DIYers Reviving Innovation
Posted on March 5, 2008 - Filed Under Techie, Consumerism, DIY
I love the idea of being able to build and fix things all by myself. Knowing the difference between the tools I inherited from my father, and knowing when to use them is something I want to learn.
In high school about 15 years ago (yikes!), I was placed in a shop class for 4th period because the honors history class I had wanted to take was full. So it was just me, the only girl, and 10 very country boys and the stereotypical shop teacher with missing fingers. I couldn’t believe it; shop teachers really do have missing fingers! So during the few months I was in shop class we made lots of things out of wood, some things out of metal, and a very special group of students made many things to store pot and to smoke pot. All in all it was very enlightening and gave me the confidence to work with tools.
Fast forward to going to college and working in an office and, all of a sudden, I am replacing anything in my house that breaks instead of trying to fix it first. I want to be a do-it-yourself kind of gal. I want to be the DIYer that doesn’t need to be a part of the consumer chain because I can fix things on my own.
An article in Wired recently delved into this idea that America used to be full of DIYers saying that “Only a few decades ago, most serious adults were expected to be fluent in basic mechanics. If your car or stove or radio broke down, you opened it up and fixed it.” I do realize though, many of our household items are so full of microchips and wires that fixing many appliances isn’t possible, right?
I’ve realized that the further away my life physically moves from creating or being a part of the necessities one needs for life (clothing, food, toiletries), that I am mentally moving away from the knowledge about what it takes to make your own necessities. Maybe this is the reason America is so enamored with DIY shows right now like Dirty Jobs, How It’s Made, and anything on HGTV. Last week I saw an episode on Dirty Jobs about how cranberries are raised and harvested causing my declaration to my husband that I now want to be a cranberry farmer! So maybe I won’t be a cranberry farmer, but I bet I could at least start my own garden and go from there.
Another Reason To Work From Home
Posted on February 21, 2008 - Filed Under Nonsense
You Are 90% Non Conformist |
 You’re incredibly strange. And a weirdness like yours takes skill to cultivate! No one really understands you. And you’re cool with that. You just hope you never have to understand them! |
Helping Dogs in Danger
Posted on February 21, 2008 - Filed Under Charitable Causes, Animal House
I recently came across a website that allows kill shelters to post information about dogs at their shelters, and when they are going to euthanize the dogs. This website and organization is a great idea and a wonderful way to help these animals get a deserved second chance. I personally cannot believe that wonderful animals are still intentionally killed for space in this country, but hopefully organizations like this can change that. I’m definitely adding this organization to my donation list, and I thought someone else might be interested in doing the same. My husband and I were all ready to go pick up a beagle from a kill shelter this weekend in southeast Virginia, and when I emailed to confirm some info about the beagle, I learned that he had already been adopted just a day before. So this is great news because the site really works!
So check out Dogs in Danger and maybe find a furry friend you can bring home.
Vegetarian Starter Kit
Posted on February 19, 2008 - Filed Under Health, Food, Good For You
In light of the newest footage showing a downed cow being abused so it could be slaughtered and put in the American meat supply, many articles and chats I have read indicated many individuals are rethinking vegetarianism. I personally still eat meat occasionally, but am always working toward making more healthy, vegetarian alternatives. One of the best resources for vegetarian cooking is definitely Vegetarian Times magazine, and they have a great vegetarian starter kit that I wanted to pass along.
Free Suze Orman Book
Posted on February 14, 2008 - Filed Under Finance, Writing/Editing
Financial guru, Suze Orman, announced on Oprah yesterday that her publisher has agreed to give away free downloads to Suze’s new book Women & Money. The catch is to make sure you download it by 8/7c tonight (Feb 14).
So on this our nation’s day of love, love yourself by making sure you are financially protected!
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