2022: Review and Resolution

 

GREAT THINGS:

MONEY: Work was steady and outstanding, but more importantly, better clients and better projects. Free money was even better. A friend of mine recently said, "Money DOES buy happiness!" I agree. With money, a lot of stress goes away. Security is priceless.

TECHNOLOGY: At the end of last year, I had the worst computer purchase possible with a HP desktop with AMD graphics. It was incompatible with everything. What a nightmare! I received no help from the store, returned it, bought another thinking it was that computer, bought new accessories and nothing would work. By January 1st returned the whole set up and desperately hoped a different computer with Intel graphics would be better. Such a difference! New computers (that work) are always wonderful and once I found a brand that wasn't substandard, it was spectacular. New, high tech printer is sensational. I love upgrading when everything works so quickly and efficiently.

FREEBIES: I love freebies and I'm so thankful for the exceptional free junk I have gathered from the Free Store which allowed me to save money. This also provides an enormous amount of entertainment especially now when entertainment during a pandemic is so limited.

SURVIVAL: I have managed so far to survive the pandemic and avoided getting any toxic vaccines or boosters.

PEN PALLING: I rediscovered pen palling! I'm writing letters to women all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. It's much different than it was when I was young with sticker swaps and decorated envelopes and stationery. It's great entertainment for someone who is socially-impaired and secluded. It's not without its dangers. The other day a very generous pen pal sent me a whole envelope of scented stuff. I'm sure she didn't even realize it! It's a risk. Here are some of my wacky envelopes:

 

BAD THINGS:

HEALTH CARE: As usual I wasted a whole lot of money, encountered too many incompetent doctors, and got nothing in return for my torture and frustration. No answers, no remedies, no solutions.

HEALTH INSURANCE: I've never paid so much money for insurance in my life, but in my rural area, our options are limited. The insurance company fails miserably at customer service and can never tell you what is covered and not.  It's a ridiculous system that victimizes the vulnerable, but without options there is really nothing anyone can do.

AGING: I hate getting old with my body and brain not functioning like it used to. Unfortunately, there is no way of getting around it.

PEOPLE: Stinky people, horrible neighbors, the liars, the stupid, the lazy, the irritating, the obnoxious, and the disappointing especially during a pandemic that is clearly not over but these assholes are pretending it is which puts my life in danger.

PANDEMIC: I've actually really loved the pandemic with the forced isolation, masking so I don't have to smell toxins, and free money. I have refused to be vaccinated due to immune issues and chemical poisoning. Several of my friends claim the vaccines have created health concerns. However, with the self-centered pretending it's over when it's not, it puts the vulnerable at risk so I'm constantly taking precautions. And the discrimination as if those of us who aren't vaccinated are going to compromise the health of others. Assholes. Then there is the crazy inflation with prices astronomically increasing. The other day my store had lettuce for $6.00 a head and cauliflower at $7.00 a pound! At this rate, we are all going to have to give up eating!

SUMMARY: It's been a pretty good year. Money rights a whole lot of wrongs!

2023 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS: AVOID DOCTORS, KEEP SURVIVING, PLAN ESCAPE, WALK DAILY, BE PATIENT, BE KIND

2020: Review and Resolution

 OMG! Where does one even start with the year 2020? 

THE GOOD STUFF:

BYE-DON! Dump lost; Biden won. I can't even explain what a relief this is. And we have a woman vice president. It's about time.  I can now go back to not stressing about politics and feel confident that adults will be back in charge very soon!

FREEBIES. I wrote a recent post on my hoarding. It's such a joy and practically the only public entertainment I have lately. Most recently I acquired a blender. It was ugly, formerly white, covered in old black and brown dried food. Nasty. Scary nasty. I brought it home and plugged it into an outlet outside. That's how scared I was! It worked. I kept my mask on, wore gloves, carefully carried it to the kitchen sink and with all kinds of tools (tweezers, Q-tips, scrubber pads, soap, rubbing alcohol...) worked on it for two hours. It now looks like new. SCORE! Love it. I wish I would have taken a "before" photo, but I was afraid of contamination!

FORCED SECLUSION. I love it! I love it that we are expected to stay in our houses and people aren't wandering around wearing their stink and poisoning everyone as much as they used to. I love there isn't as much air pollution. I love it the animals want to come out in the open since humans have disappeared. I love I no longer feel like a weirdo secluded in my house when everyone else is free and bragging about how free they are all the time. I love the camaraderie of everyone's misery.

EMPLOYMENT. I'm still employed. In the spring when this pandemic started a lot of people didn't know what to do and many were told to go home and isolate which shut down a lot of businesses. This caused me to be on a lengthy staycation since no one was hiring me never mind I work from home and could very easily have kept working. Thankfully the people I work for figured it out, learned to work from home, and never went back to the office! Work is slow and I've lost money, but so thankful I'm still employed when some people aren't and have run out of options.

PAINTING. Or pandemic peace of mind. Or happiness. Or sanity. I've painted rocks, lamps, floors, rooms, bulletin boards, paintings, tables, switch plates...if it has a surface, it's calling for some paint on it.

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. I got a lot done this year: fixed my fence, replaced deck boards, and stripped and refinished my living room floor. At times finding supplies was a challenge with manufacturing slowing during the pandemic and finding the energy or know-how to do the work, but I persevered and got things done! The living room remodel inspired me to clean other rooms, reorganize shelves and closets and do a basic make-over. Then I painted my office. Next maybe the kitchen. One room at a time....

I seriously love this room now!

GARDENING. I downsized and cleaned the whole garden and added bark to the walks. Beautiful. It makes me feel happy and content, first, because it's nice to look at and second because there is so much less work now.

 

CHRISTMAS CARDS. Last year a friend sent me a recycled Christmas card she made. OMG! What a brilliant idea!  I love finding new art projects and I went a little crazy. I send maybe ten cards to friends and a few to my favorite businesses...sometimes...when I'm motivated, but I made about forty cards most of them snarky since that's the kind of Christmas card I like and can never find. Many were political since this is an election year. I ended up participating in an online art show, although that wasn't a great experience, it was still time-consuming and a distraction from the world around me while it gave me a voice to rant my complaints about society.

GLASS MOSAICS. I was determined to use up my supply of glass and the last of my large frames so I could STOP doing glass mosaics. Although I do enjoy it, it's a very expensive art form and dangerous. I got tired of my hands cut up and infected. I felt very productive and proud to accomplish so many with so little supplies!

Immersion

Life is Not the Beach

Male Privilege

Season's of Love: The Fall

TILE MOSAICS. I have been collecting free, brightly colored plates all year. I wasn't really sure why. I loved the colors, but had no idea what I would do with them. Then all of a sudden I was compelled to take a hammer and break them! Doing glass mosaics made me curious about tile mosaics, or, in this case, creating decorative frames from broken dishes. This is free glass so cuts down on cost and the edges are not so sharp so less dangerous. Pulverizing dishes with a hammer is exceptional for stress relief. I also needed some new, different and colorful wall hangings for my newly painted and colorful rooms. I was tired of painting. Not sure if I'm excited about this new media yet, but it was experimentally fun.

NEW STOVE! I waited fifteen years to get rid of the mismatched, rat-infested stove/oven that came with the house when I bought it. It lasted a good amount of time before it started having problems...during a pandemic. I waited for the universe to send me a free one, and I actually was offered a free, used one but it was too old and I didn't feel comfortable. I was told the old ones are energy suckers, and, of course, if it dies having it hauled away would cost. Many of the big-box hardware stores' products were back ordered to next summer, but I found this outstanding small, mom-and-pop appliance store that had exactly what I wanted. The customer service was outstanding, the FREE delivery was outstanding, and the FREE haul-away-the junk was outstanding. What an outstanding experience. So rare these days! Merry Christmas to me!

FRAGRANCE-FREE FRIENDS: I am so thankful for my friends. One drove hours to deliver food to me when I was sick. Another drove hours to visit. Another bought art from me which helped my finances. I so appreciate their online conversations, support, and constant advice when I am in need. Thank you!

LIFE!!!!!!!! I AM ALIVE!

THE IN BETWEEN STUFF:

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS. I started running out of time and energy and hired two sleazy, lying workers to help remove and replace fence posts. What a waste of money! I know better, but I was worried I wasn't going to get it done and the fallen down fence repair was a priority. They did save me a lot of time and effort, but the expense was outrageous. Such a waste of money.

THE BAD STUFF:

THE PANDEMIC. Duh. It goes without saying. It's affected everyone on the planet and most would say this is the worst year in their lives. Even if we haven't experienced death or near-death illness first-hand, we are surrounded by it. The stress has infiltrated every facet of our existence. People are on edge either fighting to stay safe or fighting for their perceived personal rights. We are at each other's throats. We are inconvenienced in every way. Our health is constantly on the line as access to medical care is limited since all resources have gone to fighting this pandemic. Grocery shopping is a pain in the ass. Supplies are inaccessible. Going out in public is risky. Lack of income is affecting our ability to pay bills. This is all common knowledge by now. I had the coronavirus in the spring and continue to experience side effects that may or may not be serious, but thankful to be alive. My income suffered, but not nearly as much as others who have lost their jobs and/or homes. I'm so tired of the whiners complaining about how many parties and family functions they can't attend or how bored and lonely they are as if they aren't complaining about my normal chemically sensitive lifestyle. (Damn, I miss concerts!)

COVIDIOTS. For instance, my neighbors who send their grandkids to play outside my house during a pandemic. REALLY? A friend of mine went to a big family wedding and then had a big family Christmas gathering. People are tired and have stopped caring which also makes them apathetic to everyone around them. We live in a very self-serving world. I could list a million examples of the stupid, but more than likely you've seen them in the news or in your own neighborhoods.

DUMP. That incompetent, foolish, fake president needs to go away and his silly, unprofessional, immature, sociopathic antics need to go with him. Take all the white supremacists and treasonous GOP, too. His entitled family and rich cronies need to vanish. May they all disappear. I'm so tired of looking at his face or seeing constant complaints about him. Really tired of his ignorant, racist followers.

THE WAR. Yellow jackets, mice, rats, ants. Good lord. It's never-ending!

So...the year has sucked, BUT honestly, I look at this list and it's been a really good year for me!

New Year's Resolution....Simple....Just survive.

The Hoarder

For most of my adult life I've lived in tiny, one bedroom apartments with stark white walls and few closets. Minimalism was my middle name. I had little room for anything so gathering or stocking up on essentials or non-essentials was out of the question. Besides I hated shopping. I still hate shopping. 

Then in an attempt to rid myself of shared walls with toxic neighbors and dangerous landlords who want to spray chemicals or paint without warning, I bought a house. By my standards, a HUGE house. Three bedrooms. It was out in the middle of no where so the price was right. For years I had empty closets. I just didn't need all that room with so little possessions.

Well, all that's changed. My house is full. My closets are packed. I even have a garden shed and garage that is filled to the max. How did that happen? WHEN did that happen?

I love sunflowers!

It actually started as soon as I moved. Being disabled because of chemical sensitivity, unable to work and too close to homelessness at one point, that fear of impending financial doom is always in the back of my mind. Saving money any way I can is a priority. I've been a devoted customer of Freecycle and with a house that echoed, I started gathering. I love Freecycle and I started getting free furniture which inspired me to paint furniture which quickly got out of control. 

Then a few years ago the local junk store went out of business and started leaving their unwanted junk on the sidewalk with FREE signs. That was wonderful. Then I discovered the thrift store in the neighboring town puts all the donations they can't sell out in their carport with a huge FREE sign. I've become addicted. I love seeing what treasures are waiting for me. I've love bringing junk home cleaning, restoring, fixing, painting and giving the junk some tender loving care and a new life. It makes me feel resourceful and proud to find items I need and can use especially since much of it can be recycled for art projects. I don't even bother with yard sales anymore. Who wants to actually BUY something? They do often have free boxes for digging and that's where I head. Neighbors often put stuff out on the sidewalk with free signs. I have no qualms about digging through someone else's garbage. In fact, I come from a long line of dumpster divers! The rule is if I can use it now or in the future, take it as long as it's non-toxic or doesn't stink. Below are some of the items I've gleaned recently, in no particular order:

Tablecloths, kitchen towels, pot holders, cookware, bakeware, plates, cups, soup bowls, ceramic bowls, large brightly colored plastic bowls, crockpots, Elmer's glue, toothbrushes, dental floss, paint brushes, paint edgers, oil pastels, color crayons, pencils, greeting cards of all kinds, ribbon, florist wire, beads, jewelry, hair dryer, Christmas platters, sheets, fabric, pillows, books, magazines, paintings, bunny erasers, bird houses, chairs, footstools, vases, paper plates, plastic utensils, ceramic teapots, ceramic pitcher, pottery, toilet seats, t-shirts, turtle necks, hats, coats, socks, jeans, blouses, garden tools, phone covers, storage bins, files, craft supplies for 1st graders, coat hooks, sewing supplies of all kinds, yard furniture, spider web decorations for Halloween, one giant spider, rubber boots, Converse shoes, rugs, lamp shades, plastic mats, cutting boards, amphora, electric candles, Christmas ornaments, Christmas lights, Christmas beads, Christmas tree stand, wrapping paper, tissue paper, cafeteria tables, notebooks, dining room tables, Virgin Mary statue, toothpicks, felt pens, cane, dishracks, light cover, light switch covers, curtains, flashlight, and one really cool metal fan.

I have started collections. I've never been one for collecting anything so this is a new and wonderous experience and understand now why people collect things just for the sake of collecting. Not that I need to collect anything.... The first is gift bags. There are always gift bags to be had for free. They are usually unused, brand new, with fancy ribbons for handles, and cards attached. I don't know what I'll do with them. It's not like I give gifts to a lot of people. Some of them are absolutely gorgeous.

 I've also started collecting little decorated cardboard boxes, also for gifts. Yeah, between the wrapping paper, greeting cards, tissue paper, ribbons, gift bags and now gift boxes, I think I have gift-giving in my future. These boxes are really adorable:

I've become fanatical about frames of every shape and size. Initially I started collecting these because I volunteered to help kids at the fair put their art for the art show in frames. Because of the pandemic, the fair was cancelled this year so I have about 100 frames stuffed into a closet, but I can't stop taking them! Habits are hard to break! I limit my collection to only wood frames, although sometimes I take a frame only for the glass or matt board. Some frames are incredibly beautiful and intricate; some very old with lots of history. Every now and then I search through the frames and do a painting for one of them or create a mosaic. I'll never run out of frames! I'm considering doing something creative with them. Not sure what yet.

I looked for years for a lamp shade for an antique lamp and found one that matches it perfectly. (See top photo.) Then I thought it would be fun to learn how to redo shades so I collected about six.

Probably the weirdest things I started collection are old dish towels. Yeah, you heard that right. OLD dish towels. It started when I went to the store to buy dish towels. $7.00 each??!! Are you kidding? I thought maybe I could cut up a regular bath towel, but then I started finding them in the alley free pile at the thriftstore. They are often seasonal, fall or Christmas, so they are hardly used. I only take ones that are 100% cotton and don't have rips or tears. I do take those with stains, but I bring them all home and bleach them in the washer with hot water. If the stains persist, I use those for rags. So many of them are ugly, but that's part of their charm. LOL! I'm also fond of Christmas pot holders. LOL!

The one freebie I really, really like is an original oil painting by Eugene Kingman who was a professor at RISD in the 1940s according to online sources. The frame is beautiful. I don't think it's worth anything. It's a fairly small, non-descript, mundane landscape with no context, but I like it and I love that the artist has an online presence. I've tried emailing the website to find out more about the painting, but no one has responded. It even has a certification of authenticity on the back.

I found this painting, too, but it's not by anyone I can find online: 

It looks like it's Havana (?). Perhaps painted by an amateur painter (?) or street artist (?).  I'm guessing it might have been a tourist purchase. I just read a book on a 1950s African American painter who spent a lot of time in Havana painting so I felt a connection. It was a very popular destination for artists to go back then. I love the bright colors, but I'm not sure if I will keep it.

It's very weird to be a hoarder and I am hoping it doesn't get too out of control and I end up with trails through my house with junk piled to the ceilings. I've seen houses like that. It's definitely mentally ill. For me it might be a hormonal thing and I'm nesting or in some kind of survival mode. I can't blame it on the pandemic since this started long before. I love saving money especially when I find things I need. Still, trying to get enough supplies to weather this pandemic has been challenging. I'm just not a buyer so I'm not good at stocking up or self-centered hoarding. When my friend Girl Alive told me to go stock up on groceries and toilet paper, it still took me three trips to the store before I bought even an adequate amount...not counting the three year's supply of toilet paper I bought a year ago when I cancelled my Costco membership. That was a smart move!

Visiting a thrift store in a back alley is much safer than shopping with toxic people! My neighbor's garbage pile - much safer than shopping with toxic people. But free stuff is so wonderful!

Fete

The party series continues...

I found this chair in a pile of stuff in an alley with the sign "free":

Although I vowed I wouldn't paint anymore furniture and sold most of the pieces left in the garage, this one was so small I couldn't help myself.

R.I.P. Toshiba, My Darling

Today I lovingly carried my very heavy Toshiba television set to the garbage truck, positioned myself to chuck her in, and stopped short just at the edge. I couldn't do it. I started to feel weepy.

My Toshiba television has accompanied me on my life's journey for twenty years, witnessing the highs and keeping me sane through the lows.  She spent her first years with someone else who eagerly passed her to me in order to upgrade to a higher standard of technology. I have no idea how long my friend had her, but I felt like I won the lottery as 19 inches was a whole lot bigger than 12 inches. I sold my hand-me-down 12-inch television set in a yard sale later that year.

Unfortunately after twenty plus years of use, the picture started acting strange about a year ago. The bottom half of people's bodies became stunted and out of proportion making them look like gnomes. Still I persevered. I could still see the picture so what do I care if Brad Pitt looks extra short? Then last week the unthinkable happened: the sound started going in and out. Drats. Why can't our possessions last forever? Especially if they were free?

Last December during the Christmas sales I prepared for the worst and started shopping. I purchased a Samsung flat screen. It was the very first television purchase I have ever made. (Thank you to everyone who supplied me with hand-me-downs throughout my whole adult life.)

First, it stunk of offgassing chemicals. The whole living room stunk. The stand was wobbly and the remote didn't work if my DVD player was anywhere near the TV. The motion speed was horribly nauseating. The sound didn't work unless it was turned up to the highest level and even then it was tinny. Disgusted with new technology I opted to return the newbie and settled happily on my old, but trustworthy Toshiba praying she would last forever. Fast forward to March and with no sound I knew it was over. I can tolerate gnomes starring in all movies, but not being able to hear what they are saying is a deal breaker.

March is supposedly the month one should buy televisions as it's this time of year when the new models are arriving and the stores lower the prices on the older models. Besides there are no materialistic holidays during this time and stores are doing their darnedest to tempt customers. I headed back to the store only this time I was armed with information from my past purchasing experience. Motion speed, screen size, and sound were important, but look at that price! A whopping $30.00 less than last year. I bought the more expensive model with the better features.

Happy to say not only is my new Vizio cheaper than it was last year, but it doesn't stink like the Samsung did and it actually works. Also planning ahead to tiny living AND because of EMF worries, I purchased the smaller 32 inch size. I still worry about the radiation that might be wafting through my living room, but I have not noticed any negative effects.

Hooray! I am one step further away from technological impairment.

As I looked into the garbage truck hole, I yelled at the garbage man, "This is HARD!!!" He thought I meant it was too heavy, when in fact, I felt like crying and couldn't bring myself to dump my sweet TV into that cold, dirty garbage truck and watch her shatter. He rushed to my side and helped as tears welled in my eyes. I looked away as I heard the glass hit the metal.  Although I was tempted to run back to my house and cry in my pillow, I decided I needed to look. I needed the closure as if I were at an open-casket funeral. She laid there amidst the garbage, her screen staring at me accusingly. Well...not really, but I still felt sad.

R.I.P. Toshiba TV. Thank you for years of entertainment and joy.

Freebie Therapy

I've had a bad, bad week so I thought I'd post my latest freebie. Freebies tend to cheer me up. I was at the free store at my local co-op and thought I'd look just to kill time before an appointment. The free store is a place where people can donate items for others to take. Like a mini Freecycle. I've donated lots of stuff like business suits and shoes, scarves and jewels, books and frames, toaster ovens and rugs. The stuff disappears fast so there is a constant turnover. Normally I don't see anything I would want and there wasn't much there, but I needed something. I found a black 100% cotton cardigan with cute little buttons. I had to wash it a couple times, but it doesn't stink. The photo makes it look washed out, but it's not. It's just the lighting. I love black. It goes with all my black things. I'm not sure why anyone would donate it. Maybe they were tired of it?

Hooray for freebies!