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!

What cooking taught me about life

What cooking taught me about life

I didn’t begin cooking from scratch until I hit my 30s. Prior to that it was a lot of arranging food or eating pre-made stuff. Turns out, I really enjoyed it, started a food blog, and now cook super often. It’s fun, but it’s been a little revealing when it comes to living life in general.

Cooking can actually be an analogy for life. That’s no revelation to most people, but it has been for me. Here are some cooking life lessons: what cooking taught me about life and happiness…

Job hunting advice for offbeat job seekers (spoiler: your ink is probably okay)

Job hunting advice for offbeat job seekers (spoiler: your ink is probably okay)

Working at a job as a person with an offbeat lifestyle is one thing, but landing that job in the first place? That can be a minefield of prejudices, frustrations, and distractions from your skills. But it can be easier if you’ve got a plan. Plus, it’s easy to forget the basics of job hunting when you’re thinking about what they’ll be thinking about you. Here is some job hunting advice for offbeat job seekers like you…

Growing up southern as a lesbian late bloomer

Growing up Southern as a lesbian late bloomer

When you’re raised in a way that shields you from anything that’s different, it really alters your ability to think outside of the small little box that’s your world. Had I met someone when I was younger who was gay or bisexual, maybe there would have been bells and whistles going off and I wouldn’t have been clueless for so long. Who knows? But I was blind for a very very long time. I met a guy who I married, had a couple of kids, and that’s how the story was supposed to go…

…only it didn’t.

The best breakup movies to sooth your broken heart

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

When you’re reeling from a recent breakup, sometimes you just need some quality time with your favorite (or new-to-you!) breakup movies. You can feel all the feels with a sad romance, get empowered to find your fresh start, or get your rage on with a good revenge fantasy. Whatever your aim, there’s a movie to quench the thirst.

Grab some gelato and peruse our huge list of movies to soothe your poor hurt heart…

False dichotomies: What if the opposite of trying too hard isn’t being lazy?

What’s the thing that you MOST identify with? If you had to pick one quality that most defines who you are and everything you do, what would it be? And then what’s the opposite? And then what if YOU’RE TOTALLY WRONG ABOUT THAT?!

Here’s the favorite thing I learned at my midlife crisis workshop…

Halloween cultural appropriation: My ghost of Halloween past: I used to wear cultures as costumes

My Halloween regret: I used to wear cultures as costumes

Halloween may be a day permitting mitigated inhibitions, but our ethical responsibilities do not get a day off. I speak on this point as someone personally guilty of this specific kind of oversight. At one point in my young adult life, I costumed-up for the holiday as a cultural stereotype, and to this day I look back at what should be cute pictures of fun memories, but instead… I cringe at my offensive choice (and rightly so). I am guilty of perpetuating the social norm that appropriating cultures to which we do not belong and of whose complexities we do not comprehend is somehow acceptable.

Mother, spinster, crone: No matter your path, ALL women are subject to criticism

We’ve all seen it: Tenacious and spectacular women — those whom Kerouac would call The Mad Ones — rounding their edges… They grow bitter, mean, judgmental. They cry when no one is watching, lost somewhere between never thinking their shit is together, and never being able to get their shit together.

Unparalleled is the devastating agony of seeming like a failure…

Undies, pads, cups: What do you use for eco-friendly period management?

I was wondering if you had any advice for eco-friendly period management?

Namely I’m talking about special underwear you wear when you have your period or the cotton “pads” that you wash and reuse. I’ve seen a few ads but I have no idea where to start or good brands.