Category Archive

Life

We launched as Offbeat Home in 2011, but it has become clear that the site is about much more. In 2013, we relaunched as Offbeat Home & Life, with an expanded focus on Relationships, Budget & Career, Travel, and Style. This is the category for the non-home/rest of life stuff!

5 books that changed my life this year (no, like, ACTUALLY changed my life)

There were a few books this year that changed my life — not in that hyperbolic “omg this cup of chai is like totally changing my life right now!” way, but as in these books completely shifted how I look at my existence, structure my days, manage my relationships, and handle my sanity. Like, these books actually changed my life this year.

Last-minute New Year's party ideas for when friends tell you, "you're hosting!"

Last-minute New Year’s party ideas for when friends say, “you’re hosting!”

It’s almost 2018 and you’re ready to curl up with the pets and hit up Netflix, right? Nope. Your friends have decided that they want to party at YOUR PLACE. It’s time for you to host the most dope New Years’s Eve party ever.

You’ve got like a day, maybe two, to get shit in order. You need some last-minute New Year’s party ideas that will slay (or at least keep things chill and fun?). Let’s get to the celebration ideas, you party animals…

We admitted the weirdest holiday movies, specials, and episodes we MUST watch every year

We admitted the weirdest (& best!) holiday movies, specials, and episodes we watch every year

The staff here got to talking about holiday movies and it got… weird. I decided to round up some of the more interesting ones (and some of the BEST overlooked ones) that we simply have to watch each year around the holidays.

Sure, we’re all watching Elf, but what are we watching secretly in our beds with the cats and the rest of the advent calendar?

Feminist daughter: Fairy princesses can be mighty girls, as long as we don't shame them first

Fairy princesses can be mighty girls, as long as we don’t shame them first

My daughter wanted a “fairy princess birthday party,” so I was making wands out pink glitter-glue and pipe cleaners and cutting the crusts off fairy bread while obsessively refreshing my Twitter feed for more news about the extent of Weinstein’s depravity. The invitation to her party was a photo of my daughter wearing a tutu and crown, Photoshopped to make it look like it appeared in the pages of a storybook. She loved it.

After the invitation went out, I received messages RSVPing to the party, but they also asked a question, the same one over again: “Are you okay with this?”

Harry Potter gifts to compensate for not getting your owl AGAIN this year

It can be challenging to find the right gifts for your family. But if they’re Potterphiles? Then it gets super-duper easy. We may all be Muggles sitting around at our day jobs, but at night, yer a wizard, ‘arry. I’m a what?

Let’s shop for baby mandrakes, Cars Against Potter, Hogwarts travel posters, “Boo, you whorecrux” mugs, and all things Potter….

The Force is strong with these party food ideas for your Last Jedi party

The Force is strong with these party food ideas for your Last Jedi party

Join me on the Dark Side to nosh on these Last Jedi party recipes for the premiere THIS WEEK! We’ll finally be released from our carbonite to see the next movie in the reboot franchise, The Last Jedi. Are you excited, young padawans?! I am, both for the movie and for this roundup of geektastic Star Wars recipes.

Let’s start planning the shopping list for all kinds of junk (and maybe not-so-junky) food to make a bunch of nerdy Star Wars recipes like Leia buns, blue milkshakes, and Wookiee cookies…

Not attending a funeral when my sister wants me to be a pallbearer

My sister wants me to be a pallbearer at her funeral, but I don’t want to go at all

My sister has written to me asking if I’d be a pallbearer at her funeral. She is terminally ill with only a few months to live. I love her. She lives 6,000 miles away. I have, over the past few years, travelled to see her on a few occasions, the last a while back, really to say good-bye.

I’m an emotional person, not very strong, and I’m afraid and the thought of travelling 12,000 miles round-trip to attend a funeral does not appeal to me. How on earth do I say no without hurting her feelings whilst she is still with us? Please help me — even if to say I should just be strong and attend the funeral.

Privilege & bigotry: how I'm owning it and un-learning false narratives

Privilege & bigotry: how I’m owning it and un-learning false narratives

I am a white male from a small village in North Wales, UK. I married a white American female. I am a step-parent of a young child with whom I get along very well; we are a very close family who always strives to support each other unconditionally in any way possible. I was born within the NHS (National Health Service) and was raised to respect everyone and treat people equally. I have been blessed to have many opportunities in life that others have not had. Here’s how I’m acknowledging my privilege and bigotry and making sure I’m striving to use these privileges to be a voice of reason to those who may not understand or have the same privileges as myself.