Commuting by bike: Urban utopia not required
I’m here to give you some good news: you — yes, you — can reduce your carbon footprint, improve your physical and mental health, save money, and have loads of fun by commuting by bike. If you don’t live in an awesome, urban wonderland where biking is the norm, I’m right there with you. But it’s still possible, here’s how…
How do you cope after a Craigslist scam?
My partner and I sort-of fell for a Craigslist scam. The logistical next steps are covered (we made complaints to Craigslist, the Internet Crime Complaints website, and the FTC; we’re putting fraud alerts on our credit reports). But how do you cope emotionally after being scammed?
Becoming a more mindful driver through physics
When I’m on the highway and traffic slows to a crawl, then after a stretch speeds up again and I can’t find an explanation, I shout “Why did we spend the last three miles going 10MPH? Did everyone lose their minds for a moment; is it a plot? Why is this happening to me?” It’s not pretty to watch, and it’s not fun to live through. The other day I read the article, “The Physics Behind Traffic Jams” and it blew my mind. The advice was pretty simple, and the article really helped me think differently about myself as a driver. Here’s what I learned…
Top 10 ways to embrace, rather than fight, summertime heat
My friends, it gets hot in the summer. So I just don’t see a purpose in getting angry about it, or trying to avoid it. As with many things — swimming in a cold lake, childbirth, writing an essay that feels like it’s going nowhere — the way out is the way through. So here are my top 10 ways to embrace the heat,,,
Life after ditching my smart phone
We were just like any other couple with smart phones: checked in on Facebook or Foursquare, had work emails set up so we looked at them way too often, shared funny photos and spent part of work surfing the internet. Then it all changed. We ditched our smart phones and have lived to tell the tale.
What does an offbeat memorial service look like?
Recently my hubz had a very dear friend pass away after a long battle with ALS. While I don’t personally feel like I need services to grieve, my husband with his deep southern roots and traditions would like to honor his friend. We are financially unable to pay for traditional services, but are willing to host a memorial service. Has anyone planned what will boil down to an offbeat memorial service? Ideas are appreciated.
3 ways to cope when you didn’t get the home you wanted
My partner and I just bought our first house. We love it. However, we didn’t get the first four we tried for, and we almost didn’t get this one at least 372 times throughout the process. I found myself on an emotional rollercoaster where I had to constantly prepare myself for a possible “it’s just not going to work.” To make the potential hard blow softer, I started searching for ways to make that situation a learning experience.
Stolen keys, ID, and phone? PSSHT, I got this
I woke up to a phone call from my husband at 6:30 one morning and the not-so-exciting news that his keys, wallet, and phone were stolen from work. His wallet, of course, had his ID and Social Security Card in it, along with a debit card and the one measly credit card we had. I knew I was in for an annoying morning, but I felt fine: our bank shuts down cards the minute you say “stol–” and we had the foresight to opt into our phone company’s insurance program so I knew that would be handled as well.