View Full Version : Sparrow's Journal
I've been a on-and-off lurker on this forum and the old one before that for a long, long time, posting only occasionally. I'd like to change that this year. So, inspired by Fidgiegirl and her journal, I’m starting one here as well - a place where I can dump thoughts that aren’t “big” enough for their own thread or don’t fit anywhere else. So, I’d like to (re)introduce myself:
I chose the name “Sparrow” when I signed up for the old forum years ago. I wanted to be anonymous and was agonizing over the perfect name when I glanced out the window and saw a little sparrow fluttering around the windowsill. A plain, simple little bird - an apt description of me. I found my perfect name!
I have been into simple living in some form or fashion for almost 20 years and through several different stages of my life and the forums have always been enormously helpful and inspiring to me. No matter how many drastic changes my life goes through, I' m always trying to scale down our busy lives to what is most important, look for way to cut expenses, and live true to my values. I feel like I already know a lot of you and I'm glad to finally come out of my dark corner and start participating more. :)
fidgiegirl
12-30-12, 4:41pm
Oh, Sparrow, I love your elegant name and avatar! And I'm so glad you will be starting a journal. I love what you said about ideas that aren't "big" enough for their own thread - that's exactly why I love the journal feature. Sometimes I just want to put something out there but not necessarily ask anything about it or discuss it all on its own.
Very much looking forward to learning more about you and what you've learned over your years of pursuing a simple life.
Hi there Sparrow! I look forward to reading your posts!
fidgiegirl
12-30-12, 7:39pm
Lucas has a great journal as well!
Tussiemussies
12-30-12, 8:44pm
Hi Sparrow, glad you will participate with us now. Looking forward to reading what you have to share...:)
Today was a great day. My vacation from work is rapidly drawing to a close so I'm scrambling to get everything done that I hoped to accomplish while off. Today was a dark, dreary, wet day and I was feeling a bit of cabin fever so I jumped in the car and drove to my favorite thrift store, a Salvation Army about 25 miles away. Now, normally when I go there, I am under some sort of time pressure. Usually, I am out with my impatient husband who drops me off while he goes other places. Today though, I was by myself and had all the time I the world. It was great!
Going to thrift stores is always hit or miss. I consider that's part of the fun-it's a treasure hunt. Today I hit the jackpot. For $30, I got:
A weatherproof winter coat- I have been searching for a brown coat for the longest time and this one is reversible and looks new. It was a splurge at $13 but well worth it, I think
4 nice, long sleeve shirts, expensive brands including Talbots and Izod
A pair of newish Rider jeans that fit me perfectly.
I LOVE thrift stores and get most of my clothes from them. Is there a woman alive who likes to shop for jeans? It's hard to find any that fit and once you do, you take them home and they shrink. :(. But, at thrift stores, you can find all kinds of brands to try, including ones from mail order places. And they are pre-shrunk!
So, a good day. Tomorrow, I hope do some beading while watching bowl games. I am trying to learn how to make jewelry. Then, the next day, it's back to the daily grind of work.
fidgiegirl
1-1-13, 11:17am
Sparrow, wow, good finds! I always find the best things on just these kids of outings, too - in just the right mood to put in the time on the hunt and even enjoy it. Enjoy your New Year's Day.
Great finds Sparrow.
I too love the pre-shrunk benefit of Thrift Shop Jeans and time alone to really search through each rack for treasures. I have one son who loves to go thrift shopping so I don't mind taking him with me otherwise I'm a solo-shopper.
Looking forward to your journal.
So happy you decided to join us, Sparrow!
So, I was thinking a lot today about 2012 and whether or not I did anything to simplify my life last year. 2012 felt like a year where I just kind of trudged through the mud, not gaining any ground, but not sinking anymore in the sludge. We've been a two-working-parent household for 2.5 years now, after I was a stay-at-home-mom for 15 years. I'm still struggling to get used to that and figure out how to juggle everything - big house, one teenager still at home who doesn't appear on the surface to need a lot of attention but does, neglected hobbies, pets, a husband who is also busy and stressed, trying to exercise, etc, etc. The list just go on and on. I made some positive changes last year but I realized that there was one decision that really, really impacted us in a positive way and that was....getting a house cleaner.
I agonized over this decision so much. It's a horribly expensive service that goes against my frugal ways. As a SAHM for so many years, I'm used to doing my own cleaning and it is a matter of pride. My husband and I were reluctant to let strangers in our house when we weren't here - there were so many things about having one that I was uncomfortable with. We decided to give it a shot and just LOVE it. They (a team of 2 people) come every other week and do the dusting, bathroom, kitchen and floors. No more do I spend my evenings and weekends feeling like I have all this housework hanging over my head, making me feel like I can't relax. It also forces my messy son and husband to keep things picked up :)
I never thought I would pay for someone to clean my house - it flies in the face of several of my simple living beliefs. And yet, it has simplified my life so much.
A nice example of how each person must choose for themselves what will mean simplification for their situation - there is no one right simple living solution for all. So glad you are getting a good value for your housekeeping dollar.
Sorry if I missed this in earlier entries, but what was behind the decision to go back to work after so long as a SAHM? Just curious, don't feel like you have to share if you don't want to.
I'm still struggling to get used to that and figure out how to juggle everything - big house, one teenager still at home who doesn't appear on the surface to need a lot of attention but does, neglected hobbies, pets, a husband who is also busy and stressed, trying to exercise, etc, etc. The list just go on and on.
[snip]
I never thought I would pay for someone to clean my house - it flies in the face of several of my simple living beliefs. And yet, it has simplified my life so much.
For better or worse, frugality seems to figure heavily into simple living on this forum (if not others). But what makes life simple is not always frugal. Paying someone to clean your house may not be as inexpensive as doing it yourself. But look at all of the time it helped buy for you!
What a thoughtful thread! I am enjoying it and hearing about the changes one needs to make to get back the precious time that is pricelss. The cleaning service is a good investment for the family's and everyone's mental and emotional health.
Kelli, I had always planned to go back to work full-time when my two sons were in college but my husband, a computer programmer/manager was laid off in the recession a few years ago. Hundreds and hundreds of guys like him were laid off around the same time and the job market was flooded. He was out of work for 1.5 years! At the time, I had a little part-time job for fun at my local library, but out of desperation, I started applying for jobs in my old field - biology. I got REALLY lucky and a professor at a university took a chance on me and I landed a job managing her lab. The pay isn't the greatest, but it is pretty secure and the State benefits are good. About the same time, my husband did get a job, but with way less pay than before. He now works for a start-up with more pay but way less security. My job provides us with a little safety net and the security of health insurance. Now my oldest is in college and my youngest is in high school. I'm very grateful that even though it has been hard, things have worked out well and we are back on our feet.
fidgiegirl
1-29-13, 8:48pm
Sparrow, how funny . . . I rarely look back into old threads, almost always just use the "new posts" feature, but I landed here in the journals forum and wanted to say hello to you in your journal, and realized that I never did see this reply you had left to my question! I am not a big believer in a higher power pointing us to these things but sometimes, when something small like this happens, it makes me wonder . . .
Anyway! Hi! :) Glad things are working out for your family right now.
I always try to choose some little thing each month to work on to simplify and improve my life in some way. I wasn't sure what is was going to be in February until it hit me smack dab in the face yesterday. Some mornings, on the walk from the shuttle bus to my lab, I treat myself to Starbucks visit. Occasionally treat myself. Or so I thought. Yesterday, at this crowded campus Starbucks that always has a long line, the girl behind the register fumbled over my order and apologized, saying, "I should know your order by now." HUH?!?! Now in all fairness, I always place an unusual order on a college campus full of skinny, sleep-deprived 20-somethings - a decaf skinny vanilla latte. (One might ask why bother. Well, I'm hoping to trick myself into thinking I'm getting the real thing!) Anyway - this made me realize that my occasional visits were creeping up to an average of three times a week which is costing me about $48 per month. Yeah, I can probably afford it, but do I want to? On an unhealthy drink when I can easily make decaf coffe or tea back at my office for a few pennies? NO!!
So, ignorance may be bliss, but I'm out of denial now and resolve to cut this treat down to 1 or 0 a week. Funny - I've been into and trying to follow simple living concepts for over 15 years and yet I've let the one bad habit to creep up that everyone has always pointed to as a simple way to save money - cutting out the daily latte.
Sparrow, I gave up the 2-3 times a week "treat" to Starbucks last year. The other day a friend who was stateside for only a few days before returning to Africa called and asked to meet at Starbucks while he was in town. I found I couldn't even finish my old 'favorite', I'd completely lost my addiction to that "Starbucks taste". I had made a similar pledge last year to only drink coffee from home. So even though I spend quite a bit on a mix of good beans and extras it's still less than a 2-3 times a week Starbucks bill. So, you can do it!!
Isn't that awareness shocking sometimes? For me it's the amount of sugar I'm eating. Not yet at the point to make a change - glad you are!
HI, Sparrow,
I am glad you are posting and not just lurking any longer. I took that plunge a couple of years ago after lurking on the old forums for a long, long while. I wanted to add to what you said about the cleaner. Hiring someone to clean through twice a month has lifted a continuous burden from my mind. I know that I am not entirely and wholly responsible for how clean the house is but DH doesn't care as much as I do, so it makes me responsible by default. We hired a cleaner one year ago and even though yes, it is money, it saves me lots in energy (mental energy). There is still plenty to clean but the essential stuff is done on schedule and I don't have to do it.
No, not frugal and yes, much simpler.
I know this is crazy talk and blizzards can be dangerous but part of me is a little envious of the people in the path of that snowstorm. The thought of being snowed in and unable to go to work, curled up by a cozy fire and reading a book for a few days sounds wonderful. It's been in the 70s all week here in Texas - gorgeous weather. And yet I'm envious of all those poor people freezing and getting piles of snow dumped on them?!! Crazy, I know...
Life_is_Simple
2-9-13, 4:09pm
I know this is crazy talk and blizzards can be dangerous but part of me is a little envious of the people in the path of that snowstorm. The thought of being snowed in and unable to go to work, curled up by a cozy fire and reading a book for a few days sounds wonderful. It's been in the 70s all week here in Texas - gorgeous weather. And yet I'm envious of all those poor people freezing and getting piles of snow dumped on them?!! Crazy, I know...
Sparrow, I'll send you the 2 feet of snow I got yesterday ;) At least the power stayed on. :+1:
Gardenarian
2-12-13, 1:27pm
Sparrow - I felt the same way about the snow. I was living near Boston during the blizzard of '78 and that was something - it was life changing for me. I spent the week walking through snowy woods, and came out on the other side with a new perspective on life, which led to my going to college. It was something about the power of Nature to change the entire world in an instant, and perhaps the silence, which allowed me to think.
I live near San Francisco and don't have much weather to speak of, which I'm mostly happy about.
BTW< your signature line is one of my favorite quotations ever.
I just spent 1.5 hours of precious weekend free time ironing. Oh, how I hate ironing. It's got to be one of my most detested domestic chores EVER. I'm slow and awful at it and no amount of distractions like watching TV or listening to music make it more bearable. I always try to buy stretchy, knit shirts to avoid having to do this detested activity. But then, while shopping in thrift stores, I'll get seduced by some fancy-brand, well-made, soft cotton, button-down shirt tantalizing me with its $3.00 price tag and its great fit. So, now I have a closet full of these love/hate shirts and I get to spend an hour or two every week in ironing hell. Bleah.
Originally posted by Sparrow.
I just spent 1.5 hours of precious weekend free time ironing. Oh, how I hate ironing. It's got to be one of my most detested domestic chores EVER. I'm slow and awful at it and no amount of distractions like watching TV or listening to music make it more bearable.Ohhh... wish I could have been there to help you! I LOVE ironing!
Sparrow. Was just thinking about battering, and how, for those like yourself... what a wonderful opportunity it would be to be able to switch, likes and dislikes with someone else, to help get through those less than favourite chores/tasks. Would be so much fun, too!
I count my blessings, as I thoroughly loved all things domesticity!
About the ironing, Mrs-M, I'm seriously doubting your sanity right now! ;)
Trading and switching tasks with a friend would be awesome. I guess I sorta do that now with my husband, but it just seems to lead to a lot of disagreements!
I at least like most domestic chores like vacuuming and dusting. I just spent a few pleasant hours cooking my meals in advance for the work week. I love, love, love gardening and yard work - even the little mundane things like sweeping the porch.
However - ironing, washing dishes and cleaning bathrooms I hate with a passion.
LOL, Sparrow!
I count my blessings (often) that I enjoy all things domestic, because with such a large family, I'd be in real big doo-doo if I didn't...
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.