#but.. I buy everything I own from places like thrift stores and the bins so.. sometimes I just see something

[swiftcry]

Thrift Shops aren't the problem, convienance is.

Woke up last night remembering some post bitching about how thrift shops suck now because they are all full of crappy shein fast fashion garbage and for some reason placing the blame on the shop and saying it has something to do with them being for profit. Which is both illogical and blatantly dosen't understand how thrift shops work. I worked for Savers years ago; I wasn't a sorter but a floor associate. But they made sure we knew how the process worked because people would ask us questions. So lets say you donate a shirt; it gets checked over by the sorters to see if its good enough to go on the sales floor- that is if it has any tears, stains, etc. If it is good enough, it gets a price tag and goes out onto the floor. If it isn't good enough, it either goes in the trash or into the send out bin. Basically items that are not good enough for americans to buy but are still technically wearable get sent off to 3rd world countries as donations. Because in some places a pair of shoes, even a worn pair, is still a pair of shoes. High value items are tagged and at least at savers placed in a special area near the registers. I know that goodwill has like an auction site for their high value items- so they definately send theirs out. But like one time a bridal shop closed and we had like 30 wedding dress samples all in that spot. In order to have enough merchandise, because sometimes donations are slow, savers ships the sorters unsorted pallets of donations from elsewhere to go through. Admittedly I don't remember where those come from. Items usually took a couple days to a week to get from the donation bin to the sales floor.

What does this tell us? Well the obvious actually, everything in the store is donated for the most part by the local population. They aren't picking out the namebrand items and sending them who knows where- in order to make money savers needs to sell those just the same. What this means is that people are donating more fast fashion items then they are donating name brand items. Why? Convienance. Who buys fast fashion items? 2 types of people generally. 1. Poor people who cannot afford name brand clothing who will likely wear the items until they fall apart. 2. Moderately wealthy people who want to be fashionable in the short term or even only want to wear an item once and want the items fast and cheap. They cannot afford the real garments the clothing is based on or cannot be bothered to look for them since SHEIN seemingly has it all and for cheap the number two person is our problem. They buy an excess of cheap clothing bc it is so cheap and after wearing it once or twice donate it all.

in the past this type of person would have purchased long term use clothing from brick and mortar stores or name brand websites; they owned fewer outfits and what they donated was well made and either didn’t fit them or despite being used was well enough made it didn’t matter.

Which is where we get to the other ugly part of a shirts lifespan. So let’s say you buy a shirt on Amazon. You realize you don’t like it- so you return it. In the old days that might have required proving why you don’t want it or going through some hoops. Now it’s easy as a click of a button and you just have to go to your local kohls or staples who deal with everything for you. It’s become wildly convenient- so that where in the past it might have been so inconvenient that you donate the shirt instead. See I work at staples now. I see so many consumerist returns I want to go and live in the woods. Yesterday I had a woman return 10 nearly identical yellow skirts because she wants one of a particular shade. Those 10 skirts go back to the Amazon warehouse where they will be place in a palette and sold and auction; entirely skipping the thrift store level. That shirt you returned will never make it to the thrift shop.

and the name brand stores in order to compete with Amazon follow suit with easy returns- the parent company that owns old navy/banana republic/gap/fabletics literally made its own type of returns service called express returns in order to compete. Staples processes these too so I see them. So much perfectly good clothing gets returned with it. One woman told me she bought it just for a baby shower photo shoot thing and because it’s so easy to return it’s no big deal.

and I’m sure you’ve noticed that name brand items are also being cheaper and less good quality. In some cases that’s because they realized that people will buy crap so they can make crap. In other cases it’s in order to compete. Depends on the brand. fast fashion items notably usually can’t be returned or it’s a hassle but bc they are so cheap, a lot of people don’t care leading to them being in thrift shops.

The presense of fast fashion items in thrift shops is a symptom of a suffering economy that has been pushed to the edge by a “now now now” mindset. And it sucks ass.

[queen-cchaos]

TO THE SISSY GIRL,

You're doing great embracing the girl you wanna become. I'm proud of you! Look at all the work you put into yourself. Maybe you're just getting started and need some help or maybe you've been doing this awhile and need a boost. Either way let's talk girl shit!

So you wanna play with make up! It's exciting, it's fun, it's expensive as fuck. Start off with the cheap shit especially if you only do your face a few times a month, hell I do a super basic face no conture or highlight or anything like that and my face still runs me almost 100$ so practice with the cheap shit! Get good brushes though! Also don't be upset when the make up trend you try doesn't look right the first few times, it takes practice to get a great face of make up. Don't let that discourage you from having fun. Make up is meant to be fun otherwise you couldn't buy everything in a shade of glitter. Also watch tutorials and read how tos! It helps. Never trust a liquid liner those bitches lie.

You know what else lies, women's clothing sizes! It's rare that a store cuts the size the same! It's infuriating and fucking rude lmao so know your measurements by inches/cm however your place measures and still be prepared to fuck up it happens. Thrift or shop by clearance, paying full price is a scam. Also let's not share under garments from our s/o, sister, mother, or roommate without their permission. That's extremely rude! Bras are far too expensive for you to be sneaking. Pick up your own!

For shoes most often you'll want to size up by 2 sizes. That's a little rough guestimate about how to fit into a pair of women's shoes but again women's sizes are wonky and witchery. For myself I can fluctuate between 3 sizes depending on the brand and make of the shoe. Again thrifting is another good possibility for shoe shopping just look into how to clean the shoe to make sure you're not picking up germs.

For your nails if you're that kinda girl like I am! Just be aware that the glue from press on nails can fuck your nails up especially if you're wearing them for a few hours and then popping them off after. Try and find a nail glue remover to help loosen the glue from the natural nail. As for painting your nails be mindful of what type of polish you're using. Some gels need a base coat and a uv light to harden otherwise it'll stay wet and tacky feeling. We don't like that. You also want a mid price nail polish something in the 3-5$ range.

For when you get the urge to purge you have a few options! You can always pack up and put away what you have. Out of sight out of mind. You put a lot of money into your collection and you shouldn't throw it out because you get bad thoughts once in awhile. Another option is donation. Bag everything up and drop it off at a local thrift shop. It can be anonymous if you leave the bags in the donations bin before/after closing. Another option is selling things online, though that takes a lot of mental bandwidth and time. However, just do not throw things out. That's wasteful and you'll eventually come to regret it.

If there's anything else you wanna talk about that'll help you on your sissy journey let me know, we'll talk.

Remember we are striving to advocate for and promote healthy and happy fetish based relationships. Kinks should always be acted out in a safe, sane, and consensual manner. As always the inbox is open for questions, comments, and conversation. Don't hesitate to reach out!

[lastoneout]

A real tip for moving out that saved my ass when I did?

You can get 90% of this stuff from Dollar Tree. Won't be the most high quality but I moved out on my own eight years ago and I STILL HAVE AND USE stuff I bought at Dollar Tree back then.

They have dishes, just about every type of kitchen utensil you can think of, plastic bins that work for organizing just about anything(and can be used as laundry hampers if you don't have one), cleaning supplies, hand soap and other toiletries, plungers, paper towels, aluminum foil, ziplock bags, plastic wrap, tupperware, food, like seriously they are a GODSEND! You can stock your new place with just about everything you need at Dollar Tree. Just make sure to check the expiration date on medication and food before you buy it.

And for stuff that you can't find there, go to Goodwill/A Thrift Store, Yard Sales, and/or Walmart.

Goodwill typically has appliances but make sure to check for flaking teflon before you buy pots/pans, and maybe avoid buying a used toaster just bcs toasters are REALLY hard to clean properly and a new one is honestly not that expensive(I got mine at Walmart for less than $10), but you can get dishes and kettles and eating utensils and stuff like that there no problem. Goodwill will also have curtains and sheets and blankets and towels and rags, they get a lot of other random stuff, you never know till you check, and they have sales every week based on the color of the tag on the items which helps you save even more.

Yard Sales are a mixed bag but are worth checking out, you might find vacuums or nicer appliances there but you know, use your best judgment. If it looks broken it probably is.

YMMV but Food City is good for cheaper groceries and SOME 99-cent stores have food.

Other tips: Idk why a plunger isn't on this list, fr buy a fucking plunger. Honestly, if you spend real money on anything on this list I would suggest it be a plunger, go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy a proper one, you will probably need it, and not having one when you need one is a nightmare. You also need a mop, a bucket, and a broom, all of which can be bought at Dollar Tree. Rubber gloves are good bcs some cleaning chemicals aren't great for your skin, and sometimes you just don't want to touch gross stuff. You absolutely need a trash bin and trash bags, plastic shopping bags work in a pinch but they are NOT a replacement. I second that mugs are better than cups, you can get both at Goodwill or Dollar Tree, and if you don't want a kettle you can microwave mugs of water for tea, just be careful. If you don't want to buy cups save glass jars when you're done with them, they work fine.

Stores to avoid if you can(I know not everyone can): Target, they have a lot of stuff geared at college students who are moving out but they charge a LOT. I occasionally go there for nice, little things, but I would never suggest buying everything there unless you're loaded. I have read so many horror stories about Dollar General and Family Dollar, and they charge about as much as Walmart so you aren't really saving money. Absolutely check expiration dates on food and medication if you shop at ANY discount/dollar store. Walgreens, CVS, and stores like it are good in a pinch but the convenience upcharge will bite you in the ass so watch out.

DO NOT PICK UP A USED MATTRESS OR COUCH OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT'S TEMPTING, AND A LOT OF US HAVE DONE IT, BUT YOU DO NOT WANT TO RISK FLEAS AND LICE AND MOLD AND BED BUGS. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. SAVE YOURSELF AND BUY AN INFLATABLE MATTRESS OR SOMETHING ELSE UNTIL YOU CAN GET A COUCH/MATTRESS FROM SOMEONE YOU TRUST.

Being poor sucks ass, but that list op found is absolutely setting you up to fail. I was broke as shit when I moved out tho and this is what saved me, so I hope it can be of some help.

this is the dumbest set of money saving tips i’ve seen in a hot minute and im genuinely too busy banging my head against the wall to explain why

[icewindandboringhorror]

my “miscellaneous hoard of various shiny things, trinkets, and rocks that I pick up off the ground” is growing... there’s almost not any space for new rocks lol

[raleighliving]

Budget Living Raleigh

Living in any city you’re gonna look at higher costs of living.  Rent, utilities, and insurance all add up before you even factor in groceries.  But just because you’re living in the city doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have nice things.

If you find all your money is being eaten by rent, and your bed is supported by the ground itself, then this article is for you; cause we’re going to talk today about bargain hunting in Raleigh and what to look for when you want a good deal on good furniture.  Maybe I’ll do this again for groceries or other such things but for now we’re just focused on general niceties.

Best part of this is it’s gonna be fairly general too.  Anything I mention here you could probably find or do in any American city or small town since the institutions are fairly ubiquitous.  

If you find yourself lacking furniture, decorations, or just general quality of life enhancers my answer boils down to two main points:  Thrifting and Resale stores.  At times they can seem similar enough but there are fine differences that separate the two using fairly recognizable criteria.

“RL,” I hear you say between fistfuls of knockoff Cheetos and self-loathing, “Of course if you want bargains  you go thrifting! Did you JUST hear about Goodwill recently?”  

Yes, in terms of hot takes this is especially dull but what I can lend to the conversation isn’t about how prices at thrift organizations are cheaper than retailers, how you should support your local thrift organizations, or even the general good they provide to low-income communities; what I’m looking at is knowing what you have and what you can expect to find when visiting.  

Take Goodwill, for instance, since everyone has seen at least one in their life. Outside of their larger outlets where you’ll find more furniture, walk into any Raleigh Goodwill and you’ll have seen all of them.  90% of the floorspace is dedicated to cheap clothes with a backwall full of knickknacks and a small bookshelf.  If you’re lucky, there may even be a sofa or two and some paintings along the wall but most of what you’ll find is cheap clothes.

Now, if that’s what you’re looking for that’s great! However, I’ve grown to have a deep distaste for the homogeneity of local GCF stores.  Customers can donate their clothes, toys, and other items to GCF at any store locations; but those items are shipped to processing and then distributed to other GCFs across the country based on inventory need and sales patterns.  What you see in one donation center/store you’ll likely see in every other with maybe the odd rare find if you’re lucky. 

GCF aside your options for Raleigh include org thrifts, mom and pop stores, and discount thrifts to provide some much needed variety in your day-to-day shopping. Each with their pros and cons, yet all sharing the glorious benefit of providing furniture and clothing for a fraction of the price of bigger brand stores.

Org thrifts (short for organization thrift stores, creative I know) are exactly what they sound like.  Thrifts run by an organization or charity, similar to Goodwill's, with a stated goal of helping others and supporting the organization financially over seeking a profit margin. 

Cause 4 Paws, Raleigh/Durham Rescue mission, and Dorcas thrift stores all provide a wide variety of products while using the store proceeds to help the less fortunate; but with phenomenal prices.  It’s not uncommon for a thrift store run by one of these organizations to have fifty cent books, clothing sold by the pound, and furniture/power tools under the $40 price tag if you’re lucky.  Plus, not to sound like a broken record but, your proceeds go towards good causes like animal adoption and feeding the homeless.  

Most thrifts of this nature are run by religious organizations, so if you’re at odds with supporting that sort of thing you might be more interested in the other two options; but otherwise this type of thrift store typically comes with very few downsides. 

|Image Credit:  Dorcas Thrift on Nextdoor

Of course, one of those other options is the standard mom and pop operation.  Not linked to any specific organization or franchise, these tend to be small businesses run by local families serving a smaller radius.  

Prices as a result tend to be a little higher than your average thrift store since it’s, y’know, a business; and the selection can be a little below average, usually consisting largely of estate sale leftovers, but this also works to their favor.

There’s no central distribution center for these businesses, so what people sell/donate to these stores comes from nearby communities typically.  So if you find one near an upper class area like Honeycutt Rd or Ebeneezer Church Rd, they’ll typically have nice furniture, art, and electronics for thrift store prices. 

There’s not too many of these, but my personal favorite is Fabulous Affordable Treasures in Southwest Raleigh.  A decent assortment of clothes and decorative pieces (and a very relaxing general environment) makes it a positive visit even when I’m just browsing. 

|Image credit:  Affordable Treasures Facebook

Finally there’s Discount thrifts.  They’re not too common, and are usually supported by an organization additionally although not all are, but if you find one check back with them regularly because it’s almost guaranteed to be worth it.

These thrift stores operate by having a degrading price scale; setting prices when the object comes into inventory, and then lowering them based on how long its been with them or the condition it was received in.  

Stores like Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Petersons Consigning Design use this, and typically offer discounts upwards of 60% if you wait long enough.  On top of having equally large selections of product from org thrifts, they offer plenty for the savvy shopper. 

The downside is, the best possible price you can receive for any given product is a gamble.  That sweet leather armchair you have your eye on might be dropped from 40% to 50% in the next two days, but if someone finds the price acceptable where it is then that products gone forever (or at least until something similar winds up in inventory).

|Image Credit:  Petersons Consigning Design website

Regardless of which thrift store you choose though, you’re bound to find a bargain in one eventually if you check back every once in awhile.  I’ve only mentioned a fraction of the stores available in Raleigh, if you find a few favorites of your own and check back regularly, you’re bound to find something you’ll love at a price you couldn’t find anywhere else.

Of course, if you’re looking for more niche deals you could always use programs like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist for people just looking to get rid of their junk.  They’re easy to use and both are incredibly active for the Raleigh area; but if you’re looking for something a little more...interesting then I’d recommend checking out liquidation stores.

There’s not many of them in Raleigh, but recently this past week a store by the name of Treasure Hunt Liquidation opened up with an interesting premise.  They buy tons of returned and opened merchandise from places like Amazon and sell them to other people on a degrading price scale similar to the thrift stores we mentioned above. 

Fridays the price-per-item is $10, and then day by day it drops till it hits $1 per item on the following Wednesdays (and they close Thursdays for inventory).  large bins full of boxed or repackaged goods line the floor with everything from car parts to 3D printing filaments depending on when you can get there. 

Additionally, you can purchase pallets of goods as well; with some of the more high ticket items ranging from $300 up to $1500; but generally containing some of the more desirable items like bikes and kitchen equipment.  

Overall, the whole experience is like a giant rotating lootbox; you’re never quite sure what you’re gonna get when you go but you’re likely to find something that at least catches your eye, even if it doesn’t come home with you.

|Image Credit:  Treasure Hunt Liquidation facebook group

You can’t find everything you’ll ever need at stores like these, but you’ll definitely be able to find affordable furniture and clothes even on a college student’s budget. Even a few dollars saved can make a huge difference though, so if you get the chance or see a store on the side of the road that catches your eye, be sure to at least stop in and see what they have for sale. 

Or, if you’ve read this and have some books/clothes/toys to donate please consider donating or selling them to your local thrift location.  These secondhand finds can make all the difference in the world to a kid who wouldn’t be able to get them otherwise.   Regardless, hopefully at the very least this article kept you entertained, and I hope everyone reading has a great day!

[goodlookingforagirl]

Oc-tober Day 18: Vintage

I really enjoyed writing this one! It was fun to write the girls (Adelaide, Esther, and Violet) as little kids, and it was also fun to expound on their mother, Janet. Apparently, the concept of “vintage” shopping is pretty modern, so I wasn’t sure how to put it into my story at first. I decided to write about thrift shopping instead, a concept that is much older. I also had a lot of fun researching prices and inflation: in 1966 (when this prompt takes place) $1 was worth almost $10 today. Insane! Thanks to @oc-growth-and-development for making this list!

Day 18: Vintage

“Girls, will you please settle down?” Janet grabbed Adelaide’s arm and put up a warning finger at Esther. “If I see you running around again, I’m going to tell your father.”

    Neither twin saw that as a threat — they had their father wrapped right around their little fingers — but their mom was a different story. The look on her face was enough for both of them to look down at the floor and mutter a reluctant, “Yes, Mommy.”

    From her stroller, Violet pointed at a collection of Depression glass. “Pink!”

    “Yes, it is pink.” Janet held a piece closer to Violet so she could look. “But we don’t need any today. I’m looking for glasses.”

    The twins had recently started drinking from real glasses, and they’d broken most of their collection so far. Janet had stopped by Macy’s to look for replacements, but she couldn’t justify spending eight dollars on a set when the thrift store had glasses for five cents each. She was especially thrifty now that she was pregnant with her fourth, and hopefully last, child. Six mouths to feed meant no more Macy’s for a long time.

    Esther walked up to her, holding a green cut-glass goblet. “You like this one?”

    Janet took the goblet and set it back on the shelf, lest her daughter drop and shatter it. “Yes, I do. But we need regular, clear glasses.”

    “That’s boring,” Esther huffed.

    “Maybe we can get some clear glasses with designs on them. Something elegant.”

    “What’s ‘elegant’ mean?” Esther asked.

    “It means ’refined’.”

    “What’s ‘refined’ mean?”

    Janet was so used to using senior-level vocabulary at work that she often forgot to modify it for her daughters. “It means ‘fancy’, or ‘classy’.”

    “This store isn’t that fancy,” Adelaide said. “Everything’s old.”

    “Well, this is where people take their old things, and then other people buy them.”

    “The stuff here is prettier than the stuff at the regular store,” Esther said. She was still admiring the green goblet.

    “Can we look at the toys?” Adelaide asked, immune to the thrill of thrifting.

    “After we get the glasses, we can look at the toys. You can all get one thing, so long as it’s less than a quarter.” Janet leaned down by the stroller. “You too, Violet.”

    Violet clapped her hands and grinned.

    Janet finally found a set of near-perfect glasses with a little ring of white flowers along the bottom. She loaded them into her shopping basket and maneuvered the stroller with one hand to the toy section. Luke would normally come with her to help with the girls, or he’d keep them at home so she could shop freely, but he was pulling in extra hours at work. He had to, since she would be taking non-paid maternity leave in a few short months. We’ll make it through — we always do, he’d smiled at her, but she could tell he was worried about stretching their dollars again. That was a big reason why this baby would be their last, Lord willing.

    Adelaide ran up to Janet, weilding a paddle ball. “Can I get this?”

    Janet imagined the destruction she might cause with such a toy — Adelaide had already broken several figurines in her short life — but she didn’t want to disappoint her. “Yes, but you can only play with it in the basement or outside.”

    “But why?”

    “Because I said so,” Janet sighed, too exhausted to explain.

    “Can I get this, Mommy?” Esther approached holding a doll-sized comb and mirror. “Chatty Cathy needs her hair brushed.”

    “Yes, that’s fine.”

    Violet was too short to see into the toy bins, so Janet held her up so she could grab something she liked. To Janet’s surprise, Violet grabbed a little Casper the Ghost doll.

    “You want a ghost, Vi?”

    Violet nodded. “He’s a baby.”

    The doll did indeed look like a baby — albeit a very pale one. It shouldn’t have been surprising. Violet adored her baby dolls, and she was excited to have a real, live baby in the house soon. Adelaide and Esther didn’t seem very excited about having a new brother or sister. They had already watched Violet grow from a baby to a toddler, and they weren't very interested in seeing the process again. Janet hoped they’d warm up once they actually met him or her.

    The Casper doll was thirty cents, but Janet decided to give in and let her have it anyways. Violet was already in love with the doll, snuggling it to her cheek, and Janet didn’t have the heart to pry it away. Besides, it was almost Violet’s nap time, and she usually got fussy around this time of day. Maybe the doll would be a comfort.

    She tried to shepherd them all to the checkout, but she was losing patience. “Esther, please watch where you’re going.” Esther was in her own little world, admiring the tiny comb. Janet was afraid she’d wander away, lost in thought.

    Adelaide stole her attention a moment later. “Don’t play with that inside the store, Adelaide.”

    “Mommy, it’s a toy. I’m sposed to play with it.”

    “‘Supposed to play with it’. And not indoors. I already told you that.”

    “You never let us have any fun,” Adelaide whined.

    “I do so, now wipe that look off your face. And Violet, stop chewing on Casper’s foot.”I 

    She got out of the store for just over a dollar, which was a relief. She had planned on going grocery shopping after, but she didn’t think she could handle another shopping trip right now. She’d go later, or she’d ask Luke to go after work. For now, she’d put Violet down for her nap, make the twins go outside and play, and make a strong cup of coffee. If she wasn’t pregnant, she’d make it an Irish coffee.

    “Three more months,” she said to herself. “And then eighteen more years.” A bittersweet thought, but after a car ride of shouting (Adelaide), crying (Violet), and oblivious singing (Esther), it was sounding more sweet than bitter.

[rederiswrites]

Oh I have a question! I only have a very small yard, of which I don’t get much real estate because Mom hoards plants worse than me. But I would love to have a small homestead like your own. So since I have such a small space what would be your essentials for trying to live sustainably and eco friendly?

First, I don’t think there’s any such thing as one concrete list of “essentials”. Thing is, humans specializing is like...part of the definition of civilization, you know? You make yogurt, swap Magda over-creek for eggs. You all make your own sourdough, but Heinrich put in the effort for a really nice big oven, so most of you go to him to bake it. You shear your sheep, take it to Aldreda’s family at the forest’s edge, they clean it and keep a percentage as payment. I digress, but the point is that everyone can experiment and find the things that really speak to them, that work with their space and their schedule and their interests. Maybe they find things that they like well enough to double down on and start sharing and trading with others. That’s where it’s at, to me. Sustainability is a community effort.

But! Some things that can be done in very little space: 

--Quail can be kept in like...a rabbit hutch, and are very simple to keep and quiet so they won’t bother neighbors. You can get eggs even if you don’t have enough space for chickens. Or you can keep like four chickens in a pretty darn small space too.

--Fermenting. Personally, I love it, and all the commitment it takes is enough counter space for a few mason jars, veggies, and salt. There’s a lot of good information online, but you can make a huge range of pickled veggies (curry cauliflower is amazingly good). Or keep a kombucha culture. Or get a crockpot from the thrift store and make your own yogurt, if you eat a lot of yogurt.

--Sprouts. You can buy seeds for sprouting--broccoli is good, radish sprouts are ever so slighly spicy, you can go classic and do mung bean sprouts if you like to cook stir fries or pho. For some reason they sell all sorts of sprouting devices but really you just need a jar with holes punched in the lid. 

--Culinary herbs. If you have a sunny stretch of wall or fence, you could even do one of these:

Herbs in a hanging shoe sorter! I love it.

--Compost. I lied, if anything’s essential, this is. Staying in places where I have to throw away my food waste makes me sadface. In an ideal world, we’d have community composting, and food waste would be collected. But in the meantime, there are a lot of compost tumblers and things meant for small spaces. I don’t know shit about them because I have the luxury of a big ugly bin I just throw stuff in and then don’t think about it until two years later it’s amazing dirt.

Anyway this is already too long but there really are a ton of good options for small spaces. My best advice is to experiment and then go with the ones that catch your interest, and not worry about the fact that you’re not doing everything.

[daybreak-delusion]

Chapter 9

Introduction: Whitney Goodwinson was planning on inheriting one of her deceased grandmother's properties, but not a little house off the coast of North Carolina.  As she struggles to meet new people, fix up her new property, deal with troublemaker JJ Maybank, and perfect her grandmother's infamous lemonade, she might just find that the Outer Banks has more to offer than it seems.

Series Masterlist

Previous chapter 

I want to say that on Sunday I was totally independent and was totally not missing the presence of a certain golden boy at all, but I’d be lying to myself. It wasn't a complete waste of the day though. I did manage to drive the Bee (my new nickname for the Volkswagen) to the hardware store that I saw yesterday and picked up some essentials for fixing up the house. Blue tape, a bunch of paintbrushes and rollers, a couple of gallons of primer and white paint, drop cloths, this anti-rust spray for the garage, about a million trash bags, and some other items that I had to pre-order. The store had limited options for paint so I had to order some from a manual and it would be coming later this week. I figured I would stick to the yellow/lemon theme that she had going on and picked a shade of light yellow. Since the paint should be arriving in a week I had time to get everything situated. Somehow I managed to shove everything into the Bee and make it home. I mean back to the Lemon House. Back at the house, I placed all of my new equipment on the back porch and then headed to the garage. My task for today was going to be cleaning out the garage. I parked the Bee closer to the house so I could have more space and started to realize the trouble I was in. There was just so much junk and the last thing I wanted to do was find the pests that had made a mess of the place. I decided to change into a more suitable outfit for the deep cleaning I was about to do. After switching my sandals for some sneakers and putting on some leggings I made my way back to the garage with a trash can, recycling bin, and a box of trash bags. It was gonna be a long day. 

The boxes were filled with all kinds of things. There were old suitcases filled with clothes, rusty pans with ancient stains on them, old fashioned jewelry, and a bunch of old photographs that were in good shape. I was really conflicted about what to get rid of and what to keep. I decided to ditch the pans and pots seeing that they were out of shape. I kept the clothes in case there was a thrift store I could donate them too. Most of the stuff could also be given to thrift stores or antique shops, but there was one box underneath this ancient-looking blanket that seemed different from the others. First of all, it was an actual wooden box, not like the cardboard boxes that had held all of the other items. Unfortunately, there was a lock on the box and it wouldn't open. I didn’t want to break it in case I broke something in the box. Then I remembered the bulletin board where I found the car keys. Walking over to it there were a bunch of different labels for different keys, but one of them didn’t have a label. I figured it was my best bet. Thankfully it was a pretty good bet. When I opened it, a disgusting spider the size of one of Grandmother's lemons crawled out and I bolted out of the garage screaming, knocking over a few boxes in the process. It took me a couple of minutes to calm down and I reluctantly walked back into the garage with a baseball bat I found in my hands. I was shaking as I started to open the box again until I was sure the spider had disappeared. In the box were a bunch of misshapen things covered in old linen cloth and unfortunately spiderwebs. Not wanting to be in the pest infested room anymore I decided to take a break and bring the chest on to the porch. It was a lot lighter than I expected and stained my gray shirt with dust. I placed it on the porch and went inside to grab a damp cloth to clean off the dust. Sitting on the porch I cleaned the box and opened it again. The first misshapen item was a gold locket in good condition, I was excited to see what was in the compartment only to find it empty. The next item was a silver ring with a crop of wheat engraved on it. It was a bit bulky for my taste and definitely had belonged to a man at one point. I slipped it onto my thumb and thought it looked nice with the rest of the rings that I had on. Then at the bottom of the box was an old cracked leather journal with yellow pages. On the bottom right-hand corner the name Elenora Stanton was engraved in gold letters. I instantly knew this stuff belonged in a museum or something the date on the first page was from April 1843. 

“Holy shit,” I whispered to myself stroking my hand across the faded ink. The writing was in a small cursive that I could barely make out. It would be easier to read with a magnifying glass. I carefully wrapped the leather-bound book in the white cloth and placed it back into the box. Walking inside I cleared a space for it on the table and set the box down. Thankfully from my knife search when I was making lemonade I got an idea of where everything was in the kitchen and I remembered seeing a magnifying glass in a drawer with a bunch of other random items. I brought it over to the table and opened the old book again. Thank god Mother made me practice writing in cursive or this would have been a nightmare. 

23 April 1843

Dear friend as of today, I am eighteen years of age and now get to embark on the responsibilities of an adult. I had received many good wishes of health and good tidings for my birthday and my dearest younger sister Juliana gifted me my most favored gift, this diary. I was also gifted a new church dress from Mother and Father and Aunt Alice promised to take me into town to buy a new corset. She said that all adult women should own a suitable corset and if I am to live with her and Uncle Harry this summer it would be an absolute necessity for me to own one. Mother wishes I would stay home and help care for my younger siblings, but I find it absurd that she puts the task of looking after them on me. If Mother feels too overwhelmed with her offspring then she should simply just hire a nanny. I pray that whoever she hires will be able to keep her sanity after a week of working with my siblings or perhaps Juliana will have to bear my burdens. No matter I mustn’t worry about my family anymore. I am an adult as of today and now am able to focus on the wishes of my own heart. In all truthfulness, my wishes are few in number, but this summer I hope to make more. Aunt Alice says that Outer Banks is a marvelous island and I count the days until we depart. Nonetheless, I still have time to prepare for my departure, till next time dear friend! 

30 April 1843

Dear friend this week has been excruciating. Father is beginning to go back on his promise to let me live with Aunt Alice this upcoming summer. He is skeptical of the owner of the island being a colored man and all, but Aunt Alice says that to be truly Christian we must see and treat all people as the children of God and that my father is little-minded. I would never speak to Father with such forwardness so to help my case I have been taking on extra tasks and duties around our home. Juliana has been accompanying me in my tasks as she will be taking over my responsibilities as I predicted. She is quite a quick learner and I’m sure she will be able to manage all of my duties when I leave for the summer. Today we- 

The rest of this entry was just explaining all of the chores that Elenora and Juliana had to do on a daily basis. I was incredibly fascinated with the diary and was confused as to why it was in Grandmother's garage? I am interrupted from my thoughts by a buzz coming from my phone on the table. I placed a stray piece of paper where I left off and reached for my phone. Checking my phone I noticed a text from an unknown number. 

U/N: Hey Whitney it’s Sarah! My friends and I are going to the beach tomorrow afternoon! I remember you said your board was coming in tomorrow, but if you don’t have it yet John B has an extra one you could borrow! BTW this is nonnegotiable you are coming! We’ll be by at 1. See ya then!

Oh thank god, I was so scared it was going to be Rose Cameron inviting me over for brunch or something. 

Also, my mom wants to know if you can do brunch sometime.

Great. Oh well, I guess there could be worse things than free food. 

Me: Tell your mother that brunch this Saturday will be fine and I would love to go to the beach with you guys! About the board, I’ll be sure to let you know if I need it or not. 

Sarah: Sounds like a plan and be by your dock at 1

Me: Got it see you then! 

I was excited to finally have plans that didn't involve me having to wear a dress. I just hope that my board would get in before the afternoon, I’d hate to have to be a bother. I eyed the journal and decided to continue reading. What else did I have to do? 

The next few entries were about Elenora’s daily life. Taking care of her siblings, washing the laundry, having tea with her mother’s sewing group, and walking through town with her friends. It was starting to become boring until an entry from June 3rd. 

3 June 1843

Dear friend today is the day! I am finally leaving this simple town and am leaving with Aunt Alice and Uncle Harry to The Outer Banks of North Carolina. My soul has reached happiness beyond my comprehension. All of those days of labor around the house finally served a purpose in my measly life. Now I will be embarking to a new place where hopefully anything can happen. Nonetheless, I will not be staying there without a purpose, I am to work in Uncle Harry’s tailor shop mending minor rips and sewing on buttons and such. Mother and father are still reluctant for me to leave our household, but Aunt Alice is most persuasive especially when her favorite niece is involved. We will leave today at noon and then will stay in a tavern closer to the ferry we will take tomorrow. I am just jittery with excitement, this will be a new area for me to explore and I cannot wait to see where it takes me!  Till next time dear friend!

It was so strange that this lady, Elenora, was so excited to come to Outer Banks, and just two days ago this was the last place I wanted to be. Maybe I was being a bit ungrateful, maybe this place had more to offer than it seemed. I was absolutely fascinated with the diary, but for real why did Grandmother have it? Maybe she bought it in an auction or it was a gift or something. Looking at my phone for the time I realize it’s a quarter past 1 and I still need to clean out the rest of the garage. Sighing, I closed the diary with a makeshift bookmark and left the house. Bagging up the clothes took the longest, but with the music playing, I didn’t really mind it that much. I had also gotten used to the heat, kind of, so it wasn't completely unbearable. After cleaning everything out and dusting some of the hard to reach corners I decided to power wash the garage. It was disgusting, but it had to be done. The garage was still wet so I decided to bring the remaining boxes to the porch. I was definitely done cleaning for the night and needed some relaxation time. So I cooked up some pasta and steamed vegetables and sat down for dinner. As I was eating my lonely feelings were coming back to me. I was craving company and turned to the diary for something to do. 

10 June 1843 

Dear friend, I have been staying with Aunt Alice and Uncle Harry for a week now and it has been a thrilling experience. On the ferry ride to the island Uncle Harry let us sit on the top deck and it was exhilarating leaning over the edge to see the water. The shop that Uncle Harry owns is the only tailor shop on the island so they are always busy. We stay in the apartment space above the shop and one of the windows in the parlor gives the most breathtaking view of the ocean. It is so vast and wide that I feel as if I am a small button on a white collared shirt. The apartment is quaint, but I have my very own quarters! There is so much space that I felt quite foolish when I only had my small bag to fill up the drawers. However, Aunt Alice says that if customers are satisfied with their work they sometimes pay extra and that I can keep the excess money for myself! Me owning my own money! It will truly be thrilling I know it. I pray that my skills will be adequate for the shop and that I will exceed my skills. There is still more work to be done, so until next time dear friend! 

19 June 1843

Dear friend, I  thought that my experiences here on this island could not have been better, but I was proven wrong! This week has been most eventful. It all began on Monday the 13th in the tailor shop. Denmark Tanny, the owner of practically the whole island, came into the shop. He was accompanied by his eldest son Robert Tanny and as they were discussing business with Uncle they mentioned the expertise work on the stitching of a new suit and it was my own work! Thankfully Uncle gave me the credit and I had the pleasure to make their acquaintances. They were truly delightful people and invited us to tea that coming Wednesday at their residence at Tannyhill. Their home was the most gorgeous sight I have ever seen in my existence. It was a mansion. I felt so quaint in my three-year-old Easter dress compared to the lavish home. The Tanny family was most welcoming and tea went by too fast. The conversation was most interesting, although I did not speak much. They talked of the economy and politics and I was too mature on the subject. However what was most interesting was during the conversation I prayed my mind was not presuming it, but Robert kept looking in my direction. Looking back on the occasion I should not be assuming such things, but one cannot help themselves when the presence of an attractive male is in the room. When he smiles I feel nothing, but sunshine and complete bliss. The feeling magnifies when he smiles in my direction. I was anticipating our next meeting, however, Mr. Tanny did not come into Uncle’s shop for the rest of the week. Not all hope was lost however because today after our church services Robert Tanny asked to accompany me on my walk home. I almost fainted with excitement, however, I kept up my studious facade and accepted. On the pathway home, we talked of nature and the ocean. To my disappointment we arrived at the shop rather quickly however, Robert promised to take me to the beach to search for shells so that I may decorate my quarters. I am counting the second until this Thursday comes along. Until next time dear friend! 

I wanted to keep reading, but I noticed it was past midnight and I still had a lot to do tomorrow. JJ would be by and I had a list of things for him to get done. I also needed to get enough rest if I was going to go surfing and I didn’t want to be the one lagging behind. Elenora’s diary was just gonna have to wait. As I fell asleep I tried to imagine myself in Elenoras place, wonderstruck about Outer Banks, and starting a relationship with a true gentleman. Oh, how things have changed. Still, the name Tanny sounded really familiar to me, especially their house, Tannyhill. This all did take place on Outer Banks, so maybe some of the places Elenora was talking about still exist. I would have to save it for another day because for now, I needed as much beauty sleep as I could get.

a/n: Hey guys sorry I haven’t updated in a while I am on vacation and have been going through a bit of writers block. But I am revived and am so excited to finish this story. Also like PLOT TWIST can’t wait for you guys to read what’s next! I’m still on vacation so I’ll try to update when I can.

[myimperfect0wastejourney]

Use what you have before buying new!

I see in a lot of groups I'm a part of that people want to replace everything they can for a more eco-friendly version as soon as they hop onto the low/zero waste train. Or they think they need specific products to be low/zero waste (silicone sandwich bags, Mason jars, glass/metal containers, bamboo toothbrush, etc.)

I have a bin in the basement full of plastic containers, cups, bowls, etc. from when I lived in a dorm and that I plan to use again when I get my own place. I have a stash of toothpaste tubes bought in bulk, period products from before I got a cup, an unopened plastic toothbrush I found when I was cleaning, a box of barely used Ziploc bags in the pantry. I use plastic jugs for drinks I make because my mom has had them for almost 30 years. You get the idea.

So yeah I am going to have plastic products in my house and use non-sustainable products because getting rid of them for special zero waste products or to just feel better about myself for not having them around is NOT being sustainable or eco-friendly. Use what you have, whether it lasts you a week or 30 years, before buying new. If you don't want it or know you won't use it (like the period products I have), donate or give to friends/family who will use it. And when you go to replace things, try thrifting or upcycling first! I have some tees and a pair of sweats that will be turned into rags instead of buying new rags from a zero/low waste store. Will they look as cute and cool and professionally made? Definitely not. But does it really matter? Not at all.

Some places to donate to: pet shelters (seriously, they need more than just typical pet products), women's shelters, your local library (mine takes donations, yours might too!), food pantries, schools/daycares/parent groups, put things up as free on FB marketplace, a local yard sale page, or a crafting group

[erintoknow]

Little Plastic Woman

it’s been 85 degrees here the last couple of days. hopefully this is coherent

fallen hero fanfiction; chargestep ~2.2k words

also thanks to @frozenabattoir for a certain suggestion earlier this week.

Before your Debut:

        You’ve been trying to put this off for a while, but this trip doesn’t have to be a disaster. In fact, you can still turn this towards your advantage.

        Any insider intel you could collect on the Rangers now would only tilt the odds in your favor when the time for your rebirth finally arrived. Second rebirth? Re-re-rebirth?

      No. Stop it. Don’t get distracted by semantics.

        Focus on Ortega instead, walking next to you, Excitedly guiding you down Main street. She’s in casual clothes again, a light blue training jacket over a deeper blue tank-top with grey shorts. As the day heats up, the jacket slides further down her back, exposes the tanned curve of shoulders, her arms–

        No. Stop it. Don’t get distracted by aesthetics.

        “Oh, hey!” Ortega tugs at your arm and you reflexively yank it back. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to check this place out.” Ortega’s pointing a thumb at the building you just walked past. A Neon sign stuck in the window reads ViVi’s in hot pink letters.

        “What is it?” You ask, careful not let your facial expression change.

        Ortega rubs the back of her neck, “Just this thrift shop I keep hearing about. All sorts of odds and ends.” She smiles at you, pulling you inside behind her with a genuine enthusiasm stronger than any grip she could have used.

        You hunch your shoulders as you shut the door behind you. The interior of the store is dimly lit and the shelves closely packed together. Claustrophobic. Maybe reminds you a little too much of another place you’d rather not think about. How do you want to play this? You’ve been here as Jane once or twice when hunting down some specialty request items to speed along Dr. Mortum’s work. What are the odds Ortega would pick the same place?

        Being here in person rather then as Jane… It’s like you’ve walked into a dream. New and familiar, just slightly off in a way you can’t quite articulate. Difference in the build of your bodies? It’s unsettling, whatever it is.

        Ortega raises an eyebrow at you as you hesitate. Do you look uncomfortable? Well, you’re always uncomfortable in new places, so that’s not suspicious, right? “You looking for something in particular?” I ask.

        “Not really,” There’s that sly grin again. “Just been hoping to scope the place out.”

        You wave a hand, shooing her away. “Well, then go… scope it out I guess.” She’s not as subtle as she thinks she is. She’s on Ranger business. But to what end? Is there more to ViVi’s then you had picked up on as Jane? Might as well let her sniff around, maybe you’ll learn something that Jane can put to use.

        You take a different aisle from Ortega. Put some space between the two of you so you can think properly. Once, in another life, you’d have to restrain yourself not to follow in Ortega’s shadow. Laugh at her dumb jokes just a little too long. Go out of your way to find something she’d like. 

        You pull a pack of socks out of a bin. Little blue lightning bolts are stitched just below the hem. Does she still find this kind of thing funny? It’s been so long since you’ve ‘been’ Ariadne Becker, you’re not sure you know how to anymore. You don’t want to think about the past. Just let it fade. She’s your enemy, not your crush. You put the socks back.

        You wonder who Ortega is dating now. There’s always somebody in her sights. 

        “Ari!” Ortega calls and you jump an inch, almost knocking over the bin of socks. “Ari, over here, check these out.”

        She’s smiling. Like that.

        Oh no.

        This can’t be good.

        “..do I even want to know, Ortega?” With some trepidation you navigate your way through the aisles to her. It’s a shelf of kitsch, the kind of bargain-bin junk tourists get suckered into buying to prove they didn’t just stay at home for a week.

        Ortega thrusts something small and plastic into your hands. You bring it up to your face to inspect it. You purse your lips, unimpressed. “This garbage still exists?” It’s a small plastic figurine in the shape of your old Sidestep get-up. The bust is bigger than the real life counterpart.

        Ortega tsks at you. “Ariadne! It’s not garbage! It’s–“ You wait for her to think of something. “Well, okay, maybe these ones are. Look at that paint job. It’s not even on model.”

        You shoot her a look. “What are you, an expert?”

        You frown at the little plastic woman. What would she think of you now? 

Your Debut:

        You stomp through the the open double-doors. You are doing this. This is really happening. You’re going to trash the exhibit and the Rangers alike. You aren’t going to be a victim anymore. No more nightmares, no more running, no more living every moment in fear. You are the one in control now. 

        Time to jump.

        It’s hard to breathe, like a bad smog day, pushing through the fear and panicked thoughts as you scan the reception room. The Rat King curls around you, chittering in rhythm with the song running through your head. …Is it learning to mimic your own mental wall? It doesn’t matter. It’s just as much a tool as you are. Whatever makes it happy.

        Kick over the punch table. A woman screams, clinging to her date as red stains her white ballgown. Everyone backs away from you.

        They’re scared.

        Scared of you.

       It’s exhilarating.

        It’s terrifying.

        You hate that you love this.

        You take a breath, bracing yourself. You’ve got to get these people out of here. Before something happens– before you happen to them. You reach and the Rat King reaches with you, swooping up scattered panicking thoughts into a cacophony, you hold the notes and stretch them to silence. “Out!” You encompass the room with an arm and then thrust a finger at the open door, adding a mental push to your command. One by one by twos by threes, the reception hall empties out, little twangs of fear and panic going ‘sproing’ under your grip.

        You don’t let go, don’t take a breath, until the room is almost empty. Finally. Now you can get to work. On your way out of the reception you make a point to kick the cake over. Bits of frosting stick to the sole of your boot.

        You can sense a few stragglers scattered through the building. As long as they don’t get in your way, you don’t need to worry about them. The exhibit hall is easy to find. It wasn’t even half an hour ago you were here as Jane. Talking with Ortega. About you.

        No. Stop it. Don’t get distracted.

        The real goal here is wiping out yourself, but you can’t give the game away before it even starts. And anyway, this hall is grotesque. A monument to the dead. Just let them rest already. What ones that aren’t dead in body are dead in soul.

        You don’t want to think about which one you are.

        No! Stop it! Don’t get distracted.

        If being Ariadne and Jane visiting the same place is disorienting, tracing Jane’s steps now, inside your new skin feels like something else entirely. Liberating. Giving yourself permission. Break the glass, kick over dioramas. Send out the Nanovores to swallow mannequins whole. Bend the plaques, tear down the signs.

        Sidestep is the last one you touch. You know it’s just a mannequin under the mask but you feel like she’s judging you. For proving everyone right. For proving how wild and dangerous and terrible your kind are. She can’t understand, not yet. It doesn’t matter that she would be right. Everything you are is a crime to them, they would have never let you be.

        It doesn’t matter what Ariadne Becker would have thought, she’s dead. You’re just the ghost come to collect her due.

        You grab Sidestep off her stand, holding her up by the neck and squeezing until the head pops off and rolls away. The Nanovores take care of the rest.

        Whatever it takes to get your revenge; whatever it takes to make the nightmares stop. You’re going straight to hell anyway, might as well drag the rest of them down screaming with you.

The year after:

        You toss your headphones onto the counter and unclasp the broach of your shawl, draping it over the back of the couch before falling onto the cushions face first. “God, I’m so fucking exhausted. Herald makes me feel old.”

        “When did you start cursing so much?” Ortega asks from behind you. It sounds like she’s in the kitchen. 

        “I’m an adult, I can do what I want, mom. Fuck off.” You try to put an edge in your voice, try to sound more bad-ass then petulant.

        Julia laughs. “No dessert for you tonight.”

        “Oh yeah?” You turn over, stare up at the ceiling. “Just try and stop me then.”

        “Mm… I can think of a few ways. It wouldn’t even be hard… that part comes later.”

        You can feel the heat in your ears. “And when you did you start playing dirty like this?”

        “Oh, I’ve always played dirty, Ari.” The purr in Julia’s voice makes you squirm. You can hear her shuffle about the kitchen, the sound of water from the sink faucet. “Do me a favor? There’s some candles in the hallway closet, can you grab the pack?”

        You roll off the couch, and stand up, stretching your arms. “Well aren’t we getting fancy today. I didn’t realize this was going to be that kind of dinner.”

        “Who says the candles are for the dinner?”

        “What do you–? Hrm.” You bite your tongue as an image occurs to you. You don’t have a comeback for that one.

        Julia laughs as you open the closet door. Where are the…? There. Candles, bottom shelf. As you reach in to grab the pack something catches your eye further back and you push aside a cardboard box to see what it is. “Ortega…?” You call out.

        “Did you find the candles?”

        “Why do you have a bunch of… action figures in here?”

        There’s silence from the kitchen and then Julia answers back, embarrassed. “Found the collection did you?”

        You turn over one of the figures in your hand, rub your thumb against the plastic base. “Have you been… holding on to these?”

        “Things got a little… strange after we lost you and Themmy.”

        “Strange.” You repeat, your voice flat.

        “It’s not like we had that much to remember you by…” You can hear Julia’s footsteps. “I did have a few photos, but they all got torched when the apartment was bombed.” She’s standing behind you, and you let her pull you into a hug even as you continue staring at the Sidestep figurine. “Nowadays I just keep picking them up out of habit.”

        “You know I hated these things.” Downside of an economic free zone. What were you going to do, sue the manufacturer for violating the right-to-privacy act? Hah.

        “Why do you think I put them in the back of my closet?”

        Julia’s affection is like a vise, a pressure painful to the bone even as it holds you together. Every instinct in your head is yelling at you to push her away, to put distance between you. You turn the figurine over in your hands, guilt seeping in like bloodstains.

        You don’t deserve to be here, lying to Ortega just by existing. Sidestep wouldn’t do this to her best friend. “Look at this, look at the chest on that woman,” you say, trying to keep your voice light. “Makes me feel inadequate every time.”

        Julia laughs, running a hand up your side. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” she says, cupping your breast. “I think the real thing is plenty adequate enough for me.”

        “J-julia!!” You push free of her embrace, dropping the figurine on the floor. Your face is beet-red, you just know it is. Still, you can’t stop the panicked smile on your face even as you try your best to look cross with her. “Wow, somebody’s bold today.”

        Julia smiles at you, bright, genuine. She’d be better off if you ended whatever this was between you. She thinks she can save you, but that’s not possible. You’ll just drag her down with you.

        “What till you see the cake.” Julia picks up the figure you dropped, careful to hold it by the base.

        “Cake?”  You eye Julia, side-tracked again. “What cake?”

        “You’ll see.” There’s that smug, tight-lipped smile again. “Trade you for a candle?”

        “Huh? Oh,” You swap the pack of candles on the shelf for the Sidestep figurine in Julia’s hands. “What’s this about cake?”

        “Relax, won’t you?”Julia reaches with her free hand to grab your own. “Close your eyes.” She commands.

        “…why.” What’s gotten into her today? What’s this all about?

        “Oh, just do it Ari.”

        You sigh theatrically, “Fine, fine.”

        You both stand there. Julia says, a little more harshly now. “I mean actually close them Ari.”

        “Fuck.”

        Julia laughs, pulling you after her. “It’s okay, you can trust me.”

       “I don’t know...”

       “Then trust the me that trusts you.” 

        Your eyes are closed but you roll them anyway. “You really shouldn’t.” You say, only half joking. You squeeze Julia’s hand. 

[rottenappleheart]

Let me tell you about my houseplants!

Peperomia! The first plant I successfully kept alive, back in my basement apartment, after having friends buy me multiple plants "to symbolize our friendship" and watching them die, LOL. I almost gave up on the peperomia, too. "What do you want?" I would wail. As it turned out: just slightly more water, and some time. (Alternatively: I had purchased little kodama figures and wedged them in the dirt around the plant.) When I was packing everything up to drive across the country, I had to reserve a space in the car where it could sit upright with its leaves un-squished. It's been doing so well that I've started having to crop it (!!!)  If you are thinking about houseplants and are terrified of your own capacity for death, try one of these sturdy little (pet-safe) suckers.

M'lady Calathea! I have to say that I have almost romantic feelings about this plant. She is so gorgeous. She is so queenly. Looking at her rich colors against the dark wood just gives my heart a glow. I will be devastated if she does not like living with me. (Update: I bought Calathea's pale-leafed daughter to hang out in my bedroom windowsill!)

Maidenhair Fern (and mystery fern)! I wanted a fern so badly, and spent months waiting for the local garden shops to get a cat-safe variety in stock. I am not sure what this terribly soft baby wants yet, but I put it in a teacup and gave it a ceramic ladybug friend (in keeping with the kodama thesis) and will hope for the best. (Mystery Fern had been on my porch and hating every second - I’m giving it a reprieve from the August sun.)

The Hoya! I have no excuse. I was waiting at the nursery for the gardeners to finish potting the young miss calathea for me, saw this, and went "oh no I need her." She is also on the windowsill now!

English Ivy & Mystery Ivy! Technically I shouldn't have these because they're not cat-safe. I took a gamble with the thought process that 1) Story has never bothered any plant of mine or my roommates, and 2) they'll be hanging up somewhere out of reach anyway. Aren't they lovely? Mystery Ivy came from Craigslist fully grown, so I can't take credit for its abundance, but the little one I have been carefully coaxing to overspill its pot.

Curly Spider Plants (x2)! "I can just give you babies from my spider plant," my roommate said, but I declined, because I had been made aware of ~curly~ varieties. Then, like the maidenhair fern, had to wait for a while until a local shop had them. Then had to figure out how to hang them. The lady at the garden shop was so enthusiastic about helping me try out hangers and pots that would fit said hangers. They are a pain in the ass to water, but here's the good news: apparently, "mild neglect" will make them curlier. I, uh, anticipate a lot of curls. I know myself. They spent three weeks hanging from a shower rod before I decided they should live on my bedroom walls, where I can pretend I am in a jungle.

Aglaonema! (You can also call it a Chinese Evergreen, but I like the weird gargling Gollumesque sound.) Technically I shouldn't have this one either (not cat-safe), but I got it for free at work, and it lives way up high on a bathroom shelf beside my Very Grown-Up Bin of Guest Toiletries. What can I say, it lived for a year in an office under fluorescent light with weekly watering. I figured it couldn't do any worse in my care. 

Marble Queen Pothos! Someone was giving these babies away on Craigslist, and I rationalized (again) "not safe for cat" vs. "lives way up high on top of bookshelf." The seller said never to let them dry out... which I didn't know how to react to, as she handed them to me in a dust-dry tub... and per Google, they're fine drying out between waterings. In any case, I tucked two sprigs into a $0.99 pot from a thrift store, soaked 'em, and let them hang out in the window for a day before moving them to the top of the tower of books, where their vines shall hang down like Rapunzel's hair. 

Aluminum Plants! (The green ones beside the fabric yellow and blue flowers) I need to repot these. They're wedged in too tight and can't really be watered without water going everywhere. But they are charming and supposedly pretty hardy. Haven't found a permanent location for them yet.

Not pictured because of Tumblr’s image limit and my lack of planning: the English Ivy, the aquamarine pilea in the mushroom pot, the succulents on the bathroom window, the young peperomia I bought to give to a friend, and the porch plants.

This is already too long, so the rest is behind the cut.

So, plants have become my new vice. I got used to living with the boys and their jungle of greenery. When they moved out, I started trawling Craigslist for any cheap plants I could find. Then just outright buying them from the nursery. There was a weird period right after I moved into the new place where I HAD plenty of plants, but they were all being stored in the shower for safekeeping and humidity... so I would look around, see nothing green, and impulse-buy even MORE plants, because my sense of object permanence is in retrograde.

I have now a Sufficient Quantity of green about me, and it is well with my soul.

Of course, now I just have the ITCH. I took a friend to the nursery last week just to show her how pleasing to the eye houseplants were. She was conscious of flowers, but not the magnificent green variety of things one can just... keep, indoors, forever. She was startled and delighted. We took notes on which ones she liked best, to look up their care requirements.

I want to buy everyone a houseplant.

[larpgourmet]

The Essential LARP Cooking Camp Gear List

Figuring out what to bring to game is always stress inducing. I have packing lists for my packing lists just to make sure I don’t miss anything (it doesn’t help that I drive four hours to get to my game. Forgetting something means I’m SOL all weekend, unless I feel like stopping by a Walmart to pickup whatever I left at home.) 

If you’re a new LARPer, this can be doubly stressful. You may not even know where to begin to pack for what you need. I’m pretty focused on only food needs on this blog, but to sidetrack for just a moment -- my advice is always to break it down from a meta level first. By that I mean, start with the big picture stuff:

- Camping Gear (tent, sleeping bag, etc.) - Food and Drink - Costume - Weapons - Decorative - Mundane Needs (medicine, first aid kit, hygiene needs) 

Once you have that list together, then you can start listing things by specific, and that’ll help you organize your head a little bit when things start to get crazy. Make a list on a word doc somewhere you can access it all the time, and keep the same list game after game, that way you have it on hand in case you run out of spell slots to think about it the Thursday night before you travel.

My list below will operate similarly, giving kind of a broad list, and then breaking it down, with only a few major items getting specific call-outs.

That said -- back to the food stuff!

If you want to cook at game, you’ll need a handful of things to make this possible. Listed below is a short list of what you’ll need, and what to look for in those items. Some of these were also referenced on the 20 Items under $20 post, found here (https://larpgourmet.tumblr.com/post/186401312414/20-things-under-20-for-eating-at-larp)

- A Decent Cooler Look for one that will easily fit in your car with the rest of your stuff, but has enough room to work with. Also be aware that you’re going to have to move your cooler in and out of your car -- while it’s full of stuff. Too big, and you risk it being exceptionally heavy.

I bought mine eons ago, but I want to say it’s somewhere in the 48 - 50 quart range. I generally want to be able to fit my cold brew coffee, a frozen gallon bottle of water, my food, at least half of my drinks, and my icepacks into the cooler easily.

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating -- of all of the items to shell a little extra for, this is the one. Good insulation, a tight fitting lid, and well made handles will go a long way to ensuring your food stays cold, and you have a better time maneuvering it. Coolers are also just generally handy things to have around, even when you’re not LARPing, so there’s little chance this purchase will go to waste.

One side note on this -- I think wheels are a bit of a waste when it comes to coolers in a camping setting. The wheels do just about nothing over dirt and sticks, and are barely better than dragging the cooler on it’s edge -- at least in my experience.

- A Sturdy Table If no tables are readily available, OR those tables are wobbly -- pick up a good, sturdy table of your own, and be ready to throw a tablecloth over it. I like 6 foot hard plastic folding tables available at any hardware store. They are generally easy to pack and move, and give you plenty of room to work with.

Prepare to store your plastic bin of stuff, and your cooler underneath the table. The cooler being in the perpetual shade of the tablecloth, and the breeze of the outside means that your ice will melt a bit slower. I’ve managed July games in over 100 degree heat in southern California without needing to make an ice run, just because my cooler is stored under a table with a good tablecloth.

- Camp Stove This is another topic I’ve covered in some detail on this post: https://larpgourmet.tumblr.com/post/186746785742/what-to-look-for-in-a-camp-stove

Long and short -- though there’s many ways to heat up food at game, including campfires and the hope of a decent kitchen on site, I feel like Camp Stoves are the old reliable. They’re safe (you’re not likely to accidentally start a forest fire), easy to use and keep with you, and if you have your own, you’re not waiting in line to use it -- so you can just heat n’ eat at your leisure!

- A Trash Bin Get a collapsible trash container made for camping, and the appropriately sized trash bags. Invest in something big and flat that you can put over the trash bag to keep stuff out, or prepare to take it to a larger trash receptacle every so often.

- Dutch Oven If you’ve never looked at a dutch oven before, it’s basically a big soup pot with a good lid. Generally speaking, dutch ovens are thick walled and made of cast iron -- but for our purposes, any large pot with a decent lid will fit your needs.

I like these, especially if you plan to make any meals for a larger group. Big vats of soup or even cold salads can be served in a dutch oven, and automatically look more interesting as a result. The lid means you can close in your food to keep dust out, and even if you’re not using it to cook directly, you can fill it with water and cook sous vide style.

ProTip: If you get one big enough, you can fit a lot of your other gear inside of it, making it an excellent storage container for packing purposes as well.

- Frying Pan / Skillet / Griddle What we need is a large, flat surface to toast bread, pan fry food, or set stovetop coffee pots on top of to make sure they’re stable. A frying pan or skillet is probably best (as the walls give them a bit more utility -- but a griddle or flat top surface can be great in the long haul, if you don’t mind buying both options!

- Food Prep Items A cutting board, a good knife, bowls to collect items you’ve cut and prepared, and some bowls or covers to keep everything clean while you work. As with the below, this is really a situational need. If you plan to do any food prep actually at game, make sure you consider what you’ll need to bring!

- Servingware Wooden bowls, spoons, charcuterie boards, and other things are great to lay out your food for eating. You only really need these if you plan on serving multiple people, and will need to leave the food somewhere that photographers might find it. Honestly, source as much of this out of thrift stores as you can, big wooden bowls and big wooden spoons are silly cheap there. You can also get some fairly inexpensive slabs of marble and other easy to keep and clean stone from any home improvement store -- more on that in a future post!

- Flatware / Dishes You will want something to eat your food out of that looks good for the photographers! The 20 Items under $20 has a few links for things to look for on this front, but expect to need at least one of each of the basics -- a cup, bowl, plate, fork, knife, and spoon. I’ve tested my way through a lot of the disposables in this arena, and I find them to be both flimsy, and expensive. Set aside the scratch for one decent set that will last, and you’ll be much happier.

- Cleaning Station Here’s where I admit that I don’t do a full soap and water wash most of the time at game. I’m the only one who uses my own stuff, so most of the time I just wipe down my gear to get any food off, dry it, and wait to give it a good cleaning when I get home. Most of my cooking for game is tailored to this idea, meaning that I generally make a lot of things where I won’t leave a lot of food behind, and if I do, it’s in a mason jar where I’m just going to seal the jar and not worry about it.

I also (currently) use real cast iron for my fork, knife, and spoon -- so getting them in soap and water is really just a great way for them to rust. (I’m thinking of switching over to stainless steel. Cast iron has a taste, and I’m not particularly fond... additionally, it’s a HUGE pain to keep care of, especially at game if someone decides to be nice and wash your stuff for you, so I’m just kind of over it.)

If you’re eating anything that will get sticky or sugary, or where you’re leaving a larger amount of food (not just sandwich crumbs), you will want a way to clean it so you don’t get pests. This set should consist of at least a couple of things; a smallish plastic bin for you to catch your soapy water, a sponge, some dish soap, a drying towel, and clean water to rinse your soap off your dishes.

If you’re a knitter at all, consider making knitted towels out of yarn tailor made to the purpose. Knitted towels will always look great, and they dry up a lot of water! They do just take a little longer to dry, so prepare a spot to hang them up with clothespins, if you can! (I’m not a knitter, but my mom makes me knitted stuff all the time.)

- Plastic Bin with a Good Lid The reason I advocate for this is to carry all of your camping gear in one place, and make sure it stays clean and pest free until you can use it. Get all your stuff first, then decide what size you need -- but one of these goes a long way toward good organization, and ease of moving your stuff!

- Sundries This can be any sort of smaller items that I just catch all into one category. My current list for this is: Matches Paper towels First aid kit Propane Camp lantern Apron (to keep your costume clean) Spare water Trivets (if you’re going to have any hot pans on site)

If you’re worried about forgetting something, set your setup up at home, and mock going through everything. Think about what you’ll need to do for all of your meals, and make sure you have everything you need to that end.

Plan for emergencies! Plan for spills, plan to get cut, or burned on your stove! Make sure everything you need is close by (in your plastic bin) when you’re actually on site, so you always know how to find your stuff if something comes up.

[vinylexams]

INTERVIEW with Brian Cook of SUMAC, Russian Circles, Botch, These Arms are Snakes, and Roy 

Brian Cook of the MANY gnarly bands listed above took time to answer a bunch of questions that had been burning a hole in my mind for years earlier today. Did you know that aside from playing bass in some of the heaviest bands currently in existence, Brian is also an avid record collector and he also runs a very similar page where he posts all of his records and writes up a bit of history and personal context with each one? A man after my own heart! I’ve dropped a link to his Tumblr below and you’d be a fool not to go check it out and follow his work there.

https://bubblesandgutz.tumblr.com⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I really appreciated having a chance to talk to a very talented musician who also places a LOT of importance on physical medium and the recording process. All too often I get submissions from bands who either don’t know the in’s and out’s of the vinyl format or they took a lot of shortcuts and deprive their art a chance to really shine in the ways that vinyl allows. I picked Brian’s brain about his approach to creation of physical musical media as well as his history as a collector (and even tried to convince him to get These Arms are Snakes play my big gay wedding reception!). Thanks for taking the time to tell your story to us, Brian!

You've been a member of several incredible bands over the past few decades (Botch, Sumac, Russian Circles, These Arms Are Snakes), all of which have released pretty much everything they've recorded on vinyl. How important is the vinyl medium for you as a musician and creator?

Thanks for the kind words. It's really important to me for my music to have some sort of physical format. I realize that mode of thinking might seem sort of old school or outdated, but i've always been enamored by music as a kind of historical artifact. When I was younger, that meant it was important for me to have an actual Dead Kennedys cassette as opposed to a dubbed version from my friend. It was like the difference between owning a painting versus owning a xerox of a painting. When I became a musician, it was a sign of validation. By having a record with my name on it, I had created something that would potentially outlive me. And now in the digital age we've convinced ourselves that everything lives forever on the internet, but it's not true. Myspace just lost all their music. I've written for a lot of online music outlets that have closed shop or simply deleted old posts. Meanwhile, I have a trunk full of old zines that outlived the supposed permanence of blogs. So while the digital age is great for convenience and scope, creating a physical recording is really the more reliable way to make sure something exists for more than five to ten years, or however long it takes for the newest technological fad to become obsolete. Vinyl seems to be the longest lasting format, so it's my preferred medium. But if my music exists on tape or CD, that's fine too. 

Do you approach your recording and production processes with specific formats like vinyl in mind? If so, what do you do differently? Absolutely. The main concern is that we're dealing with the time constraints of vinyl. For bands like Russian Circles and SUMAC who have really long songs, it means we have to be careful how we sequence our records because we can easily exceed the 22-minutes-per-side rule. We've also been told by pressing plants that it's better to have long drones in the middle of an album side than at the beginning or end because there tends to be more surface noise at the beginning of a side and more warble at the end, and drones don't do much to mask these imperfections. But while one can complain about the limitations of vinyl, there are also issues with digital formats that can alter the way an album is put together. For example, the digital version of Empros has a longer drone at the end of "Batu" than the LP version, partially because of vinyl's limitations, but also because digital outlets like iTunes don't recognize records with long songs as full albums unless at least one track is longer than ten minutes. So we stretched it out on the digital version so that we'd be compensated appropriately for our work, but condensed it on vinyl so that we didn't compromise the sound quality.

Of all of the albums you've contributed to, which one stands out to you as the one you feel most connected to?

Probably Geneva by Russian Circles, if I had to pick one. We wrote that record over the span of several months at a house in rural Wisconsin. It was one of those ideal scenarios I'd always dreamed of---hunkering down in some isolated retreat and just immersing ourselves in the writing process. I've never walked away from an album feeling as accomplished as I did with that one. It just felt like we'd achieved something that had previously been out of my level of expertise. I think we've made better records since then, but I don't think I've ever felt as successful in making the sounds in my head translate to the recording. With regards to my other bands, I feel that way about Botch's We Are The Romans, These Arms Are Snakes' Easter, Roy's Killed John Train, and SUMAC's What One Becomes. But Geneva will always hold a special place.

How did you get into vinyl collecting and how does it play a part in your life?

I started buying vinyl around '92 because it was cheap. My first LP was Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet's Savvy Show Stoppers. I bought it for $2. Then I discovered 7"s, which was the dominant format for hardcore and punk bands at the time. Throughout high school, I mainly bought 7"s because i could buy 3 or 4 a week on my allowance. And let's be honest... most hardcore bands in the '90s had better 7"s than full albums. But vinyl was so dead at the time that you could also go to thrift stores and scoop up the entire Creedence Clearwater Revival discography for the cost of one CD. Even new vinyl was cheaper than their CD counterpart back then. So it's a bit of a drag now considering that vinyl is currently the most expensive format, but I still get a thrill from going to record stores, digging through crates, and coming home with a new LP. I can't say I buy that many 7"s anymore though.

What do you think about the relatively recent resurgence of large-scale vinyl production and collection?

It certainly has its advantages and disadvantages. I buy a lot of reissues just so I can have a clean, good-sounding copy, so I appreciate the resurgence in that regard. At the same time, the vinyl boom has made used record shopping a bit more of a drag. I don't know how many copies of Neil Young's Harvest I saw in used bins throughout the '90s and '00s, and then when I finally decided to buy a copy five years ago, it seemed like they'd all been snagged and the reissue was going for $50. When the Zeppelin discography got reissued a few years back, I mentioned wanting a new copy of Physical Graffiti to my husband. He went to our local indie record store in Brooklyn and asked the owner if they carried it and he totally balked at the question. "Why would we carry a reissue when you can buy a used copy of that in any record store for $5?" he said. My husband was like "every used Zeppelin record you carry is beat to shit and goes for at least $20... what the fuck are you even talking about?"

If you had to pare down your entire collection to no more than three albums, which would you keep?

What's the broader context? Like, are those the only three records I can listen to for the rest of my life? Or is it just a matter of only being allowed to own three records? If it's the former, I'd probably choose Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Miles Davis' In a Silent Way, and a Can album... either Ege Bamyasi or Soon Over Babaluma. Ask me tomorrow and I'd probably list off a different three. If it's the latter... like, if i'm merely holding onto records because the actual artifact means a lot to me but I can still listen to music in some other capacity, then I'd probably go with the His Hero Is Gone / Union of Uranus split LP, Undertow's At Both Ends, and Sticks & Stones Theme Songs For Nothing, just because those seem like a pain in the ass to replace and they're important records to me. I have records that are worth way more money, but I'm not someone who buys records because they're valuable. 

Do you have a "white whale" record you still haven't found?

Not really. For ages I resisted the urge to buy used records online, but I've since relented. The record that finally broke my ordering embargo was Hack's The Rotten World Around Us. They were a band from Adelaide, South Australia in the late '80/ early '90s who sounded like a grungier version of the first couple Swans records. Super heavy and scary. I got turned onto them through a 7" on Alternative Tentacles, but the LP was never available stateside. The first few times I toured Australia i went to every record store I could find in hopes of finding a copy. No one had ever heard of Hack. The singer was in another band called Grong Grong, and members of that band had gone on to be in King Snake Roost, Lubricated Goat, and Tumor Circus (with Jello Biafra on vocals), but no one had heard of them either. In my mind there was this rich underground of Australian noise rock from that time period that was still vital and valid, but the reality is that it was largely ignored and forgotten. I eventually found a copy online and bought it for $20. A year later i found a used copy in Boise. Oh well. I'd love to find Acme's To Reduce The Choir..., or an original copy of Popol Vuh's second album, or the Neu! 7", or the Greenlandic prog band Sume's Sumut album.

Hypothetically how much money would I need to raise to get These Arms Are Snakes to reunite to play my wedding reception? My family will hate it but my partner and I will be very happy, etc.

We still talk about doing some proper "farewell shows" since we bailed on doing them back in 2009/2010. Granted, now they'd be reunion shows, but in our hearts they'd be our proper goodbye. We're putting together a vinyl release of various odds and ends for next year, so maybe that'll give us an excuse to finally book something.

[icewindandboringhorror]

Just a strange little outfit with a bow.. I wanted to use the pattern of this fabric in something but I didn’t have time to like.. sew anything, so I just cut a hole in the bedsheet and wore it as a sort of temporary dress lol. (socks are from ebay, everything else is thrifted)

[haileybeehappy]

Grayson Dolan, Coachella

summary . reader upcycles clothes for the twins Coachella outfits

word count . 1579

warnings . none

type . fluffffff (and like .002 angst)

    Grayson was livid but was playing it down for the camera and for Ethan’s feelings. He put so much effort into making his brothers outfit and got an expensive toddler shopping spree as a result. He said that it looked like someone gave a child a credit card and let them buy the outfit. Ethan was basically a child so this was kinda true, so now you were left with the task of buying the boys outfits while they were visiting family. Gray wanted you to come but you decided that staying would be best due to your elevation sickness. You didn’t want to fly across the country for a few days only to end up sick for a week, the boys understood.

    You were at some expensive store where a plain black t-shirt cost almost six hundred dollars. You were shuffling through the stores looking through the half filled racks. The girls behind the counter were looking at you like ‘you won’t be able to pay for any of this’ look that you get all the time when you come into these stores. You would much rather go to a thrift store and find a piece to upcycle than spend two thousand dollars on one outfit. But because of the boys style and budget you decided to come to some big fancy store and buy some new coachella clothes for the preppy brats. Of course they didn’t know so whatever you bought them would be a surprise but a good one unlike what the boys got for each other.

    “Ma’am? Would you like any help?” one of the workers asked.

    “No, I’m okay. I’m just, browsing,” She smiles at you. Somehow making a smile condescending. You find a pair of sunglasses you know Ethan will love so you snag them and bring them to the counter. The lady rings you up and looks at you smugly.

    “That will be two hundred and fifty six dollars ma’am. Will that be in cash or credit?” You pull out three hundred dollar bills from your ‘loui’ wallet that was tucked in your two dollar purse from a store on Melrose and place them on the counter, her face shifts and you smile. She quickly gets you your change and thanks you, saying ‘come again soon,’ while you leave the store with the small matte box in hand.

    You decide that the snobby people aren’t worth it and head to your favorite thrift store on the edge of town. An older couple owns it and you have come to know them very well.

    “Hey beautiful lady,” Margo says as you walk through the doors,

    “Hello Margo,” You smile and walk to the counter. “Got anything new for me?” she nods and pulls a small basket from her little cabinet.

    “These came in with a big donation and Bill almost set them out for sale,” she says jokingly shaking her head. Inside the small straw basket were multiple pins and buttons. You collected them and displayed them on a three by three foot cork board in your filming room. You picked through the small metal pieces and found a few that you loved. Two little planets with hanging charms one orange red and blue with an astronaut, the next was a little more morbid it was a red skull that looked like it was melting. It kinda reminded you of a candy apple. One of your favorites, a mix between cute and creepy was lilo from lilo and stitch in her traditional dance skirt and headdress but half of her body was a skeleton. And the last three were a set, figures of girls from Hamilton. A present for your best friend who is obsessed with the play and music and everything about Hamilton.

    “Thank you so much margo, I have a few things for you. I’ll bring them in tomorrow,” She smiled.

“Are you sure you don’t want anymore?” You glanced over the selection one more time a pin caught your eye. It was a heart, an anatomically accurate heart. You picked it up and ran your fingers across it. It was perfect for Gray. You nodded.

“All good now,” You smiled and she packed the pins for you in a small box. You slipped the box in your purse and went to explore the store. They had a small mens section but it would make due. You found a pair of camo pants that might fit one of the boys so you plopped that into your small basket. You found a pair of pretty plain red shorts and those went in too. An army green shirt. You worked into the women's section and found a mesh shirt that you could work into a piece. After some more searching you finally found the last piece you would need, from this store at least. A few iron on roses. You paid for your items and headed home. The house was strangely quiet. You grabbed the few items of clothing you needed from the boys closets and moved to the guest house to finish the outfits. You settled in your filming/craft room in the guest house and got to work on the items on hand. You cut the camo pants into short like things, hemming them, cutting some mesh from the shirt and sewing them on the pants, you sewed the legs back on under the mesh. Some fabric was cut off the ends and you left it unhemmed and rough looking. You were proud of the finished look but weren’t sure if the twins would like it. You moved to the shorts which didn’t take longer than ten minutes and then you piled the two outfits into bags. The red shorts paired with a plain white tee and a red fanny pack. Lastly you put both the outfits into boxes and stored them under the table until the boys arrived.

They were finally back from their trip and came home with many expensive shopping bags in hand. You should have known, of course they would go out and buy outfits when they ‘had no time’. You were kind of upset but they didn’t know what you were doing but it still kinda hurt. You of course greeted them and were still happy to see them.

“Babe, where’s the glue gun?”

“In my craft room, why?”

“Ethan broke something and I need to glue it back together,”

“I didn’t break it!” you heard Ethan scream from his room.

“It’s in a box under my work table,” You heard Gray leave the main house and work his way to the guest house. Gray entered your filming room door and began looking for the glue gun. Under your work table there was many bins but only three boxes he opened the first one and in there sat his outfit you made him.

“Babe!” Gray screamed walking through the door two boxes in hand.

“Seriously it’s not that hard…” you looked up from your phone. There he was, two boxes in hand.

“These are really good,”

“Why were you looking through my stuff?”

“Because you told me to.. But babe. These are so good,” He stopped for a second. “Ethan!” You went to snatch the boxes but he held them above his head.

“Are these for us?” He held them up higher as you tried to get them.

“Yeah, they were for coachella but you already got outfits so you don’t need them,” Ethan had come from his room. Gray tossed him the red black box. “No that one is yours,” you told gray, giving up on trying to get the box from him and they switched.

“I would take your outfits over whatever we bought anyday,” Gray said pulling you into a hug.

“But they’re not expensive shit from balenciaga, it a two dollar shirt from the thrift store,” He just rolled his eyes.

“So, I’d rather wear this than a fifty dollar plain white t-shirt,” You backed off in submission and let them do their thing.

They went and got dressed in their new outfits. They walked out and they both looked better than you thought they would.

“Babe, these are amazing,”

“Seriously these are great Y/n,”

“They’re nothing compared to what you guys probably bought,”

“Hey, you need to stop doubting yourself. These are amazing If I walked into some snobby store saw these I wouldn’t think for a second that they were anything else but expensive as hell. Okay?” As much as a child that E could be he could be smart if he wanted to be. You pulled him in for a hug. Gray joined in behind you.

“Thank you guys, it means a lot. I love you both,”

The boys had just posted their pictures of them wearing the outfits that you made for them. They got almost an overwhelming responses of people appreciating their outfits and asking where they got them, and so on and so forth. They had only responded with your instagram handle and nothing else. The fans had not known you and Gray were together, which was really hard to hide since you lived with them and filmed in your shared house. But there was a lot of shipping and suspicion from the fans. This put them over the edge, they were freaking out and you and Gray decided to expose yourselves..

    “What’s up guys? We’re back! And today we have a very special guest…”

[djseaward]

my zero waste progress (& DIY oat milk recipe!)

you'd have to be living under a rock to not have heard the term "zero waste" thrown around. next to "adaptogen", i am predicting it's one of those buzzwords of the last year. and why not? even though it sounds like a phase and trendy, i am whole-heartedly on-board with zero waste becoming a thing that we just all do without thinking! zero waste doesn't have to mean that you absolutely create no waste at all, but an overall catchphrase for people trying to make steps to cut down on waste in order to live as zero waste as they possibly can in that time of their life.

making substitutes and compromises for the good of humanity and the planet. i'm all in for that. it also goes hand in hand with a thifty, frugal and minimalist lifestyle.

so i wanted to share some "zero waste" or more ecological changes i've made over the past year and some goals of mine for next year. maybe it’ll give you some ideas or hopefully inspire you a little to try something out! 

i feel proud that 2018 was the year that we've really hunkered down and got more serious about zero waste and the switch to a more ecological, sustainable household.

pre-2018 there have been some really ecological switches we've already made. we started composting within the first two years or so that we moved to budejovice, and lucky for us, our landlords have a compost heap that they kindly let us put our bio into, which in turn fuels our building's garden! pretty neat. since we started doing this, we only have to take out the (small sized bin) trash about once every three weeks! hooray! that may sound strange, but there’s nothing stinky in there since we have a separate compost container which is emptied once every couple of days (choose something with a lid that closes completely!).

of course we've been recycling (no brainer), always bring shopping bags with us when we go (always on foot) to the supermarket and throw almost no plastic away.

we also had been using old holey socks as a dusting rag and plastic produce bags as "saran wrap". we've never bought saran (plastic, cling) wrap here before.

since the beginning, we've bought compostable dog poo bags for ferdie. (tip: it's better to dispose of these in bio bins vs. trash bins where they'll decompose slower because the trash isn't allowed to aerate like the compost is)

i'm very passionate about purchasing only recycled toilet paper as entire areas are deforested just to make new, fluffy toilet paper. #knowbetterdobetter

we bring our own containers, cups and utensils when we travel or go on day trips. i’ve found that glass jars make excellent “tupperware” containers as well as impromptu wine glasses for a picnic. if i were in the market for a new travel tumbler, i’d definitely spring for a stojo collapsible tumbler! that’s always my problem that i bring my tumbler and then it takes up space for most of the trip, unused.

alex is very adamant about unplugging nearly every appliance when not in use. with how expensive electricity is in europe, it helps a lot not to having a computer sucking it up! it's also much better for your battery appliances to unplug from the wall as soon as they are finished charging, so you're also taking better care of your things.

here are some recent changes we've made just over the past year.

-- eliminating use of aerosols. i personally decided i wouldn't buy any more, but the problem for a long time had been: where the heck can you find non-aerosol shaving cream? i found my answer in d'fluff shaving cream in a tub from LUSH. it smells like their rockstar soap and although it doesn't foam, i'm down with this change!

-- we switched to bamboo toothbrushes, which i had to order by mail because previously, there were no local shops that sold them! i have since found a couple so i think we're good to go now. before, i ordered from the bam and boo, which sent them so quickly even with a special, personalized note in czech which i thought was so sweet as they came from portugal.

-- choosing bar soap vs. liquid soap which has to be sold in packaging.

-- eliminating purchasing anything with palm oil or high fructose corn syrup (or glucose-fructose syrup, as it's known here). for years i believed in the myth that HFCS was banned in europe, but you can still find it in everything!

-- the switch from typical supermarket laundry soap and dishwasher tabs to an eco-label laundry soap (made from soap nuts) which is highly concentrated and therefore more ecological and more earth-friendly dishwasher tabs. both of these switches are more expensive than what we used to buy, so i totally understand going more eco-friendly isn't for everyone and all budgets. however, if you wouldn't notice an extra few dollars here and there, why not make this simple switch? i like the czech brand of laundry soap tierra verde out of brno. (why is everything cool is out of brno these days?)

-- switching from disposable feminine products to a medical-grade silicone menstrual cup has been a complete.game.changer. it's one of those things you kick yourself for not getting much much earlier. did you know a tampon applicator takes 500 years to break down? i went with first greener and am really pleased  that i did. as a menstruating human, this seems like one of the single biggest improvements you can make to take steps towards zero waste. cost was an barrier for me with this and not being able to shell out for one for awhile, but the company i purchased from often runs deals for only $10 (that includes international shipping). i’m pleased some companies are making menstrual products more accessible to women of all income levels.

-- right at the end of the year, i finally found reusable produce bags that were a reasonable price. hoorah!

-- we have nearly stopped buying paper towels, using regular old towels or other cloths instead.

-- purchasing our vegetables in the warmer months from a local CSA (community supported agriculture) vegetable box program cuts down both on plastic wrapping, supports local south bohemian farms and is just a fun, healthy way to make sure we eat loads of season veggies. it also challenges me to stop being lazy and cook or make something with them before anything goes bad. (for my local budejovice friends: you can order a vegetable box starting usually around june from u dobraka)

-- alex says he's most proud of our household's switch to alternative milks vs. dairy milk. this helps loads with water consumption, is far more ecological, and much more animal-friendly.  (alternative milk recipe at the end of this post - woo!)

changes i would like to make in 2019

-- one of my challenges is zero waste hair products. most drugstore products are aerosol or just the typical tube. i think i will end up purchasing from LUSH's hair line as not only have i already raved about their products but i so appreciate their commitment to reusable packaging, as well as their vocal stance against animal cruelty.

-- do better with food waste. i have already eliminated a lot of issues i’ve had with food waste over the past year and meal planning helps SO MUCH with not only reducing waste, but also saving some crowns. i’ve made some great strides in the past year, i’d like to do even better in 2019 getting my food waste down to 0%. laziness can be a big (bigbig) factor here, and that’s a tough one to overcome! i will also try making or buying less products that i don’t finish.

-- i'd like to remember to start taking what few glass empties i have back to a supermarket to get a refund. this is extremely common practice in germany, but not quite as common here, and we normally just go to the normal glass recycle bin. it would be nice to start getting a few crowns back here and there vs. nothing!

-- i'd love to invest in a set of cloth linen napkins i'm actually proud to use! will look to a thrift shop or bazaar before checking a store.

-- collectively, one of our main focuses as a household is a reduction in goods which use plastic, single-use, throw-away packaging, such as musli, for example. buying musli or any cereal here in the czech republic is such a headache -- it is either expensive or contains palm oil, for the most part. there is one brand i like, but i find i am eating it over and over and get so tired of it. any of you out there DIY your musli or cereal? please share your wisdom!

easy DIY recipe: oat milk

one of my big goals is to DIY even more. i already do quite a fair bit of DIY in terms of household products and foods, sauces that i can't buy in the czech republic, but i'd like to DIY more with products i already buy to avoid excess packaging and saving money. in the first few days of the year, i've already decided i will no longer buy oat milk at the store (40kc or $1.70 per liter) and instead, make it. it is startlingly easy to do, takes only 10 minutes of active time and can be a huge money saver! this recipe also happens to be zero waste as you can use the remnants.

you'll need...

-- a blender -- cheesecloth (or similar) -- large pitcher -- 1 cup of oats (your choice) -- 1 liter (approx. 4 cups) of water -- 1-2 TB honey or maple syrup -- 1 liter glass bottle

1) soak your oats in plenty of water for at least an hour.

2) rinse your oats and plop them in the blender with the 4 cups of water and your optional tablespoon of honey or maple syrup*.

3) blend blend blend!

4) place the cheesecloth securely over the pitcher (a rubber band helps). pour the oat milk mixture from the blender onto the cheesecloth so it strains, with the milk passing into the pitcher. wring out the cheesecloth to make sure you've got all excess liquid.

5) pour the strained oat milk from the pitcher into a 1+ liter glass bottle which will be your "milk bottle" and pop in the fridge.

6) shake vigorously before each use. consume within 2-3 days.

7) scrape off the oat bits from inside the cheesecloth and store in the fridge - you can easily tuck them into your morning oats when you make your next pot of oatmeal or porridge!

use this oat milk anywhere you would typically use milk: in your cereal, coffee, oatmeal (double down!), wherever.

* 1 TB of sweetness is just enough to give it a similar sweetness as dairy milk has, 2 TB if you like it a teensy bit sweeter - even this does not taste “sweet”, so to speak. experiment.

finally, i feel like i need to give a biiiiig shout out to polly - former expat/travel blogger turned absolute zero waste maven at green indy blog and inspires me every day with thought-provoking topics i hadn’t even realized or considered she has loads of information on her blog, instagram and even runs e-courses helping people cut back on waste and save money.

i do want to state here that i am simply learning and am a student at this whole zero waste thing. i’m not an expert by any means and am not perfect. zero waste isn’t zero. this post is simply keeping track of my progress and hopefully a way to hold myself accountable for my goals. although i don’t think we all should be one of those people who can fit their trash in a jar or anything, there is a lot of work we can do. you don’t have to have a lot of money to “join the movement”. it’s not about going out and purchasing fancy bamboo utensils or whatever. it’s just about using what you already have, being creative and resourceful, and when something you have stops working or breaks, upgrade it (funding allowing) to a more ecological version.

how do you feel about the zero waste movement? i'd love if you shared a big win from the past year and maybe also something you want to improve upon as well! here's to a greener new year. 

ps, you might like how i travel on a teacher’s budget or thoughts on living without stuff.