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!

Dye or dye not: Do you dye your grey hairs?

I’ve had natural dark brown hair for decades and generally not spending much time or money on my follicules. I’ve reached the point where my grey hairs can no longer be ignored. My reflection is further muddled with (less practical) thoughts on self-esteem and growing old and other’s opinion of me and superficiality and vain-ness and expectations and ugh!

Do you dye YOUR grey hairs? Why or why not?

Surviving a family stomach bug: A single mom’s guide (based on true events)

As if a family-wide vomiting spree wasn’t horrific enough, you’re mummy, you’re in charge of this literal shit show.

So how does one nurse delicate constitutions when one is incredibly fragile one’s self? Here’s what I learned “in the field” with a family stomach bug…

Don't know what to do next? Here's what you can do to fight white supremacy

Don’t know what to do next? Here’s what you can do to fight white supremacy

With the events in Charlottesville this past weekend, we’re hearing many white people expressing the sentiment that this is not the real America and that they are shocked this could all be going down in 2017. The reality is that this absolutely IS the real America and has been since its inception. If you’re a white person, it is up to you to carry the burden of fighting back.

If you’re feeling helpless and don’t know what to do next (like I certainly did), here are some things you can do to fight white supremacy and Nazis in America and beyond…

World making you feel old? Here’s why I’m not letting it

Did you happen to see this 60th birthday boudoir shoot we posted recently? It’s deliciously sexy and makes age seem irrelevant, so much so that it sent a couple of our staff members into look-inward-mode about aging. It was a tiny reminder that age is just a number and you don’t have to succumb to those being-old tropes if you don’t want to. For me, it was a reminder that we don’t have to pre-age ourselves (AND especially not have it thrust upon us by our peers).

Want something better than 13 Reasons Why? Here's the show that wins in portraying mental illness

Want something better than 13 Reasons Why? Here’s the show that wins in portraying mental illness

13 Reasons Why was problematic when it came to dramatizing suicidal ideation and execution — in all it’s heavy and highly dramatized detail. I want to call out an alternative. A really good alternative and one you may have missed if you’re outside of the U.K. Here’s why My Mad Fat Diary is a much better portrayal of mental illness and suicide…

Finding affordable gender-neutral fashion

We received a question from a reader asking us to find inexpensive gender-neutral fashion:

“I recently have come out as genderfluid, and it’s so helpful to see others going through it as well! Any chance of a fashion roundup of affordable gender non-conforming clothes?”

This has proven to be more difficult than anticipated…

I hate my nickname and just can't shake it

I hate my nickname and just can’t shake it

My name is Catherine. I was named after my maternal grandmother who went by “Kitty.” When my mother was looking to nickname me as a baby (since I guess that’s what you do with more formal names?), she settled on “Cathy” since she felt that something like “Cate” was too weird. And Cathy stuck. Forever. Despite my first attempt to change it back at the age of eight and the many (many) attempts after. I just can’t shake this name that I don’t like and with which I don’t identify…

13 pieces of plus sized gym advice for newbies

It is hard being the fat girl at gym sometimes. Some things I do to help cope, include reminding myself I’m not the only bigger person there, coming up with a goal for my session, focusing on other things, wearing clothes I love…

Trust me, I have a long list of tricks up my sleeve to get through as a plus sized gym newbie!