Creating a sense of ownership in a home I don’t like
I am not a gated-community lover. Where some people see neat, tidy, clean, and fresh, I see suffocating sameness. Where some people see safe community outside the reaches of city life, I see bizarre planned suburbia far far away from everyone else (ideal in zombie apocalypse, not so much for everyday life). Some people like rules, I like being able to park on the street overnight. Now I find myself living with AWESOME PEOPLE in my nightmare neighborhood: the suburbs. But why be all Sad Sam about it?
I’m at peace with where I live, even though my heart’s in the Highlands
What’s a girl to do in her mid-twenties, firmly ensconced in being a real live adult and having to make the decision about where home will be right now?
Why we shop at our dingey local grocery instead of the place with all the possibly-better food across town
While we have several quality grocery stores that sell all kinds of delicious, organic, 100% good-for-you kind of food, we tend to opt to shop at our local supermarket instead. And by local, I don’t mean locally-grown, I mean… right down the street. We don’t do this because it’s close per se — the location is part of the appeal, but that’s because John, the man who owns the store, employs people who live in and around our immediate area. His store services people who live near us, and we routinely see the same people working and the same people shopping.
How grown-ups make new friends: handing out coupons
Making friends as adults is WEIRD. I actually had a conversation with Megan about it a few weeks back.
A Portal-themed bedroom and a message board you pet to use in this week’s Monday Montage
Start your day with our collection of interesting articles on the web and photos from our readers. In these Clicky Links you’ll find lots of sites to waste a little time on — and you’ll see a raver-friendly penless message board.
Click through, too, to find our links on submitting YOUR stuff to Offbeat Home!
I want to get more trick-or-treaters but I live in a zero-fun neighborhood
Last year, my house had only one trick-or-treater. Our lights were on and we were ready, but most of our nearest neighbors don’t do anything for Halloween. There are plenty of families in the neighborhood — what can we do to make sure they come to our house?
The upstairs neighbors walk so loudly I suspect they may wear concrete shoes. Halp.
Our neighbors upstairs walk REALLY loudly. This isn’t normal. The walking shakes our ceiling, scares our cats, and goes on late into the night.
I don’t think it’s right to try to confront people about walking, when the problem is probably that there isn’t enough insulation between their apartment and ours to mask the noise. Is there anything we can do from down here that can minimize the noise? Or is this worth talking to our neighbors about?
Clean out the books you don’t want in stranger-interactive ways
Sometimes when you’re a Reader, books get… overwhelming. They start to take up every end table, the back of every toilet, the dining room table top. You might be ready to part with your books — but only for an appreciative soul.