#but I can’t afford a mattress topper

[waffle-bubbles]

Living on campus is basically just a giant hotel

[sodacowboy]

mattresses should not be this fucking expensive

[postsforposting]

Can't afford a mattress or a mattress topper so I bought a memory foam pillow and am crushing it with my hip. We'll see if it does anything for the pain I've been getting while sleeping. I tried normal pillows, they give some relief but it still hurts.

Haven't figured out how to fix the pain from my headphones pressing on my glasses yet. Maybe I'll move to contacts since I have to do bathroom stuff anyway, it's so much hassle.

[puraiuddo]

i feel like i’ve official hit adult now that my only desired items for xmas were 1) mattress topper (for by bad back b/c i can’t afford a new mattress) 2) weighted blanket (to help with my anxiety and insomnia) & 3) nice slippers (to keep my poorly circulated feet warm)

[imsarahcate]

I decided to be super practical about my stimulus money. Setting aside some for my car insepction/registration due in May, and my license renewal due in August. I'll use $25 to do my driving course to discharge my ticket.

.

I'll do like $30 each extra to my cards. I'm going to get dad a new set of pots and pans, I found a set for $60 that's ceramic and has a lot of good pieces in it (hell, I may keep it and give him mine.. He won't care, and mine are still in great shape... And sooo much better than the like 25 year old set he's using now).

.

I may splurge and use $300ish for a new mattress, which I do need. And I'm going to pay off my phone so that's done too. And when I upgrade I'm going back to LGs. I like my Samsung, I do, but I liked the LGs better and theyre Soooo much cheaper.

.

I'm budgeting some for edibles now that I have a source for them, because for me... That's pain management, and about $50 for beads because my sister wants a bunch of pieces.

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I'll set some aside in savings, and once all the practical things are bought, I'll evaluate what's left. I may finance an iPad at that point, or replace cat trees (which also needs to be done to be frank).

.

It hits on Wednesday, and it won't last long but it'll do the trick. Help me get things I need but just... Can't afford, or can't usually get without help. It'll be nice- not to have to ask KW for the $ to do my car registration, or to have to figure out how to save up to renew my DL. And a new mattress, if I go that route, will be amaaaaazing. I've been surviving by replacing decent toppers for quite a few years now, so finally replacing it would be really great.

.

And... If I can work it out... Having an iPad and apple pencil... Well, it would mean being able to illustrate again. To art even on bad days. Even from bed. My graphics tablet won't connect to my main computer anyway, and it's 6 years old at this point, and wasn't the newest model when I bought it. So I've limped along without good illustration tools for more than a year now.

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But mostly, getting even the smallest bit ahead on my regular monthly bills... Well, it'll be a massive relief. My only fear is that my car will need big repairs to pass inspection... And my repair financing card is still pretty full. That'll get an extra payment from this too, but still. I just hope I dont end up having to spend all this money getting my car inspection ready. :fingers crossed:

.

But barring that, I'm kind of excited about it. Being able to get even one step ahead... When you live on the edge the way I do, because of how little I get on disability, this bump is basically a godsend. If only it was what we all got each month.

.

I've seen so many folks bitching, that people cant survive on $1200 a month. Well, no shit. Disabled folks have been saying that for decades, except we've always been expected to live on far less than that. I'm one of the lucky ones. I survive on about $950 a month. And I can (just barely, if there are no big surprise expenses.. Or any surprise expenses frankly) only because I'm blessed with a rent free living space, with help on groceries from kw, with a Medicare plan that means my pcp is a zero copay visit.

.

They're right. $1200 isn't enough. Neither is my $950. Or the $700 a majority of folks on disability often get. All I can do is hope. Hope that when this is all over enough people will see, what it means to stretch money you barely get, that you have to fight to be given because of something that happened TO YOU, not because of choices you made.

.

We didn't ask to need help. We didn't ask to be unable to work, or be productive. We didn't ask to be in pain, or sick, or disabled. And now with so many people... Unemployed and stuck, the way we have been for so so long (granted not by the same circumstances), maybe... Just maybe... It will finally get a little easier to convince folks that what we've been "surviving" on... Isn't enough. That it's painfully not enough. That it's deathly not enough.

.

Maybe when we tell able bodied people in positions to make change that we need more... Maybe they'll finally hear us.

[etraytin]

Quarantine, Day 103

June 22

Tonight's journal is coming to you from my balcony, where it is dark at nearly ten pm and very humid, but still pleasant with all my plants growing and the hum of air conditioners all around me. 

And fucking yikes, those are some large bugs. The inside is also very appealing at this hour. I think I will write from my armchair this evening. 

Anyway, I need to go to bed earlier than usual tonight because I have a very early morning tomorrow. Poll workers need to report to the precinct by 5am, and although I'm lucky to live nearly on top of our polling place, I still need to shower and dress and pack my breakfast, lunch and dinner before I go. We typically don't finish till 8:30pm, sometimes later, so it's a damn long day when you're not allowed to leave the precinct for any reason. Typically we make it nicer by throwing a big potluck of foods people can eat on all day long, but COVID ruins everything once again. At least there's a fridge and a microwave so I won't be stuck with PBJs and tepid water bottles. 

The procedure is going to be different this time, too. I work pollbook most of the time at our precinct, which is the computer we use to check people in. It's not difficult work, but it is exacting, and it must be done right every time. Almost every counting discrepancy in a precinct starts at the pollbook, with somebody who didn't get entered properly for one reason or another. I have not made any major mistakes yet, knock on wood! There is a special precinct captain just for the pollbook, who does not work the pollbook but watches us working the pollbook to make sure we do it right. She's very demanding, for obvious reasons, and insists that we follow a particular procedure that is the same every time, so no steps ever get missed. This time we can't touch anybody's ID, which is going to make things different since we usually hold the ID till we've pushed the key to enter the voter, and we have to hand out the ballot ourselves instead of sending them to a ballot table. I'm hoping we get off to kind of a slow start so we can get the hang of things. I really, really do not want to be the person who causes a counting discrepancy. The biggest thing we've got going in our favor is that it's a simple Republican primary, so only one ballot type to hand out, and attendance is likely to be fairly light.

Going to bed early will be easy, at least, because the new mattress topper is here! Yay! It's very soft and cushy and I love it deeply already. I've only laid on it a little because it needs to recover from being vacuum sealed, but I can tell we're going to be the very best of friends.Our super-old mattress for the past two nights has made my back and neck very sad. We can't afford a new mattress, but this is like a new mattress, or close enough for now. I'm finally looking forward to going to bed! 

Today was grocery pickup day, so we finally have milk and eggs and yogurt and such. The morning routine was disrupted when we realized that the truck's battery was flat after sitting for so many weeks, but I was able to take the battery pack we got for Christmas from my folks and use it to jump the battery, with some Facetime assistance from my dad. I know the principles of jumping a battery, but never had to do it on my own before. It's not too hard. I then had to go over to the post office, a chore that always ruins my day a little. 

I don't understand what is wrong with my post office because I have dealt with many many post offices in all the places I've lived and none of them have been terrible like this one! I went in and told them that I wasn't getting my mail and asked if they might be holding it. Officious Asshole Guy, as he shall henceforth be known, assured me that they did not hold any mail without an order to hold it. I told him that I had a hold mail for the first two weeks of May, but that my mailbox was bursting when I got home May 16, so I assumed that, per usual, the mail carrier ignored my hold. I asked if he could go check, and he did, and came back with a big bundle of mail. He informed me that it was my fault that I wasn't getting my mail because I'd said I'd pick up my mail on May 16 but I hadn't done so. I reiterated that I'd gotten all my mail up until May 16, and that this must be mail from later, after the hold mail expired. He insisted that was not the case, that they never held mail without a hold mail order and never did not hold mail that had been ordered held, and that if I hadn't gotten any mail in a month, it was because people weren't sending me anything. It was useless to argue with him, so I took my mail and left. Everything in the pile was, of course, from after May 16. I went home and reminded all my family and friends on Facebook to please not send us anything via postal mail because the probability of it not reaching us is fairly high. I am sticking with my resolution to not leave any negative comments or complaints for anybody who has to work during the pandemic, no matter how terrible they are, but this guy really, really tempted me. 

Just typing all that out has angried up my blood again, so I'll finish out with nicer stuff. The kiddo is back to using the knitting loom, which is a nice hobby and something good to do while listening to podcasts. He's been a little high strung since we got home, settling back into the routine, but it's getting gradually better. I wish it weren't so hot, so the kids could go out and play distantly with each other. Virginia is on a downswing right now, so it's not too unsafe except for the heat exhaustion part. My husband's summer class didn't make, not enough students signed up, so while that's a little less money for us this summer, it also means more time for him to work on his book. 

And my mail today included two interesting COVID artifacts I will probably save: my son's report card with all V's (not evaluated) for his fourth quarter grades and merely a notation at the bottom that he is being promoted to fifth grade, and my sister's wedding invitation with an "everything could change at any time" caveat right under the RSVP instructions. These are strange days we are living in, but the weirdest thing I saw today was a Crayola Maskpack commercial that looked exactly like a commercial for any other Crayola school products, kids running, jumping, coloring in the classroom, interacting with their teachers, except every single person except one mom at home was wearing a bright colorful facemask. It looked so bizarre I watched it through twice, couldn't look away. It really is a new world. 

[fromherlips]

you’re gonna live forever in me

did y’all REALLY think my ass wasn’t going to do something for this? i remember thinking that 2019 was so far away when i finished ‘in your atmosphere’ and now it’s here and i’m here and we’re here and i can’t believe that time has passed like this. in full disclosure: this is completely self-indulgent. i haven’t written anything in almost a year but i couldn’t resist. so, here we are, pals. many, many years later. happy end of nyfw!

New York Fashion Week was a spectacle that Eva had dreamed about since she was a kid. Growing up, it was a week long event she strived to be a part of, someway, somehow. She wanted to live and breathe the same air as the editors and buyers, cramped in the corner in standing room only or sat in the frow, brushing shoulders with fashion’s elite. It happened twice a year and determined trends, styles, moods, personalities, and so much more.

Eva’s first fashion week was just two weeks after she moved to the city. She didn’t know a single soul, but went to shows to cover for her boss, an influencer with enough clout to land her in the front row. Eva sat rows behind, not important enough to land a coveted seat, but she was just happy to be there. Things were different now. Seats were filled by Instagram following and not status in the industry, but she was stuck in the whirlwind of Manhattan (despite subletting a closet-less room in Crown Heights). Eva was left taking notes on her phone, geared up to write a review for her boss’ blog after their next show, typing furiously on her outdated iPhone (by New York standards) in the back of a luxury Lyft while they carted off to the next show.

By the end of her first day carting around from show to show and trying to keep up with her new boss who didn’t talk very much–not even on her Instagram Stories–but seemed to know anyone and everyone at the shows and events they attended, Eva was exhausted. She collapsed onto her stiff mattress, the cheapest she could find on Wayfair without blowing through the meager savings she had from college, too tired to go to the fridge to get water and heat up the pasta she had made the night before, and too burnt out to talk to her roommates who were perched on the couch watching whatever they were binging on Netflix at the time.

With her clothes still on, Eva rested her hand on her cheek, careful not to transfer any makeup onto her comforter. She squeezed her eyes shut, the feeling she’d been trying to suppress for months creeping up. It came to her in the moments when her guard was down, when she was too tired to fight the thoughts that plagued her mind. But in her moments of weakness, her mind always traveled back to the moment in his bedroom, both crumpled on the floor, sobbing like they’d never sobbed before. Back to the green-eyed, floppy-haired boy with tattoos scattered across his skin, the same skin her fingers had skimmed over, the same skin she felt beneath her, on top of her. Back to the person she loved the most in this world, the only person she wanted to curl up next to after a long day.

Harry was everywhere. There were the obvious places. On the radio when she took cars with her boss (she couldn’t afford them on her own), playing when she browsed through stores while she tried to make friends, on posters around the city promoting their newest single, one that Eva couldn’t bear to listen to anymore. He was in the Chloe perfume she kept on her nightstand, in the threads of her Wildfox sweatpants she debated on donating before she moved, in the sketchbooks she hadn’t touched since she moved. Harry was everything and then he was nothing and Eva was the only person to blame.

She hated that word, blame. But what else was she supposed to call it? She knew it was for the best, somewhere deep down within herself, even if she couldn’t recognize it anymore. But knowing it was right didn’t make it less painful. Knowing it was right didn’t make the image of his face, puffy and red and damp with tears, disappear from her memory. It didn’t make her stop missing him. It didn’t change anything, but it kept her hopeful, even if it didn’t feel that way most of the time.

Eva felt sad and lost and lonely and like she was failing at everything she set out to accomplish. She wanted New York City more than anything she wanted in this entire life. But she knew it wouldn’t be easy. So she cried into her brand new sheets after her first day of New York Fashion Week. She cried for Harry, she cried for herself, she cried for the unknown.

That was the last time she had cried during Fashion Week. Her life in New York still brought her to tears, but she was starting to learn that it was normal in her twenties and the breakdown she had during her fifth month living in the city was a right of passage that she accomplished early on. It took her six months to feel okay with herself, but not once did she doubt the decision she had made to move. She knew the city would knock her on her ass, both figuratively and literally (tequila, stilettos, and cobblestone in Soho don’t mix), but it was worth it, wasn’t it?

By her second spring/summer fashion week the next year, Eva felt confident in herself, in her work, in who she was becoming. She sketched more, she made friends, she invested in a mattress topper to make her sleep schedule less painful. She had also started dating a model (unplanned) who lived near her office (convenient) and had blonde hair and brown eyes and not a single tattoo anywhere on his body. She thought she had loved Paul but when they broke up ten months later because of distance (the irony didn’t miss her), Eva didn’t cry, didn’t dwell, didn’t spend months wondering if it was the wrong choice. She wasn’t angry or hurt or confused, she just felt lonely again in the big city, something easily solvable by brunch, happy hour, or casual movie nights with friends.

By fashion week in 2019, Eva had been in the city for over three years and was still settling into her position at Milly. She loved working as an assistant and adored styling for the now defunct print magazine that likely still owed her some money, but being a design assistant at Milly was everything she could have asked for as a 25 (going on 26) year-old. She was still close with Jillian and her old boss, which is how she somehow managed to score an invite to a Conde Nast party on the second night of fashion week.

She had gotten a dress lent from a PR company thanks to Jill and somehow managed to figure out her hair and makeup on her own. Eva painted her lips with crimson red, a stark contrast from the cobalt blue of her dress and white frothy collar adorning her neck. She’d slicked her hair back for ease (and because it was admittedly a bit dirty), hoping it would stay in place throughout the night so she wouldn’t nervously play with it. She wasn’t sure what to expect from the party aside from free food and drinks and hopefully some entertainment.

Eva spent the first hour wandering around with a glass of champagne in her hand, making eye contact with people she vaguely knew from other events or photoshoots but didn’t speak to out of fear of conversational rejection, something she knew well from living in Los Angeles for so long. It didn’t bother her, she liked the people watching and was just happy to be there, truthfully.

A seemingly familiar face caught her eye, but she figured she was just seeing things. Forever a lightweight, she was already two glasses of champagne deep on an almost empty stomach and was seeing things. Hallucinating. It could have been anybody.

She switched to water and grabbed a few hors d'oeuvres, silently chewing in the corner of the space while she tried to sober up. This wasn’t the night for reminiscing. This was a Conde-fucking-Nast New York Fashion Week Party, for gods sake.

At least half an hour had passed and Eva had made the rounds again after meeting up with Jillian and one of her industry friends for a legitimate conversation on Fashion Week plans and not something superficial (which was gratefully appreciated after her years of fashion week attendance). She was in search of another drink now that she was sure she was done seeing things.

Unfortunately, Eva couldn’t make it to one of the waiters making the rounds before she saw the familiar face again. This time, she couldn’t blame it on the alcohol because she knew it was real. He was alone now, swirling what was left in his champagne glass. He looked the same, yet entirely different, and Eva felt transported to a different time. A time when he was hers and she was his and they were tangled underneath the sheets of her bed in that shitty Los Angeles apartment that was too small for her and her things and their makeshift life together.

She felt nauseous then sad then nauseous again. Was the room spinning? It felt like it was spinning. She wondered if this moment would ever happen, if fate would put the two of them back in the room together (even if fate went by the name of Niall, her meddling friend that wanted his power couple back together). She even thought about what she might say–what she might do–if she was put into this situation. But now she was here in a pretty dress and wanted to bolt as far away from the boy whose heart she broke so many years ago, the boy who wrote a Grammy nominated album on how she’d ripped his heart out, the boy who probably deserved better but also needed to grow up.

Despite the fear and nausea, Eva felt herself walking towards the person she’d never thought she would see again. Did he see her? She thought he looked her way, but he didn’t start sprinting so maybe he’d looked right past her. She was still the same Eva, but her hair was shorter and her cheeks more angular. But then she could see his eyes fixated on her, watching her as she maneuvered through the party guests that seemed to gather in his atmosphere.

She didn’t have a line planned. Was she just going to say “hi” or “hello” or just silently stare and hope that was a sufficient greeting? This worried her as she approached him, her feet planting straight in front of the boy she used to love.

“Eva,” he said, no greeting required. “What’re you...hi.”

She tucked a rogue curl behind her ear, sweeping it back from her chin.

“Harry,” she replied, her lips curling into a sweet smile. “Congrats on the new album coming out in a couple of months. It’s nice to see you back with the boys.”

Congrats on the new album? Is that all she could say?

“I...thank you,” he replied. “It’s nice to, erm, be back,” he told her.

“Right, I can imagine,” she said, her heart thumping harder in her chest. Was she okay? Or was seeing Harry after all these years setting her into panic mode? “You lads are close. But, I-uh...how’ve you been, Harry?”

How have you been? Are you serious, Eva? What the fuck, she thought.

“Same old,” he replied.”What about you? I didn’t, um, didn’t know you’d be here?”

She quirked her brow. “In New York or at the party?”

“The party,” he replied. “Niall...he told me you were here a while ago.”

She nodded. Niall was their unofficial liaison, it appeared.

“I saw that you moved here,” she said. “Those damn trending headlines. Niall mentioned it once or twice or a dozen times as well.”

“Just needed a change of pace,” he explained with a shrug. “I’ve always liked visiting, Figured there could be no harm in living here for a bit.

“It’s a good place to be,” she agreed.

She knew she was staring, but there was something so mesmerizing about Harry. She was no stranger to his good looks and undeniable charm. The thing about Harry was that she still saw him everywhere. She saw his many haircuts, his new tattoos, the shift in his style. She saw his attempt to grow facial hair and the 90s haircut and the mismatched rings adorned on his fingers. But she still took the time to study his face and take him in for all that he was, finally in front of her after all of those years.

It didn’t escape Eva that this was how they first met. Well, kind of. He was drunk and slurring but still trying to be as helpful as he could be. Eva was burnt out and fighting imposter syndrome, wondering what this pop star was doing talking to her in the room full of people who were infinitely more interesting than she was. But now she was drunk (or at least buzzed) standing in front of the same boy in his pastel blue pants and ruffled shirt for the first time since that night in his bedroom, the night that changed everything for them, whether she liked it or not.

She wasn’t sure how long she had been staring, but Eva snapped out of her daze when she heard Harry speak again.

“Coffee,” he said, beginning to play with the rings on his fingers.

“Coffee?” she asked.

“I mean...we should get coffee. Or smoothies. Or…” he stammered, letting his voice trail off.

“I’m pretty busy this week,” she replied.

“Fuck, right,” he swore. “Fashion week...you’re right.”

“But give me your new number and I’ll let you know when I’m free when this week from hell ends,” she added quickly, fishing her phone out of her clutch. She tapped her feet nervously while Harry typed his number in. Niall had tried giving it to her but she didn’t trust herself with it. She’d have one too many drinks and say things she didn’t mean. Or worse, she’d let it sit and rot in her contacts, too afraid of what could happen.

Eva wanted to linger in his presence, soaking up every last second of his aura. But instead, she slipped her clutch back underneath her arm, taking two steps backwards as she waved goodbye, faintly smiling at the boy in front of her.

“Good luck, Ev,” he told her as she walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

It felt like she was walking through a daydream. She could barely register anything around her. She merely grabbed another glass of champagne, pressing the glass against her lips and leaving a deep red stain in its place. She found a semi-abandoned corner of the room, sipping slowly while she tried to process the moment. It was short, no longer than five minutes, but it felt as if she had been standing in front of Harry for a lifetime.

For so long, she wondered what she would say to him, what she would do, how she would feel. But nothing could prepare her for the actual moment when their lives collided again, intersecting like they had when they were nineteen and drunk and tired and two entirely different people. 

Their moment was over, but it didn’t feel as such. She felt something in the pit of her stomach, albeit faint, but it was there. It very well could have been the champagne, or hope, or a combination of both. Harry Styles had managed to orbit back into her life, or hers into his, but this time it felt different. She felt different. And that had to mean something.

[alwayswandering-lost]

Update: July 30, 2022

So unfortunately, things have not gone exactly according to plan. While Dubai was a lot of fun (see my last post for details!), I haven’t been able to keep up with my savings requirement like I wanted to. Since March, I’ve only managed to put aside another $1300 towards my travel fund - a far cry from the $1250 every month (or $6250 since March).

And, disappointingly, my best friend decided he needs to focus on his career instead of traveling. I knew it was a big ask, but it was still difficult to decide if I wanted to do all this without him. I think I’ve decided I won’t (and won’t be able to) go as big as I wanted originally, but I do still want to travel as much as I can before I settle into a serious academic job hunt.

The easiest to do immediately after graduation will be the road trip leg. If anything, this will actually be easier to do without another 6-foot-talk human traveling with me haha. I’m trying to decide how I want to build out my SUV. I think at the moment I’ll have a double-walled cooler on the floorboard of the passenger seat (instead of a powered fridge like many van builds I’ve seen, since that would require a separate house battery connected to my car’s alternator), a twin-sized mattress topper (rolled up and stowed when driving so my dog doesn’t get all his hair on it ahaha), and a cubbyholed bookcase in the backseat with separate cubbies for cooking supplies, car maintenance items, shoes, emergency supplies, dog supplies, etc.

After that, I found some cool opportunities out in Honduras that sound like fun and will be useful for a future (non-academic) career path in diving. If I have enough money after that, I’d love to make it out to the South Pacific islands and New Zealand/Australia. Europe would be so baller, but it’s significantly more expensive (especially Northern/Western Europe) than other parts of the world. And knowing myself, I’m more interested in the natural phenomena of the world, but Europe seems more geared towards history and culture (which is still very cool!! I would love to engage in it! Just maybe not right now immediately if I can’t afford to do both Europe and South Pacific).

Anyway. Still working, still planning, still trying to remain flexible and okay with whatever the future holds moving forward. Stay tuned!

[jerryjump]

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[malaloves]

Hi beautiful souls, I am part of a group of 20 people working on a goal to receive at least £10,000 to eliminate homelessness. Everyday I walk down the streets and see people who need a little light, they are lost and this is our opportunity to help them. . It speaks to my heart deeply when I think of the struggles we went through as a family a couple of years ago. Things were so tight we couldn’t even afford a bed, so for a year we slept on a swag with a mattress topper. But we were abundant, we had a roof over our head these people don’t. . So please, support us in our mission, if you can’t donate, please share with your networks. . Let’s make some magic, it’s not about us, so let’s take off or masks and see each other. Let’s not let them die on the street. We are all humans, and together we are one. We can have a huge impact! 💕💕💕 . 💜💜 Link in Bio 💜💜 . . . . #change #activism #nonprofit #dogood #charity #fundraising #philanthropy #socialgood #socialimpact #4charity #fundraising #philanthropy #socialgood #socialimpact #innovation #homelessness #homelesspeople #homeless #homelessyouth #homelessoutreach #homelesslivesmatter #helpthehomeless #dogood #bethechangeyouwishtosee #bethechange #letlovelead #kindnessrocks #kindnessmatters #letlovelead #kindnessrocks #kindnessmatters #lovewins #iseeyou #helpinghand #helpingothers #endhomelessness #instagood (at London, United Kingdom)

[the-sleepandbeyond]

Advantages of Waterproof Wool Mattress Protector

Whether it’s an organic mattress topper, wool mattress pad, or other pieces of bedding, they have their own significance and they indeed play a prominent role in making our sleep better. However, in this write-up, we will look at the advantages of waterproof wool mattress protectors. People generally have various kinds of questions or doubts about protecting their mattresses from unwanted damages, and more. If you also have the same question in your mind, then here’s your answer. The best and most effective way to protect your mattresses from any kind of unwanted damages is to use mattress protectors. However, without wasting more time in the introduction, let’s move to the main topic. Here we go!

Liquid Protection

One of the biggest advantages of having a waterproof mattress protector is that it repels liquid and protects your mattress from coming in contact with a fluid. Additionally, you can wash it at ease. It includes a water locking system that prevents any liquid from touching your mattress, which means your mattress is going to look new even after a few years. Purchasing a waterproof wool mattress protector will make you free of thinking about bedwetting by your children during the night, or water, wine, etc.

Keeps Away Bed Bugs

Waterproof mattress protectors have a locking mechanism, which means, they don’t have space to pass anything. They will surely keep any bed bugs away and ensure you wake up in the morning after having a fantastic sound sleep. Not only that, a good quality mattress protector can even protect you from any bacterial or microbial infection.

Sweating

Well, many people face this problem, sweating is pretty common if you sleep on your bed containing a mattress protector. Well, mattress protectors include a locking mechanism; due to which, air can’t pass through them. However, not all waterproof wool mattress protectors are the same. If you buy a good-quality mattress protector, you won’t face this issue. So, ensure before buying a mattress protector if it can keep you sweat-free.

Noise-Free

Well, it entirely depends on the quality of your mattress that you buy; if its quality is premium, it won’t make noise. Keep in mind that most inferior quality waterproof mattresses will not provide you with a noise-free sleeping experience. So, ensure that you get a quality product. This may cost you a lit bit higher amount, but it will be beneficial for you in the long run.

Bottom Line

So, these are some significant advantages of buying a waterproof wool mattress protector. So, if you also want to get a top-quality mattress protector that shall protect your mattress and help it last for a longer period, you should get in touch with Sleep & Beyond. It is one of the best companies for providing top-notch bedding solutions at the most affordable price. So, that being said; let’s wrap up this piece of content. I hope you liked it. Thank you for reading it.

[amiedelabaisse]

Actual Genuine Life Tip

If your mattress is old and lumpy and generally uncomfortable, but you can't afford to buy a new one because mattresses are really expensive, buy a mattress topper. You can get a decent one for a double bed for about £25 (approx. $33) and they make a world of difference, trust me. I suffered with my awful, uncomfortable mattress for 2 years before it occurred to me I could do this, but now I'm so glad I have. It's basically just cushioning to go on top of a mattress, but it really goes a long way towards evening out lumps and broken springs. Save your back, buy a mattress topper.

[reganadler]

Affordable Gear Recs for Higher Pitched Voices and Noisy Rooms

The vast majority of microphone tests and recommendations are made by and for men/people with very deep voices. The few lists I’ve found for voices like mine are for singing, not voiceover. So frustrating! So here’s a list of mics I’ve found that work for my voice. 

Click here for my playlist of extremely unofficial samples for most of these mics!

About my voice and environment: alto (former soprano) with extreme sibilance/whistling S problems, extremely noisy (interstate/airport) recording environment. I soundproofed with some foam panels and mattress toppers but they do very little to block out the outside environment. 

You can find an extensive list of what I’ve tried (and the verdicts) here: http://reganadler.com/gear

Mics I recommend for higher pitched voices:

Most versatile (and portable): Zoom handheld portable recorders.

These range from fairly cheap to pretty expensive, but tbh most will sound better than a USB mic. They’re also awesome for SFX! Consider the H1N with a lavalier mic for a decent low budget setup, or try some of the fancier mic combinations and XLR ports in place of an audio interface. You can cocoon yourself in the car or closet to record without lugging your computer with you, or you can plug it straight into your computer and get a USB mic that records directly into the DAW of your choice.

Note: I use the Zoom H5 with midside capsule or the ISK Pearl/Starlight plugged into it as my primary microphone/mixer setup.

Best home starter bundle: Scarlett 2i2 (or higher) with the CM25 mic.

Scarlett is a reliable and nice-sounding brand that’s extremely beginner-friendly. The medium diaphragm condenser CM25 ($40 used or part of the Scarlett studio pack) is one of the better sounding mics I’ve tried. I put an athletic sock and foam windscreen over it to eliminate sibilance. Sounds amazing! The smaller diaphragm is more forgiving of background noise than most LDC mics, though without all the padding the sibilance was rough. I believe it’s a rebranded MXL mic, not 100% sure which one (440?). Scarletts are the only interfaces I’ve gotten to work on my Macbooks. I paid $135 for my first gen studio set, including mic, headphones, mount, and cables. If you live in an old house get a cheaper one powered by USB, not the wall outlet.)

Best affordable pro mic: ISK Starlight.

Large Diaphragm Condenser ($129 new). This is an incredible mic for the price and IMO sounds as good or better than some Neumanns. ISK also has a bottle mic I haven’t tried yet, but I think it’s really worth trying this mic if you want a high end mic for sibilant female voices.

(Note: I do all my pro work on all the other setups too, but if you really need a fancy LDC, I’d recommend this one, even though the difference in sound between it and, say, the Pearl, is minimal.)

Best name-brand small diaphragm condenser: Shure SM87A.

Small Diaphragm Condenser (around $125 used.) This is a great option, just a little higher noise floor than the Scarlett CM25. If you’re feeling like your only option is a dynamic mic, give this one a try.

Best budget mic for your existing mixer: ISK Pearl

($29 new) This is another SDC that sounds very similar to the SM87A but for a fraction of the price. It’s one of the best mics I’ve ever heard with my voice and it sounds so good!

Interfaces and other gear:

Presonus Audiobox USB Interface: (if you have a PC—they run about $50 used). This didn’t work with my Mac, but they’re solid on Windows.

AKG headphones: (The Scarlett and ISK ones are rebranded AKGs and I’ve had nothing but good results with them. Good isolation, no clicking or popping noises. Get closed back for tracking!)

Common mics I DON’T recommend:

Shure SM58 and other cheap dynamic mics—These are just missing so much in the upper range, which is where my voice is. :( They sound like radio broadcast mics, so not TERRIBLE, and certainly the ATR 2100 is a good option if you need something cheap for a nonfiction podcast. But they definitely sound better on deep guy voices, so if you don’t have that, you could do so much better for the same price. I’ve never even bothered trying to record fiction on one of these.

Expensive dynamic mics—These have a little more in the upper range, BUT in addition to being as expensive as ready-to-go condenser mics, they require a Cloudlifter ($150+) to sound normal. Plus if you’re in the middle of an episode and your Cloudlifter or whatnot dies, you’re completely screwed. I tried this and it was a NIGHTMARE and the company I bought my gain booster from was impossible about getting a refund. Don’t do it! You can hear the issues I had in episode 3 (I think?) and the April Patreon content for Oakpodcast. For way less money, you could do so much better.

Blue mics—I had two Blue Spark (XLR) arrive broken from two different sellers. The Blue Yeti and Blue Snowball sound pretty terrible on my voice, though the Blue Snowball is decent for plugging into my iPhone to record ambient noise. The Blue Spark SL Digital is slightly better but I still had a terrible time with it. You can hear samples of the Spark Digital on episodes 7, 8, and the August Patreon content for Oakpodcast.

AT2035—This gets recced a LOT by male and deep-voiced podcasters so it was my first ever non-USB mic, but the sibilance and background noise were through the roof. It was awful for my voice and others like mine I imagine! The first couple of episodes of Oakpodcast were recorded on this mic.

ISK Little Gem—I wanted to love this, but it sounded terrible in my setup. Lots of weird distortion. Might just be a fluke in my mic or setup.

Software

So I know this is gear recs, but in case you were wanting the best bang for your buck, I figured I’d mention this here too:

Google Drive: Cheaper than Dropbox, and also about 7x the free storage to start with. If you get an Android or Chrome device, you can get 2 free years of 100GB storage.

Celtx: free scriptwriting software, available on any device, syncs better than Scrivener etc. I paid $20 for the Mac app, and I feel I’m really getting my money’s worth.

REAPER: Amazing and for a fantastic price. If you can’t buy the license right away it’s okay, it works like WinRar in terms of making you pay (or lack thereof). I’ve made a video that should teach you the basics of making an audio drama in Reaper in about 20 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJbp8lfxT5k&t

[jefflopez743]

Best RV Mattress: Top RV Bloggers Give Their Tips

Choosing the best RV Mattress?

Most people are used to having a regular and “safe” life. What do they mean by safe? Having a steady job, living in a nice home, paying bills, taxes, mortgage and just being a regular guy. The reality is that nothing is safe or granted anymore. You can do all the right things, and still get fired, lose your home because you can’t afford the mortgage and a bazillion other stuff can happen and radically disrupt the routine of your life.

That is why more and more people choose to seize the moment and live their life to the fullest. They sell their house, buy an RV and travel across the country in their home on wheels. Being able to travel wherever you want, whenever you want is an awesome lifestyle. Although we are sure that RVing brings its fair part of adventures and challenges, we wonder how comfortable is to live full-time in an RV.

A good night’s sleep is a must have after a long day. When you don’t live in a brick and mortar house, then you need to pay extra attention to the bed and mattress that you buy, especially when space is limited. That is why, we asked 39 RV bloggers to share with us

The Top Features That The Best RV Mattress Should Have

We received answers from some of the best digital nomads out there. So, without any further ado, let’s see what are the best RV mattress.

Peter & John TheRVgeeks.com

Peter & John, better known as The RVgeeks, are a couple of “Do-It-Ourselves” full-time RVers who offer RV maintenance, repair & travel tips on their popular video blog and YouTube channel. They’ve handled most of their own RV maintenance during nearly 14 years of exploring North America. They hope their experiences can help other RVers go DIY, saving time & money while experiencing the satisfaction of a job well done.

It may sound obvious, but comfort is key. While a non-RVer may look at the way we live as glorified camping… as full-timers, our RV is our home. So we expect our bed to be just as comfortable as any residential bed. We’re not “camping” but rather living in our home, the same as any owner of a sticks & bricks house, and expect the same comfort in a mattress.

That’s the case even in large RVs where the ample space allows for any size mattress. Despite that flexibility, RVs are notorious for having odd-size mattresses.So the ability to order custom sizes, with the same comfort as a top quality residential mattress, is a great benefit. As mattress “comfort” is such a personal preference, the option of selecting from several different types of mattresses to match our particular idea of comfort was key to our goal of one great night’s sleep after another.

Emily and Mark Fagan Roads Less Traveled

Emily and Mark Fagan are professional photographers and freelance writers who have been traveling full-time by RV and sailboat for ten years. Their blog, Roads Less Traveled, offers hundreds of detailed articles about the RVing and sailing lifestyles and provides travel tips and beautiful photos of their favorite destinations.

As we discuss in our blog post, RVing Tips and Tricks, many RVs come with beds that are not a standard residential size. So, for those RVs, the mattress must be a custom “RV” size or it will hang over the edges of the bed platform.

For instance, a standard Queen mattress is 60” x 80” while an RV Queen is the same width but is a bit shorter at 60” x 75”. Likewise, a King mattress is 76” x 80” whereas an RV King mattress is a little narrower at 72” x 80”.

Finding an RV Queen or RV King size mattress is nearly impossible at most mattress stores unless they are located in an area that has a lot of RV visitors. Putting a residential Queen mattress on an RV Queen bed leaves 5” of mattress hanging over the foot of the bed. Putting a residential King mattress on an RV King bed can be a tight squeeze, as 2” will hang over the base on each side.

As for comfort, that depends on the sleeper! There are fewer options in the RV-specific sizes, but if the RV has a bed platform that is a standard residential mattress size, then the sky is the limit for all types of mattresses.

A foam mattress can be much heavier than an innerspring mattress, and that may make a difference for RVs that are carrying a payload that is near their capacity.

However, foam mattress doesn’t have any parts that rust, a concern if you are RVing in a humid area, as the interiors of RVs are much less climate controlled than the interiors of houses, especially for people who dry camp a lot like we do.

Mildew resistance is also very important for RVers who travel in areas prone to rain or seaside moisture. Memory foam is extremely flammable, and since all RVs come with large propane tanks that can turn the rig into a fire bomb with a single spark in the wrong place at the wrong time, this is a definite concern.

Memory foam can also be very hot, an issue for many RVing women who are experiencing the hot flashes and night sweats of menopause.

Given all of these constraints, we had a latex mattress for nearly four years and we found it was not nearly as comfortable as advertised. We’ve also had a memory foam pillow top innerspring mattress and a standard non-memory foam pillowtop innerspring mattress.

Both of these were comfortable, although the springs lost their spring over time and the mattresses developed two divots where we always slept. Of course, this is a problem for folks living in houses too!

Kimberly Travaglino Fulltime Families

Kimberly Travaglino is the author of “How to Hit the Road”, a comprehensive step-by-step guide for making your family’s full-time RV dreams a reality. She and her husband are the co-founders of  Fulltime Families, a company that supports risk-takers, pioneers, and enlightened families blazing their own path across the country.

In my opinion, the best mattress to provide a good night’s sleep in an RV is it’s ability to breath.

Sleeping spaces in an RV can be tight and a mattress that traps heat can keep you tossing and turning and sweating all night long.

Marc and Julie Bennett RVLove

Marc and Julie Bennett are full-time RVers and content creators who live, work and travel full-time from their motorhome while exploring North America and the world. They share their positive, inspiring messages and invaluable advice at RVLove.com where their mission is to help others hit the road and thrive too.

For us, the best mattress has to be a good quality brand that will last for at least 5 years, as we don’t just use it on occasional weekends like many RVers.

As full-timers, this is our home and we sleep on the mattress every night, which means it’s essential that it’s supportive and comfortable to ensure we get a good night’s sleep and also minimize Marc’s lower back pain.

We like a mattress that offers good all round, consistent support (not too hard yet not too soft) and has a heat dissipating memory foam topper. A good protective cover to prevent dust or allergies should be standard.

And it also has to be the right height, length, and width to properly fit on the bed in an RV (ours is a standard full-length Queen) but some RVs do require special sized mattresses.

The other consideration is weight – RVs are more limited in weight than homes, so while we do like a quality, supportive mattress, we also don’t want to carry more weight than is necessary.

Finally, the mattress needs to have some flex as you need to think about getting in through the door of your RV and maneuver it through a smaller as you get into the bedroom.

Cameron RVingPlanet.com

Cameron is an RV Writing Enthusiast who has been camping and RVing for years. He has always loved the smell of campfire smoke and taking long hikes through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.

An RV mattress is your comforting sanctuary after a long day of outdoor adventuring or endless miles on the road. Because of that, it needs to be held to a standard that is befitting of those conditions. What are the top qualities of an RV mattress?

1. Comfort – It should go without saying that a bed should be comfortable. But, it goes beyond that; you don’t want to be on the road and have to toss and turn every night, trying to fall asleep and have dreams of your bed back home. An RV trip is a vacation of sorts, so the bed should reflect that level of comfort every night.

Memory foam is a great option for an RV mattress because it is lightweight, inexpensive, and can occupy very little space, which, of course, is the currency of any RV. That said…

2. Size  You need the size to accommodate your size. If you’re a six-foot-five man, then you will want to avoid those space-cutting RV mattresses.Keep in mind that most RV mattresses are about six inches shorter than traditional mattresses of the same size category. So, if you’re worried about fitting on a queen, you might consider going ahead with a king. And, finally…3. Durability – An RV mattress undergoes considerable wear-and-tear; even more so than a traditional at-home mattress. Because of this, you want your RV mattress to be outfit to survive long or short trips of considerably excessive use. A good RV mattress needs to withstand the test of time while being subjective to strenuous use for potentially long periods of time.

Mark Jenney RVshare.com

Mark is the CEO at RVshare which is the largest RV rental marketplace in the United States.Most RV mattresses are not memory foam so I always bring a nice memory foam mattress topper with me anytime I’m traveling in an RV for an extended period of time.I like my mattress to have some support and softness at the same time and using a memory foam topper on my RV mattress helps be get a better night sleep while I’m out on the road.

Dan and Diann Bayes EccentricNomads.com

Diann and her husband Dan travel and live in an RV. They share their experiences on their site Eccentric Nomads. Before that, Diann worked in the travel and tourism industry for more than 20 years.

When you make the decision to sell everything you own including your large home and replace it with a 400 square foot RV, you learn a few things along the way. Unfortunately, some revelations come a little too late, like maybe it would have been a good idea to keep that relatively new pillow-top mattress you sold with your oversized bedroom set and put that puppy in your house on wheels.

My husband and I are not spring chickens. He’s 67 and I’m 52 and we’re known as Eccentric Nomads.The name was determined by the looks we got from friends and family when we told them I was leaving my job to see the country in our fifth wheel. Not long into our travels, this eccentric nomad’s back problem reared its ugly head. 

After much research and the very convincing comments from a total stranger stating a four-inch memory foam mattress topper from Walmart was more comfortable than his $4,000 mattress, I headed to the retail giant and we slapped it on top of the pitiful excuse for a mattress the dealership provided.

Is it perfect? No. But when you’ve watched the sunrise and the sunset, traveled the countryside, and enjoyed some of the most amazing sites you’ve ever seen, settling in for the evening on four inches of memory foam comfort works for me.

[swannkings]

I’ve been having back pain for literal months that I thought was caused by my old as shit mattress, so I went to look at mattress toppers and almost cried in the store bc I can’t afford a good one and I’m so tired of waking up with muscle aches, so I bought a new pillow instead and y’all — I woke up this morning totally fine. So uh once my cheap pillow flattens out at the end of the month we’ll see.

[ranabowbrite]

Pop up camping, while maybe slightly less primitive than tent camping, is still basically living outside with only a piece of heavy duty canvas between you and the wilderness. Let’s face it, our Freedom Machine is just a glorified tent on wheels with a door, a battery, and a propane tank. Yes, we have lights, a heater, a dorm-size fridge, and a 3 inch mattress, but there’s no toilet, so as far as I’m concerned, that equals roughing it, and it’s awesome!

But anything we can do to make camp life a little easier and a little more “luxurious,” I’m all for it. Below is a list of the top 19 nonessential items that have become essentials for us on our pop up camping adventures.

Second grill for outdoor cooking: The Freedom Machine has a two burner stove that can be moved from inside to outside fairly easily, but camp cooking is messy, and I prefer to have a dedicated outdoor cooking stove/grill. That way we can keep the inside stove clean and reserved for non-messy things like heating soup or boiling water for coffee.

Collapsible Drip Coffee Maker and Collapsible Kettle: I love my Starbucks, but not only can we not afford it (at least not every day) on our sabbatical budget, 99% of the time, there won’t be one nearby. So I bought this collapsible java drip coffee cone at the suggestion of a camping friend/guru (Thanks, Chuck!) along with a collapsible kettle. The cone collapses down to about an inch thick disc.

Mattress topper: The camper mattress is just a 3 inch piece of cheap foam covered in fabric, so we purchased a good eggshell mattress topper to lay on top and give us better support. So grateful that Trent insisted on this improvement!

Flannel sheets and Comforters: Even in the summer, the nights can be cold where we’ll be camping, so flannel sheets are a comfy must. We could just throw some sleeping bags on top, but I really want it to feel more like “home,” so the comforter combined with the flannel sheets and pillows make it look and feel like a special retreat.

Padded Camping Club Chair with Foot Rest (they called it an ottoman, but I just can’t go that far): I like to put my feet up, and I’m not going to apologize for that. And they make a padded camping club chair with matching foot rest as luck would have it… Can’t wait to snuggle up and read a book in this chair!

Wet wipes (Clorox and Baby): Small spaces get messy quickly, especially with dogs. So the Clorox wipes let me keep everything from the plastic dog mattress to the table and linoleum floor clean. And the baby wipes are a must-have for personal hygiene since the Freedom Machine doesn’t have a shower! Although there are coin-operated showers at some of the State and National Park campgrounds–75 cents for three minutes.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I probably will…

Wireless speaker: Nature is quiet. Sometimes too quiet.

Flip flops: It’s a lot easier to throw on flip flops for a middle of the night trip to the bathroom than hiking boots. And they’ll come in handy for those coin-operated showers!

Easy to clean pans: Scrubbing dishes with only cold water at your disposal is hard. Easy to wipe out pans is critical and worth the expense. I use a small 6″ Scanpan.

Hammock: Because why not? It’s like a “camping sofa.”

Inside/Outside Dog beds: Molly and Tucker are our four-legged furry kids, as many of you know by now, so we can’t leave them out! Everybody in the Tarkenton pack gets a comfy place to sleep and nap!

Cards and games: We love playing games, and since life at the campsite can be slow anyway, having some games around is a win-win. Our favorites are card games and and iPad games because they are portable. Right now we are playing a lot of Alphabetty on the iPad.

Ceramic heater: Again, comfort is key, and cold nights are no fun without plenty of heat. The camper heater is pretty good, but the ceramic heater has been a life saver when a little extra warmth is needed. This one is made by Lasko and was a gift from my wonderful husband. Tip: we flipped a circuit breaker when we first plugged it in (ok, we tried to run two at a time–it’s cold!), so know where your circuit box is.  

Collapsible cubes and storage containers: These are for easy access things that we keep out on the counter or under the counters, but need to keep organized. they are a lifesaver when you are looking for your car keys, gloves, or hair clips. We use the bigger ones to organize our clothes and groceries.

Crock pot and crock pot liners: When we are sick of the instant meals (soups and oatmeal), crock pot meals are a great option because it’s basically throw it in and let it cook all day. And easy clean up when we use the crock pot liners.

Qumi pocket projector: Ok, this is admittedly over the top indulgent, but at least I’m being honest. Trent bought this cool gadget a few years ago, and we’ve taken it with us on trips before, projecting movies in hotel rooms and cabins and the like. Why not on the side of a camper? Pairs beautifully with our wireless speaker (think drive in movie for hipster campers). But I don’t think we’ll be watching Blair Witch Project…

Outdoor Shower: Trent bought this for me as a surprise, and although I haven’t tried it yet because our camping trips haven’t been long enough, I am looking forward to giving it a try this summer. It’s a simple, but clever device. The water in the bag heats up in the sun, creating a nice warm stream of water. And if coin operated showers and baby wipes are the alternative, this outdoor shower may just be my nirvana.

Portable Gym: Since one of my priorities is to get in shape, and I don’t want to have to rely on running or hiking every single day (I get bored), I’ve invested in some portable gym equipment that doesn’t take up much space but will give me a lot of workout options. My mini gym includes: resistance bands, plyo loops, a slam ball, a yoga mat, suspension straps, a balance disc, 15 pound weights, a jump rope and a kettle bell. I may decide to leave behind the weights and kettle bell and get creative like Rocky instead. Rocks and logs anyone? More blogs to come on my campside workout regiment. I had planned to take some pics this weekend but it’s miserable weather.

Good Sam Club membership: Some camping friends clued us in to this great deal. We get discounts at camping stores, some campsites, and fuel at Pilot Flying J. We also paid a little more for the roadside service. $80 per year for peace of mind is a steal! Without the roadside assistance, it’s only $27 per year!

Now, some of you might say we might as well just stay home with all of these creature comforts, but we can’t cook breakfast outside while watching the sun rise over the mountains at home. We can’t lay in a hammock at home and listen to wild birds and bubbling streams as we fall asleep. We can’t go for a midday hike just by opening the front door and taking two steps. So, I think we will hold on to our self-made life of camping extravagances and six months on the road with the Freedom Machine for Part I of our year-long sabbatical.

Related:  Read all about our first pop up camping adventure at Cheyenne Mountain State Park!

19 Pop Up Camping Essential Nonessentials: a Little Less Like Camping, a Little More Like Home Pop up camping, while maybe slightly less primitive than tent camping, is still basically living outside with only a piece of heavy duty canvas between you and the wilderness.