"Simplicity in the kitchen" What do you have on your counters?

Not food or recipe's, but the part below that, in the forum description. What do you have on your counters and leave there? I've been getting together some better kitchen stuff, and getting rid of the old college kid type of stuff, from long ago. I am starting to design a new kitchen (always been a dream to build my own in the house) and one of the arguments I keep having with myself is about a knife block.

I've looked at homemade ones, that use bamboo skewers (you can change or add knifes), verses using scrap wood from woodworking and building my own block. Or in the new kitchen, having them in a drawer, and until then, getting or making blade guards.

I'd like to redo the kitchen then get rid of a lot of the larger power tools, and go to a more hand tool/portable power tool shop. (enjoy the woodworking hobby, but not a lot of time)



So I am trying to figure out that, and what else is normally kept on a counter and how can I put it elsewhere (or do I need it).

Thanks

"Simplicity in the kitchen" What do you have on your counters?

Bicycle chain oil

What kind is best and easy to find? My bike has been a bit squeaky and after watching a few videos, I'm going to clean my chain and gears. What would be best?



BTW, I'll be keeping the chain on the bike and will be trying to clean the chain w/o one of those things that attach to it to wash it. I'll either use diluted Dawn liquid or Simple Green or Sal's Suds. Opinions?

Bicycle chain oil

Helen Nearing's simple cooking book

I just read this book for the first time and it's full of simple recipes that use few ingredients, as well as being delightful to read.

Helen Nearing's simple cooking book

interior dog door

DH and I and 4 dogs (3 big, one middle size) and 1 parrot live in a 600 sf house. We bought it with old age in mind, in that it's walking distance from 3 markets and the Farmer's Market, to the town plaza, a health clinic and so on. It's an old adobe house in the oldest part of Santa Fe ("the barrio") where the last of the big heroin problem has been cleaned up in the past year (yeah!).



The house is drafty, as old adobes tend to be, and all we've done to ameliorate that hasn't really worked --like insulation in the ceiling. A big problem is the whole bathroom floor is over a crawl space. It's also all electric, because when we moved in I was allergic to gas. So heating is expensive. We use small electric space heaters. We have 12 solar modules for heat, but they only work when the sunlight is actually shining. So winter heating cost causes us to close off the living room (front 1/2 of house) from the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom all winter. Part of what's going on here is my immune system is affected by Prednisone, and our parrot will die if the temp gets below 40 or probably get sick if it gets near there.



The problem is, then we have to get up at night to let one or more of the dogs out to the living room, where they can go out the dogdoor to the yard to pee and poop--two of these dogs are old and can't last all night. Then they need us to let them back in the bedroom. Last winter I didn't get enough sleep. DH said he would do all this, but he sleeps a lot heavier than I do, and gets mad if I wake him up for it. So we will put a dogdoor into the door between the kitchen and living room. We've looked at Habitat for Humanity's Re-Store for a door but the door we'd be replacing to put the dogdoor in it, would have to be an off-size. They have some, but would have to be sawed off at the top or bottom and the hinges probably aren't in the right places. Our carpenter friend who would do the work says that makes it more expensive.



We think if we put the dogdoor in the existing door, it will detract from the house when we go to sell it, that this is just too odd a look. The house, while a bit shabby though well cared-for is kind of charming in its architecture indoors. That's part of why we bought it, besides its proximity to services we use.



ANY take on how you as a buyer or any imaginary buyer would be affected by an in-house dogdoor?

interior dog door

Joan Rivers On Life Support...

And no one seems to care! Robin Williams kills himself, because life isn't being good enough to him,and it's all boo-hoo. But, Joan Rivers goes in for a minor procedure, and ends up on life support. She may not make it. Yet, no one is gushing all the sympathy they did for" Mork". It is all "Ewwww--she's a bxtch!" "Karma rears its' head!" That kind of thing. The Media obviously dislikes her, on a par with Andrew Dice Clay or Don Imus or Rush Limbaugh. Maybe she should have retired years ago; obviously we don't like old people, either. Maybe Robin Williams was depressed about that, do you suppose?

Joan Rivers On Life Support...

An old age problem--any insights?

My husband and I visited yesterday with an elderly relative. He is 96 years old, no diagnosed health problems other than poor balance and some weakness. He walked without even using a cane until about a year ago. Now he uses a walker in the house and a wheelchair when going outside. No broken bones or anything, just weak and poor balance. He has 24/7 live in care from a very nice caregiver with members of her family pitching in to give her a break.



All well and fine, but here is what upsets me--while he does not seem to have Alzheimer's (for which we are immensely grateful)--he just sits and watches TV all day. When we visit he chats amiably for about a half hour and then says politely that he would like to rest now, so thank you and good bye. And then he goes back to watching TV. He makes sense, he remembers things, he just doesn't seem engaged in anything.



He looks well cared for, eats well, doesn't seem sad, doesn't take any medications and he doesn't drink, so we know he's not zonked out on pills. This is a man who had an active professional career with many interests and friends. It is seems so sad that he just sits in front of the TV all day.



Does anyone have any insight on this? He has regular visits from us and other family members and it's the same with everyone--he doesn't want to go anywhere or visit for more than half an hour at most. As long as he is happy, that's all that matters, but I wish I understood it better. Is it a form of Alzheimer's?

An old age problem--any insights?

Now what? (Opened a can of worms)

So, as some of you know, here is my situation:

• Drowning in debt (I'm embarrassed to say how much)


• Have about $100k equity in my home in NJ


• BIL lives next door in paid-for house left jointly between him and DH (market value about 350k)


• This is a GREAT place for a family, but very expensive. We've raised our family here.


• I've always SAID I'd be more than willing to leave, but I'm tied down (oops--Freudian slip--I originally typed "died down") by my DH and DBIL who are much more resistant to change

So, that is all changing. DBIL is very frustrated by the cost of home-ownership even though the house is paid for and we don't charge him rent (he has a menial job).



DH is finally getting it that we are HOUSE POOR until our debt is paid, and he also finally understands that the kids aren't interested in the house (I tell him, you can't just keep a house as a souvenir like a charm on a charm bracelet)



We are actually IN CONVERSATION about moving!!!! Kind of calls my bluff on my own emotional attachments to this house.



So, here's what we kind of are thinking:



Somehow joining our resources seems to be in the best financial interest for all. Multi-family, guest cottage--even two very small condos side by side might work (although DH has always been against condo living)



DBIL has always wanted to live on a beach or near a beach in a nice climate. Doesn't have to be Florida--it can be simply milder, like NC/SC/GA.



We all feel it would be best for AH and I/DBIL to have some separation--our own living quarters/kitchen.



I, no matter what, want to spend half the year in the NE. My family is here, my roots are here, and I love this part of the country.



So, even though I said I would NEVER move to Florida and be a snowbird, that might make the most financial sense. My brother and SIL, who I love and who I'd love spending more time with, have a small condo in Palm Beach. So I'm thinking, get two very small condos near my brother. BIL gets his beach, DH gets his dock, I get my brother. I'm thinking Boynton Beach which is 20 minutes from Palm Beach but a heck of a lot cheaper.



Another option is to live in a more temperate residential area (think Research Triangle Park/Raleigh/Savannah/Charlotte) and get a nice single family house with fenced in yard for our dogs, and we can either buy a house with an in-law suite, or get a house with easy expansion possibilities.



If I were to choose all by myself, I'd get a small place in Ocean Grove, NJ. DH could be convinced to do that, but not BIL, who thinks NJ is too cold, and we need his share to buy a house there, as it's not cheap to purchase on the Jersey Shore. Of course, we could just split up the proceeds of his house and he can do his thing and we can do ours, but from a purely financial standpoint it's better to pool our resources.



Or we just stay and tough it out at our current address. At the end of the day, I am very comfortable here--20 minutes from one son, and a car ride (albeit a long one) to my other kids. But it comes down to, do I want to spend my life energy in the twilight of my life for this house?



Any thoughts, from a simple living perspective??? My head is spinning.

Now what? (Opened a can of worms)

Unfair charge.....who to tell?

Awhile back I ordered a case for my new iphone. There were a few weird charges along the way and I corresponded with someone in the U.S. What I didn't know when I ordered it, is that it was a company in Korea, with a warehouse in the U.S. The funky initial charges were because of the way Korea had to figure out the exchange rate. A person in the U.S. told me it would all come out properly in the end, on my VISA. We corresponded several times, and it all seemed legit.



Well, they eventually charged me a few dollars more than the initial bill was for. I've written to this person in N.Y., and he asked if I would accept a money order for the over-charge, in stead of crediting my VISA. I said that would be fine. But I never received it. I emailed him again, stating that even though it's a small amount, my concerns were that this company might be doing this to all it's customers, and making quite a profit. It's been a couple weeks, and I haven't heard back.

I will write him one more time, telling him that I will inform so and so about this. Now.........who do I inform?

Thanks.

Unfair charge.....who to tell?

Frugal Laundry Choices - wonderwash and other items

I see that awakenedsoul has ordered a wonderwash. This makes me wonder whether anyone here can give a review of it as I am interested in how well it works.



Looking the wonderwash up on the internet I saw an old product with a new twist. A solar laundry line. It is an umbrella type clothesline with a solar panel that allows the umbrella to rotate and dry the clothes faster....



http://ift.tt/1B6GUtA



Does anyone else know of some great laundry items that we can learn about?

Frugal Laundry Choices - wonderwash and other items

Prius C

As I have posted here before, my little Toyota Echo is getting on in years (it is a 2000) and 156,000 miles. I have been looking at some options and saw a small Prius the other day called a Prius C. I had no idea that Prius made a small car until I was behind one at the gas pumps. I was wondering if anyone here has first hand knowledge about them. I have been reading reviews and of course, as with most things, the reviews are mixed. One statement I read has given me pause; it said that due to the high dashboard some people may have a hard time seeing over it. Since I am not quite 5 feet myself, I am thinking this might be a problem for me. Of course till I actually get to see one, sit in it and do a test drive, I am not going to know for sure if this is for me, but would like to have your knowledge if you have had any experience with this car.

Prius C

Bean dishes: add to my list

What I usually make with various beans:



hummus

Cuban black beans and rice

bean soups (various)

baked beans

Puerto Rican style rice and beans

bean enchiladas/burritos Mexican style

Central American style bean tacos

bean salads (various recipes)

Indian style curried beans and rice

Tofu (don't currently make my own) in various Chinese recipes

bean sprouts (do my own) in various recipes

Bean dishes: add to my list

Unleashing my inner beach girl

I have loved the beach since I can remember. I love the sand in my toes, the never ending interesting shells and birds and sea creatures. I love it all year around- cold, hot, raining, hi tide, ripple waves- doesn’t matter. I once started down a path to purchase a home on the water in CT. It was tiny but livable with beach access. It belonged to a family member of a friend I worked with. I needed a cash down payment of $20,000 and I was 19 and working 3 jobs. I was very motivated and had almost $6000 saved when I decided to ditch CT and join the military. I decided if I was going to get a beach house, it was going to be somewhere warm.

Fast forward 20 years, while I am not quite near the beach, I have a nice home that I am going to beachify. I don’t like the whole seashells and dolphins décor, but more of a wink and nod to the essence of the beach. Lots of white, my favorite turquoise and some fun stripes and texture (think of the old weathered wood of a dock) and there you go.

This has resulted in an even larger clean out that I figured on. I donated what I already had but have even more to deal with so I am going to have a yardsale. I hope to sell enough to pay for the paint and curtains I would like. I think these 2 things will have a major impact on the look of my home, for little $$$. I am so excited!!!

And to keep in the spirit of all things beachy, I went to Ross today. I am not a big shopper but came across 2 pairs of beach pants for $7 and $12 each and I am in love!!! 1 pair is a peachy pink and the other is charcoal black, both are really long and comfy. Perfect with my flip flops and I feel like they fit my body type well yet they are cool enough for the 105 degree weather here today.

While I was cleaning out, I found a beautiful turquoise frosted vase that I am going to put on my dining table with some fresh cute white flowers and I found 2 more large candles. I just need to purchase 2 large hurricane holders for them. They are going to reside on my long dresser in my bedroom.

I guess the whole point of this post is I am finally being me. I have always wanted to do this and now is the time. J

Unleashing my inner beach girl

Labeling

Labeling, in and of itself, is useful until it becomes a habit in which the label is believed to be a permanent fact that rules out or ignores other possibilities.



Suppression of manifestations of modern society produces more of the same. The energy that is labeled as bad behavior will always find another way to manifest, either in time or in expression.



http://ift.tt/1tU5qe5

Labeling

Well....

http://ift.tt/1tTPpF0



I guess the only way to stop a bad 9 yo with a gun is a good 9 yo with a gun.

Humm..I guess guns DO kill people.

Well....

Another very strange Affordable Care Act rule

I have to get new health insurance this month because my old plan isn't being carried forward under the ACA. So I'm online filling out an application (after doing two hours' worth of modeling in Excel to get through the quagmire of what I'll be paying with a number of different scenarios.



So I get to a screen where it says the ACA requires getting pediatric dental insurance ($26 a month). So I checked "no" because that doesn't apply to me, and it kept coming back with an error message, so I went on live chat, and sure enough, even if I have no kids who are pediatric, I still have to purchase pediatric dental insurance. Is that crazy or what?? I'm not even buying myself dental insurance.

Another very strange Affordable Care Act rule

Long Story and Some Numbers

Not seeking advice as just writing my 'story'. I have some major changes that will be coming in the next year that I see as a challenge and an opportunity to get simpler and have a less stressful life. In the meantime my next year will likely be one of the most stressful ever.



I spent 9 years in a relationship that ended in 2010. upon splitting up, we divided our cash and debt evenly. I ended up with about $20k cash and $20k debt (credit cards).



In the next few years I had my mid-life post-break-up crisis and pretty much didn't pay off any of that debt. Had a good job and spent just about everything on travel (mostly). Because I left just about everything behind after the breakup, I didn't spend much on "stuff" and remained fairly simple from a material-possessions standpoint. I had a small room in San Francisco in an apartment with a roommate.



In 2012-2013 I had some major health crises (nothing debilitating but just very sudden and unusual for a person with no history of health problems). This made me even more "in the moment" and I was on the verge of bailing on my job and just scampering off on a trip around Europe or something to blow the (now) $30k in cash savings I had.



Luckily I suddenly fell in love with a little community in the North Bay Area and decided to quickly turn that money into a down payment on a house rather than a months-long party.



But having a house on my own was a real financial challenge. A year later I was back to having about $20k in cash saved back up (what I consider a minimum "rainy day" fund) but my CC debt had ballooned to $35k from furnishing the house, repairs, and having to put living expenses on CCs so I could use my cash for a contractor to fix up a guest cottage on the property.



In the past year I've kept my 401k and IRA contributions at their max, and saved a little in a TreasuryDirect account. So my balance sheet looks something like:



- CC Debt $35k (Balance Xfer arbitraged at 0% for the next 6-12 months)

- Cash $30k

- 401k/IRA/TreasuryDirect $30k

- Mortgage balance $250k (Monthly pmt $1800 @~4.5%)



I have eliminated my travel and "adventure" spending completely since buying the house. All my free cash flow has gone into it instead. I'm at a point now where that's also done and I can pour all my income into saving and paying off debt.



EXCEPT: I found out recently that my primary job will be going away in the next 6-9 months. I've spent the summer experimenting with new job ideas and found that rather than staying in the rat race at my current income level, I'd rather move to a new career in hospitality which will cut my income by about 75%-80%. So: I pretty much have to plan on not building much more savings, and just paying off debt so that my living expenses are lower when the income dries up.



Am I crazy for making that sort of plan for the adjustment or should I buck up and aim for continuing the rat race so I can save more? Thoughts? Ask any questions if you want clarification on any items. Appreciate the input!

Long Story and Some Numbers

Curious thing happening 6 weeks after appendectomy

I have a "dissolvable suture" coming out of the scar! It freaked me out at first, but then I googled it and it's not uncommon. I suppose it can be like a splinter working its way out. I hope the titanium staples don't do the same thing! I've read that they can migrate too. :0!

Curious thing happening 6 weeks after appendectomy

Selling lots of used books (English)

Hello!



I have maybe 230 used books from eBay and I want to sell as much as i can. Thing is, about 120 are underlined with ordinary pencil.



If someone wanna see and maybe buy books (they are at Palilula, BG), please send me email at jasna.marketing@gmail.com




Price: we will see



Have a nice day :)

belgrade

Looking for an apartment in Senjak

Hello,



I am looking to rent a small, one bedroom apartment, furnished, in the Senjak area. Please no estate agencies.



Thanks,

Andrew

belgrade

Simple living - what's your incentive?

I am interested to hear what your incentives are as it might also help me stay on track.



mine are:



Clearer mind, I hate clutter.



less anxiety - I don't seem to worry about future financial situations as much.



the money I save can be put towards holidays, I do like to travel.



healthier diet, I feel and look healthier since I started home growing produce.



Not having to work so hard,more time spent at home, I would hate to join the rat race again.



much more content, less stressed, more relaxed.



i am still very much a beginner but already reaping the rewards, thank you for reading my post.



david

Simple living - what's your incentive?

Do you feel confident some days and other days not so confident in your living simply

I've come across this lately and geesh I'm in my forties and should know what I want by now right?! And feel confident in my decisions! In particular, my dress and grooming. I'm pretty low maintenance....still want to look healthy and good but feel that maybe something's wrong because I don't own tons of shoes and makeup and clothes nor do I care to. Are there others out there kind of going through the same thing?

Do you feel confident some days and other days not so confident in your living simply

Anyone in Ashland OR?

We're headed up to Ashland for the long weekend. Dh thinks we might want to move there, but this is our very first visit. It certainly looks wonderful. Last minute trip - hoping to get some rush tickets to Shakespeare.



Any advice/thoughts?



We're going to scout out some houses, too.

Anyone in Ashland OR?

Paradise Built in Hell

I didn't put this in Reviews because it's specifically about disaster. I'm reading A Paradise Built in Hell, a very interesting book by Rebecca Solnit. The premise is that most people act well in disasters and it can be a transformative and actually in some ways joyful for survivors. This is supported by sociological research and in sharp contrast to the societal narrative that we are often fed by Hollywood and Doomsday Preppers (that people generally panic and are either useless or a-holes in a disaster). I actually happened upon an interview on NPR from someone who survived Katrina and he echoed her premise completely independently as far as the interview went (they didn't cite her book or anything). She does sort of downplay some things, such as how government and NGOs can help reduce loss of life in some ways. OTOH, I think it's a good idea since many people have the idea that there are mobs of angry or desperate people in disasters, which occurs during political upheaval but not as much in other types of crises. Anyway, I thought it could be useful for anyone trying to understand what to prepare for based on a little bit different perspective than you might find elsewhere.

Paradise Built in Hell

Applying for internal position

Hi, folks: I've been working in a library at my alma mater for the past couple of years. I thought for a long time that I wanted to become a librarian, and this job was a way for me to test the waters, get experience, etc. However, I have changed my mind. While the salary is OK (just), and the position is probably what people would call low-stress, I've been thinking of leaving for a while now, for various reasons. One of which is the hours I work. It's a little complicated to explain, but I end up using a lot of my vacation time to "make up for" days when the library is closed. For e.g., we'll be closed Labor Day weekend, and b/c I usually work Sundays, I will be scheduled for the next four days on, with only one day off for a weekend, unless I use a vacation day for a two-day weekend (if you can follow that). Also, I am not very happy with a co-worker who is a problem, I'm bored most of the time, there's no room for advancement, and my shift is such that I have no social life.



That said, a job opened up internally, in another department. I have the skills and background to do the job. I've even worked in that field before, and it is related to my BA. I pretty much did the job for a number of years at my former employer. However, it was a bad fit. Mostly because of the people in the department and the culture of the college (it was academic public relations).



I'm pretty comfortable here at my alma mater, and I have a friend in the dept. where the opening is. One of my concerns is that I may find the job stressful, as it deals with a lot of deadlines. However, as I said, I've done this before (I was a news reporter, too, and deadlines were never a problem). This job is more in line with a "career" than the one I have now. In fact, I have often wondered how I would ever explain to an interviewer what the heck I was doing in a library when I have more than 10 years of writing experience and I have a BA in English.



More concerns:



1. Do I tell my boss I am applying for this job? I hesitate because if I do, he'll know I'm not really dedicated to the job I have, and may think "oh, it's only a matter of time till she leaves. She'll always have a roving eye." Last year, I applied for a job w/in the library, and decided not to take it. So this is two job applications in two years.



2. I need to have three references. Who should I list as a reference? I am friendly with one of the librarians here, but again, I'm not sure I want it bandied about that I'm not into the job I have. But wouldn't it look weird if I *didn't* list at least *someone* from the library?



3. Am I more or less obligated to take the job if they offer it to me? Would I look like I was jerking people around if I didn't take the job?



Thank you, folks!

Applying for internal position

Hello

Hi,

i really like the idea of simple living. My grandmother was the queen of simple living, she never had a car, she cycled or used public transport. She had a wonderful village life and was mainly self sufficient growing more than half of her needs. She lived to 92 and was fit and active until the day she died.



I have had high pressure jobs and suffer with anxiety and stress. Its time to change and I feel this is the right way. I am now self employed and make enough to get by. So simple living here I come! I have started decluttering and feel better already, looking forward now to growing some great home produce.



David

Hello

Can't understand my Health Care Insurance company's representatives........

What should I do? We recently changed over to another health insurance and I've had to call them about 6 times for various things. I could understand maybe half of them, and it still wasn't easy. What do I do if I just can't understand their accents? Do I come out and say "I'm really sorry, but I can't understand you. Could you please get someone on the line who speaks better English?" I'm frustrated. I have a couple problems I really need to resolve with them and it doesn't help at all to struggle to understand them.

Can't understand my Health Care Insurance company's representatives........

Contemporary art

To whom who may concern,



i was wondering if in Belgrade/Serbia there are any Art Collectors (no matter if locals or foreigners).



In the case there's any i may have extremely interesting PAINTING of an emerging Serbian painter to show.



To have an idea please take a look to the following FB Page:



http://ift.tt/1l1wBDb



If interested don't hesitate to contact me

Cheers.



Alessandro

belgrade

New-ish to Belgrade

Hi everyone, I got to Belgrade a couple of months ago, my wife is working in International development. I am not working at the moment and currently don't know anyone in Belgrade.



I am 38 years old and from Scotland and don't speak any Serbian, but know my way around Belgrade very well. My interests are science, technology, IT, current affairs, learning (I'm currently studying MOOCs online) and sports (jogging, swimming)



I was just wondering if anybody out there had some social club for expats for jogging or just meeting up to chat etc etc.



I am also looking for some volunteering opportunities, I am not currently working so thought I'd use my time to maybe help out somewhere.



Chris.

belgrade

Loose dogs caused problems............

Yesterday I was working out in the field, and suddenly there was a big dog behind me. Scared me.......but it was friendly. A bit too friendly and just about knocked me over. I could see by the tag on it's collar it was the neighbor's (lives back through the woods.........drives his motocross cycle through the woods, and we complained, so we're not real friendly). Anyhow, the dog went away.



Tonight I was fixing dinner and saw that dog and another one (even bigger) right outside (probably at least 100# or more). I went out to shoo them away and they barreled towards me. The red one was pushing hard on me and rolling around on the ground around me. I yelled at them, but it only made them more energized. I went inside and my old dog saw them and went bonkers. They saw my dog and started lunging at her at the window. I tried to call the owner, but it said his voice mail was full. When DH got home, they tried to push their way through the door when he came in. It was all very crazy and upsetting. I was pissed. I called 911. Of course they were gone by the time the deputy got here. He was going to talk to the owner. He said that if it happens again, I should take a picture with something of ours in the background, to prove they were here. I didn't even think of that. I had my hands so full just trying to control my own dog.



This was very upsetting. I can't imagine being mauled by dogs! They were so out of control and big. I just couldn't believe they were trying to get into the house. DH had one of the dog's head pinned between his leg and the door frame to keep it from rushing in.



It REALLY ticks me off when people out here in the country think this is okay to do. :devil:

Loose dogs caused problems............

Gregg--Can I Get Your Directions for Canning Salsa?

Help! Tomatoes are starting to overtake our consumption.



I'm interested in a few pints of salsa--not 93.



Can you share your recipe, and also canning instructions? I'm a newbie at canning.

Gregg--Can I Get Your Directions for Canning Salsa?

Back to School Silly - if childhood in the 70s relates to you, a must read

Someone sent this to me this morning... spot on for ol' momma MtnLaurel, b. 1970 & trying to navigate relatively late life motherhood among the type-A set. (And yes, you can be type-A about being laidback/organic/yoga/whatevs)



http://ift.tt/1sw6OBO



As a child who was sent in to buy smokes for their mother & has memories of my mom smoking IN THE GROCERY STORE - gross!

The 1970s description read like a documentary.



And now as a mom that felt like they had to go by a Janitorial Supply Store to complete the back to school shopping list, the 2014 Mom List is only slightly exaggerated for comedic effect.



What strange funny animals we are.

Back to School Silly - if childhood in the 70s relates to you, a must read

Do you go to your high school reunions?

I'm asking this question as I have been debating on and on and on about going to my 30th which is coming up on October 18th. I have never been to any of the reunions but a few people in my graduating class have since passed and I'm not getting any younger. This much is true. That said, I look back on high school and it was mostly a miserable and unhappy time in my life and I'm glad those years are long gone. Most of what little fun and meaning I found those years happened when I was alone and not with peers.



I've decided not to go and I've already picked up a banquet shift for that night at the Heard Museum which is a lucrative and fun event and I took this shift before I thought the dates through and it turns out that this shift is on the night of my high school reunion. So I guess in a roundabout way I made my decision as I have no desire to cancel my banquet shift.....



Just curious if others on this board pass on their reunions or go? Rob

Do you go to your high school reunions?

Schooling

Piggy Backing about the Grad School Question



I have some GI Bill still left for about 18 months of schooling. I don't want to go to grad school. I have no desire. I do, however, want to take some health and wellness classes that could help me down the road. Here is the kicker- I am the girl that always did the RIGHT thing (which is ok) but now wants to do the fun thing. Such a spot to be in!!! Again, trying to move into a different space in my life. I was ALWAYS the responsible one, since I was 10. I just want to let go and have a little fun and enjoyment that could assist me with some experience and learning, but in a FUN way. Should I feel guilty? How do I move past this?

Schooling

Removing my Ego and challenging myself

I would consider myself ok to look at. Nothing earth shattering but ok. I am turning 40 this week and I realized a lot of what I depend on for how I measure my value are my looks. This, for me, is my ego getting the best of me. Painted nails, long hair, certain clothes or colors on me, even the purse I carry or the sunglasses I wear, all driving my ego to think I am attractive or it has some weighted value. I have been really challenging myself to remove all of this outside "stuff" and focus on the inside and see what pours out. Come September, I am going no makeup, no nail polish, donating my long hair and keeping my wardrobe simple, with only allowing my wedding band and one necklace to wear.



I know this may seem strange to y'all but I have been hung up on my looks for a long time, a total distraction. Sounds silly but I am hoping this breaks that cycle and I can accept myself just as I am. I am just doing this for the month of September and October to see what shakes out.



Much like my home, I am letting go of what is expected or what I think makes me who I am and just letting go. The best feeling I can relate to this is when I was on vacation about 10 years ago. I was having a terrible time in my personal life and just packed a small bag and drove down to San Diego and wandered around for 3 weeks, no plans, no expectations. I was lucky I packed deodorant. :) It was the most freeing time of my life. My second day there, I got a haircut because I was so stinking tired of wrapping my hair up in a bun to put up while in uniform. I chopped it all and beside some lip balm, I wore nothing but fresh skin and a smile. I loved that feeling, wrapped in the warmth of spending days on the beach, long walks, iced coffees and flip flops. Yep- I think that is the most authentic I have ever been. So now to challenge myself again, this time while being a mom, wife, business owner, human, experience life to it's fullest and not worrying.





Anyone care to join me?

Removing my Ego and challenging myself

2 week challenge

Starting Wednesday, I am giving myself two week to go through every square inch of this house and declutter, clean and organize.

I have a game plan of sorts:

1. Wednesday- known yard sale items going into Jeep for donation, clean bathrooms

2. Thursday- deep clean kitchen, top to bottom

3. Friday- Organize clothes in Master- make list of clothing needed- (already know I need a new winter coat)

4. Saturday- normal routine of laundry, add organizing/purging the garage to list.

5. Sunday- enjoy day with family.

6. Monday- deep clean son's room, organize his closet.

7. Tuesday- Prep kitchen for paint, buy paint.

8. Wednesday- food shopping, purge anything else for donation

9. Thursday- drop off donation, vacuum.

10. Friday- go through safe, organize jewelry/scarves.

11. Saturday- list for Christmas shopping.

12. Sunday- family time

13. Monday- organize online presence, emails, FB, linkedin, pinterest, etc.

14. Tuesday- finish office, clean bathrooms, vacuum, light a candle and call it done.



This is very loose, as things will come up but my goal is to be prepped and ready for the upcoming Fall Season and so I can focus on my health, family and life.



Anyone want to join in? :+1:

2 week challenge

Donating and being set free

I have a huge pile, enough for a nice yard sale but not excited about that work. So while of FB today I noticed our local no kill animal shelter needs items donated for their annual garage sale. Perfect!!! I don't want to sit outside for 4 hours to make a small amount of money when it can go to something I truly love. So tomorrow I am loading up my Jeep and off it goes. YEAH!!! I am so excited and I will be free, in an instant. Can't wait!!!

Donating and being set free

Too Much Pizza....

I'm going to start out by saying that I figure some people are eating way too much Pizza, these days. Case Study: There is a littlebitty, insignificant town way up north in the middle of nowhere, pop 5,000 city/4500 county, that has at least 6 places that serve piping hot, ready to eat Pizza, maybe more. Then there is a company that makes frozen pizzas, and several grocery stores and convenience stores selling frozen pizzas. One of the groceries has a deli, and I'll bet they sell pizza, too. I could see a community that size having 1 pizza & pasta parlor; but not pizza being served all over town, in addition to the deep-fried greasy foods like pork t's, barbeque, burgers, etc., etc., etc.. It's crazy. The stereotypical mainstream citizen there is one of those obese, middle-aged Harley Riders with his farmer sunburn, and his wife, who stuffs herself into her clothes, like sausage being made. They are a little more clean cut & somewhat less sleazy than the Harley People around here, due to affluence($10k/acre farmland), and small-town community standards of sorts, but the food abuse is really epidemic. The agenda is: Get on the Scooter, and drive to the next burg, and check out the fried grease establishments, there. It is a major pastime. I'm serious. Pizza, is at the epicenter of the food abuse epidemic. Did I tell you--when I was up there last time, I saw a trailer made by a company in that town all decked out as a route carrier for yet ANOTHER frozen pizza company up in the region. Pizza, is not just a luxury food for occasional consumption--it has become a staple of their diet! So, how much pizza do you eat? Can you get enough of it? Be honest.

Too Much Pizza....

Anyone here a grad school dropout?

Wasn't sure what section to put this in.



Is anyone here a graduate school dropout? I'm in a low-residency MFA program, a month into it, and I really don't like it.



have been googling around for stories of people who left grad school. Anyone here have a story to share?



I will certainly tell you more about mine if you want to know.

Anyone here a grad school dropout?

Earthquake country

I always wonder what my dog (small cocker spaniel) will do in the event of a "disaster." We had a relatively strong earthquake (6.1) here in the Bay Area at 3:20 this morning (centered in American Canyon, about 30 miles from us). I had been sound asleep, but woke up about 10 minutes before it hit. The building rocked and rolled, sliding closet doors rattled, pictures and such banged against the walls, but nothing fell. My dog Cricket was asleep on the floor when it started, woke up, but stayed on the floor, didn't make a sound. When it was over, she jumped on my bed and stayed very close to me for the rest of the night. She went right back to sleep, but I did not, as my mind was busy. First of all, starting when it got hot this summer, Cricket has taken to sleeping on the floor behind my bedroom chair, under the window. If the glass had broken, it could have easily fallen ON her. Second, I don't have her wear a collar in the house, but if we had to get out very quickly, getting to the collars and leashes in the other room would have slowed us down quite a bit. Third, my keys were on the same set of hooks by the front door as the dog collars and leashes. Fourth, I had no idea where my purse was. Fifth, I didn't have sneakers and socks under my bed any more. It's been 15 years since our last really bad earthquake and I've gotten lax about preparation and safety measures. I just spent some time getting things back in place inside. I do, however, have jeans, sneakers and socks, extra sweatshirt for me, and collars, leashes, folding crate and dog dish, food, and water in my car. That's for all kinds of emergencies. So now I know how this dog reacts (she's been with me just 2 years) AND we're better prepared. What other kinds of preparation have you done for earthquakes? Earthquakes and the subsequent fires and floods are our biggest, most likely disasters here.

Earthquake country

Anaheim to Colorado Springs

My wife in in Colorado awaiting the birth of our first grandchild. My plan is that when she thinks that she is close to outwearing her welcome, I will drive there, spend a few days and the. We will spend three days returning.



i plan to leave Anaheim around lunchtime, drive till I want to sleep and then arrive early afternoon the next day. I have done the I-40 route both ways and this time I plan to go through Pagosa Springs and over Wolf Creek Pass as I have not seen that part of the state.



Should I plan on spending the night in Gallup or Farmington and do you think I should stay on I-40 all the way to Gallup, or from Flagstaff should I go on state roads through Tuba City to Four Corners?



Any must sees along the way, I am not sightseeing but given that should I plan to take a thirty minute break to see anything?. I have been to four corners and Mesa Verde

Anaheim to Colorado Springs

Pantry organizing

I have a hallway coat closet that has been converted to use as a pantry. It's about 5' wide and 2' deep.

It's a rather haphazard makeshift situation now, and I'd like to clear the whole thing out and re-do it the right way. Right meaning simply, frugally, and also making the best use of the space.



So does anyone have tips on what worked for them or what they've seen that looked like a good idea? Obviously this is not a magazine-worthy walk-in type of space, but I think there's enough that could be done to make it much more usable.

Pantry organizing

craigslist isn't working for me

Craigslist used to be such a great way to de-clutter but I have had nothing but scams everytime I try to use it now. Today, I thought I was dealing with an honest person but after giving her my phone number to call to get my address along with a time to show up - nothing. Then found out that one of their many scams is to get your phone number and sell to foreigners who need one to set up an account. So frustrating as I gave up my Saturday to be here...

craigslist isn't working for me

Knowing myself

After enduring 2 weeks in CT and Mass, I am certain of who I am now. Apparently I didn’t get the “it’s every person for yourself and tough do do that you live 2000 miles away” memo. I never thought in a million years greed would be the one thing that entered my family’s life.

I went home to attend a memorial for my Mom and was astounded at how greed and entitlement reared its ugly head. My sister and brother in law basically cleaned out my Mom’s townhome, leaving my dad with his clothes, the books in a huge mess and a few pictures on the wall. Also, 2 sets of old dishes. Everything else was cleaned out and by cleaned I mean taken to my sister’s house. I was very angry at first, as I know my mom kept some old jewelry, having 2 sets of wedding rings herself, a full canister of JFK half dollars from the 1960-70’s, photographs, a few antique family pieces around the house and the green metal box, which contains all of their personal information like SSN cards, the wills, mortgage, etc. ALL GONE!!!

I was so angry. Who goes in and cleans out the good stuff and leaves my dad in a state of chaos with the rest? Who are these people? Were we not raised in the same household? Same values? Same expectations? And the kicker was I was told that…wait for it…since I have not been around, I don’t get the check marks in the boxes for helping out, so I guess there is some system or record keeping of who did what, which the sum equals one part when the division comes. Have I lost y’all?

I was beyond livid for a few days but I didn’t like how it made me feel. It was just stuff. I decided to let the anger go and let karma and life deal with it. I realized I am not angry over the stuff per say but the way I was treated. Stuff is stuff, no matter it’s worth. I did acquire some of the older photos of my family so my son has some history but other than that, we walked out with nothing. I really didn’t expect anything because I thought we were being honorable and waiting until my dad passes to do this.

I have learned give people things now, don’t hoard, don’t become greedy and live a happy peaceful life. It was definitely a huge chapter in my life that I have now closed for good.



I am able to move on. I know who I am and I know what I want. VERY clear on that now and it's nice to know I was always headed in the right direction. Maybe I just needed a push or to see what I did so I can accept it with full gratitude and peace.

Knowing myself

Looking for renting a flat in the center

Hi Guys,

i'm interested in RENTING a one-two bedroom (40-65smq) apartment fully furnished and equipped in the very city center.

Better if provided with independent heating and private own balcony/terrace.



NO AGENCY.

Cheers.

Alessandro

belgrade

Intro/Greetings

Hello, I've lurked here forever but only yesterday decided to sign up so I could start posting.



I have been drawn to simple living several times in my adult life. Each time it seems to be at a time of great insecurity, where I start assessing what I have and how much it costs to maintain and whether I really want to put that energy into it all.



Things are that way again right now in earnest. I've spent 12 years feeling like my job was not very secure, only to always be spared through repeated rounds of layoffs. However, the cards are that this can't last forever (eventually the "last" layoff will happen).



I have my life down to some fairly bare essentials, though. And knowing that without my day work I could bring it to even more bare essentials is comforting.



My dilemma is that I'm still a perpetual worrier and I spend my time working and focused on money rather than networking and focused on people. This is great on one hand because I'm a self-sufficient person who has never had to ask for help, but not handy when that time comes that I might have to ask for help and realize I don't have anyone around to ask!



Anyway, we'll see if this place can give me some insight on making the leap toward a more community-minded person on top of my already well-rounded financial minimalism. Who knows, it might bring work ideas that have long-lasting potential rather than an ever-threatening dead-end!

Intro/Greetings

ISIS question

Why aren't other countries involved in the fight to stop ISIS?

ISIS question

Anyone ever watch 19 kids and counting?

Sorry...I know some folks have odd shows that they feel strangley compelled to watch, like Toddlers and Tiaras, or whatever. Mine is this show. I'm weirdly fascinated by them. Some things they do I really like and am interested in. Others not so much. I'm not a Christian and actually their right wing Christian stance is not appealing to me, yet, still I watch. Not to hate them, as some do. But just because I really like some of the things they do. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else felt the same?

Anyone ever watch 19 kids and counting?

This site on an iPhone question...........

I've been able to read the Simple Living forums on my Apple iPhone 5C phone. I go through the New Roadmap site. It's been good.........the perfect size to read. However, yesterday, when I would click on the site, the list of all the forums comes up so small, I can't read anything. I know I can zoom it, but it's still not the same as it was earlier. It's become a pain to move around on the site.

DD said something about maybe the page is set for web, and not mobile, but I don't see any adjustment for that on the page. Any ideas how I can get it back to the more reader-friendly version on my phone?

(And please.....no "this is why I'm not getting a smart phone" responses. That's not very helpful.

Thanks!

This site on an iPhone question...........

Colanders

Which kind do you like best..........the ones with some holes, or the mesh ones?

I like my stainless steel colander, but the 3 feet on it came off a long time ago, and I'm tired of the sink not draining quickly enough and then water backs up into the stuff in the colander. Yuk.

I'm also looking for one with a ring of metal around the bottom, instead of soldered on feet.

Mesh or occasional holes.......which do you like?

Colanders

New apple trees

Great to read about everyone's garden's here so I thought I'd share some of this week gardening news from my side of the pond!!



Well I went to ISSA (Irish Seed Savers Association) to order 4 bare root apple trees for delivery this winter (M9 rootstock) and when I arrived there was a sale on just too good to miss:~) I came home with 3 trees that I hadn't quite planned on buying this year (over all, we want 12 in over the next few years).

3 year old potted Ard Cairn Russet (eater) (M26)

2 year old potted Glenstall abbey (cooker) (M106)

2 year old potted Keegan (eater) (M26)



All for the total sum of €31.50 :cool: that's a really good price (they normally retail at €25 each) & while slightly larger rootstocks have been gotten it means i can adjust the final amount of apple trees I need to plant.



In other news, I've gotten my onions in and on drying racks, I've started harvesting my cereal rye and I'm about 8 weeks left before first frost so I'm trying to figure out what fast crop I can get in the garden before then!!



Read a great post about people pickling so I'm going to give it a go ( I have bits of broccolli, cauliflowers, kale left). It'll be my first time trying that I'd love to have a go at piccallili!



Would love to hear some of everybody's favourite apple/fruit trees in their gardens?

New apple trees

Help me think this through please.......

Some things my brain just can't figure out.

Okay.........we changed health insurance plans in July. At that time, I had met about $4,600 of my $6.000 deductible with the previous company. The new company said they would honor the deductible we had.

Well, the new company only has a $3,000 deductible, so they honored $3,000 of that $4,600. Does that mean we just lose $1,600 of what we paid out with the other company?

My brain is really slow with this. I guess it's irrelevant, since they're paying for everything now. But......I just can't think it through.

Thanks for helping me understand this!

Help me think this through please.......

Inventory

Here is all the stuff I have. Stuff is roughly grouped by purpose. I probably have forgotten a few things, which I will add if I remember them. Bear in mind I'm a single male with few obligations, and I do not expect most people to be able to get by with this number of things. However if anyone has novel ideas for how one thing could easily serve the purpose of another, I might be able to pare this list down a bit.



desktop computer (windows)

monitor

keyboard

mouse

speakers

headphones

external backup hard drive

power/internet/video cables/adapters

power strip

extension cord



laptop (work issued, mac)

2x earbuds

wireless mouse

car power adapter



"smart" phone (offline, with maps on it for road trips)

"dumb" phone (voice, $80/year)



plastic table

office chair

floor rug for chair



mattress

latex foam top

2x sheets

thin blanket

thick blanket

3x pillows

neck pillow for travel

oil filled electric room heater

small trash can



4x towels

2x small towels

4x washcloths



camera

tripod

lens cleaner/microfiber cloth



bicycle

bike light (doubles as flashlight for camping or night hiking)

helmet

biking gloves

bike pump

spare tube / bike multitool

dirty rags



winter coat

2x winter hats

warm gloves

windbreaker jacket



sweatshirt

sweater

2x fleece

flannel shirt



8x T-shirt

5x shirt hangers

pair of jeans

3x pair of shorts

pair of work pants

work jacket

2x sweatpants

undies



1-year-old sneakers

4-year-old sneakers

water shoes



backpack

smaller travel bag

suitcase



4x pairs of wool socks

3x pairs of cotton socks

6x handkerchiefs



scissors

screwdriver

pliers

tweezers

tiny pocketknife

measuring tape

2x laundry net bags

matches

duct tape

electrical tape

timer

electric shaver

shampoo

hand soap

body soap

laundry soap

dish soap

dish sponges

2x combs

2x nail clippers

2x anti-perspirant

2x toothbrush

2x toothpaste

earplugs



frying pan

baking pan

ceramic plate

plastic plate

large mug

small mug

bowl

2x butter knives

2x paring knives

2x forks

2x spoons



4x water bottles

3x gallon water jugs



many glass jars

many cardboard boxes

many plastic bags

many leftover egg cartons

paper towels

toilet paper

Q-tips

bandaids

ibuprofen



// stuff I only need for going camping

tent

sleeping bag

sleeping pad

fold-up shovel

harpoon-line

bungee cord

big knife

water purification tablets



This not counting food, a stack of papers (instructions/receipts/financial stuff/etc), or various sentimental items like pictures, letters, and rocks/shells/flowers/etc that I've collected.

Inventory

What to watch when you are sick or feeling blue

I'm home really sick with allergies. My friend's 14 year granddaughter is feeling blue.



So I compiled the below list of website addresses on YouTube for Got Talent and X Factor teen and kid auditions to email to the girl.



These are wonderful GT and XF videos appropriate for kids.



Enjoy watching - I sure am!

Laura




Shiane Hawke, Aulstralia

http://ift.tt/1v9NBI2




Jackie Evancho, US

Now she is around 17. She makes albums and sings all over the world.
http://ift.tt/1v9NBI5


Jack Carroll, comedian, England

Read the below before clicking:

a "queue" (pronounced Q) is a line - as in waiting in line to buy tickets for the movies

a "lift" is an elevator

"benefits" refers to the money he gets from the government to help with medical bills

http://ift.tt/11liMSE




Ruby and Jonas, US

Don't miss the second act on this video. Both couples are amazing.

http://ift.tt/1v9NDQb




Chloe Hickinbottom, England

http://ift.tt/1v9NDQd




Only Boys Aloud, England

They are from Wales.

http://ift.tt/1v9NBIa




Little girl, England

http://ift.tt/1v9NBIb




Hollie Steel, England

http://ift.tt/1v9NBIf




Shaheen Jafargholi, England

http://ift.tt/1v9NBYt



Taylor Ware, US

Sorry for the additional performers. I could not find a YouTube video with Taylor audition only.

Taylor starts around 3:08 minutes in.

http://ift.tt/1w2nqqW




Ronan Parke, England

Now he is around 14 and is selling albums. You can find other videos showcasing him on YouTube. I like the one about bullying.

http://ift.tt/1w2nqqZ



Issac Brown, US

http://ift.tt/1v9NDQj



Olivia Archbold, England

http://ift.tt/1w2noiQ



Stavros Flatley - 12 year old boy and Dad, England

http://ift.tt/1w2noiS



One Voice Children's Choir, US

http://ift.tt/1v9NE6C



Julia Goodwin, US

http://ift.tt/1w2nqr4



Jack Vidgen, Australia

Now he is around 17 and making albums.

http://ift.tt/1v9NE6G



Robbie Firman, England

http://ift.tt/1v9NBYI



Asanda Jezile, England

http://ift.tt/1sWyyij



3 boys, US

http://ift.tt/1v9NE6K



Teens & adults, includes Bella Ferraro, England, US & Australia

Compilation of several terrific videos

http://ift.tt/1pSnnKc

What to watch when you are sick or feeling blue

When to send Thank you cards.

Hi all,



I have a question about Thank You Cards. Please tell me if I am right or wrong.



My Nephew graduated from High School the end of June. I sent him money. I think I should receive a thank you card but I'm not sure. If I should be sent a card when is the appropriate about of time for it to come?



I was just wondering because I thought it was proper etiquette.





Thanks Cody11

When to send Thank you cards.

Seattle area and BC - what are must sees?

I know we have quite a few posters who live in the PNW so thought I would ask about recommendations for what to see OR NOT in the area. We finally decided to spend our birthday trip in that region and also visit British Columbia while we are all the way up there. Late September. We have been to all the usual tourist places in Seattle (I think) but everything else is new. Thinking about the Cascades train to BC or would the ferry be better? Any inside tips are appreciated - there is so much on the internet that it's hard to go through it all. Just want to relax, see the sights, eat lots of seafood and hopefully not spend a fortune.

Seattle area and BC - what are must sees?

Monthly Grocery Expense

Hi all,

I would like to get your feedback as to what you think is a reasonable monthly budget for groceries (does not include eating out), but does include dog food for miniature poodle, paper products, etc.



I am 70 years old, live alone in SoCal, do some entertaining mostly with my family for dinner once a week. Food prices are so high right now - I am amazed.



Anyway, would love to hear from you guys.



Linda

Monthly Grocery Expense

Hello

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie, looking forward to being getting to know everyone:). I'm from Ireland and been leaning the simple and frugal way both out of necessity and choice for a number of years. I'll probably spend a few days having a root, looks like a lot of information here, so i'm off to get started (oh also, went on the link for FI & downloaded the 9 steps, should be a good read!)

Hello

Part-time nanny needed

We are a Belgian-English family moving to Belgrade in October and are looking for a nanny for our 1 year old son. Just wondering if anyone has any tips on where to advertise/ look for one and more or less what we can to expect to pay for part-time help. Thanks, Erica

belgrade

Garcinia Cambogia Supplement

I am really depressed with my weight loss problem. My friend advised me to get some weight loss pills. While searching on internet I found there is a up trend of Garcinia Cambogia Pills and I found some good reviews on this website [link removed] which are convincing. Anyone tried it as I want to know more about this product before buying this.

Garcinia Cambogia Supplement

Invest or pay off mortgage

Hello, simple living forum friends! I used to be around a lot more under same screen name (Mermaid) at the old forums and have been lurking here for a while.



I am 50, and have a lot of money questions up for me right now. My partner and I live in a house I bought. We have a joint account and each have our personal accounts. We pay for the house from our joint account, and would eventually like it to be titled /deed in both our names.



I would really like to retire at 60, or at least go to working part time. She figures she'll work for much longer (she is a psychotherapist so that is doable). I bought the house because I had the down payment, and her credit was really bad at that time because of a long unemployment - her credit is much better now.



Right now, my question is, how should I invest my non-retirement funds vs. pay off mortgage, and what should I consider in doing so?



My numbers:

IRAs - Roth and Regular --- 242K

Personal Savings/Invests -- 31K - some earmarked to replace car



Mortgage @ 4.625% -- 123K (worth ~235K)



About 9K of the personal is in no-load mutual funds at Schwab and Vanguard, the rest is in savings accounts (Capital360, formerly ING Direct) earning less than the mortgage rate.



The idea of paying off the mortgage by the time I'm 60 is attractive, but if I'm using the calculator right that would take an extra $600 a month! $250/month to kill it by the time I'm 65. $250 would be tight right now, but some large expense may go away within about a year or so, which would make 250+ very doable.



I think I did the bankrate calculator right because I entered the current balance, 25 year mortgage and current interest rate and it came up with amount same as my current payment. Then I played around w/ adding additional amount each month.

My risk profile for probably 10K would be conservative because I would want it available for emergencies. For the remaining 21K, I would be comfortable with moderately aggressive. (terms from http://ift.tt/1rgYUAl)



Thanks for any thoughts or advice!

Invest or pay off mortgage

Hello All

I've been browsing this forum on and off for half a year now and just decided to post.



Here's a short version of my story:



I grew up in rural western New York. When I graduated high school I tried to get a typical minimum wage job, but could not get an interview anywhere. So I went to the local public college. I spent four years getting a degree in computer science, and on graduating last spring I moved to Silicon Valley for a job as a software engineer. Now I'm 23.



I like to live simply, although this sort of happened naturally -- I never suddenly decided to change my lifestyle. I go with no car and no smartphone. Living here it's quite possible to just bike, although I don't go many places. I'll rent a car for road trips sometimes. I could name all of my possessions. Perhaps I'll write up an inventory on here sometime and see if there's anything I can get rid of.



The cost of housing is extremely high where I live. I rent a bedroom in a house and save almost all the rest of my income. There's nothing that I would buy for myself if I had more money, so I am content in that way.



What I love most is going home to visit my family and friends that I spent the first 22 years of my life with, and being out in nature which I find incredibly beautiful. We live in such a beautiful world! Unfortunately while in college I was too busy working on my academic/career success that I pretty much ignored nature -- but once college was over I really fell in love with it. Maybe some of you will enjoy my photos. Going home and visiting nature are difficult things to do given where I live now. I have to fly across the country to go home, and I have to drive through bad traffic to get out to nature. I have been taking advantage of being out west to visit lots of places out here that I'll probably never see again if I move back east.



I miss a lot of things about home. The people first, of course, but also the green summer, woods and creeks, clouds and beautiful sunrises and sunsets, real interesting weather and storms. The bay area in california has almost constant "good" weather with full on sunshine 3/4 of the time -- while I admit this is nice for being able to go outside everyday, it's not very interesting and seeing the same thing every day gets old. I enjoyed walking in the rain and snow. Anyway, I don't mean to complain.



I cannot imagine having a family in the suburban sprawl here. There's no wilderness for kids to play in like I had growing up. There are little parks and playgrounds, so I guess you can ride your bike and be out in the sun. But not much room for creativity, most of the stuff we did when I was a kid would get you in trouble here if it was even possible. Having to drive through crazy traffic to get anywhere would be rough too. But I digress. Suffice to say I don't really like the idea of living here the rest of my life. :)



I realize I'm extremely fortunate, and I don't want or intend to just enjoy my material success such as it is on my own. I have no more career aspirations. I got my "dream job" already, and I don't really feel the desire to climb the career ladder. (Not that I'd avoid promotion, but I won't compromise on anything else for that purpose, so it's not likely to happen.) I want to use my resources for something good but I haven't figured out what and I'm kind of afraid of making the wrong decision there, so the default thing is just to save and invest.



I don't know what to do next. I could live as I am now for another 20 years easily, saving lots of money and living a comfortable if simple life alone. Many people do that here. I certainly don't want that, so I will have to draw the line at some point and do something different even though it will mean cutting my income. I hope I muster up the courage to do that sooner rather than later. I think about moving back east sometime next year to be closer to home despite that it would set me back career-wise.



Maybe I'll pitch in on some of the discussions here, though I have more to learn than to teach, I think.

Hello All

Foreign Students in Belgrade

Hi



I am a prospective foreign student (med school) and I want to know what type of budget should I suggest my parents to live decently in Belgrade . Is it a safe city for a fresh high school graduate living by himself first time far from home and most of my friends went to Hungarian U.

Any do's and don'ts , spaces, times and people better to avoid ...all experiences and advice welcome.Thanks.



djamel



dlaouisset@gmail.com

belgrade

Notarized Translation for Ministry of Education

Hi



I am a foreign student and I need my high school diploma, birth certificate and transcripts to have a notarized translation from english (except one page from french)into serbian so i can validate by ministry of education.Anyone can give advice/recommend a serious translation office.Thanks.



dlaouisset@gmail.com

belgrade