Confessions of a water waster
04/29/2010
I’m a water waster.
There. I admitted it.
I spend time telling you how “evolved” I am when it comes to minimizing. It’s only fair I tell you that I kinda suck at conserving water. Suck is a relative term; however, and there are hardened aqua criminals living on the fringes of Las Vegas suburbia who:
- Don’t have desert landscaping. (we do)
- Haven’t bought low-flow shower heads and toilets. (we have)
- Won’t follow mandatory watering schedules. (we do)
- Can’t kick the sprinkling-the-driveway habit. (this is nuts)
Now that I’ve packaged this nicely and made others’ habits look far worse than mine, here are my sins:
- I only sometimes turn off the water when brushing.
…but I don’t have cavities, so am I absolved? - I take extra long showers on weekends.
…but super short ones on weekdays, so are we even? - I let the water run while washing dishes.
…but I have a sterile kitchen, so isn’t it worth it? - I take relaxing baths, and then stand up and shower.
…umm. I got nothing.
The Las Vegas Valley Water District wouldn’t be impressed by my habits, but they might like to know that I read their conservation tips and am sharing them with you. I plan to step up my efforts.
If only I could stomach filling the sink and washing crusty pans in sludge water. Any tips? Please share!
There has been SO much chit chat lately on minimalist blogs (You, Simplified and Far Beyond the Stars, to name a few) about the 100 Things Challenge that I feel compelled to weigh in from Fabulous Las Vegas. Incidentally, you won’t find 99 bottles of beer on my wall or 100 things in my home. Much less beer. Many more things.
(Wondering, did any minimalists out there sing “99 Bottles of Beer” on family road trips back in the day? Those beer bottles and the wall would suck up the 100 thing count right there! I digress…)
Where do I stand on narrowing my possessions down to 100 things? Here’s how I see it from my vantage point, which happens to be my desk at the moment…
- Computer
- Desk lamp
- Lake Erie stone coaster
- Stainless steel Starbucks mug atop said coaster
- Desk this is all balanced on
- Chair upon which my chairpaid rests
- Chairpad upon which my butt rests
- Big wall clock
- Mini wall clock (Why two? I love and use them both.)
- Blender
- Toaster
- Olive oil jar
- Salt grinder
- Pepper grinder
- Microwave
- Double oven (Does that count as two? Only at Thanksgiving?)
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Kitchen table
- Area rug under kitchen table
- Chair 1
- Chair 2
- Chair 3
- Chair 4
- Big glass candle holder centerpiece
- Houseplant 1
- Houseplant 2
- Houseplant 3
- Houseplant 4
- Houseplant 5
- Houseplant 6
- Plant stand 1
- Plant stand 2
- Coffee percolator
- Chair 1 at kitchen island
- Chair 2 at kicthen island
- Chair 3 at kitchen island
- Frying pan
- Small saucepan
- Medium saucepan
- Big saucepan
- Griswold frying pan
- Giant red pot for cooking soups, chilis and tempura veggies
- Cookie sheet 1
- Cookie sheet 2
- Wooden pizza paddle (used weekly thankyouverymuch)
- Collander
- Fiestaware water glass 1
- Fiestaware water glass 2
- Fiestaware water glass 3
- Fiestaware water glass 4
- Fiestaware water glass 5
- Fiestaware water glass 6
- Fiestaware water glass 7
- Fiestaware water glass 8
- Fiestaware place setting 1
- Fiestaware place setting 2
- Fiestaware place setting 3
- Fiestaware place setting 4
- Fiestaware place setting 5
- Fiestaware place setting 6
- Fiestaware place setting 7
- Fiestaware place setting 8
- Red wine glass 1
- Red wine glass 2
- Red wine glass 3
- Red wine glass 4
- White wine glass 1
- White wine glass 2
- White wine glass 3
- White wine glass 4
- White wine glass 5
- White wine glass 6
- Measuring cup (1 cup)
- Measuring cup (3/4 cup)
- Measuring cup (1/2 cup)
- Measuring cup (1/4 cup)
- Measuring cup (1/8 cup)
- Tablespoon
- 1/2 tablespoon
- Teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon
- “Just a pinch” teaspoon
- Rolling pin
- Slotted spoon
- Ladle
- Unslotted spoon
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
- Hand can opener
- Pizza cutter
- Ice cream scoop
- Sponge
- Steel wool (for stubborn pans)
- Big glass cutting board
- Small plastic cutting board
- Soap dispenser
- Dishtowel
- Dish drainer
I didn’t even get to the curtain panels, curtain rods or shutters yet. I barely opened the drawers. I could go on. And on. And on. You get my point. I write this post not to stir the pot (I have four, in case you weren’t paying attention above), but to share my reality. For me, this incomplete list of a corner of my home symbolizes simplicity for me.
If you fell off your chair laughing, I hope you didn’t injure yourself.
There used to be four times as much stuff. That was just six weeks ago.
Those of you who can put all your belongings in a backpack intrigue and impress me. I read your blogs religiously and learn countless lessons from your lifestyle. I apply them to my own and in the end, I’m pretty sure we’re all happy just being ourselves on this interesting journey. I know I am.
Maybe you can carry everything on your back. Someone else had four toyboxes and now has two. I had 24 purses and now have four. Your progress is impressive. Toybox owner’s progress is impressive. My progress is impressive.
I don’t plan to fit my Fiestaware in my four purses, along with the kitchen tools I love and use consistently. I do; however, aspire to keep on minimizing to the point that I only own items that I use regularly or love. Turns out, items I love are ones I use regularly. I’m pretty sure this is a good thing.
(In case you’re wondering, the Fiestaware is staying put. Every meal is a party on my plate. I like it that way.)
There’s enough simplicity to go around, and clearly enough passion out there. Let’s get on with our bad simple selves and not take all of this too seriously.
We can all have a slice of the simplicity pie – and a beer to wash it down. I hear there’s plenty on the wall.
Cheers!
On Borrowed Time
04/23/2010
I went to the library yesterday. Do you know they let people off the street borrow books? For FREE!
The library is one of those exotic locales I’ve been meaning to visit for the past, oh, 25 years. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing considering the library is within walking distance of my house.
(Pause typing. Hang head in shame.)
I should redeem myself. I am a (key fob) card-carrying Las Vegas-Clark County Library District member, but my membership expired in January, one year after I signed up for it at the grand opening and proceeded to borrow nothing…nada. I spent eons in college libraries, but that was in the name of research. The last books I checked out for pleasure were “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary’s “Beezus and Ramona.” I was eight.
After renewing my nifty key fob, I spent an hour browsing and came home with three books. Nearly everything nonfiction interests me. The hardest part was choosing a topic.
How to grow herbs? The fall of Catholicism? The making of Rocky? Mastering body language?
After much deliberation (ironic considering I never gave much thought to BUYING books) I went with “Enough Already!,” “Rightsizing Your Life” and “American Chinatown: A People’s History of Five Neighborhoods.”
Where did I go wrong? Why haven’t I taken advantage of this resource filled with free books, movies and magazines? I was busy buying pricey books, movies and magazines. I used to get a real charge out of meeting the minimum for Amazon’s Super Saver Shipping. Borders e-coupons arrived regularly. I used them regularly.
No more.
I recently donated 60 books that cost about $15 a pop. 900 smackeroos! Thinking about how $900 might have been better spent – or saved – stressed me out.
What’s done is done. Now someone else is enjoying my books. Last night I let it go and curled up with a good borrowed book.
(And by the way, Las Vegas librarians don’t dress like cocktail waitresses. In case you’re wondering.)
Minimalist Milestone: No mouse in my house
04/23/2010
Over the years I’ve been a PC user, Mac user, desktop user, laptop user. Sometimes in combination. Sometimes exclusively. There’s been one common thread – a mouse. Over the years I’ve been a wired mouse user, wireless mouse user. You get the point. There’s always been a mouse in my house.
Knowing what you now know, you can imagine my horror when my Logitech wireless mouse keeled over last week. I hit the reset button, changed the battery, disassembled it, blew out toast crumbs and checked for software updates. I did everything but give the thing cheese. I called in the coroner – my husband. He confirmed my fears. Dead mouse.
Forced to use to my laptop’s awkward touch screen thingy, I did a search of the latest mouses (mice? meese?). Desiring to get up close and personal with my replacement mouse, I ventured to Office Depot and selected an iHome notebook mouse. It was compact, cute and the right price. I should have known way better. One whirl with that piece-o-junk and I was cursing the entire mouse species.
Back in the box it went, back to Office Depot I went. Evidently a mouse, even an inferior one, is considered a technology item, which meant my only option was to exchange it. I showed extreme displeasure and after strongly suggesting they refund my cash, walked out with a lame merchandise credit. Great. You win Office Depot. Score one for you. But I digress…
Back at home and so totally over all things mouse, I decided to school up on my trackpad. I endured the video tutorial and futzed around with settings. So much from one little trackpad! Options for track speed, double-click speed, swipe to navigate, tap to click, one-two-three-four finger choices. Wowie!
My house has been without a mouse for five days now. I continue to be impressed with the fine little piece of technology that had been sitting idle at my fingertips all along. I no longer “need” a mouse. I’m enjoying my more streamlined desk setup and am paying much closer attention to what’s in front of me.
Try it out. I think you’ll also realize everything you need is within easy reach.
I go bananas over bananas
04/21/2010
I grew up eating bananas in Rice Krispies. “Snap, Crackle, Pop!” The cereal bowl wasn’t complete without the banana slices.
I was munching peanut butter and banana sandwiches before I could say “Elvis.” I thought my mom invented the delicacy. What I now know is it was the late 70s and peanut butter and bananas were to bread what anything in the fridge was to the crock pot.
It’s hardly a surprise then, that I’m still a fan of all things banana. While I appreciate the banana in all its glorious forms – bread, muffins, chips, shakes, non-fat banana chocolate chip coffee cake from Starbucks (yes, I’m human) – I’m a banana purist when it comes right down to it. Yes folks. I go bananas over bananas.
Turns out, simplicity is at the root of my obsession. Indulge me for a moment and think about it.
Bananas…
- Are cheap.
- Are portable.
- Are shaped to fit in a purse.
- Are nature’s MRE – no washing required.
- Are versatile – mushy ones are ideal for baking.
- Are a one-handed fruit – no fork, no napkin, no problem.
- Are happy by design – what’s not to like about yellow fruit?
- Are accommodating – they gladly accept peanut butter.
- Are “trickable” – wrap a ripe one in a brown bag, refrigerate and buy yourself banana time.
- Are good for us – all these practical benefits plus the bonus of vitamins B, C and potassium.
But wait, there’s more! Here are two other benefits that don’t apply to my life, but may to yours.
- Each one comes with a sticker – perfect for keeping things interesting at the school lunch table.
- If you have a monkey, you can share a snack.
Can you think of a more ideal, simple food? (Don’t say candy bars!) If so, speak up and share your ideas. I’d love to know what fruit you find fabulous.
