Thursday, April 30, 2009

I Like 'poo

I read a few articles online about no 'poo people, who don't use shampoo. Some of them go months without shampooing their hair, using combinations of baking soda, vinegar, essential oils and other products to keep their hair fresh. They all said their hair was shinier, bouncier and overall better than before.

I don't see myself going months without washing my hair, but many people said they cut down to just a few times a week, and in addition to shiny bounciness, they don't have dandruff. Most of them do condition every day. So today I thought I would try it and not shampoo my hair. I conditioned and massaged my scalp as recommended.

Any my hair is not shiny. Or bouncy. Or in any way more beautiful. It looks dirty, especially as the day goes on, and it feels terrible. The article said it might take a few days for your scalp to adjust, but I'm just not going to make it. I may occasionally have flat, dull hair and a flaky scalp, but it's not as bad as this.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

On the Line

I just realized, at 7:55 pm, that today is Tuesday and American Idol started at 7:00. I don't have a DeeVeeRRrr, so over to YouTube for me to see the performances. I'm not a big Tuber (or a potato of any type, ha ha), but sometimes the Internets do save me.

However, I have decided that Charer is slowing down on me. Are there any ISPs that don't suck? I rent so no satellite dish on the roof for me, but surely there is something out there.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Does Everyone Do This?

The weather here has been sporadic ... nice and sunny, crappy and wet, windy, cold, cloudy and still, you name it.

And on the nice and/or sunny days, everyone - yours truly included - gets all excited. People are in a better mood, the trail near my house is full, work clears out early.

Is this just a Minnesota thing, or do people around the world have moods and activities so closely tied to weather?

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Positive Balance Sheet

All week long, work has been INSANE! And most of what I've been working on comes with at least some frustration. So I've been complaining more than is strictly necessary.

And today was no different. Last-minute tour (which I honestly don't mind, but they do throw a monkey wrench into the day). Reproofing the same (super boring) rules over several times. Finding out that a sign-up sheet I created was seriously underused. Just lots going on in general. And at the end of the day I was in the bathroom and I noticed that my hair was quite greasy looking - I hope it didn't look that way all day.

But it's the end of the day now (Idol is almost over), and when I look back over the day I feel positive about it. I feel like today was overall a very good day. And at the risk of being schmaltzy (which despite the occasional tone of this blog I swear I am not), here is what made today a good day.
  • I got to ride my bike to work for the first time this year. It was Earth Day, and it was a beautiful day. If I never had to drive a car again that would be OK with me, so biking is always good.
  • I won the Volunteer Fair drawing. I got a blanket. A nice fleecy one.
  • After four weeks of Weight Watchers, I officially lost 10 pounds today!
  • Perhaps best of all, tonight was wine bar with my friends. And wine bar is always fun, but tonight seemed like an especially good time. I only had one glass of wine (and more chicken pizza than was probably advised), but it was seriously great.

I hope things are this good tomorrow!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

What Could Be

I sometimes wonder if I'm better suited for work in the non-profit sector. I think I might be: I have a lot of causes I feel strongly about, I like helping people, I need a lot of variety in my work, and I'm not motivated by money (which is good, because I did not choose an especially lucrative career path).

Then today I read that women who work for nonprofits are more likely to marry rich men, because they are in contact with wealthy donors. And working in my current job has not led to a lot of (any) contact with wealthy single men.

Anyone have a non-profit job I would be good at? I'm skilled and cute.






Disclaimer: Don't read too much into this. Things at work are fine, and things with Boyfriend are better than fine. But I have an active fantasy life.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

In Which I Fail

Tuesday was one of those days where many things went wrong for me. It's like the universe was telling me to give it up. I told the universe to suck it and went on with my day.

Today is Maundy Thursday. Readers with long memories will remember that I should be nearly done with the 100 push-up challenge by now. And I am not. I told the challenge to suck it and went on with my day.

Really, I gave up. I decided that's not for me. So I can't do 100 push-ups. And I don't really care.

I try not to give up on goals once I've set them. But sometimes, I realize that the goal isn't important to me. And then it's time to concentrate on something that is.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Whoa - I Need to Pay More Attention

In my Internet travels recently, I found this article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29603119/. The title of the article is "Your Cell Phone Costs You $3.02 per Minute." The title basically sums the thing up.

I just paid the phone bill (Boyfriend and I share a plan and alternate paying). We aren't big phone talkers, especially during the day, so we get tons of rollover minutes every month. And we're really not big texters, so we usually only pay like a buck or two in extra charges.

Anyway, the bill was $71. I don't have the actual bill in front of me, but I think we used about 200 minutes. So I don't think we pay $3 per minute, but it got me thinking: are there other things we pay too much for? I pay Charter $50 per month for Internet, which is apparently the price of a bundle. I've asked at least once if a lower rate is available and they said no ... maybe I should ask again. I have some food I bought pre-the new diet plan, which I may now not eat. I keep my thermostat pretty low to save on electricity.

But now I'll remember to look at things more closely. I would not like to pay 30 times the cost of a landline for my phone. Or anything else for that matter.

Friday, April 3, 2009

How Should I Feel?

I have been reading about people who have two jobs, go to school and have kids. Personally I have one of these four things and that is more than enough for me. Initially when I read these stories, I have a brief flash of inadequacy.

And then I realize there's no need for that. I work. I volunteer. I take care of myself, and to the extent that I can I take care of the world around me. And some day I may have kids and a second job and go back to school - but frankly, I kind of doubt that. And it's working for me. And I will not apologize for my life. I know I would have/be more if I worked harder at it, but I like what I have and what I am. And I think that's the secret.