Cat Food & Cookies

As children, we are taught the dos and don'ts of life as we begin to explore the new and interesting world set before us. As soon as we become mobile, the world is our playground. And, unfortunately, playgrounds come with rules.

Do brush your teeth.
Don't touch the hot stove.
Do use your please and thank yous. 
Don't pick your nose.
Do eat your vegetables.
Don't go near the stairs.

And yet, we've probably all done the opposite during our early childhood.
Why?
Insatiable curiosity.

And also because we were lazy, impolite, booger-munching monsters that DID NOT consider plants as food.
We were.

Now we're educated adults that understand veggies carry helpful vitamins and boogers are packed with germs. The tangible world has been explored, and we've learned meow mix actually doesn't taste that great.
Curiosity, in this sense, has been sated.

As a boring adult, I look back and wish to be submerged in a world where everything is new once more.
Don't we all?


I mean, burning my hand on the stove was incredibly painful. But before I seared my skin on those bright orange coils, the possibilities were endless. Perhaps, upon my touch, a pretty rainbow would appear with my little ponies dancing about. Or maybe it would grant me the ability to outsmart my older brother.

Not knowing was absolutely enthralling.


And now that I know, it's not nearly as fun.

It seems our whole lives, we thirst for knowledge.
We learn and experience and dabble.

Perhaps this is the reason for death.
When we know so much, the world becomes disinteresting.
So much knowledge leads to so much logic.
Outcomes become too predictable.
Life around us gets increasingly boring with age.

Wonder is lost.








And yet, in knowing this, or at least thinking I do, I say,

"To Hell With Logic!!!".

Was it logical to get a boyfriend at home right before I moved off to college?
Was it logical to move to Portland, OR for 9 months with pennies in my pocket?
Was it logical to plan a year + trip to Australia instead of finishing college?

I could go on, but the obvious answer is NO!


But these are the best decisions I've made in my life!
Why?
Because meow mix may be gross,
but those cookies in the cookie jar are DELICIOUS!
I wouldn't have known the outcome of any of these things
unless I gave into curiosity.
Logic tells me to stick with what I know, but curiosity tells me to touch the stove, taste the red goop they call ketchup, and move to the other side of the country.

There are so many lovely things in life that I'll never know unless I continue to explore with a child-like curiosity. Yes, I'm going to get burned. Yes, I'm going to be uncomfortably unemployed and homeless. But I'll also meet lifelong friends, sample thrilling flavors and textures, and discover buried treasure. I might even find rainbows with dancing ponies.


Or maybe even the ability to fly...

Thrifty Finds

As promised, I present today's bounty...

I visited 4 thrift stores, and bought 10 things:

I got the boys two stuffed animals, and a nice blue sled for Arlo and I!

We tested the sled (as in we both sat in it on the floor), and we both fit! 

I think we're too late for this snow, but we'll be ready for the next!

The alligator was clearly the popular choice.

A bottle opener and a cheese/fruit knife peeler thing!

We were tired of using the hinge on the can opener.

(For opening bottles, not cutting cheese!)

Three books (from left to right): 

1. The Pacific Crest Trail by Nat Geo from the 70s. Arlo plans to

hike the length of it someday, so I thought he might enjoy this!

2. Another Nat Geo book, but this one is about the Sierra Navadas.

It has a lot of pretty pictures. I like Nat Geo books.

3. Enduring Patagonia - to balance out the purchase of two picture books.

I don't know anything about it yet, but I'll be sure to share what I find later.

 

2 shirts for Arlo, one of which is not pictured because he was 

sleeping in it when I took these. The shirt not shown says 

"Easton Farmer's Market". Seems to never have been worn! =)

Total Spent: $22.21

And so I would say my finds for today would rate as very good. The pick of the day would definitely be the $10 sled (though the boys may argue it was the alligator). I looked it up, and it's a Pelican Mega Snow Runner - $25 on Amazon. Not bad! Looking forward to the next snow!!!

Amazombieeeeeeeee Pirates!

This whole night shift thing is really turning me into a restless disaster. On my three days (nights?) off, I end up with this 8 hour block of time during which I can do almost nothing but sit at a computer or eat food. No one is awake, and no stores are open (except for Giant, which is nice, but one can only go food shopping so many times). I sit itching, writing to do lists, and planning out the few hours of daylight I have the next day. I sleep at odd hours - 3 hours here, 5 hours there. Nothing is allotted for a certain purpose. There is no lunch or dinner time, and no bedtime. There are the couple hours of fading daylight after I wake up, in which I cram whatever I can, and then a gradual shift into hours and hours of structureless dark.  Such is the life of a night shifter, an amazombie.

But I'm fighting it. I've already had about 3 hours of sleep tonight (this morning?), and I plan on sleeping for a few more after I finish writing this here blog post. THEN! It's thrifting time. Every so often I hit up the local thrift stores for treasure. This is really about two things: the hunt, and the booty. I've gotten much better at not buying things unless I need them, or really, truly like them a lot. But any treasure hunter will tell you the best time to buy something is when you see it. Balance is key to avoid hoarding everything you see.

I'm actually looking for a few things this time: a tripod, digital photography books, and travel books. I'll be sure to post my bounty later!

Arrrrr! Brainss!!

The Results Are In!

I've been sitting on this information for a while, but decided to share it because I'm proud and want to boast. ;D

When Arlo and I took our 7 day journey from Portland, OR to Easton, PA back in October, I meticulously recorded every expense made on the trip from gas and meals to packs of gum and guitar shaped bottle openers. This is what I came up with...

7 Days of Travel

$277.59 for food
$329.79 for gas
$341.89 for hotels & misc

=$949.27 Total

Before we left, we made around $1,000 from selling things on craigslist, so that alone was enough to get us across the country. But we stayed very frugal on our trip, sometimes eating things that were not so good for us, sometimes sleeping in the car overnight, sometimes driving straight through the night, and always avoiding money pits like retail and thrift stores. Having a car that could get around 40 miles to the gallon helped a heap. Keeping track of our money helped a lot as well, and it even became a bit of a game. Avoiding most conveniences and having the will to be physically exhausted made those few splurges on a hotel or dinner at a nicer restaurant all the more rewarding. But most of all, the generosity of friends and family got us through. I look forward to the day when I can give back. =)


I'm so lucky to be with a guy that values frugality as much as I do!

The Busy Bee Rests Her Rump

It's that time of year again. That time when consumers and retailers come to a mutual agreement that the consumer gods have been appeased with the season of rampant holiday spending. And all resolve to stop buzzing around frantically like bees from an angry, disturbed hive. 60 hour work weeks are no more. Gifts have been given and received. The holiday season is over (though I admittedly listen to Christmas music through February).

Time  To  Relax  Plan!!!

That's right. I may be resting my rump, but an open-ended trip to Australia in May doesn't plan itself!! Arlo and I just got approved for our Australian Work Holiday Visas, which means we're now legally allowed to enter the country and work. We have jobs lined up at a resort in the Outback. Our next step is to buy plane tickets! After that, it's smaller research type of stuff, like setting up a bank account, getting a tax number, finding a hostel to possibly stay at for our first couple of nights, and making final arrangements with our future employer.

We're also trying to brush up on the local lingo. Lemonade is called lemon squash, because their lemonade is something closer to 7-up. If you just got into a bingle (car accident) with another bloke (guy) who happened to have his wobbly boot on (be drunk), he'd be tinny (lucky) if the blue heelers (police) didn't make him blow in the bag (take a breathalyser test) and take him away in the booze bus (police car used to catch drunk drivers).

The work visa lasts for 12 months, and if we spend three of those months picking fruit, we're eligible for a second work holiday visa to extend our stay for an additional 12 months. I'm not sure how long we'll stay. I know that we can only stay with one employer for a period of 6 months, so maybe we'll be fruit picking come November? We'll see.


Only four months left in the states before heading to the land down under. Brilliant!

Dear Men Who Are Jack-Hammering Just Outside My Window At 9:15AM...

I have been asleep for less than two hours. I am now officially wide awake, and cranky as a constipated bear. I have managed to sleep through the bustle of my morning-commuter-neighbors honking their horns, hurling curses at each other, and even the incessant barking of dogs. Your recent activity, however, has taken the cake I thought was a lie. I am awake. Please die.

The Homelife

It has been two weeks since we've been back on the East Coast, and home has never felt better. Being in new places, learning new things, and meeting new people is always great. But it's so nice to be somewhere familiar with people you love, and places you dearly miss. It's warm and inviting.
It's home.
A place so familiar can easily get stale and suffocating, but right now, it's lovely... like getting back into a hot tub after cooling down in the open air.

It seems we got back just in time for a freak October snowstorm, which gave us a generous five day serving of no power. But we went sledding in the thick of it, and it was awesome! We made a train of six saucer sleds and went SUPER-UBER-FAST!!! Good times.

Arlo and I start work this Wednesday at the Amazon warehouse near Allentown, PA. We were lucky enough to snag the same shift and department so we can carpool. Hopefully, we'll also be lucky enough to not kill each other after weeks and weeks of being together at work and home 24/7! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
But it's nice because we're going to be making about $3.50 more per hour than we were in Portland, plus lots of OT. I'm just not so sure about this night shift thing... We'll be working 7pm-5:30am. Ehhh

Last night, Arlo, Fia, Steve, and I ate at Back & Blue on Walnut St. I was excited to hear the previous tenant restaurant had gone under, as it was a front for drug dealing/money laundering. Not to mention the place was drab and the food just wasn't that good. Whoever had fixed the place up did so with good taste (in decor and food!... AND BEER!!!). When we arrived, the joint was alive with a jabbering Saturday night crowd. The decor, menu, and dress of the waitstaff reflected the recent Halloween holiday, which added to the fun! We waited a few short minutes for a table, which gave us the perfect opportunity to stare at their large chalk board of draft beer selections. I was excited to see a little bit of everything up there, and slightly disappointed my alcohol tolerance wouldn't allow me to sample them all. They know how to get you to come back! I ordered the Black & Blue Burger, which was a half pound of red, meaty joy on a bun. It was easily the best burger I've had in at least a year. The "pommes frights" (Belgian-style frites) were a great compliment, and easily stand on their own as something I would return for. There was nothing I didn't like about the place. With so many reasons to come back, I doubt my next visit is more than a week away!