen it, I bet it's been several years, so put it on your list for the next time you're headed to the video store and can't seem to find anything worth watching.

Tift Merritt

I have a soft place in my heart for girls with guitars. They inspire me to make music. I love listening to their words and singing out loud with them. (I love a lot of boys with guitars, too, but I can't sing with them in quite the same way.) One of those girls is Tift Merritt. I just got her latest CD, Another Country, for my birthday, and I've spent the last week replaying it over and over in my car. It's been my "sing on the way to work" music, and I've enjoyed starting my days that way. I will admit that her previous album, Tambourine, will probably always be my favorite, but I love this one too.

My favorite song on the CD is #7, entitled "I Know What I'm Looking For Now". I particularly like this verse:

Everyone’s looking, they’re not sure at what,

Holding onto illusions like it’s all that they got,

Putting a mystery where a mystery is not,

Can you tell me why?

When you can light up a stranger just passing by,

Start revolutions with the glint in your eye,

Sing Hallelujah with a breath or a sigh

And still know the way home.

I know what I’m looking for now.

Pretty bathrooms

I actually hesitated to put the "before" shots out here, because I like keeping this site pretty, but it is good to remind ourselves of just how far we've come. Our old house is slowly but surely becoming a home...

Discussion Divas

As my brother once told me, we should strive to know "everything about something and something about everything". Well, of course this is a lofty goal, and I often find myself a bit overwhelmed. There's just too much going on in the world to stay on top of everything, and too much going on at home to spend a lot of time trying to stay informed. I do my best, watching the news occasionally, listening to NPR, and of course Jon Stewart helps. :-) I recently found a cool web site that allows you to sign up for a weekly newsletter. It focuses on one topic each week, and it summarizes the bigger picture of what's going on. For example, last week's topic was "China's Torch", and it talked about some of the dynamics leading up to the China games, including renewed violence and protests calling for Tibet's independence from China and how Beijing got the Summer Olympics to begin with. I've enjoyed getting the newsletters, and they only take a couple minutes to read. Check it out at http://www.discussiondivas.com/

Laughter

"the most wasted of all days is one without laughter." --e.e. cummings

Take a look at this and laugh. It's a good way to start a Monday morning. (Thank you, Em, for passing this along!)

Saturday_Night_Live/Annuale

I should also mention that I love Tina Fey. She is smart and funny and great - can't wait for more 30 Rock!

Michael Wolski

K and I take an annual trip to Vermont in the Fall. There really is nothing like Fall in New England. One of the things we enjoy doing is visiting the Hildene Craft Fair. It's full of beautiful things - paintings, pottery, clothes, soaps, blankets, jewelry, foods. One of the beautiful things we purchased there was a small painting by an artist named Michael Wolski. His paintings are beautiful - mostly of children playing outside in nature. They are joyful and peaceful. Check out his paintings and enjoy!

 via marmalade productions

Into the Wild

"Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth." — Chris McCandless, expanded on the original quote by Henry David Thoreau

Let me start by saying that I don't go to the movies anymore. I saw two movies at the theater in 2007. I guess that's a typical life with a baby. Anyway, the video availability has finally caught up with us - all those movies that came out in 2007 are now available for the viewing pleasure of us homebodies. So if my movie posts seem a bit dated, well that's just the way it goes.

We actually bought the soundtrack from Into the Wild before seeing the movie. The music is different from typical Pearl Jam - very raw and haunting. It's a short CD, and I'll admit that I didn't quite get it with the first listen, but as I listened to the words, I got drawn in by the music. It is sparse and vocal - a good CD for listening to in the car, particularly if you have the luxury of time and have nowhere to be. Eddie Vedder's voice is perfectly imperfect, and the lyrics are beautiful and thoughtful: "We have a greed, with which we have agreed...and you think you have to want more than you need...until you have it all, you won't be free. Society, you're a crazy breed. I hope you're not lonely, without me."

And then we saw the movie. Of course, I didn't realize it at the time, but the music really is the movie. They are one and the same. It is a remarkable and thought-provoking movie, and yes, sad too, but it's one that you can't really talk about afterwards. At least not until you've let it sink in. If you haven't seen it, see it. If you have, then you already know.

Simplify

Here is a page from the Eartheasy website that discusses ways to simplify your life. Check it out and see if you can find some ideas for yourself.

One other site I found here that excited me is http://www.catalogchoice.org/. I complain all the time about how much junk mail we get - annoying and awful for the environment as well. I do try to take the time to call catalog companies to get removed from their list, and it helps, but the next time I buy something, I end up right back on again. I guess we all have to be diligent about it, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this site will help make it easier for me to do so.

There are so many ways to simplify your life and help the environment at the same time. So I'll probably address this in future posts as well. I am far from totally "green", but as my friend S recently said, "being aware is a step in the right direction".

Serenity

"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." - Marianne Williamson

I have always been good at savoring great moments in life - whether it's watching a sunset, listening to the birds sing, laughing with friends, enjoying a good pint of beer, or screaming at a close basketball game. Life is too good to let it pass you by.

However, I have found it increasingly difficult to do this lately, so I have to remind myself and find new ways of finding peace throughout the day, often in places I wouldn't have appreciated in the past. For example, I have always hated grocery shopping. I'm not even really sure why I've always hated it - it has just always felt like a chore. I've made the decision to make it a time of my week that I can appreciate. I make a list of dinners for the week ahead of time, adding to my grocery list at the same time. Going with a list and being organized helps remove the stress of what to make for dinner every night, too. It also makes the trip more efficient. I bring my iPod and a cup of coffee, and I can listen to some good music and appreciate the "me-time" away from the house. And finally, I am trying to reduce the number of grocery-store trips overall by making small trips to the farm up the road. (This is also done in an effort to buy more local/organic, particularly produce.)

My commute is another time of day that I am learning to appreciate more. Most often, I spend the time singing out loud, but every now and then, I turn off the radio and just allow my thoughts to wander. Everybody should get a little bit of quiet every day.

I LOVE this blog entry from Real Simple. It communicates exactly what I'm striving for - how to find serenity in the everyday chores we all must endure.

Sports

I love sports. Not all sports - I can't sit and watch a boxing match with much interest, but even then I can manage an appreciation for the competition. My mom and sisters think I'm crazy and are not really sure how I ended up becoming a sports fan after essentially growing up surrounded by women.

It was an evolution for me. Lots of little and not-so-little influences. Like talking to my dad on Sunday afternoons while he was watching the Buffalo Bills game on TV. Being forced to watch Atlanta Braves baseball games with my friends (mostly guys, obviously). It really started to take hold in college, though. I had a roommate who loved the Atlanta Braves and NASCAR. Now, the NASCAR thing didn't rub off - I still think that's the biggest, most irresponsible waste of gas ever. But I got to watch some pretty exciting Braves games in '91 and '92. I even started to appreciate pitching duels - a couple years earlier, I would've said, "How can you sit through 3 hours of a 1-0 game and call it exciting?". Watching Smoltz, Glavine, and later Maddux, I started to understand. I love that baseball has so many nuances. There is always something to learn. It's really not complicated, but there so many strategies for how to play the game. Moving to Boston cemented it. Baseball is such a huge part of the culture here, and I love that when I walk into a store or a bar - or anywhere - during baseball season, there is always something to talk about with the person next to you. And then, of course, there is the atmosphere of baseball - whether it's in a big stadium, a small old park like Fenway, a minor league field, or a little league field - it's the same: blue skies, the smell of grass, a cold beer, a hot dog, and cheering fans. I will be a baseball fan for life.

I should also mention that my UNC Tar Heels won the National Championship in 1993 - my freshman year. My dorm was across the street from the Dean Dome, and I camped out for tickets and hated Dook along with everyone else. It's infectious. I often ask my sister, also a UNC grad, how she managed to graduate from UNC without a passion for basketball. I don't understand, but I guess she ran in a different crowd. Her loss. I will be a Tar Heel fan for life.

I recently ran across this in Bill Simmon's site on ESPN.com:

Nobody has ever summed up being a sports fan better than the New Yorker's Roger Angell in his piece "Agincourt and After," in this passage about Carlton Fisk's famous home run in the 1975 World Series:

It is foolish and childish, on the face of it, to affiliate ourselves with anything so insignificant and patently contrived and commercially exploitive as a professional sports team, and the amused superiority and icy scorn that the non-fan directs at the sports nut (I know this look -- I know it by heart) is understandable and almost unanswerable. Almost. What is left out of this calculation, it seems to me, is the business of caring -- caring deeply and passionately, really caring -- which is a capacity or an emotion that has almost gone out of our lives. And so it seems possible that we have come to a time when it no longer matters so much what the caring is about, how frail or foolish is the object of that concern, as long as the feeling itself can be saved. Naivete -- the infantile and ignoble joy that sends a grown man or woman to dancing and shouting with joy in the middle of the night over the haphazardous flight of a distant ball -- seems a small price to pay for such a gift.

My First Post

I have no idea if I will be able to keep this up, but I like the thought of keeping a blog. It's keeping a journal - just one you make public. I've never been good at keeping a journal, but maybe that's because I never knew what to write. So I'm going to use this to organize my thoughts, write down things that I want to do better, share fun things about my life, opine about books/movies/music, and otherwise share things that I love. And no pressure on how often I get out here with updates. It is fun to have a place to share opinions or just spend time thinking about all the fun things in life. Life is good. Enjoy!

A Little Introduction

Hi! My name is Mary, and I live in the suburbs of Boston with my husband and two boys.  I am currently taking a break from working full-time, and I am enjoying the opportunity to walk my kids to school and take care of things at home.  I started this blog to have just a little space of my own, and now I'm hooked.  I use it to keep track of all the awesomeness of life.  It's my happy place.  I hope you find something here that makes you happy, too.

A few of the things I love:
*Summer thunderstorms
*Walks on the beach
*Local brown beers
*Baseball
*Green
*Live Music
*Traveling and visiting new places
*Family
*Strumming my guitar
*Lilacs
*Homegrown tomatoes
*Learning something new
*Books that I can't put down
*Lattes
*Yoga

Do we have anything in common?  Follow along!  Thanks for visiting!