Category Archive

advice

What’s your experience traveling internationally with food allergies?

I have traveled before and would love to continue to explore the world, but I’m worried about how well allergies could be accommodated in various destinations — short of preparing all my own food. Of course things vary from eatery to eatery, but anyone out there with food allergies have experience traveling internationally and want to share what worked and what didn’t?

Offbeat Bride has 5 tips to impress the asses off of your house guests

This post over on Offbeat Bride has some killer tips for making sure your house guests feel RAD about staying with you. You’ll look like a hosting pro with these ideas. Here’s one to get you started, but head over to Offbeat Bride for the full list.

Where do you find offbeat jobs?

I need help in figuring out where to start looking for offbeat jobs. I saw a therapist and I just got out of my third session with a career counselor. In all this, I’ve learned that professionals don’t have answers for me. Where do people go to talk about offbeat careers? Something outside the cubicle, outside of sales, anything that’s just different?

How do I decide to be a homemaker… and feel good about it?

I live on the East Coast. My partner lives on the West Coast. So far, the distance has been manageable. Here is the other catch: He was initially the one considering moving, but has incredible career prospects where he is living. One that will bring in enough income that I wouldn’t have to work.

How can I reconcile my fears about becoming a homemaker?

What is “home” to you?

I’m in my 50s, and getting ready to move, again. As I look at new apartments, etc, I realized I am really looking for a place that feels like “home.” But… I am having trouble visualizing what I’m actually looking for. Do you know what “home” is for you?

How do you live in a space that doesn’t fit your style?

Unemployment has brought my years of living in quirky shared apartments to an abrupt end. I’m now renting a room in a dear friend’s house, and I think I may go NUTS. I mean, I’m glad that living in a pastel-hued environment makes her happy. I really am. But being surrounded by “soothing” shades of aqua, “adorable” knick-knacks, and “inspirational” quotes is inducing serious angst for me. What’s the Offbeat Homie in a stiflingly decorated environment to do?

How do you get into cosplay?

I’m a sucker for costuming and drooling over amazing cosplay pictures online. In October my local bike shop is having a “tweed ride” involving riding in period costumes, and I want to use this to give a try at cosplay (Victorian Mary Watson in her badass riding habit, for those who wonder). I don’t have an inkling where to start. I can sew, but should I sew my whole costume? Alter some pieces of garment? Are there tacit rules for cosplaying? Is the devil really in the details?

What to say to a formerly child-free person who is now pregnant

I am a self-professed child-free lady. A fellow child-free friend recently announced she was unexpectedly pregnant. I can tell she’s feeling pretty rattled and struggling with the sudden change in life plans. As a fellow child-freer in a similarly stable life situation, I want to empathize and be there for her and give her a break from all the squee-ing, but I don’t want to be a downer. What can I say to her?