Tag: blog

March Minimalist Challenge, Days 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and Perhaps 20.

Confession: I’m probably cheating a bit for the next few days.

For those of you who have been breathlessly awaiting my next minimalist challenge post, for heaven’s sake, breathe. I’ll not be responsible for any injuries incurred on my behalf.

Currently I’m far away from Doright Manor, visiting my daughter and her family in the great state of Illinois. My goal before departing on my cross-country trip was to sort through enough items at home to carry me through the eleven days I’d be away. I was going to snap photos, write some alliterative prose to accompany each photo, and schedule the posts for publication. I didn’t come even close to my goal.

But, in the back of my mind I thought that this item might suffice for the entire trip, as a backup plan in case I didn’t do my due diligence:

Inside the jar (1 item), underneath the lid (1 more item), are 174 pretzel nuggets that I discovered while cleaning out the trunk area of my car, for a total of 176 items.

12+13+14+15+16+17+18+19=124 items! Even if I don’t arrive home until the 20th, I’m covered!

Plus, I’m pretty sure I have something scheduled to post for the challenge on the 16th, so I’m not a complete loser.

Quick story about why I even had the long-expired pretzel nuggets in my car: Every now and again I decide I need snacks in my vehicle just in case of a zombie apocalypse or an EMP (electro magnetic pulse) attack by North Korea. Pretzel nuggets would keep me going for a few days, at least, as I made my way to a safe location. I might even be able to use them to barter with others along the way.

Zombie

Zombie

Kim Jong Un

Kim Jong Un

Okay, I’m lying, but that explanation is way more interesting than the truth.

Peace, people.

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 11

I awakened bright and early, okay, neither bright nor early, but I awakened, nonetheless, on this first Sunday morning of daylight savings time to find I didn’t have a minimalist challenge blog post ready to publish. Here I am at my daughter’s home, a thousand miles from Doright Manor, without a photo of 11 items to discard. Did I panic. Not I! I just rifled through my handbag:

The sad thing is, I can do this another day of my vacation if need be.

For those dazzled by my brilliant use of alliteration on prior minimalist challenge posts, please forgive my lapse. I made almost no attempt at alliteration today. I’m on holiday, after all.

Peace, people.

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 10

I’m on my way to Illinois to spend some time with my daughter and her family. Before I left Doright Manor on Friday morning; though, I preemptively purged the prescribed number of paraphernalia for each day.

Snack packs of pudding and peaches are presented for your viewing pleasure. We purchased these when the grandchildren and their parents paid us a pleasant visit in the past year, but these products have expired. Pooh.

Peace, people.

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 9

On the ninth day of March, I negated nine new non-essential items from ‘neath the bathroom counter. Nice!

I’m starting a journey to my daughter’s home in western Illinois, so today’s post was rather hurried. I’ve written some of my posts in advance, lest I be tempted to skip a day.

Peace, people!

Support Oklahoma Teachers

https://www.facebook.com/Beth.wallis.okstate/posts/10212329770266234

Teachers all over the U.S. are taking a stand for their profession. Just this week teachers in West Virginia successfully held out for a 5% wage increase, and Oklahoma teachers are poised to follow their example.

I’ve attached a link from Beth Wallis, an educator in Oklahoma who has written one of the best pieces I’ve read explaining the necessity of teachers advocating strongly for higher wages, for the good of their students, teachers, and the very communities in which they live.

I taught. Every word Ms. Wallis writes rings so true it makes my heart ache. I’m rooting for her and for her fellow educators. I hope you will, too.

Images from Pinterest:

https://fourthgenerationteacher.blogspot.com/2018/03/stop-equating-teachers-with-martyrs.html?m=1

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 8

Shopping totes, so many shopping totes. Someone might need an intervention. It’s sad. Seriously. Stop!

How am I doing on my alliteration? On a scale of 1 to 10, I believe today only rates a 4. I’ll strive to do better tomorrow.

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 7

On this seventh days I surrendered:

Assorted sweets and sadly expired stuff from the shelves of my now spotless fridge. Certainly some should have seen the inside of the trash compactor several seasons past.

If Only I Could Spell “Annihilation” I’d Review It

Studly Doright was busy working on Tuesday morning, so after I ran a couple of errands I took myself to see the film, Annihilation. I knew Studly wouldn’t want to see this movie. You see my big strong man doesn’t dig entertainment that makes viewers squeal in horror or recoil in disgust. That’s my bag.

I haven’t yet read the book, but I’m eager to download it now. The author, Jeff Vandermeer, lives in Tallahassee, and I hear he frequents Wells Brothers, one of my favorite burger joints. What I wouldn’t give to pick his brain!

Y’all know I don’t really do movie reviews, but I loved everything about this film: The strong female cast led by Natalie Portman, the jaw dropping suspense, the special effects, and pitch perfect soundtrack. And the ending! Holy cow. But spelling “Annihilation” is a bitch. Spell check kept laughing at me as I struggled to write this, offering no viable suggestions.

Go see this film anyway, one doesn’t need to be able to spell Annihilation in order to enjoy it. Then send me a message. I need to discuss it with someone. Hurry.

Peace, people.

March Minimalist Challenge, Day 6

On Day Six of March I offer up a row of Reader’s Digests ready to repose in the recycling receptacle or in a rheumatologist’s waiting room. Radical, right?

Does anyone think a book titled Dumbed Down: Alliteration for Dummies is marketable? ‘Cause I might have mastered the art. Or not.

Bright Lights, but no Sushi

A Meetup friend and I made plans to eat sushi at Izzy’s, a restaurant in Tallahassee’s trendy midtown area. I’d never heard anything about the food at Izzy’s, but my friend said they had trivia on Monday nights, so I jumped at the chance to go. We invited others from Meetup, but in the end it was just “Shirley” and me who were able to make it.

Izzy’s had a cool vibe, and the place was hopping when we arrived. Shirley and I ordered drinks, an appetizer, and a sushi roll and settled in to play the game. The crowd was considerably younger than we were, so when we had to choose a name for our two-person trivia team we came up with “Not Your Moms,” to the delight of everyone in the restaurant.

Our drinks and an outstanding appetizer of hummus and warm naan bread arrived fairly quickly, and we ate as we played the first couple of rounds. At the end of those rounds we were in fifth place out of seven teams, ahead of a group called “Boy” and another I never could quite understand.

By the third round, Shirley and I had given up on our sushi roll ever being delivered. We kicked butt on questions in that round, though, so all was good. We ended up canceling our order, and that was a crying shame. It looked amazing.

After the fourth and final round, “Not Your Moms” was in third place! Not too shabby! And I made friends with one of the players from team “Boy.” His name is Ross and he gave me his door prize, this stunning necklace of Christmas lights.

I really needed that necklace, you know. What a fun evening. I’m glowing.

The high point of the night, though, was my correct guess of Weezer during the music round. Not bad for an old broad.

Peace, people.