tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87722708123313748132024-03-14T01:49:44.260-07:00Eve Penman: An Empowered Housewife in Rural AmericaIf Being a Housewife is Wrong, I Don't Want to be Right!JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-79900764767317042742021-01-22T12:30:00.001-08:002021-01-22T12:30:13.798-08:00Wife It Like You Own It: Life Lessons from an Empowered Housewife<div>Q: Why do I take care of my husband & our home? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A: Because they’re mine.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am amused by the idea that a housewife takes care of a home only for her husband's benefit, as if she doesn't live in the home too or receive the same benefits as her husband for her hard work.</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i>I am not some chore whore who resides in a separate she shed who doesn't get to enjoy the fruits of my daily labors.</i></h3><div>I am the wife who shares the home with my husband and is entrusted with the home we own to make sure it gets better every day.</div><div><br /></div><div>I am the one who gets to do my work the way I want to do it while my husband is away at work, and I get to enjoy alone time during the day doing what I want before we have calm evenings together, during which neither of us is rushing around trying to get the daily tasks done because I already did them.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Homes are real property which makes them valuable investments.</h2><div>Not improving a home, either for personal enjoyment or to sell/rent in the future, is a waste of the investment and the time residing in the home. </div><div><br /></div><div>Even an apartment is an investment of money that can’t be refunded along with the time living in it, so taking care of an apartment or rental like an actual owner is no less important than taking care of an owned residence; especially when the condition that a living space and husband are kept in is a reflection on the wife who cares for them.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">To me the question is: Why have a home or a husband if the wife doesn’t want to take care of them? </h2><div>Both a home and a husband need care, and the best person to care for both is the one who owns them – <i>the wife. </i></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">📣 Wake up, women, and stop mindlessly believing the outdated anti-housewife sentiment that only the husband gets a benefit from the wife staying at home.</h4><div>While my husband does get the benefit of a clean and orderly home, I enjoy that same benefit along with the pride of making it clean and orderly.</div><div><br /></div><div>Also, we both benefit from me now being a happy housewife who no longer grinds her teeth in her sleep, and who isn't stressed out from commuting and dealing with the always-changing demands of the work world.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also receive the benefit of getting to stay home all day with our cats, and no paying job ever gave me such a great benefit!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4Tln1Q40Zoy8bDdMRQ8nyMqeuS15pPXGVyCPcAD0SOf46v_3S3nPHcURyP9Irh8-lzu6X4Tw0JDIGigWeBn7SfXfuhOl0k2NhRA5dKFwKefR8Vh5toR6DNx9oaDem8TIGMjF8gaUFSw/s507/wife+it+like+you+own+it.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why do I take care of my husband and our home? Because they're mine." border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="500" height="553" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz4Tln1Q40Zoy8bDdMRQ8nyMqeuS15pPXGVyCPcAD0SOf46v_3S3nPHcURyP9Irh8-lzu6X4Tw0JDIGigWeBn7SfXfuhOl0k2NhRA5dKFwKefR8Vh5toR6DNx9oaDem8TIGMjF8gaUFSw/w546-h553/wife+it+like+you+own+it.jpg" title="Why do I take care of my husband and our home? Because they're mine." width="546" /></a></div><br />JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-43439445793759893452020-04-14T17:54:00.000-07:002020-04-15T11:17:44.966-07:00How I’m Saving Over $700 a Year by Shopping at Costco (Blue Collar Home Economics for Beginners)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xCwBVd_KMY-Qgzvk-8i-ohXcMf4YOKe629LHncM_jn5fSB3X9XovwiALyD9VHDRYODqX3yHHS1cLzrBZjzc4klP_pg7_OUwCcljwXge65hnQ8u_-yhBMjd_zeHz1vvanN6nMUhGZTxU/s1600/saving+at+costco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="How I’m Saving Over $700 a Year by Shopping at Costco (Blue Collar Home Economics for Beginners) by Eve Penman" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="513" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9xCwBVd_KMY-Qgzvk-8i-ohXcMf4YOKe629LHncM_jn5fSB3X9XovwiALyD9VHDRYODqX3yHHS1cLzrBZjzc4klP_pg7_OUwCcljwXge65hnQ8u_-yhBMjd_zeHz1vvanN6nMUhGZTxU/s400/saving+at+costco.jpg" title="How I’m Saving Over $700 a Year by Shopping at Costco (Blue Collar Home Economics for Beginners) by Eve Penman" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Q: What’s the best way to save money when shopping at Costco?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A: Buy items that are used every day!</i></b></span><br />
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<b>The more an item is used, the more that item is needed;</b> therefore, if the most used items in a house are bought in bulk (at Costco or any warehouse club store), the more money it will save.<br />
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<b>I did a cost analysis on three food items that are used 5 to 7 days a week in my home and I was amazed at the findings when I compared the cost for the items in bulk to purchasing the items in smaller quantities; namely lunch cheese, coffee, and lunch meat.</b><br />
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<b>Please keep in mind that prices can vary by location and if there are weekly specials;</b> the information I’m presenting is based on the prices listed on my receipts where I live, the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Lunch Cheese:</u></b></span><br />
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<b>In December of 2019 we started purchasing the 2.5lb block of Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese at Costco </b>for my husband’s lunches that he has five days a week, instead of the 7.5oz packages of sliced Sargento Cheese at the grocery store; now that it is April of 2020, the block of Tillamook purchased in December is almost used up and has lasted us 18 weeks, which gives me the number I needed to calculate the cost difference for one year:<br />
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<b>52 weeks in a year divided by the 18 weeks it takes to go through one block of cheese equals 2.88; but since we can’t buy 2.88 blocks of cheese, it will be 3 blocks of cheese needed for the year.</b><br />
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<b>The cost of the cheese at Costco is $7.99, times 3 blocks of cheese for the year equals $23.97; so that is the cost of one year’s worth of lunch cheese at Costco, $23.97.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMZ1l0BQfTDLlCsQ7lwsGL4QMVj33DZhO_BSoi5f2tCYv-6qVKsQCXvBrKHP2_PK98AwGXG3ZVrWaG5oSyPoznwMpKU2NilsQOriKBMfI4y4i269_hxhF5POSOmePV50LbAzO9vI8XFs/s1600/tillamook+pepper+jack+2.5lb+cost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese at Costco; cost analysis" border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="1008" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjMZ1l0BQfTDLlCsQ7lwsGL4QMVj33DZhO_BSoi5f2tCYv-6qVKsQCXvBrKHP2_PK98AwGXG3ZVrWaG5oSyPoznwMpKU2NilsQOriKBMfI4y4i269_hxhF5POSOmePV50LbAzO9vI8XFs/s640/tillamook+pepper+jack+2.5lb+cost.jpg" title="Tillamook Pepper Jack Cheese at Costco; cost analysis" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>Now for comparing it to the Sargento Cheese from the grocery store</b> (I’m not bashing any brands, just presenting the information):<br />
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<b>The 7.5oz pack of cheese would last two work weeks</b> (10 slices at one slice a day), and one pack of cheese costs $3.99.<br />
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<b>52 weeks in a year divided by the 2 weeks it took to go through one pack of cheese equals 26;</b> so, we would have to buy 26 packs of cheese for the year.<br />
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<b>At a cost of $3.99 a pack, times 26 packs of cheese would equal a yearly cost of $103.74, just for lunch cheese alone!</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi018TGwnkpWZaYLN6fD52FNAnJ1yDzNERd1_y9JPsxhaqgT6YvGh9VHkCASUeuKocY5Sq2NNLxlo5cbS23s1OY_QbPXhuXsyOOQrAdm9FrPii-HH64vgOUeUpx5bbFdj1XbqHAu2SaspQ/s1600/sargento+cheese+cost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sargento Pepper Jack Cheese at the grocery store; cost analysis" border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="860" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi018TGwnkpWZaYLN6fD52FNAnJ1yDzNERd1_y9JPsxhaqgT6YvGh9VHkCASUeuKocY5Sq2NNLxlo5cbS23s1OY_QbPXhuXsyOOQrAdm9FrPii-HH64vgOUeUpx5bbFdj1XbqHAu2SaspQ/s640/sargento+cheese+cost.jpg" title="Sargento Pepper Jack Cheese at the grocery store; cost analysis" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>Now, the difference between the $103.74 yearly price at the grocery store, and the $23.97 yearly price at Costco is $79.77, which may not sound like much in a year, but that price difference is almost what we spend on coffee in an entire year, which we now buy in bulk at Costco too.</b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Coffee:</u></b></span><br />
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<b>Before buying coffee beans in bulk at Costco, we would buy ground coffee at the grocery store;</b> since my husband is the coffee drinker he picks out what he likes and the brand would always vary; but based on receipts I reviewed from August of 2019 through December of 2019, we spent $82.82 on coffee in those five months.<br />
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<b>We started buying coffee beans in bulk at Costco in January of this year (2020);</b> at first we were buying SF Bay French Roast Coffee, but this last week Costco had a different brand at the same price.<br />
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<b>A 2-pound bag costs $9.99 and has been lasting 46 to 47 days; </b>however, my husband recently increased his daily coffee consumption from 9 cups to 12 cups now that he’s at home more, and the 46/47-day average doesn’t reflect the new increase which is temporary anyway, since he’s only drinking more while on the forced break from work due to the Coronavirus issue.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUVmcz2gaD7XduZ27m-jqPhcYCod-JkVL9iBiQ-Z14EcEn24ZdJAWTNS9eijAK3CFA9KjqGkjQ_7qlks46xRt23ufLuMsMZmLSxsOUUpeG9p7GJsCVMgRrk1GAlAuKZ6KG3AkQc-yTWI/s1600/coffee+sf+bay+cost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="SF Bay Coffee French Roast at Costco; cost analysis" border="0" data-original-height="1463" data-original-width="1015" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUVmcz2gaD7XduZ27m-jqPhcYCod-JkVL9iBiQ-Z14EcEn24ZdJAWTNS9eijAK3CFA9KjqGkjQ_7qlks46xRt23ufLuMsMZmLSxsOUUpeG9p7GJsCVMgRrk1GAlAuKZ6KG3AkQc-yTWI/s640/coffee+sf+bay+cost.jpg" title="SF Bay Coffee French Roast at Costco; cost analysis" width="441" /></a><br />
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<b>So, for a high-end estimate, the most coffee we will buy in one year is 10 bags;</b> and 365 days a year divided by 10 bags a year means one bag would last 36.5 days.<br />
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<b>10 bags of coffee a year, times $9.99 would cost $99.90 for the whole year, which is much better than $82.82 that was spent on coffee at the grocery store in only five months;</b> this isn’t including what is spent on other items that go into the coffee (creamer, etc.) so the $99.90 is only for the coffee beans, but that is the most important part of coffee, isn’t it?<br />
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<b>When my husband returns to work the coffee consumption will go down again, so it’s likely to be 8 or 9 bags of coffee for the year, </b>which would be a yearly cost between $80 and $90.<br />
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<b>$100 a year on coffee beans isn’t too bad when you consider that spending $5 on coffee 20 times at a coffee shop would equal $100 -- <i>and $100 is more than one-third of what we are now spending on lunch meat for a whole year!</i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Lunch Meat:</u></b></span><br />
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<b>Just like with the lunch cheese, we started buying lunch meat in bulk at Costco in December of 2019, the Hillshire Farm brand, instead of buying it in smaller quantities at the grocery store; </b>we usually bought different brands based on quality and Applegate was the last brand we purchased based on the quality, but no matter the brand the price didn’t differ much for high quality turkey meat.<br />
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<b>The Hillshire Farm turkey from Costco costs $9.59 a container and comes with 54 slices in each container;</b> I use 6 slices at a time, so one container makes 9 lunches.<br />
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<b>With 260 workdays in a year, divided by 9 lunches per container, I would need 28.88 containers of turkey from Costco for one year; </b>but it would need to be 29 containers since I can’t buy 28.88.<br />
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<b>So, 29 containers of turkey at a cost of $9.59 each would equal $278.11 for one year’s worth of lunch meat from Costco;</b> divided by 12 months it breaks down to $23.18 a month for lunch meat.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30Bvn93CJmXaNxHBktn42TEshE2KAHG8_phsNI7Z8-s_su_WfmgAb1oj4r0kPaeaONJ6fTjMo5Ju8d430ga7gEjwIkA_pD0MZMZ7pw5nMvE-ial2koUp0jB0KO62Prbboxeo1mgh3hJY/s1600/hillshire+farm+turkey+cost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hillshire Farm Turkey lunch meat at Costco; cost analysis" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1008" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg30Bvn93CJmXaNxHBktn42TEshE2KAHG8_phsNI7Z8-s_su_WfmgAb1oj4r0kPaeaONJ6fTjMo5Ju8d430ga7gEjwIkA_pD0MZMZ7pw5nMvE-ial2koUp0jB0KO62Prbboxeo1mgh3hJY/s640/hillshire+farm+turkey+cost.jpg" title="Hillshire Farm Turkey lunch meat at Costco; cost analysis" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>Now to show where the biggest savings are since we’ve stopped buying lunch meat at the grocery store:</b><br />
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<b>The lunch meat we were buying came with 7 slices in a package, and since the meat was thicker I only used 4 slices at a time in each lunch;</b> at 5 lunches a week times 4 slices in each lunch, it took 20 slices to get through one week of lunches; with 7 slices in each pack, it equals 2.8 packs of lunch meat a week, but it has to be rounded up to 3 packs of lunch meat for one week otherwise there isn’t enough.<br />
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<b>The lunch meat prices would vary depending on weekly specials at the grocery store, but $6.49 was the regular price; so, at a price of $6.49 and having to buy 3 packs a week, it was costing us $19.47 a week for lunch meat.</b><br />
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<b>Now for the kicker -- at 52 weeks a year and a cost of $19.47 for lunch meat each week, it would have cost us $1,012.44 for lunch meat just for one year! </b>And what we were paying for one week of lunch meat from the grocery store ($19.47) is only a few dollars less than what we are now paying for one month of lunch meat from Costco ($23.18)!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiruH6kU2e0Me9m0zlGduC7mS3Ybi-LnWF3dcfytol_GuCrGp31Yu0CcdnWDdcShAvvUE80wCrVUmkXhAjf-tXBSAnBiPqJnsaC8Z_zyclqYKRc3luoEKtbwTzLEHesT2xeqq1JscoRfI/s1600/applegate+turkey+cost.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Applegate turkey lunch meat at the grocery store; cost analysis" border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="876" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiruH6kU2e0Me9m0zlGduC7mS3Ybi-LnWF3dcfytol_GuCrGp31Yu0CcdnWDdcShAvvUE80wCrVUmkXhAjf-tXBSAnBiPqJnsaC8Z_zyclqYKRc3luoEKtbwTzLEHesT2xeqq1JscoRfI/s640/applegate+turkey+cost.jpg" title="Applegate turkey lunch meat at the grocery store; cost analysis" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>The cost difference between what we would have spent at the grocery store on lunch meat for a year, $1,012.44, minus what we are now spending at Costco in a year, $278.11, is a difference of $734.33 -- <i>and that’s more than what our new furnace cost!</i></b><br />
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<b>Isn’t home economics fascinating?! It is when it saves money!</b><br />
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<b>Small changes in groceries can make a big difference over time, and my numbers prove how valuable and economical shopping in bulk at Costco has been for us since making small changes in the past few months; <u>the key, of course, is to buy items we use every day, or at least 5 days a week.</u></b><br />
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<b>Buying food that doesn’t get used and expires is not the best way to save money, even if it is on sale which sometimes means it will expire sooner than later; </b><i><b>food must get used before it expires in order to get value out of it.</b></i><br />
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<b>Even if expired food isn’t always a waste of money, it is always a waste of food resources, and with the recent Coronavirus issues in America and lack of food in stores, I’m guessing that many people are learning the importance of being resourceful with food rather than wasteful, myself included.</b><br />
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<b>Quality is always an issue to us and it’s different for everyone, but what matters most in our home is that the food doesn’t upset our digestion, </b>especially my husband’s since the last thing he needs when working is an upset stomach; all of the products we have started buying at Costco haven’t caused any digestive problems, and what’s even better is that my husband likes the flavor of the Tillamook Cheese more than what we were buying in the grocery store.<br />
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<b>It’s true that shopping at Costco does require a membership, but the savings more than make up for the yearly membership cost, which is currently <a href="https://customerservice.costco.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/857/~/what-is-the-difference-between-each-type-of-membership%3F" target="_blank">$60 for the basic Gold Star Membership</a></b> (no affiliation, just information); thanks to my husband’s work they include a Costco membership as an employee perk, and such a valuable perk it is that we aren’t letting it go to waste!<br />
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<b>A few other helpful hints about how to save money when shopping at Costco:</b><br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Write a list and stick to it;</b> I'll write more about this in a future post.</li>
<li><b>Don't buy items that you don't plan to use</b> just because it's a good price.</li>
<li><b>Don't buy more than you need;</b> </li>
<ul>
<li>a 36-pack of toilet paper lasts us two to three months for two adults, which tells me that the people who are panicked into buying more toilet paper than they can use in a year aren't keeping track of their spending or what they use in their own home. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<b>I fully understand that more money could be saved if we just ate beans and rice as is suggested by some financial gurus; however, we want to enjoy our daily lives with foods that make us feel good and make life better.</b></div>
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<b>Even if eating beans and rice seven days a week saved us money, it wouldn't help our mental outlook when it comes to getting through our current situation as a single-income blue collar household; i</b><b>t's one thing to make $60k or $80k/year and have to cut back; it's another thing to make less than $35k/year and be at the top earning range to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity house -- <i>that's depressing enough without adding beans and rice on top of it!!!</i></b></div>
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<b>That's why both my husband and I continue to change our food preferences in small ways for the sake of the budget, and I continue to work at figuring out what else we can buy at Costco in bulk to save money; and it is working, because we have money in emergency savings and money in our checking account; we no longer spend an entire paycheck in a pay period, and we aren't having to survive on beans and rice to make it happen. </b></div>
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<b><i>I hope this post helps readers see the value of shopping in bulk for items that are used every day, whether they're purchased at Costco or another warehouse club store; please leave any questions, remarks, or math corrections in the comments.</i></b></div>
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<i><b>Thanks for reading!</b></i></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-4927504013660827282020-03-30T02:36:00.000-07:002020-03-30T02:38:43.454-07:00Make the Bed Cadence Drill: Cleaning Tips & Bed-Making Help for Homemakers<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Q: What's the best way to make a bed?</span></i></b><br />
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<b><i>A: Sing a cadence song in your head!</i></b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkRp99quTwoGZPXDy1ejKcglGejghEQP1PqZoeUjba2MSSykGq2QQ5zQejPNh7GGb58sOaJJet57FpCquuOLDnDdjtvSmqr6move9iyiZ8cQHhxNqyXmy6X3YLblDoPtiNp3VGMHKWUM/s1600/Full+Metal+Jacket+tidy+bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=""A messy bed is not for me. A tidy bed is what I need." Make the Bed Cadence Drill by Eve Penman. Photo from Full Metal Jacket (1987)" border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="684" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhkRp99quTwoGZPXDy1ejKcglGejghEQP1PqZoeUjba2MSSykGq2QQ5zQejPNh7GGb58sOaJJet57FpCquuOLDnDdjtvSmqr6move9iyiZ8cQHhxNqyXmy6X3YLblDoPtiNp3VGMHKWUM/s640/Full+Metal+Jacket+tidy+bed.jpg" title=""A messy bed is not for me. A tidy bed is what I need." Make the Bed Cadence Drill by Eve Penman. Photo from Full Metal Jacket (1987)" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Make the Bed Cadence Drill by Eve Penman</u></b></span><br />
<br />
<b>Rise and shine and make the bed</b><br />
<b>Fluff those pillows for your head!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Throw the covers back and let the sheets air</b><br />
<b>Spray disinfectant* everywhere!</b><br />
<br />
<b>It looks good<i> (it looks good)</i></b><br />
<b>It feels great <i>(it feels great)</i></b><br />
<b>To make the bed <i>(to make the bed)</i></b><br />
<b>Every day <i>(every day)!</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Wash the sheets<i> (wash the sheets)</i></b><br />
<b>Once a week <i>(once a week)</i></b><br />
<b>To keep the bed <i>(to keep the bed)</i></b><br />
<b>Hygienic<i> (hygienic) [pronounced hy-gen-eek]!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Make the bed look nice and neat</b><br />
<b>For a touch of luxury!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>When it’s time to get some rest</b><br />
<b>A bed that’s made is the best!</b><br />
<br />
<b>Start the day <i>(start the day)</i></b><br />
<b>The right way <i>(the right way)</i></b><br />
<b>Make the bed <i>(make the bed)</i></b><br />
<b>Right away <i>(right away)!</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Make it look <i>(make it look) </i></b><br />
<b>Real good<i> (real good)</i></b><br />
<b>Damn good <i>(damn good)</i></b><br />
<b>Like it should <i>(like it should)!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>A messy bed is not for me</b><br />
<b>A tidy bed is what I need!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Making the bed is nothing to hate</b><br />
<b>Making the bed makes a homemaker great!</b><br />
<br />
<i><b>Happy bed making!</b></i><br />
<i><b>(Sing the cadence out loud or in your head, and repeat until the bed is made)</b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b><u>Related Blog Posts:</u></b></i><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2018/11/learn-art-of-fitted-sheet-folding.html" target="_blank"><i><b>Learn the Art of Fitted Sheet Folding Perfection</b></i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/5-pro-tips-making-bed-cleaning-secrets.html" target="_blank"><i><b>Making the Bed & Cleaning Secrets from a 5-Star Luxury Hotel Housekeeper</b></i></a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>*OdoBan is my preferred disinfectant; learn more about it <a href="https://odoban.com/what-is-odoban/#concentrate-details-anchor" target="_blank">here</a>; no affiliation, just information.</b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Housekeeping 101: Mix 5oz of <a href="https://odoban.com/what-is-odoban/#concentrate-details-anchor" target="_blank">OdoBan</a> with 1gl of water for a virucide that kills HIV-1 (AIDS Virus), Influenza A/Hong Kong and Herpes Simplex type 2 in 60 seconds!</span></u></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>I buy OdoBan in the concentrate form and keep a pre-mixed gallon on hand at the virucide level to refill smaller spray bottles for various uses around the house; </b></li>
<li><b>I spray the bed sheets down every morning while the bed airs out; </b></li>
<ul>
<li><b>I let the bed air out for 30 minutes; during this time I take care of the morning dishes, kitchen prep work, and other household tasks; </b></li>
</ul>
<li><b>I also spray the top of the bed and the pillows after the bed is made; </b></li>
<li><b>I spray it on the laundry basket and into the laundry hampers too.</b></li>
</ul>
<i><b><u>Copied & pasted from the <a href="https://odoban.com/what-is-odoban/#concentrate-details-anchor" target="_blank">OdoBan website</a>:</u></b></i><br />
<i><b>OdoBan® is a Hospital Disinfectant for pre-cleaned surfaces at 5 ounces per gallon of water, Bactericidal according to the AOAC Use Dilution Test Method and a Mildewstat according to the EPA Mildew-Fungistatic guidelines in 10 minutes, and Virucidal* according to the virucidal qualification in 60 seconds, against germs ‡such as:</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Pseudomonas aeruginosa</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Staphylococcus aureus (Staph)</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecalis (VREF)</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Escherichia coli (E. coli) 0157:H7</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Listeria monocytogenes</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Serratia marcescens</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Aspergillus niger</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Salmonella enterica</b></i><br />
<i><b>· Streptococcus pyogenes (Strep)</b></i><br />
<i><b>· *Herpes Simplex Type 2</b></i><br />
<i><b>· *Influenza A/Hong Kong</b></i><br />
<i><b>· *HIV-1 (AIDS Virus)</b></i><br />
<i><b>(Use of the terms viruses*, virucide*, or virucidal*, using the single asterisk qualifier symbol, refers to the viruses below:) Viruses*, virucide*, or virucidal* (goes to · · · *Herpes Simplex Type 2, Influenza A/Hong Kong, HIV-1 (AIDS Virus)</b></i><br />
<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Have a question about how to make the bed? </b><br />
<b>Have a bed-making tip for readers? </b><br />
<b>Please leave your questions and comments in the comment area. Thank you!</b><br />
<br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-24059193436160486542020-03-17T01:52:00.000-07:002020-03-17T01:54:39.712-07:00Licensed to Wife: 10 Practical Points for an Empowered Wife<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD2aCtRxUQo6C5RYdw_AqKex-71QctyUMP6qNccCuWRWgczUiWcMjmLjKlasIPOzpgft4DMxE11wKFuhn8HelWAYtLxXM28X_2pWiDdu_MAuaqnoBc6oU9ljUxJnk-qUwQT_C6MP7Acc/s1600/licensed+to+wife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Licensed to wife. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD2aCtRxUQo6C5RYdw_AqKex-71QctyUMP6qNccCuWRWgczUiWcMjmLjKlasIPOzpgft4DMxE11wKFuhn8HelWAYtLxXM28X_2pWiDdu_MAuaqnoBc6oU9ljUxJnk-qUwQT_C6MP7Acc/s400/licensed+to+wife.jpg" title="Licensed to wife. Memes by Eve" width="366" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Q: Can an empowered woman be a housewife?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A: Only if she wants to!</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<b>I recently came across a post on Tumblr entitled <a href="https://simpleserenitysworld.tumblr.com/post/612003112419459072/domesticated-wife-10-important-points-for-a" target="_blank">’10 Important Points for a Wife’</a> and it had some good information, albeit vague, </b>but I didn’t agree with everything and found it to be a bit too submissive for my liking.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>As an over-40 GenXer who has been programmed with empowering feminism my whole life, </b>not to mention I have a work history that's as long as the lifespan of a young 20-something housewife,<b> </b>I refuse -- <i>refuse!</i> -- to act like an inexperienced and submissive wife who doesn’t think for herself.<br />
<br />
<b>Yet, at the same time, I don’t want to be overbearing or overpowering to my husband because that is not being a good partner, which is my ultimate goal as his duly licensed wife; </b>and it’s a challenge that other women may have too if they received the same programming and have become housewives after leaving the feministic workforce where they spent most of their lives.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I Refuse: Goldie Hawn in Overboard </i><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j_z70ZaqWUE" width="460"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<b>So, for any women facing the same challenges and looking for ideas on how to be a housewife in the 21st Century, and a good marriage partner without being dominated or dominating, I offer my version of <i>10 Practical Points for an Empowered Wife</i>,</b> based on my own experiences and what I've learned from past mistakes; each number below is from the original post <i>'10 Important Points for a Wife' </i>with underlining; my additions are after the dashes in italics and continue in bullet points:<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>10 Practical Points for an Empowered Wife:</u></span></b><br />
<br />
<b><u>1. Defer to your man’s judgment</u> --<i> unless you know more about something than he does! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Even in court you don’t defer to someone who knows less, and I wouldn’t recommend it in a marriage. </b></li>
<ul>
<li>My husband is an expert in areas that I’m a novice in, and vice versa; he respects my areas of expertise and I respect his; therefore, we both defer to each other based on our knowledge, experience, and what is best for what we both want.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>2. Wear dresses or skirts</u> -- <i>unless you live in cold temperatures! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>I invite anyone who lives with sun 9 to 12 months a year to go live in Montana where there is six months of winter and try shoveling snow in a skirt or dress; I understand leggings can be worn, but sometimes practicality outranks stereotyped femininity. </li>
<ul>
<li><b>Better than dresses or skirts, ask your husband to buy you perfume in a scent he likes</b>; perfume can be worn in any season and it goes with any clothing, or no clothing at all. I asked my husband to buy me perfume on my last birthday, and every time I wear it, he comments how much he likes it and it always makes me think of him. </li>
<ul>
<li>However, if you or he have fragrance sensitivities, it’s probably best to pass on the perfumes and find something else that makes you feel loved by your husband.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>3. Make a periodic manicure</u> -- <i>unless money is not plentiful and there are more practical things to spend money on, or if you don’t trust the levels of cleanliness in nail places! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>When I was going through court reporting school, the licensing agent from the Washington State Department of Licensing paid us a visit to give us a talk about licensing issues; she was also in charge of overseeing the licensing of spas, and she shared with us some horror stories of what they found in places where women take their feet to be pampered. </li>
<ul>
<li>I understand not all places are unhygienic, and I’ve gone to nail salons in the past without problems, but at this point in my life I’ll pass on paying for a pedicure that may give me health issues and <b>I’ll learn to take care of my feet at home, which is better for the household budget anyway.</b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>4. When in doubt, ask permission</u> -- <i>better yet: When in doubt, talk it out! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>I do not ask my husband for permission about anything, nor does he ask me for permission; what we do is discuss anything that impacts the household before we make a final decision; </b>sometimes the discussion turns argumentative when we both feel strongly about something and have different views, but that’s what marriage is about, working it out together to find the best solution. </li>
<ul>
<li>For instance, <b>I don’t ask permission to spend money, but I do let him know when I’m thinking of buying something</b> (other than groceries or regular household necessities that are allotted in the monthly budget) because I want to know if it’s good timing or if it should wait, in case there is something else that is needed that I don’t know about, like home renovations or truck repairs since those are his areas of expertise. </li>
<ul>
<li><b>I also like to discuss meal ideas with him to make sure it’s something he wants, </b>because there are so many recipes to look at and my goal is a nutritious recipe but also something he will enjoy and won’t upset his digestion; <b>when I’m not sure if it’s something he would want, I don't ask permission but I ask him what he thinks, and he always gives me good feedback and suggestions.</b></li>
<ul>
<li>After all, the food isn’t just for me, it’s for both of us, and to not consider what he wants is not being a good partner; likewise, he understands what I want when it comes to meal planning -- simple, tasty, and something that doesn’t require 20 ingredients for one recipe, which is not practical for the food budget, nor do I like recipes that require using lots of dishes since I'm the dishwasher.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>5. Ask yourself: what’s the most submissive option?</u> -- <i>unless you are not into being submissive or you don’t know what you are supposed to be submissive about! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>I understand and appreciate the kink of being submissive, but there is a time and a place for everything, and some things are best left in the bedroom. </li>
<ul>
<li>I am licensed to wife, which means I don’t come second to my husband, and he doesn’t come second to me; I am my husband’s partner and we each have an equal 50/50 share in our union.<b> </b></li>
<ul>
<li><b>A better question to ask yourself is: What is most beneficial to our household, our partnership, and our budget?</b> Refer to Number 4 above if you are unsure of the answer.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>6. Be respectful</u> -- <i>especially of your husband’s time, space, place, and the money he makes! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b><i><u>Respect his time:</u></i></b> <b>don’t keep him waiting for you</b> because you think primping and preening is more important than leaving on time; </li>
<ul>
<li><b>don’t send him more texts in a day than are necessary</b> (which wastes money too); </li>
<ul>
<li>and <b>don’t demand to spend all his free time with him </b>if he wants to do his own thing without you (i.e., read, surf the web, workout, etc.) </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b><i><u>Respect his space:</u></i></b> <b>don’t overrun closets and drawers with excessive amounts of your clothing</b> so that he has no space for his own things. </li>
<li><b><i><u>Respect his place as the most important man in your life:</u></i></b> <b>don’t ignore him for the sake of chatting online (or bitching about him) </b>with friends, family, or strangers who don’t need to know your personal business. </li>
<li><b><i><u>Respect the money he works hard to bring home:</u></i></b> <b>don’t create debt by wasting money</b> on clothes/makeup/pampering/costly coffees/trendy frivolities/etc., especially if you are always broke before the month ends; </li>
<ul>
<li>all the money that comes into a household is for the betterment of everyone in the household and not just for the wife's enjoyment!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b><u>7. Commit to fitness</u> -- <i>but don’t have bigger muscles than him or compete with him like you’re one of his guy friends! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li>A husband is your partner, not your competitor. </li>
</ul>
<b><u>8. Make him smile and laugh</u> -- <i>unless he’s recovering from hernia surgery and laughter causes pain!</i></b><i> </i><br />
<ul>
<li>However, when not recovering from surgery or in pain, <b>the more laughter there is in a home, the better.</b></li>
</ul>
<b><u>9. Inspire him to be a better man</u> -- <i>by being a better woman! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Don’t expect him to improve if you aren’t improving yourself too.</b></li>
</ul>
<b><u>10. Value yourself</u> -- <i>by being of value to him! </i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>As a wife you are most valuable to your husband when you do useful things that make both of your lives better; be helpful by taking care of him and the home that you share together.</b> </li>
<ul>
<li>If kids or pets are involved, take care of them too; </li>
<ul>
<li>and definitely take care of the money that you share so that it is not carelessly spent on valueless purchases!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3rxKTFuB_tHDe4G0BDZOdP9xGghAL9cWPz3vjcrICesQ-BMLyvGTWCr-RtELk3Mt30jnC3XednxidvD5H5WWYm4-FkHnxF9H_fz-t571Fo53_3kLF41wGmxf9J2O8QQivDNI0TwuAY/s1600/housewife+ali+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="The feminist who views the world at 50 the same as she did at 20 has wasted 30 years of her life. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJX3rxKTFuB_tHDe4G0BDZOdP9xGghAL9cWPz3vjcrICesQ-BMLyvGTWCr-RtELk3Mt30jnC3XednxidvD5H5WWYm4-FkHnxF9H_fz-t571Fo53_3kLF41wGmxf9J2O8QQivDNI0TwuAY/s400/housewife+ali+quote.jpg" title="The feminist who views the world at 50 the same as she did at 20 has wasted 30 years of her life. Memes by Eve" width="367" /></a></div>
<b>I dedicate this post to my husband,</b> who encourages my writing endeavors and doesn't mind when I read my posts to him prior to publishing; I don’t do it for approval or permission, but because I want him to know what I’m up to, and I value his opinions and want to hear his feedback in case it gives me ideas on something to add, since I want to know what he thinks about how women should behave in a marriage at a time when women are either encouraged to not tolerate a man at all or act like a submissive 1950s housewife when it’s the 21st Century.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Thank you for reading!</b></i><br />
<br />
<i>Find more of my stuff on my <a href="https://jenexxifer.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">JenExxifer Tumblr blog</a></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>What do you think about the role of a wife in the 21st Century?</b> Please leave questions and feedback in the comment section below</i><br />
<br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-87648920048340590672020-03-03T02:59:00.002-08:002020-03-03T03:00:15.387-08:00How to Avoid Relying on Food Stamps & The Importance of Bookkeeping for Blue Collar Workers<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireyzjA1lqwSshyphenhyphenPRHi5jHZTPIEbhzlwoW74aFS8Jv1KAfFxLT-WxMnw4uf4gz62YGxMXl9ilcpR6x_t8vuFZQvH8jLIt4zsoDpvL_y-6dcYGdnzCiC3Shr-1NjYjwCxVv0fUSSVc-j1s/s1600/not+sure+house+poor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Not sure if I'm house poor or just poor. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="552" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireyzjA1lqwSshyphenhyphenPRHi5jHZTPIEbhzlwoW74aFS8Jv1KAfFxLT-WxMnw4uf4gz62YGxMXl9ilcpR6x_t8vuFZQvH8jLIt4zsoDpvL_y-6dcYGdnzCiC3Shr-1NjYjwCxVv0fUSSVc-j1s/s400/not+sure+house+poor.jpg" title="Not sure if I'm house poor or just poor. Memes by Eve" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Q: What’s more important than making a lot of money?</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>A: Keeping track of the money you make and not spending more than you make -- especially if you don’t make a lot!</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<b>Granted, ‘a lot’ is a relative term when it comes to money and income. </b>For instance, people who make over $100k in a year may think that making $60k/year is not a lot, whereas people who make $15k in a year may think that making $30k/year is a lot; therefore, ‘a lot’ is relative based on what a person’s got.<br />
<br />
<b>Fortunately, the <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health & Human Services</a> sets yearly guidelines on poverty levels so there isn’t a need for anyone to guess at what ‘a lot’ is or isn’t in the eyes of the federal government; </b>‘poverty’ is still a fairly relative term though based on where a person lives due to the varying costs of living in different geographical areas of America.<br />
<br />
<b>Relative terms aside, for the year 2019, the <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines" target="_blank">HHS poverty guidelines</a> for income in a household of two in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia was $16,910;</b> Hawaii and Alaska’s poverty guidelines are adjusted higher due to the higher cost of living in those states; and no matter which state a person lives in, the poverty levels go up based on the number of people in a household.<br />
<br />
<b>According to the HHS website, the reason for the poverty guidelines is administrative purposes and to help determine ‘financial eligibility for certain federal programs.’ </b>Since I’m in a household of two I used that number in this blog post, but <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines" target="_blank">all the numbers can be found here</a> on the HHS website.<br />
<br />
<b>So, what does any of this bureaucratic bosh have to do with keeping track of money? Simple: If you don’t keep track of the money you make, you may find yourself living at poverty levels without even knowing it -- <i>especially lower-earning blue collar workers!</i> -- a</b><b>nd I write from experience.</b><br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">IT ALL STARTS WITH TRACKING THE MONEY (i.e. BOOKKEEPING):</span></u></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOpfssLGjBN6wHcCul2nHbDyfjlKL6FLRaOxUlv8OrVr1I7DIhaelIuxvFK2vEltm0DnT1w1z2Onl7WCN_kX6Tmap8KfJ5zM-DfLqeXMEYpEp5KWE3cAyI3gTwsrWW5pM2UmYG0WyrKg/s1600/spend+money+manage+money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Just because you can spend money doesn't mean you can manage money. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOpfssLGjBN6wHcCul2nHbDyfjlKL6FLRaOxUlv8OrVr1I7DIhaelIuxvFK2vEltm0DnT1w1z2Onl7WCN_kX6Tmap8KfJ5zM-DfLqeXMEYpEp5KWE3cAyI3gTwsrWW5pM2UmYG0WyrKg/s640/spend+money+manage+money.jpg" title="Just because you can spend money doesn't mean you can manage money. Memes by Eve" width="423" /></a><b>In the spring of 2017 I finally began to keep track of what my husband and I were spending, and how much money was coming in, but it wasn’t until 2019 when I had almost two full years of bookkeeping spreadsheets that I realized we were prime candidates for <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html" target="_blank">food stamps</a>; </b>it goes without saying that that was not a happy moment in my life, but I’ll say it anyway just so there’s no confusion.<br />
<br />
<b>Call me a conceited snob all you want, but I invite anyone reading this to leave a comment explaining their life-long dream of qualifying for food stamps, because I’ve never had that dream whatsoever; </b>and if not wanting to receive food stamps makes me a snob, I’d rather be that than on government assistance!<br />
<br />
<b>Now, I’m not writing this to put down people who depend on food stamps. I’m writing this to share the slap-in-the-face, kick-in-the-butt, knot-in-the-gut reality check I experienced for myself </b>so that (1) others may learn from my experience and take comfort in knowing that they are not alone in facing a financial crisis that could be happening under their noses without them knowing it, and (2) that there is something people can do to fix their finances -- <i>they can take action!</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">FIXING YOUR FINANCES STARTS WITH YOU:</span></u></b><br />
<b>There are two main things that must be done to fix a downward financial spiral:</b><br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">1. Start keeping track of all money that comes in and all money that goes out of a home every month, also known as bookkeeping and accounting.</span></i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>I keep track of our money by entering all receipts by hand into an Excel spreadsheet/ledger;</b> I also enter the spending transactions on the monthly bank statements into the ledger so that I know how much is being spent in total every month, and to make sure money isn’t going somewhere I don’t know about in case a receipt doesn’t make its way to my receipt box, which never happens anymore.</li>
<ul>
<li>It can take some time to get used to keeping receipts and even asking for receipts from businesses that don’t willingly give them out, but this must be done for the sake of one’s financial well-being.</li>
</ul>
<li>If there are monthly credit card statements, those transactions need to be added to the ledger as well so that the big financial picture is represented in one place.</li>
<li><b>Tracking one’s money is essential to financial wellness and it makes it easier to analyze spending habits which in turn makes it easier to know which spending habits need to be changed, and that comes next!</b></li>
</ul>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">2. Change household spending habits so that more money is coming in than going out each month.</span></i></b><br />
<ul>
<li><b>Eating out can eat up more money than you may realize, which is why it is so incredibly important to keep track of all receipts and add them up so you can see how much is being spent on eating out, entertainment, clothes, etc.</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Once you see how much is spent on unnecessary frivolities, compare those expenses to how much is spent on real life necessities such as rent/mortgage, insurances, utilities, groceries, gas, etc.</li>
<ul>
<li><b>If you start noticing that money spent on dining out is more than what you spend on gas or auto insurance in a month, it will be easier to make yourself change your spending habits.</b> And if you notice that you have grocery store receipts more than once a week, you may realize what a nuisance it is to buy groceries more than once a week when it comes to bookkeeping!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<li><b>In our household we now do all spending transactions with the debit card so that everything gets tracked; we also have scheduled days for shopping so that there isn’t careless spending going on all days of the week which makes it much easier to keep track of receipts, and it also makes me a better kitchen manager to make sure we have the food we need when we need it instead of thinking ‘Oh, I’ll just go to the store if we need it’ which only wastes time and money!</b></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span></b>
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">WHEN BOOKKEEPING AND CHANGING HABITS ISN’T ENOUGH:</span></u></b><br />
<b>As much as tracking money and changing spending habits is crucial to financial management, sometimes that is not enough, as I learned firsthand. Therefore, if the income level in the home is at or below the federal poverty levels, then a third thing must happen:</b><br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">3. Get a better paying job -- and one with good perks if possible!</span></i></b><br />
<br />
For instance, the company my husband works for provides him with a work vehicle that he drives to and from work every day, and the company has business accounts at local gas stations so my husband never has to pay out of pocket for gas five days a week. Nowadays he gases up his own truck once a month compared to once a week when he was self-employed, which has made an extremely significant difference with our monthly finances!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo0rxR8J-fO0qkE0ob9E6b3PMmDK7-D6ZIJ49_tUCSrE6BajKlPeLLWYEJMWIrKlYRPpu8iB4BGgqZ876rNkkWzikdakFqn1sJhKHgPhuHLv0-pgsJosZGpFAGKZOoGORvn4ybUaBj2s/s1600/foolish+spending+habits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Foolish spending habits increase the risk for divorce. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="564" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTo0rxR8J-fO0qkE0ob9E6b3PMmDK7-D6ZIJ49_tUCSrE6BajKlPeLLWYEJMWIrKlYRPpu8iB4BGgqZ876rNkkWzikdakFqn1sJhKHgPhuHLv0-pgsJosZGpFAGKZOoGORvn4ybUaBj2s/s400/foolish+spending+habits.jpg" title="Foolish spending habits increase the risk for divorce. Memes by Eve" width="400" /></a><b>Sometimes there is only so much cutting back that can be done when it comes to spending that the income level absolutely has to go up;</b> and believe it or not, a blue collar income can save people from going on food stamps or other government assistance programs so long as they are willing to be responsible with their money.<br />
<br />
<b>It’s not income inequality that’s the problem in America -- <i>it’s income frivolity that keeps people from getting ahead, especially people with lower earnings!</i> And, again, I write from experience.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">A YEAR FROM NOW YOU WILL WISH YOU STARTED TODAY:</span></u></b><br />
<b>It took me a couple years of tracking the money and analyzing our spending habits to realize things weren’t improving financially, which goes to show why it’s important to start tracking your money this instant if you aren’t doing it already because it takes time to recognize the problems -- <i>and it can take more time to figure out solutions!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>It wasn’t until we were snowed in during the historic <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/indecent-slander-in-clallam-county.html" target="_blank">Snowmageddon in February 2019</a> that things were at their absolute worst; </b>my husband couldn’t even get down our driveway for a month due to the snow, and that meant no money came in since he was self-employed as a general contractor -- <i>it also meant no money went out since we couldn’t get out and off our property!</i><br />
<br />
<b>With no money coming in for a whole month and only more snow coming down, we were burning scrap lumber in our wood stove since we couldn’t go anywhere to replenish our supply of wood; </b>our furnace had actually quit working a few months before in October and we went an entire year, from October of 2018 until October of 2019, without a working furnace in our rural rambler, but we got through it without killing each other, which is real testament to our will to endure since it was only our first year of marriage!<br />
<br />
<b>Being snowed in for a month gave me plenty of time to look at our <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-begins-with-life-lessons-in-self.html" target="_blank">financial situation</a> which I concluded could only be fixed by a steady income since our spending had already drastically decreased, </b>not only from the snow but from business being less than stellar during the previous months before the snow hit.<br />
<br />
<b>So, once the snow thawed at the end of February 2019, my husband started submitting resumes and going to interviews anywhere that would call him back; and plentiful job prospects are nearly non-existent in this rural area where people move to retire and die, where the county population is less than 80,000, and where a national forest takes up more land than commercial businesses do; </b>he even applied to traveling jobs that weren’t in the area, only to get no offers from anyone until the very end of March. When he was told his first day of work would be April 1st, we thought it had to be a joke -- <i>we may have lost a lot during our financial plummet, but we never lost our sense of humor!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Now, almost one year later from starting his job in the home construction field and making roughly $35k/year, my husband has replaced the furnace himself and paid cash for it; </b>we got our <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2016/07/kitten-surprise-it-came-from-wild.html" target="_blank">wild cat</a> neutered and paid cash for the procedure; we have gotten our <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2020/02/you-cant-save-when-you-spend-what-you.html" target="_blank">budgeting on track</a> which improves every month by finding better deals without foregoing quality; we don’t use a credit card and are tackling the debt that accrued when we were careless with our spending habits the previous years; we are investing in home renovations with cash since improving and selling this place will help our long-term financial footing; plus, my husband even put a new transmission in his truck himself and paid cash for the parts -- <i>no joke, he really is that amazing and I can’t wait to see what this next year will bring our way (knock on wood paneling)!</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">WHAT GOES DOWN MUST GO UP:</span></u></b><br />
<b>For all the good that has happened this past year, I am not in denial of the bigger picture in that we are closer to <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines" target="_blank">federal poverty levels</a> than we are to making a six-figure income;</b> but the ironic reality is that we are more financially secure now than we were only twelve months ago when the yearly income was much lower than $35k, when there was no money in savings, and when we were snowed in with no working furnace!<br />
<br />
<b>And what’s even more important than making six figures at this moment in our lives is that we are making ourselves better by learning how to responsibly handle the money (and debts) we’ve already got, by not relying on credit cards or becoming food stamp statistics!</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwTTBUUgz4cXuuYg22zJz6kztAbdu7LKZPDHL3sutvENGdFQU3sRCPTkdaXY-EdHWUyr8gsLbCKyEDJnXbqVwj4KoKsBGq0TcBr4KC5CXp-zrAaJpIyYuUqNmMwK7EnHvpbk1HU7RYmI/s1600/books+are+balanced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="When the books are balanced and there's money in the bank. Memes by Eve" border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxwTTBUUgz4cXuuYg22zJz6kztAbdu7LKZPDHL3sutvENGdFQU3sRCPTkdaXY-EdHWUyr8gsLbCKyEDJnXbqVwj4KoKsBGq0TcBr4KC5CXp-zrAaJpIyYuUqNmMwK7EnHvpbk1HU7RYmI/s1600/books+are+balanced.jpg" title="When the books are balanced and there's money in the bank. Memes by Eve" /></a><b>We have turned our dire situation around by changing our mindsets and our habits</b> -- <b><i>and a politician didn’t make that happen by giving us anything for free!</i> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>We did it by working together through one of the worst times of our lives; thus proving, it’s not about how much money a person makes -- <i>it’s about keeping track of your money and not spending more than you make!</i></b><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: x-large;">Stop waiting for someone else to save you and start saving yourself (and your money!) now:</span></i> </b><a href="https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040" target="_blank">Here is the budget spreadsheet</a> I use in Microsoft Excel and it’s a great place to start when you don’t know where to start! Have a question on how to start or what to do? Leave a comment below or <a href="mailto:evepenman@gmail.com" target="_blank">email me here</a>.<br />
<br />
<b><i>Thank you for reading & happy bookkeeping!</i></b><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<i>Reference Links:</i><br />
<i>HHS 2019 Poverty Guidelines: <a href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines">https://aspe.hhs.gov/2019-poverty-guidelines</a></i><br />
<i>Microsoft Excel Simple Budget Spreadsheet: <a href="https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040">https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040</a></i><br />
<i>Spring Begins with Life Lessons in Self-Employment, Home Economics, and eBay: <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-begins-with-life-lessons-in-self.html">https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/04/spring-begins-with-life-lessons-in-self.html</a></i><br />
<i>Kitten Surprise: It Came From the Wild: <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2016/07/kitten-surprise-it-came-from-wild.html">https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2016/07/kitten-surprise-it-came-from-wild.html</a></i><br />
<i>Indecent Slander in Clallam County and What's Really Happening During the February 2019 Snowstorm: <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/indecent-slander-in-clallam-county.html">https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/indecent-slander-in-clallam-county.html</a></i><br />
<i>You Can't Save When You Spend What You Don't Have (How to Get Your Finances in Order When You Don't Know How): <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2020/02/you-cant-save-when-you-spend-what-you.html">https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2020/02/you-cant-save-when-you-spend-what-you.html</a></i><br />
<i>Are Food Stamps in Your Future on the Olympic Peninsula? Local Economics & the Self-Employment Struggle in Rural Washington State: <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html">https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html</a> </i><br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-68610769377139581822020-02-26T22:39:00.000-08:002020-02-26T22:39:54.741-08:00Kinky Kicks, Disgraceful Dames, & Hollywood Hypocrisy! My 10-star Movie Review of 'Smarty' from 1934<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eTVidIdLkS8pzuLr0x8neBpH44z76qXkoxHdbOmvXebz2phTqAdZ_R7DJ3HlwlT3t6vflhgLRbl9V8LZ5H-wCngcTHlFTA_9jyAlLDM6UBA3YKzmOH1iixtvcrrzkjsG866pvmLbGQE/s1600/Smarty+with+Joan+Blondell+and+Claire+Dodd+2+quotes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Claire Dodd and Joan Blondell in 'Smarty' from 1934; "A good sock in the eye is something every woman needs...at least once in her life." "If he really loved me, he'd have hit me long ago."" border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="811" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9eTVidIdLkS8pzuLr0x8neBpH44z76qXkoxHdbOmvXebz2phTqAdZ_R7DJ3HlwlT3t6vflhgLRbl9V8LZ5H-wCngcTHlFTA_9jyAlLDM6UBA3YKzmOH1iixtvcrrzkjsG866pvmLbGQE/s640/Smarty+with+Joan+Blondell+and+Claire+Dodd+2+quotes.jpg" title="Claire Dodd and Joan Blondell in 'Smarty' from 1934; "A good sock in the eye is something every woman needs...at least once in her life." "If he really loved me, he'd have hit me long ago."" width="640" /></a><b>My 10-star review on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/user/ur92842462" target="_blank">IMDb.com </a>of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5509525/" target="_blank">‘Smarty’ from 1934</a>, starring Joan Blondell, Warren William, Edward Everett Horton, Frank McHugh, and Claire Dodd: </b><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i>Kinky Kicks, Disgraceful Dames, & Hollywood Hypocrisy!</i></span></b><br />
<br />
<b>Marriage and divorce lawyers take a bigger beating in this movie than Joan Blondell does, and if a single slap on the face equates to domestic violence then people don't know what domestic violence really is!</b><br />
<br />
<b>There is more violence against women in modern movies than there is in this film,</b> <i>yet people are now programmed to believe that it's acceptable for women to get beaten so long as it isn't by their husbands!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Please, go sit through <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108399" target="_blank">'True Romance'</a> and watch Patricia Arquette take a bloody beating from James Gandolfini if you think 'Smarty' is violence against women. </b>Even <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099685" target="_blank">'Goodfellas'</a> has more marital violence, yet both AMC & IFC can't stop showing it which tells me that reckless violence against women is the status quo per the modern Hollywood code. <i><b>So, why are people so shocked by a little slap in the face? Talk about hypocrisy!</b></i><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025803" target="_blank">'Smarty'</a> is nothing but a kinky good time and an excellent example of not only Hollywood hypocrisy but the double standards of people in the legal industry, which makes it a delicious delight to watch!</b><br />
<br />
<b>A lawyer who marries his client after getting her a divorce when he admits to loving her while she is still married to her husband!? Now that's a scandalous slap in the face to low-down snake-in-the-grass lawyers and it's hilarious because it's truer to life than people may realize, <i>probably because they're too busy misjudging marital situations they've never experienced themselves instead of looking at the bigger picture!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>This movie has more to do with wily women chasing after men who give them attention without giving a thought to their own marriage vows than it has anything to do with domestic violence!</b><br />
<br />
<b>The great irony of life is that <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000951/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm" target="_blank">Joan Blondell</a> had three husbands and three divorces in less than twenty years;</b> she was one year into her first marriage when 'Smarty' came out, and her second marriage started a mere 15 days after her first marriage ended (and the first marriage only lasted three years!); in 'Smarty' she goes through two husbands in less than 90 minutes <i>-- now that's irony at its finest and funniest!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Marriage is about getting through good times and bad times with a partner by your side, and a woman who isn't willing to stand by her man after he has embarrassed her only proves that she is no woman at all -- <i>she's a little girl who needs a spanking!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Yet when a woman is slapped on her backside in private it's not nearly as shocking as when she receives it on her face with others watching, which both Hollywood and the media have succeeded at programming people to believe in these messed-up modern times!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>- - - - - </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><i>Joan Blondell didn't make the cut on my <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls096231298" target="_blank">'Until Death DoThey Part' list</a>, but Warren William did with one marriage from 1923 until his death in 1948! Fill your head with heart-warming trivia by learning about the finer side of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls096231298" target="_blank">281 actors/actresses</a> who had only one marriage or were married twice after the death of a spouse. If marriage were that easy, every married person in Hollywood would be on this list, but they're not; hats off to those who made it!</i></b><br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-17597912640887928782020-02-15T02:12:00.001-08:002020-02-15T02:12:55.229-08:00Marriage is Hell and Love is a Battlefield: What You Don’t Know About Marriage If You Haven’t Been Married<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOQHoM-Z-x24DmlB4e3klx76YbgrmIcdUhodioKUW9VkuGxJpSQRjLkdqUJhoUh6t4HDEJldqH7JTNwk1aSC_IQc72bmviu4HpyWqlrv5NyRbOKyR-fKvWmnyl6uWQrSsHnzVFi8wMx4/s1600/marines+rose+garden+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="U.S. Marines Poster: We don't promise you a rose garden" border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="549" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIOQHoM-Z-x24DmlB4e3klx76YbgrmIcdUhodioKUW9VkuGxJpSQRjLkdqUJhoUh6t4HDEJldqH7JTNwk1aSC_IQc72bmviu4HpyWqlrv5NyRbOKyR-fKvWmnyl6uWQrSsHnzVFi8wMx4/s640/marines+rose+garden+crop.jpg" title="U.S. Marines Poster: We don't promise you a rose garden" width="474" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>Q: What is marriage?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i>A: Marriage is like the U.S. Marines -- it's not a rose garden!</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>If <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/" target="_blank">Harry & Sally</a> had an awkward multi-year courtship on
the way to the altar, I would say that my husband and I had a completely catastrophic
19-year courtship on the way to the courthouse. </b> </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As of this writing, it is now the 21<sup>st</sup>
anniversary of the beginning of our long and unconventional relationship, which
started with a chance meeting on Valentine’s night in 1999; and our two-year marriage
anniversary is still a couple months away which took place on a Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>
in 2018 -- <i>unconventional is putting it mildly!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In fact, I’ve now known my husband for over half of my life
and it didn’t happen without overcoming a lot of issues that rip many couples apart
-- <i>the funny thing is that we dealt with most of those issues before we ever
got married, LOL!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Needless to say, I put my time and tears into our
relationship, and I totally earned the title of Wife just like mothers earn
their stretchmarks -- <i>with pride!</i></b><i> </i>It’s now a life goal of mine to never
relinquish my wifely title until death do us part, and I only wish more
examples of such dedication were part of modern pop culture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Even though we have faced many bitter battles together already, I know we still have more challenges
ahead of us that we won’t see coming until they hit; but that is precisely what
marriage is -- <i>getting through the uncertainty with someone you not only love
but want to go through it with!</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>My husband and I have made a Sunday night ritual out of
watching <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3469050/" target="_blank">90 Day Fiancé on TLC</a>, </b>because we love laughing at couples who are
figuring out how to be a couple while preparing to get married at the same time;
the couples argue with each other when they aren’t married or living together or
even paying the bills together yet -- <i>if only they would show what happens when
it’s time to pay the bills!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It totally makes me laugh and roll my eyes when couples on
reality shows, scripted shows, and in movies, question if someone is ‘the one’
they want to be with forever, and how do they know when someone is ‘the one’; but
it finally occurred to me the other day how to tell when someone is the one, and
it’s not because you can’t live without them -- <i>it’s because you want to live
with them through the good and the bad, but especially the bad.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>For anyone who is unsure if someone is ‘the one’ I recommend
asking yourself this one question: <u>Who do I want to walk through hell with and
come out with on the other side?</u> No matter what that hell consists of --
infidelity, debt, unemployment, illness, lawsuits, gambling, addictions, their
career, their parents, their friends -- whoever you want to go through hell
with, that is ‘the one’ to marry. <i>And if taking an unplanned trip through hell
with someone isn’t what you want, then don’t get married and go take up
gardening instead!</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>While the dream and goal is to have a marriage free of
strife, the reality is that marriage is not always a rose garden, and sometimes
the only easy day was yesterday as the Navy SEALs like to say. </b>Even though infidelity and divorce might sound
like the worst things that could happen to a marriage, that’s only because the
people who think that most likely haven’t lived long enough to understand what
else can happen in a marriage -- <i>catastrophic medical emergencies and financial
upsets, just to name two biggies.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>I chuckle at physical infidelities and the women who say
they refuse to put up with a spouse who would do such a thing. Would those same
women put up with someone who had a stroke, or a heart attack, or lost a job,
or got sued, or any other number of issues that happen to a person not always
by choice but due to life happening the way they didn’t plan?</b> <b>Would those women
feel betrayed by a spouse who got sick, and would they leave a sick spouse the
same as they would leave a cheating spouse? Exactly what do some women think
marriage is anyway -- <i>a rose garden where thorns don’t exist?</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When someone is sick, that means something is wrong and it
needs to be fixed by addressing the problem and taking care of it; and infidelity
is no different because it means something is wrong and it needs to be fixed by
addressing the problem and taking care of it, namely the relationship. But I digress.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What can make marriage so scary is the very essence of what
marriage is -- <i>unplanned problems and working through the problems together because you
love that person enough to work with them instead of working against them, or
holding their past faults against them without any chance of redemption.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>When it comes to the classic marriage vows, I think the
phrase ‘in sickness and in health’ should be replaced with ‘through heart
attacks, strokes, and changing fitness regimes’; </b>and the phrase ‘for richer or
poorer’ should be updated to ‘for money or for debt’ so that people taking the vows are
given a clearer understanding of what marriage can be and what they are getting
into -- <i>loving someone to the point that you’ll stay with them when their
body/mind/diet/income changes, and when you have to work together to pay off debt
instead of having fun racking up debt.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Marriage isn’t about staying together only when things are
good; staying together in good times is easy, and what is easily gained can be
easily lost.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Marriage is about staying together through the worst and
working towards something better for the love of one another. </b>That’s not to say
marriage can’t have breaks at times, or the two can’t have a break from each
other to cool off when needed; just so as long as both parties know that the
marriage isn’t over and that they need to figure out how to work together to find
solutions instead of rehashing the problems and blaming each other. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Marriage is not always pretty or perfect, nor is it without challenges
that are unique to each couple. I used to think that people who stayed married
without divorce must have had no problems in their lives and that’s what made them
stay together; but it’s getting through the problems together that makes the marriage
and the spouses stronger. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The main difference between marriage and an unmarried
relationship, as I’ve learned firsthand, is the legal contract that binds the
two parties together. </b>Sure, it’s easier to separate without court being involved,
but it’s only easier on the legal end; it’s still painful, it still hurts, it
still costs money, it’s still embarrassing, and it totally sucks to end a
relationship with a person you love and never envisioned leaving, and I speak
from bad experiences.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>For all the bad experiences that tore my husband and I apart
before we were married, it has made us better, wiser, and stronger. I’m glad he’s
the one I went through it with because there is no one else I want to go
through hell with -- <i>and there’s no one who makes me laugh like he does, even
when we’re in hell!</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I have nothing against divorce and understand why it
exists (and sometimes divorce is the best option for all parties involved), the
hopeful long-shot believer in me likes to think that, even if it sounds
impossible in today’s world, no matter how bad something is two people who love
each other will walk through their own private hell together in search of
something better without letting anything or anyone tear them asunder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfO0kLSTyr7V2FmUTf9fM1KlPMTua1KcTxHdIrgd980uGPpeo4nk-gu_J4SAPcRGFio7n_p1KjyjnV1ro9WDKFb-PrS-ZoskR1qrkooUuUT0mMT3HlBdKhRU1b3kMeGelZy-DQ36CNqY/s1600/harry+met+sally+mashup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="When Harry Met Sally with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan" border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHfO0kLSTyr7V2FmUTf9fM1KlPMTua1KcTxHdIrgd980uGPpeo4nk-gu_J4SAPcRGFio7n_p1KjyjnV1ro9WDKFb-PrS-ZoskR1qrkooUuUT0mMT3HlBdKhRU1b3kMeGelZy-DQ36CNqY/s1600/harry+met+sally+mashup.jpg" title="When Harry Met Sally with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>I dedicate this post to my husband who has survived the Marines,
hernia surgeries, and 21 years of me! </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Looking for marriage inspiration? Check out my latest IMDb
list <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls096231298/" target="_blank">‘Until Death Do They Part’</a> </b>featuring 60 people (so far) who were married
only once without ever divorcing, or twice after surviving a spouse’s death, along
with people who are still married to their one and only spouse as of the time I
added them to the list (and I hope they never divorce)!<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br /><i><b>Thank you for reading!</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Reference Links:</i><br />
<i>When Harry Met Sally: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098635/</a></i><br />
<i>90 Day Fiancé</i><i>: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3469050/">https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3469050/</a></i><br />
<i>Until Death Do They Part: <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls096231298/">https://www.imdb.com/list/ls096231298/</a></i><br />
<br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-9421188625297526682020-02-09T04:11:00.001-08:002020-02-09T20:07:10.471-08:00You Can’t Save When You Spend What You Don’t Have (How to Get Your Finances in Order When You Don’t Know How!)<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AwR17xAbcRUlTi8KsSL4UN711GHV9Fkay1_0cSx8HT62egzKLTK8Fr6AdmWItMOSjke0TXYNyNncE-4n07-vy0kSW6oZ-PBYxrA_oQx1p8ZThs9rFO7ZnaQJcEy8uft979CWU4vGZ1E/s1600/philosohousewife+meme+face+wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8AwR17xAbcRUlTi8KsSL4UN711GHV9Fkay1_0cSx8HT62egzKLTK8Fr6AdmWItMOSjke0TXYNyNncE-4n07-vy0kSW6oZ-PBYxrA_oQx1p8ZThs9rFO7ZnaQJcEy8uft979CWU4vGZ1E/s1600/philosohousewife+meme+face+wide.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Q: How can I save money and get ahead financially when I don’t
know where my money goes or how much is spent each month?</i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><i>A: I can’t!</i></span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>While many politicians are busy making income inequality a red
herring selling point in their campaigns for the 2020 election season, they all
miss the crux of the problem -- <i>financial management!</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>For all the hot air that politicians let out, what they aren’t
talking about to the American people is the importance of understanding how personal
finances work and how to make finances work to a person’s advantage starting
with what they have right now,</b> which I believe is the fundamental basics of
home economics and something all dedicated housewives should be fully aware of.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was never taught by anyone how to manage my finances and I
had to learn it for myself when I discovered that the spending in my household
far exceeded the income level and left me wondering how we were even surviving.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FYI, giving kids money and telling them not to spend it
all in one place is just like giving kids condoms and telling them not to get
pregnant -- <i>that's not how it works! But I digress.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html" target="_blank">Have you ever researched when to get food stamps and how do you know if you need them?</a> </b>If you haven’t, maybe you haven’t been where I’ve
been, but it totally sucks hose water to the max and it forms a gnarly knot in
the stomach that can only be undone by facing up to what you’ve done to
yourself -- <i>but I’ll totally take undoing that knot any day over signing up
for food stamps which has never been a life goal of mine! </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It was far from fun when I finally started tallying up receipts
only to discover where all the money was going </b>(mostly to eating out and too
many groceries), while at the same time seeing that little money was coming in
through my husband’s self-employment which ate up even more money in licensing, business fees, and supplies. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>When more goes out than comes in, there is absolutely no
getting ahead</b> -- <i><b>and when you don’t know there is more going out than coming
in, there is only debt, denial, and ignorance!</b><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Sure, it’s easy to blame a lack of income on the person who
works hard to earn it, but that is another red herring and not a solution to
the real problem; because the truth is that it takes two to tango and it takes two
to mismanage a household for which they are both equally responsible -- </b><i><b>we were
both at fault and we both had an equal share in the blame.</b><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>When one person earns the income for two people, I firmly believe from experience that it is
the other person’s duty to manage the income by tracking expenses and budgeting
the income to know exactly where the money is going, which I never did and had
no good excuse not to</b> --<i> and it’s a skill that I now work at perfecting with
each monthly bank statement, which is something I look forward to so I can see
how well my skills are improving!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>For example, in June of 2018, our household spending
exceeded the income by 737% (be still my palpitating heart);</b> but only one year
later, in June of 2019, our household spending was 95% of the monthly income --
<i>it’s totally true that a year from now you will wish you started today and it
applies to financial management!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>So, how did that turnaround happen? Not because
of Trump or any politician whether it be on the national or local level, nor did
it happen overnight, nor did it happen without changing our habits, nor did it
happen without arguing and crying (from me) at times -- <i>it's okay to cry though because crying is legal, but killing people isn't!</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It happened because I finally faced my financial fears and did
my wifely duty with due diligence by tracking and analyzing our 100% absurd
spending habits, and my husband did his duty by recognizing the dire reality of
our situation once I brought the 100% depressing data to his attention.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I made the economic case for what needed to be done, he
agreed wholeheartedly and did what had to be done based on the logical and irrefutable
evidence which I presented -- <i>he found steady employment with an hourly wage and
reliable paychecks that would get us going on the right track, and to this very
moment it has worked to our financial betterment!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Granted, at this very moment my husband is recovering from
hernia surgery, but knock on ugly wood paneling it was found to be work related
and 100% of the surgery was covered through his work’s L&I insurance --
<i>which also includes time off with pay while he recovers at home for the next
week! </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Work injuries aside, we are in a better position mentally
and financially from a year ago (making less than $40k/year may sound bad but it's better than where we were!), and we continue to do better with every
paycheck due to managing the household money better than we ever did before in
our entire lives including when we made more money -- <i>and we are in our forties and have both been through
bankruptcies before we got married!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>We have cut back on spending, we don’t eat out at all any
more, we only do grocery/household shopping one day a week, we are finding
cheaper options without losing quality thanks to online shopping instead of
relying on overpriced stores in our rural area, we are paying down the credit card
without using it, we are strategizing how to take care of older debts once the
credit card is paid off, and we even have more than the recommended $1k in savings
for emergencies as <a href="https://www.daveramsey.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>* suggests in his Financial Peace University,
which we are now attending online thanks to my husband’s work that offers it as
an employee perk along with a Costco membership which helps us save money on
many household essentials. </b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For example, I prepare my husband’s daily lunch and lucky
for me he likes the same thing all the time which makes life easier, because not
only have I have mastered making his favorite wrap, but we buy the same items that
get used all the time and the more we buy of an item at once the cheaper it is
-- <i>that is the secret to saving money on bulk purchases, don’t buy what you don’t
use on a regular basis or else it’s likely to spoil/expire before using it! </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>So, after analyzing the receipts and doing some math based on
the cost and quantity of what we were purchasing, instead of spending $3.99 for
one 7.5oz pack of single-sliced cheese which would last two weeks, we have now started
buying a 2.5lb (40oz) brick of Tillamook Pepper Jack cheese from Costco at a
cost of $7.99, which was purchased on December 21, 2019, and as of this date (2/9/2020)
I haven’t even used half of the cheese brick yet -- <i>nor did it take me forever to find this information thanks to my budget binder and spreadsheet system! </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It would take 5.3 packs of the 7.5oz cheese to equal one 40oz
brick; and two packs of single-sliced cheese at $3.99/pack would last four
weeks and cost $7.98, which is one penny less than the 2.5lb brick from Costco
which is on its way to lasting longer than two months; and my husband said
he actually likes the Tillamook cheese better than the single-sliced cheese, which
costs more partly due to all the packaging -- <i>that’s what I call a win-win because it
saves us money without losing quality and it creates less garbage! </i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17723" target="_blank"><b>Here’s a helpful link* I discovered on how to keep Pepper Jack cheese stored in the freezer</b></a>; I found this link before we switched to
buying cheese in bulk to make sure the money wouldn’t be wasted and to my
delight the technique works!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>None of this would have happened though if we had continued
to spend more than we had, and I wouldn’t have known we were spending more than
we had if I had never gutted up and faced what I feared, and what so many fear and
know nothing about -- <i>personal financial management and being more responsible with one's own money than a politician is with someone else's money! </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The ironic truth about personal financial management is just
because a woman doesn’t make the money it doesn’t mean she is powerless when it
comes to making the finances better in her home -- <i>nor does it mean a woman is
not equal to her husband just because he brings home the bacon while she cooks
it (it’s a division of labor, that’s all)! </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Every week I continue to find better/cheaper solutions for
the foods we buy and the household supplies that make living through these hard
times better than they had been for quite a few years; </b>and I have good faith
that if both my husband and I continue with our duties as we have been this past year, that things will be even better in June of 2020 and beyond -- <i>knock
on ugly wood paneling that is slowly but surely getting painted so we can sell this place and move somewhere that has higher household median income levels!</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A great place to start with understanding what to do to
manage personal finances, and a mindset that has helped me, is to start
thinking of it like a business;</b> because if a business isn’t financially
successful, it’s not a successful business and it won’t stay in business.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>And for any woman who has spent more time working in the
world of business than staying home, as I have done, it helps with understanding that taking
care of a home and making it successful is every bit as important as taking
care of a business and even more important --<i> because if you’re not successful
at home where you live, how can you be successful at work where you visit? </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>I discovered this short article* doing research a few years
ago and recommend it as a simple starting point for anyone trying to figure out
what to do to get their finances in order; </b>it’s written for small businesses
but can be applied to a home as well: <b><a href="https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/five-bookkeeping-tips-small-business/" target="_blank">Five Bookkeeping Tips for Small Business</a> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpZnz9X8PyWB0wC9mYKU7RiACRNr6eLOwjLNK1WTXdbLXSA8U9mneURBHUmidEqdDwGFKI_fnOB5Fo23owRRySH3o67x5BETV_L8cQOdzI-zc9lZHC9ukTStPrvIxrCne1VLdsrRSdl0/s1600/home+economics+save+money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="PhilosoHousewife Home Economics: You can't save when you spend what you don't have." border="0" data-original-height="738" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpZnz9X8PyWB0wC9mYKU7RiACRNr6eLOwjLNK1WTXdbLXSA8U9mneURBHUmidEqdDwGFKI_fnOB5Fo23owRRySH3o67x5BETV_L8cQOdzI-zc9lZHC9ukTStPrvIxrCne1VLdsrRSdl0/s640/home+economics+save+money.jpg" title="PhilosoHousewife Home Economics: You can't save when you spend what you don't have." width="432" /></a><b>I started tracking expenses by using a <a href="https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040" target="_blank">simple budget worksheet that I found through Microsoft</a>* that was free to download and that I
use as my monthly ledger to track all the spending/deposits;</b> I compare the
spreadsheet against the monthly bank statements to make sure everything is
accounted for every month. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b>I really like how the spreadsheet shows a percentage of
monthly spending; my goal is to keep our monthly spending under 100% so that
there is a reserve in the bank that continues to grow for unplanned/emergent
purchases that won’t require us to rely on our other savings -- <i>and I’m pleased
to report that my little system has worked to our financial advantage by
creating a boon of over $1500 by not spending what we don’t have and tracking what we do have! </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Thank you for reading, and please stop waiting to get your
finances in order -- you’ll thank yourself in a year!</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
Stay tuned for more financially informing posts and feel free to leave comments or ask questions if you're just as lost as I used to be (and still am at times).<br />
<br />
<i>*no affiliation, just information</i><br />
<i>References:</i><br />
<b><a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html"><i>https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html</i></a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.daveramsey.com/"><i>https://www.daveramsey.com/</i></a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17723"><i>https://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17723</i></a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/five-bookkeeping-tips-small-business/"><i>https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/five-bookkeeping-tips-small-business/</i></a></b><br />
<a href="https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040"><b><i>https://templates.office.com/en-us/simple-budget-tm02930040</i></b></a><br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-46923434171839914322020-01-31T01:19:00.000-08:002020-02-05T11:05:50.252-08:00How To Make Food Taste Better, Become a Better Cook, Save Money, and Spend Less Time Cleaning! (5 Reasons Not to Have a Microwave & 5 Solutions to Living Without a Microwave)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7m6zcR7QkqwILmLwNcrPQQ0P-ibfjYBESs7cmqKS9SstvI7toyGhM18LapPCmLGFXRAeR7Z81utMgL2rUIo-kmeKcwG_9vMoWK9tEaWPdH2wsCaHWVC_gpL_rls9RuXQUStwUai7Z6E/s1600/philosohousewife+meme+face+wide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ7m6zcR7QkqwILmLwNcrPQQ0P-ibfjYBESs7cmqKS9SstvI7toyGhM18LapPCmLGFXRAeR7Z81utMgL2rUIo-kmeKcwG_9vMoWK9tEaWPdH2wsCaHWVC_gpL_rls9RuXQUStwUai7Z6E/s1600/philosohousewife+meme+face+wide.jpg" /></a><b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Q: How can I make food taste better, become a better cook, save money, and spend less time cleaning?</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">A: Don't own a microwave!</span></i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Here are five reasons not to have a microwave, based on what I’ve learned through experience from having a microwave-free kitchen since 2007 and from cleaning other people’s microwaves as a housekeeper; plus, five solutions for living without a microwave that I’ve learned along the way. <a href="https://www.proz.com/kudoz/french-to-english/other/340577-bonne-lecture.html" target="_blank"><i>Bonne lecture!</i></a></b><br />
<br />
<b>1. CLEANING:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>One less appliance to clean </li>
<ul>
<li>Microwaves are disgusting when they’re dirty and a total nuisance to clean, whether they’re on the countertop and you have to bend over to clean inside, or they’re installed above the stove/oven/counter and you’re short and can barely reach inside, as I learned when I worked as a housekeeper (cleaning other people’s microwaves when I didn’t have one in my own home taught me a lot about why it’s good not to have a microwave)</li>
</ul>
<li>It’s easier for me to clean a messy stovetop than a messy microwave </li>
<ul>
<li>I prefer to clean as I go, and I can wipe a flat stovetop when food splatters while cooking, but a microwave can’t be cleaned until it’s done being used</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>2. CLUTTER:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>One less appliance taking up space on kitchen countertops</li>
<ul>
<li>One less cord occupying an outlet</li>
</ul>
<li>No need for special microwave necessities that create clutter in drawers and cupboards</li>
</ul>
<b>3. CONVENIENCE:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>A convenience can make life easier but that doesn’t always equate to being better, nor does a convenience help instill a skill, and skills are just like muscles in that if you don’t use it you lose it</li>
<li>Nothing worth having ever comes easy and that includes food</li>
<ul>
<li>Zapping food with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven" target="_blank">electromagnetic radiation</a> may be faster and easier at the outset, but it doesn’t necessarily make food taste better, nor does it always add quality to the food, nor does it guarantee faster clean-up time (if the microwave gets cleaned at all)</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>4. COOKING:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Not having a microwave to rely on makes people better at cooking</li>
<ul>
<li>Removing the microwave from the kitchen challenged and empowered me to become a better cook with the stove and conventional oven </li>
<li>The more I cook in a conventional manner, the better I get at it, and the more I used a microwave, the worse I got at conventional cooking and the worse the food tasted</li>
<ul>
<li>If I can become a better cook without a microwave, which I totally have, others can totally do it too -- totally!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>5. COST:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>One less appliance to buy, fix, replace, or upgrade </li>
<li>No need to buy separate shelving just to hold the microwave, which I’ve done in the past </li>
<li>No need to buy ‘microwave-safe’ items or replacing them when they get ruined in the microwave or dishwasher (which I don't have either) </li>
<li>No need for individually-packaged ready-to-eat meals, which cost more due to the packaging compared to buying <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/21-reasons-to-eat-real-food#section9" target="_blank">real food</a> in larger quantities, and less packaging, that can be prepared from scratch </li>
<li>Hot plates are cheaper than microwaves, and convection ovens are comparable to microwaves depending on capacity and model, which can also replace a standard toaster as well to eliminate another appliance (which I don't have either) </li>
<ul>
<li><u>Walmart.com cost comparison -- no affiliation, just information:</u></li>
<ul>
<li><i>Hot Plates: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=0&query=hot+plate">www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=0&query=hot+plate</a></i></li>
<li><i>Microwaves: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=microwave">www.walmart.com/search/?query=microwave</a> </i></li>
<li><i>Convection Ovens: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=0&query=convection+oven">www.walmart.com/search/?cat_id=0&query=convection+oven</a></i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<b><u>Solutions for living without a microwave:</u></b><br />
<br />
<b>1. READ THE COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Instead of looking for the microwave instructions on food packages, look for the conventional oven instructions, which many microwave-friendly foods can go in a conventional oven or a convection oven too</li>
<ul>
<li>The only difference is the time it takes, so plan to plan ahead when food takes longer to cook</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>2. USE A THERMOS:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Instead of constantly reheating hot drinks in a microwave, pour the hot drink into a thermal tumbler or thermos to keep the drink hot for hours </li>
<ul>
<li>My husband and I each use thermal tumblers for his coffee and my tea, and our drinks stay plenty warm all day </li>
</ul>
<li>A soup thermos is a great way to avoid heating soup in shared microwaves at work or school, which are often disgusting and contain multiple smells (and splatters) from other people’s food</li>
<ul>
<li>It's a matter of time management and preparing hot food on the stove before heading out to work</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>3. CLOCK:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Instead of relying on a microwave clock for the time, keep a battery-powered clock in the kitchen that won’t need to be reset when the power goes out </li>
<ul>
<li>Without a microwave there's one less clock to reset!</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<b>4. MAKE TIME:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Instead of saving time by zapping food on autopilot without thinking about it, make time to think about meals by planning them out in advance and then cook the food on the stovetop, or in a conventional oven or a convection oven </li>
<li>Make quality time with others when making food by pretending it’s your own cooking show, entertain with your skills and your Julia Child impersonation, or educate little ones on cooking techniques so they aren’t left in the dark and have to figure it out on their own when they move out </li>
<li>Remind yourself why you’re taking more time to make food -- because you and your loved ones are worth the time and forethought that it takes to prepare quality meals with tender loving care instead of with a microwave</li>
</ul>
<b>5. IT'S A SIGN:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Finally, if something requires a microwave and you don’t have a microwave, that’s a sign from the cooking gods that you don’t need it and there is a better non-microwave solution out there somewhere, and you’ll probably find it by doing a little research on the internet </li>
</ul>
<a href="https://context.reverso.net/translation/french-english/merci+pour+la+lecture" target="_blank">Merci pour la lecture!</a><br />
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<i>Research & Information:</i></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.historyofmicrowave.com/microwave-history/microwave-oven-history/"><i>www.historyofmicrowave.com/microwave-history/microwave-oven-history/</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven"><i>en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven</i></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/21-reasons-to-eat-real-food#section9"><i>www.healthline.com/nutrition/21-reasons-to-eat-real-food#section9</i></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div>
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Cheaper than a magazine and shorter, too!</span> For all the free information available here on my blog, please consider spending $2.99 for a quick kick-starter with my e-book, <u><a href="https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B072KM6LN6&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_V2WoEbGJPGAZB" target="_blank">How to Spend Less Time Cleaning</a></u>, which has been called 'useless and patronizing' by readers who are easily offended and don't read book descriptions before buying them! Read it and decide for yourself ~ Thank you!</i></b></div>
</div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-30733098166866313092019-12-27T13:31:00.000-08:002019-12-29T00:22:04.447-08:00It's a Dirty Job But Somebody Has to Make Home Awesome!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3RadC2SEPUu2EEO2Uegc0p-eh916slL_Y9lncI-dN5cdCd_jtkLUIrOPM2qfR-3V6Azr6SWDzDJx9z5m9xuT7imcyvP5ssRIoPBkJcSHG-D0Q4Rf-CedyF4sR4aavdXTpPXevl-eWH0/s1600/strong_women_housework_inspiration_homemaker_magnet-+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="It's a Dirty Job But Somebody Has to Make Home Awesome!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1069" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3RadC2SEPUu2EEO2Uegc0p-eh916slL_Y9lncI-dN5cdCd_jtkLUIrOPM2qfR-3V6Azr6SWDzDJx9z5m9xuT7imcyvP5ssRIoPBkJcSHG-D0Q4Rf-CedyF4sR4aavdXTpPXevl-eWH0/s400/strong_women_housework_inspiration_homemaker_magnet-+crop.jpg" title="It's a Dirty Job But Somebody Has to Make Home Awesome!" width="266" /></a><b>Q: What does a homemaking housewife do?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b><i>A: She makes home awesome!</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>When not making home awesome, I take it easy</b> by playing and making puzzles at <a href="https://www.jigsawplanet.com/jenexx" target="_blank"><b>JigsawPlanet</b></a>, and adding pro-housework items to my <b><a href="https://www.zazzle.com/store/cleanhouseguide/products" target="_blank">Clean House Guide shop at Zazzle</a>.</b><br />
<br />
<b>Being anti-housework is the status quo and so easy to do.</b> <i>Been there, done that, time for something new!</i><br />
<br />
<b>The challenge isn't only in doing housework without grumbling about it, but in being proud of one's home and being proud of doing a dirty job that few women take pride in these days</b> -- <i>yet they take pride in being employees with dollar figures attached to their heads, as if that's superior to being an indentured servant? Gag me with a vacuum hose! </i><br />
<br />
<b><i>As a housewife, I don't have to ask for days off or wait to be told when I can go on break; nor do I change empty toilet paper rolls for inept coworkers who think they're worth being paid yet can't clean up after themselves; but I digress.</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Not only do most modern American women not take pride in housework, they don't know how to do housework like a professional because nobody trained them,</b> most likely because their working mothers were too busy working and didn't know how to do housework themselves, and when they did do the housework they did more grumbling and complaining than finding joy in caring for their homes and families; but that's only if the mother was around, considering there are women who have grown up without full-time mothers in their lives due to the ease of divorce and/or women believing they don't have to put up with anything they don't want to tolerate, including their husbands and the children they created.<br />
<br />
<b>Thus the cycle repeats, until a strong-willed woman chooses to break the cycle she learned through her upbringing,</b> by rejecting what she learned at home and in school, and what she subconsciously learns every day in popular programming that reinforces the outdated feminist ideals that girls and women are only great if they work in the man's world while ignoring the needs of a man at home -- <i>I'd rather do what my husband asks of me rather than pleasing the (lady) boss man, thank you very much!</i><br />
<br />
<b>It doesn't take strength to do what every other woman is doing;</b> that's giving in to peer pressure and going with the herd -- <i>and cows love being in a herd!</i><br />
<br />
<b>It takes strength and courage to do what every other woman <i><u>isn't</u></i> doing,</b> and that includes doing housework with pride as a dedicated full-time homemaker. It's being different from the herd that takes a lot of guts which most women lack these days -- <i>and there's nothing gutsy in being a status quo feminist in the 21st Century!</i><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I highly suspect that women don't know they can be housewives and homemakers <i>because nothing in popular culture tells them they can do that</i><u>,</u> and that's why I'm saying it: </b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><i>Y</i></b><b><i>ou don't have to work outside the house and you don't have to give your all to a business while your home and family suffers the consequences!</i></b></blockquote>
<b>Visit my <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/p/homemaking-resources.html" target="_blank">Homemaking page</a> to find helpful resources for all things homemaking,</b> and enjoy a well-earned break with an inspiring puzzle!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" src="https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=040b6cba00fa&view=iframe" style="height: 600px; width: 100%;"></iframe>
<br />
<b>Click the restart arrows to start the puzzle again or click the link below to go to the site:</b><br />
<span style="display: inline-block; margin: .6em; width: 160px;" title="Rosie the Awesome Cleaner - online jigsaw puzzle - 70 pieces"><a href="https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=040b6cba00fa" style="display: block; margin: 0 auto 0.4em auto; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 107px;"><img alt="preview" src="https://im.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=img&pid=040b6cba00fa&size=160" style="border: 1px #000 solid; box-shadow: 2px 2px 5px rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.2); display: block;" /><span style="bottom: 4px; position: absolute; right: 5px;"><span style="color: white; font: bold 120% "verdana" , sans-serif; text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px #000; vertical-align: middle;">70 </span><img alt="piece" src="https://www.jigsawplanet.com/img/preview/piece.png" style="border: 0; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></a><a href="https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=040b6cba00fa" style="display: block; overflow: hidden; text-align: center;">Rosie the Awesome Cleaner</a></span>
<br />
<b><u>New mugs & magnets for strong women now in my Zazzle shop!</u></b><br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/z/p4d25?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="Strong Women Awesome Homemaker Personalized Mug" src="https://rlv.zcache.com/strong_women_awesome_homemaker_personalized_mug-r1d2d32ec19eb48cb86c61391c55a51d4_kz9fg_1024.jpg?rlvnet=1&max_dim=325" style="border: 0;" /> </a> <br />
<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/z/p4d25?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">Strong Women Awesome Homemaker Personalized Mug</a> <br />
by <a href="https://www.zazzle.com/store/cleanhouseguide?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">CleanHouseGuide</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/z/pcltw?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow"> <img alt="Strong Women Housework Inspiration Homemaker Magnet" src="https://rlv.zcache.com/strong_women_housework_inspiration_homemaker_magnet-rab42bd2320e7496195c87039c6ce3bee_am0uf_8byvr_1024.jpg?max_dim=325" style="border: 0;" /> </a> <br />
<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/z/pcltw?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">Strong Women Housework Inspiration Homemaker Magnet</a> <br />
by <a href="https://www.zazzle.com/store/cleanhouseguide?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">CleanHouseGuide</a> </div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-37578987297709770332019-11-20T02:30:00.000-08:002019-12-29T00:15:06.490-08:00Girl Goals & Homemaking Life Lessons in Anti-Housewife America<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpmou7RHmGL9XHEF0mcOywzp74XtXRVqjESS2eO37qacaJp_X6pwOVAu9Sc-3qjWdlVyMq5Sr5fi1ZxvWtzkqFQiti-vVA54HtunPg7LQn9c11zi5A6K4ppWAk7M6u_nm6lanefqv19Q/s1600/girl+goals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Q: What should I be when I grow up, mommy? A: In control of your home, dear. (Memes by Eve: Girl Goals @ imgflip)" border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpmou7RHmGL9XHEF0mcOywzp74XtXRVqjESS2eO37qacaJp_X6pwOVAu9Sc-3qjWdlVyMq5Sr5fi1ZxvWtzkqFQiti-vVA54HtunPg7LQn9c11zi5A6K4ppWAk7M6u_nm6lanefqv19Q/s640/girl+goals.jpg" title="Q: What should I be when I grow up, mommy? A: In control of your home, dear. (Memes by Eve: Girl Goals @ imgflip)" width="434" /></a><b>Q: What should I be when I grow up, Mommy?</b><br />
<br />
<i><b>A: In control of your home, dear.</b></i><br />
<br />
<b>A woman who has a husband/family at home and is out of her home for multiple hours at a time making money does not have control of her home </b>– <i>she has denial.</i><br />
<br />
<b>If a woman doesn’t know how to clean her home, or know where things are at in her home, or can’t find what she is looking for when she needs it, those are all signs that she has no control and she is lost in her own home;</b> which means that she is only empowered outside the home and that is not real empowerment – <i>that is false advertising!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Even if a woman is out of her home all day and can afford to pay others to manage her house, she still doesn’t have control</b> – <i>the people doing the work have control more than she does, only she’s in denial and doesn’t know it!</i><br />
<br />
<b>I used to be one of those women;</b> I was raised to think that working outside the home was where women are supposed to be, because that’s what I saw around me in real life and in popular culture.<br />
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<b>Working outside the home is what ‘everyone’ has been programmed to expect of women since the 1970s,</b> and that is exactly what girls are taught at school by women teachers who aren't housewives; expecting girls to be encouraged to become housewives from teachers who work outside the home is like expecting a bear to give birth to a fish -- <i>that's not how it works!</i><br />
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<b>So once I became a full-time housewife after decades of schooling, working for others, and being self-employed,</b> I finally realized that women do nothing different outside the home that they can’t do for themselves inside the home.<br />
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<b>The only difference is that women are treated much worse when they work for others, and that's why they would be better off staying home;</b> of course, if women get empowered from being physically misused and emotionally abused by strangers, coworkers, and bosses, or if they like being the abusers themselves, then they can have it, but I don't want it any more – <i>I'll take the dishes and let my husband handle the dirty work!</i><br />
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<b>I’ve been a ruthless boss lady and it’s not fun to do the firing when women subordinates don’t want to do their equal share of work or show up on time to earn their paycheck when it’s required of them in their job description</b>; but I’ve done it because that’s what real business is about – <i>being ruthless when you have to be for the sake of the business</i> – and I’ve learned plenty from my personal experiences.<br />
<br />
<b>I've learned that it comes down to pride and willpower, and what it is that women want to have pride in – <i>their homes or their careers.</i></b> Not every woman has the willpower or the financial capabilities to sustain both a home and a career successfully on their own, proven by the astounding <a href="https://www.wf-lawyers.com/divorce-statistics-and-facts/" target="_blank">divorce rates</a> of women who work in America, of which I've met many; and it makes me wonder:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>If a woman had to make a choice that she could only be successful in one place, which place would she choose to dedicate herself to the best of her abilities for the rest of her life – <i>her home or her office?</i><i> </i></b></blockquote>
<b>The irony is that a home is typically in a woman’s life longer than an office</b>; just go ask retired women where they live – <i>at home and not the office! LOL.</i><br />
<br />
<b>That's why modern women need to open their minds <i>to the idea of having an open mind</i> about homemaking</b> and the intrinsic value only they can provide as dedicated homemakers.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Women's minds must stretch beyond the status quo programming they have been fed their entire lives from family, friends, and popular culture;</b> and they must be willing to challenge their own outdated views in order to gain a new perspective about homemaking in 21st Century America where 'housewife' has become a dirtier word than 'feminist'.<br />
<br />
<b>Not only do women need to re-learn to appreciate the role of the homemaker, </b>but young girls need to know that homemaking is a full-time occupation that is just as important as earning a taxable income.<br />
<br />
<b>Young girls are being denied the truth about homemaking which has nothing to do with being controlled by a man,</b> when it's working women who are the ones being controlled by male bosses, male business owners, and the worst men of all – <i>governMENt! </i><br />
<br />
<b>Girls are the ones who suffer the most by being taught that work is the only place where women belong, </b>and by not having mothers around to care for them or teach them how to care for a home when they grow up to be women.<br />
<br />
<b>Future husbands later suffer as a consequence of what girls aren't taught at home, along with future children who learn the cycle anew by watching their parents go through it,</b> or watching their unwed/divorced mother go through it alone and learning by example that being alone is the best way to get through life – <i>and all because a modern woman won't do the one thing she fears the most, which is being a devoted housewife to a good man who wants her at home!</i><br />
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<b>While I don't speak for all women, </b>I do speak for myself based on what I have learned as a full-time worker and a full-time housewife in anti-housewife America.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>I've learned that not all women have performed both roles of being the breadwinner and a housewife in that order, but I have; </b>that's why I can now come out of the working-class closet and openly declare that I totally love <i>not</i> working for others; and I would absolutely not hesitate to let young girls and modern women know that a homemaker has more control over her life than a working woman ever will: <b>As a dedicated housewife, I am now in control of my home and my daily routine more than I ever was in the working world where I was forcefully controlled by uncontrollable business regulations and aloof business owners who never pay women what ‘everyone’ knows women are truly worth – <i>we're priceless!</i></b><br />
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<i>(Memes by Eve: <a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3e4ucx" target="_blank">Girl Goals @ imgflip</a>)</i></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-40805426271587973372019-11-10T01:15:00.000-08:002019-11-10T01:15:29.887-08:00How to Act Like a Housewife When You Don't Know How to Be a Housewife!<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAveAj8yNcDeVtEqGaTLN4ShThubhmEXPpHLuhfIkUmfXQoD9x9pS-jiFJadFVo-Ds33J30kQ3JqOp_VzHrciDhldIYUo6fhiyShoNUBYFblE1DxAJviSnfxX7RI3FaSS3Zmnk1PGfrzU/s1600/beverly+hills+black+belt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="I may be a beginner at some things, but I've got a black belt in movie appreciation.| Beverly Hills Black Belt @ imgflip | Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills" border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="608" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAveAj8yNcDeVtEqGaTLN4ShThubhmEXPpHLuhfIkUmfXQoD9x9pS-jiFJadFVo-Ds33J30kQ3JqOp_VzHrciDhldIYUo6fhiyShoNUBYFblE1DxAJviSnfxX7RI3FaSS3Zmnk1PGfrzU/s400/beverly+hills+black+belt.jpg" title="I may be a beginner at some things, but I've got a black belt in movie appreciation.| Beverly Hills Black Belt @ imgflip | Shelley Long in Troop Beverly Hills" width="400" /></a></div>
<b>Q: How do you act like a housewife when you don't know how to be a housewife?</b><br />
<br />
<b>A: You do what all great actresses do -- <i>study the role!</i></b><br />
<br />
<b>While actresses are paid to act like ideal housewives, the reality is they aren't housewives.</b> However, the irony to me is that I have seen better examples of how to act like a good housewife in movies and television shows than I have in real life; because women I've known are working women who pull double duty as part-time housewives rather than being 100% dedicated to making their homes and families better as a homemaker. <i>And if a working woman isn't a dedicated housewife, how can she teach anyone else how to be a full-time housewife? She can't, unless it's her job to act like a housewife on screen!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Movies and television shows are forms of programming, and as a midlife housewife I enjoy watching quality programming that promotes being a happy, obliging housewife.</b> Modern movies and scripted television programs, that feature women leaving their homes and men to chase careers (or other men!) in order to feel fulfilled, are more outdated than a 1950's housewife. I mean, I lived through the '90s already, and it's totally getting old now that I'm over forty and the programming hasn't changed, just the faces. It's time for something different, something better, and something that speaks to me as a neo-traditional housewife.<br />
<br />
<b>That's why I created a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls097140966/" target="_blank">Women @ Home movie list</a> on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/user/ur92842462" target="_blank">IMDb</a>, to share my favorite movies and television shows that capture the empowering side of women as devoted homemakers and loving housewives, </b>so others can enjoy them, too!<b> </b>It’s not easy to find popular programming that depicts women being happy at home instead of rushing off to work, but my fine eye for detail works hard to not miss those overlooked characters and heartfelt homemaking moments that don't seem to exist in movies or television shows any more.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls097140966/" target="_blank">Here’s what’s on the list</a> so far and nothing is from the 21st Century:</b><br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051267/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">The Donna Reed Show:</a></u></b> Oh, to be Donna Stone! But is the show satire or is it parody? To me it’s quality programming for girls and women, and boys and men too, because modern men need just as much help with traditional roles as modern women do!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037120/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">National Velvet:</a></u></b> How lucky Mr. Brown is to have wise Mrs. Brown, for she is not the standard homemaker! She won fame for swimming the English Channel as a young girl, and in the film she manages the books in her husband’s butcher shop when not making sure her home is under control, which realistically depicts where many homemakers prefer to work when not in the home – in the family business by their husband’s side!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093693/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Overboard (The Original):</a></u></b> Taming a shrew for the better by turning her into a homemaker! While Annie’s vile attitude toward housekeeping is as offensive as it can get for house-proud homemakers, the creative cleaning montage is always a hoot! Whether it’s parody or satire about housewife life, it’s just nice to see a woman transform for the better and become a master of housework, rather than letting it master her by fighting it every step of the way, which is the only thing that Hollywood teaches women to do nowadays!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054357/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Swiss Family Robinson:</a></u></b> A shipwreck can’t wreck Mrs. Robinson’s spirits nor lower her standards!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7Gcdg0zGFbHwLaeANyveJZBerpzxdkRAhsLjL4WtjqD3ec7PlByWt5U8lLHjp2F3_u22hGgVKLQ8bQcuzh-izv3DCR_l7Pia_dAsLzvPraULtrmLtSbxCISBNK1BPbM1TSSypVmPDS8/s1600/coal+miner%2527s+daughter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Woman, if you wanna keep that arm, you better get it off my husband. | If That Ain't Country @ imgflip | Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter" border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7Gcdg0zGFbHwLaeANyveJZBerpzxdkRAhsLjL4WtjqD3ec7PlByWt5U8lLHjp2F3_u22hGgVKLQ8bQcuzh-izv3DCR_l7Pia_dAsLzvPraULtrmLtSbxCISBNK1BPbM1TSSypVmPDS8/s400/coal+miner%2527s+daughter.jpg" title="Woman, if you wanna keep that arm, you better get it off my husband. | If That Ain't Country @ imgflip | Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter" width="320" /></a><b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080549/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Coal Miner’s Daughter:</a></u></b> Before Loretta Lynn was a country music legend, she was a rural homemaker who survived multiple hardships that most women today would not tolerate in any way. Her husband wasn’t a saint and her life was far from ideal with more kids than money, but the two stayed together and worked through everything to create something truly legendary – their marriage!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057542/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Summer Magic:</a></u></b> Charming songs to sing along with and two empowering wife characters in one delightful Disney movie! Mrs. Popham is a Maine homemaker to be reckoned with, while Mrs. Carey lovingly embraces a new financially uncertain future as a widow with three children who uproots from the well-to-do city life to a big yellow house sans maids in rural Maine!<br />
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<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076054/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank"><b><u>Freaky Friday (The Original):</u></b> </a> Essential to watch every Friday the 13th! Mrs. Andrews knows that being a homemaker isn’t easy work, and that’s exactly what her daughter finds out on a monumentally busy Friday the 13th! It gets better with age and so does Barbara Harris; watching it at 40 is not the same as watching it as a non-critical-thinking child with an impressionable mind that hasn’t experienced real life yet!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047030/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">The Glenn Miller Story:</a></u></b> The world may never have known Glenn Miller’s sound if his devoted wife hadn’t pinched the pennies to help him finance his musical dreams! She gracefully endured hardships as a struggling musician’s wife and even experienced a miscarriage on the road; she continued his legacy after his mysterious disappearance that left her unsure if he would ever return. Bittersweet life lessons made beautiful with captivating actors (James Stewart and June Allyson) and the uplifting sounds of Glenn Miller’s big band swing music!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071007/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Little House on the Prairie:</a></u></b> Mrs. Ingalls is a strong faithful pioneering matriarch whose devoted and loving care for her family made her wealthier than Mrs. Oleson could ever dream of being!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwDVZAZGtmsYZptd_LLB5LqCyBDlzjZEIzZUliFXG22O3778d5vSYhSLP7LwidhLIqmAgvYWpS8scoo1ZgCAyXQJMISWJeVvTc37VT6MdH7JnYGk8VIJWK9He7wV6-rurUbi6IgQmw9g/s1600/this-house-is-clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="This house is clean | Movie Mashup Memes by Eve | Poltergeist 1982 with JoBeth Williams and Heather O'Rourke" border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="580" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwDVZAZGtmsYZptd_LLB5LqCyBDlzjZEIzZUliFXG22O3778d5vSYhSLP7LwidhLIqmAgvYWpS8scoo1ZgCAyXQJMISWJeVvTc37VT6MdH7JnYGk8VIJWK9He7wV6-rurUbi6IgQmw9g/s400/this-house-is-clean.jpg" title="This house is clean | Movie Mashup Memes by Eve | Poltergeist 1982 with JoBeth Williams and Heather O'Rourke" width="400" /></a><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084516/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank"><b><u>Poltergeist (The Original):</u></b> </a> Mrs. Freeling would rather make the kids’ beds than watch football with her husband and his friends – now that’s a homemaker after my own heart!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056869/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">The Birds:</a></u></b> Mrs. Brenner is a widow who endures on the family farm in Bodega Bay after her husband passes, leaving her to raise their young daughter while she looks forward to weekend visits from her criminal lawyer son who lives in San Francisco. While dialogue exposes the sadder side of homemaker life when a husband passes and leaves a wife without a purpose, the hidden reality behind the scenes is that careers work the same way!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050032/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Leave It To Beaver:</a></u></b> Mrs. Cleaver manages her traditional home of two boys and an engineer husband without breaking a sweat or losing her cool! She isn’t a pushover, but she knows when not to argue with Ward because all smart women know there’s no point in arguing with a husband. She also deals some hard lessons to her boys in order to help them grow up into well-mannered men!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070992/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Happy Days:</a></u></b> Happy Days are here again and Mrs. Cunningham makes the fictitious 1950s look absolutely fabulous as a happy homemaker in a stable traditional home! Satire or parody doesn’t matter when it’s all about seeing a woman be happy in her role as a homemaking housewife!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094582/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">The Wonder Years:</a></u></b> Mrs. Arnold handles her home like a CEO who knows her role! She eventually becomes a CEO too, as the narration tells in the final episode of the series; after her husband passes and the children grow and leave, she heads out into the world of work, as was typical of women back in the day who waited until the home was empty to go out and pursue a new career. And maybe that’s why women live longer than men!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038045/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">The Sailor Takes a Wife:</a></u></b> There’s no cuter housewife than June Allyson in an apron! An adorably cute, albeit dated, tale of newlyweds who throw themselves into the experiment of marriage with high ideals that clash with real life realities to create G-rated slap-stick misunderstandings that are a charming blast from the pro-housewife past!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0bzpxS-Hf9Faa4L0EA1ucs58ed9MePJGBaJ2qxX-Vb6Jmpaa4W2G7IfmB8oPiK9GAVwt8kJzT7uHGw1Pu2Ikj_hQxO-sBiIQCjTmBKd9LeLLTfpAE43wO4s5yOmvN1fQJo1lV4JGLMU/s1600/smart+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A wife should stick to her husband. If she doesn't, some other woman will! | 'Smart Woman' Wife Quote @ imgflip | Smart Woman movie poster" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0bzpxS-Hf9Faa4L0EA1ucs58ed9MePJGBaJ2qxX-Vb6Jmpaa4W2G7IfmB8oPiK9GAVwt8kJzT7uHGw1Pu2Ikj_hQxO-sBiIQCjTmBKd9LeLLTfpAE43wO4s5yOmvN1fQJo1lV4JGLMU/s400/smart+woman.jpg" title="A wife should stick to her husband. If she doesn't, some other woman will! | 'Smart Woman' Wife Quote @ imgflip | Smart Woman movie poster" width="265" /></a><br />
<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022404/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">Smart Woman:</a></u></b> Instead of a traditional homemaker, this film features a society wife whose husband gets suckered into the grips of a gold-digger while his wife is away caring for sick family – talk about nerve! The traits of the husband are not what every woman may want, but that is totally not the point. The point is that when a woman loves her husband and wants him for herself, she will stop at nothing to get him back, even if it means outsmarting him at his own game!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">A Christmas Story:</a></u></b> Mother Parker's got a 1940's houseful on her hands during the holiday season and she takes it all in patient stride, with imaginative Ralphie and young Randy, along with her feared furnace fighting husband who knows how to make everything right when Christmas dinner unexpectedly goes wrong -- take the family out to eat!<br />
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<b><u><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/?ref_=ttls_li_tt" target="_blank">It's a Wonderful Life:</a></u></b> Mary Bailey, played by none other than Donna Reed, is the epitome of a devoted homemaker! She doesn't need a perfect house -- she makes an old fixer-upper perfect by adding a womanly touch as only a loving housewife can do!<br />
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<b>See <a href="https://www.imdb.com/user/ur92842462/lists" target="_blank">all of my IMDb movie lists here</a> including over 40 movies to enjoy during the long dark <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls097634454/" target="_blank">November Nights</a>!</b><br />
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<b><i>Got any programming recommendations? Please leave them in the comments!</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK6M-g0dsYe_LFjWgpSrqQoYdmNw0UIrKtjWWu5dfWZyu3BKcQv4VnY7hxZuL7wIfwHR2Oqbc3gogkM7AL8c5mmaFrwScMDe-I0yhSgdNd6GJMEnkItmTC3MqApELeW_Qs6phDdDIF18/s1600/be+the+housewife.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Be the housewife your husband wants you to be. | Sassy PhilosoHousewife Memes by Eve @ imgflip" border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="620" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKK6M-g0dsYe_LFjWgpSrqQoYdmNw0UIrKtjWWu5dfWZyu3BKcQv4VnY7hxZuL7wIfwHR2Oqbc3gogkM7AL8c5mmaFrwScMDe-I0yhSgdNd6GJMEnkItmTC3MqApELeW_Qs6phDdDIF18/s640/be+the+housewife.jpg" title="Be the housewife your husband wants you to be. | Sassy PhilosoHousewife Memes by Eve @ imgflip" width="640" /></a></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-8651006709085686612019-11-08T13:56:00.000-08:002019-11-08T13:56:22.182-08:00The Problem With TCM's Closed Captions and How To Fix It (For DISH Customers!)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQrz772zgdVw8LGTAkHcOT9XzhVm-bc-GwUKEnzxo8XQkbBVVPHCWdAOReujmmGY_L0-UhtWq1COW_RSINiI0j96JVfeFURj6UHBTPmzJR4UuSj1HwHfApy92MS-LLVi1_Y3RGCzGnvQ/s1600/tcm+captions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQrz772zgdVw8LGTAkHcOT9XzhVm-bc-GwUKEnzxo8XQkbBVVPHCWdAOReujmmGY_L0-UhtWq1COW_RSINiI0j96JVfeFURj6UHBTPmzJR4UuSj1HwHfApy92MS-LLVi1_Y3RGCzGnvQ/s320/tcm+captions.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-size: small;">Captioning Service 1 is the DISH default;<br />switching it to 0 (zero) works with TCM captions.</span></i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>I don't want my MTV any more, but I do want my captions, especially on TCM</b> where old movies are full of fuzzy sounds, funny accents, and mumbling voices -- <i>and thanks be to the stenographers who make it possible!</i><br />
<br />
<b>However, the past few months TCM's captions have not been as consistent</b> and it made me question if they stopped captions altogether since all the other channels still had captions.<br />
<br />
<b>The good news is TCM didn't do away with captions, </b>but the Captioning Service setting did change without any word given to DISH customers or TCM viewers, at least not to this one.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Scroll to the end to read the solution for DISH customers, or keep reading for my rhetorical digression:</i><br />
<br />
<b>Gee, if only there was a way to inform paying customers of changes like this?</b> For all the useless information TCM hosts spew, they could at least give some useful information since their captions are the only ones that have changed, which makes it logically look like the change was at TCM's end and not at DISH's end or the customer's end.<br />
<br />
<b><u>The Real Problem:</u> Even when TCM movies indicate there is closed captioning, it does not indicate what captioning service to use. </b>For all the tickers, icons, and obtrusive ads that show up on a screen these days --<i> and the fact that closed captioning is a federal mandate for the sake of the deaf and hard-of-hearing</i> -- it's funny to me that no informative icons have been invented to tell viewers that if captions aren't working the service connection needs to be changed through the viewer's settings.<br />
<br />
<b>For example, TCM recently aired the original <i>House on Haunted Hill</i>,</b> and before the movie starts a still screen indicates the age range (TV14) and that it is closed captioned -- <u>but it does not state what captioning service the viewer needs to use for captions to work</u>. Since it's a still screen, it would be nice to see more information added that indicates what captioning service to use so the viewer knows to change it on their end.<br />
<br />
<b>Granted, maybe it's different with smart TVs and the newfangled devices that not everyone in America has or can afford;</b> it's not about the customers having new technology though; it's about all the service providers using the tools that already exist to put information on the screen that tells viewers what the caption setting should be for that channel -- <i>especially since the only person who can fix the captions is the viewer with their settings!</i><br />
<br />
<b>Even though I can hear without assistive devices, I imagine it would be super sucky to lose the captions you depend on and not know how to restore them, </b>especially if it's the news or something life-impacting -- <i>and then you have to call someone on a phone and talk to them when you can't hear well and they might not speak your language well enough to understand! </i><br />
<br />
<b><u>The Rhetorical Solution:</u> If only hearing people at DISH and TCM could imagine watching TV without sound</b> so they could better understand how life-changing information on a screen could be when it comes to helping people with hearing challenges, which could save a lot of time and a lot of frustration that hearing people don't ever have to deal with and won't understand until they're much older, if they're lucky and nothing happens to their hearing sooner. But I digress with good reason -- <i>because modern stenographers know from experience that visible text is essential to reaching people who can't hear, and as a visionary stenographer I see efficient solutions that could make life better for everyone but especially for people who can't hear or talk! </i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>The Solution for DISH Customers: </u></span></b><b> </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv3xYKCNVIXEkLzAlMUujQhLUPF4YE_UUxvV2Eb67MUDhQ3JxYdWkmoy0Xjewb_uNyMjqBcsq_X9k5c4u1ARTDweMV5UsuEj3xyN5-1kwi7All0HFP7w2yWKyu8xsNa-QHhijxf3asmw/s1600/tcm+captions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to fix closed captioning on TCM for DISH customers" border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkv3xYKCNVIXEkLzAlMUujQhLUPF4YE_UUxvV2Eb67MUDhQ3JxYdWkmoy0Xjewb_uNyMjqBcsq_X9k5c4u1ARTDweMV5UsuEj3xyN5-1kwi7All0HFP7w2yWKyu8xsNa-QHhijxf3asmw/s640/tcm+captions.jpg" title="How to fix closed captioning on TCM for DISH customers" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><i><u><span style="font-size: large;">How to fix closed captioning on TCM for DISH customers:</span></u></i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Click the 'Home' button twice for the Menu.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Under 'Menu' go to the Settings icon and click the icon with the 'Select' button.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Under 'Settings' go to the Closed Captioning icon and click the icon with the 'Select' button.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Under 'Closed Captioning Settings' make sure the Closed Captioning box at the top is set to On; use the 'Select' button to switch between Off and On.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Still under 'Closed Captioning Settings' arrow down to the last box Captioning Service; use the 'Select' and arrow buttons to choose from 0 (zero) through 6; press 'Select' to save the setting; use the 'Back' button to close.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Captioning Service 1 is the DISH default; switching it to 0 (zero) works with TCM captions which changed without notice in fall of 2019.</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i>Follow the steps to restore closed captioning on TCM and enjoy old movies once again!</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3ea6dp" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="TCM would be better without the standard liberal bias | TCM Programming | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="617" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY2kCTwDkFtQcdzxrQI-R7p9ar3XLnqixZM9aL2kVKXlhg1PpgGzhculNy2ukWOMBgrxPtHea2_DbK1qXjIV4IaEKSSDuuBOsRqdwmd4UeyNyuqzUd2x7wL7r_kl_Xlx4rCg-Vdx4nbEc/s400/tcm+programming.jpg" title="TCM would be better without the standard liberal bias | TCM Programming | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" width="400" /></a><i><b>PS </b>-- The stenographer in me finds it shameful that for all the movie preservation by TCM, they don't seem interested in making sure viewers are getting the full experience from the movies, which includes understanding the movies with the use of captions. What's the point of preserving movies if not to understand them? </i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<i><b>PPS</b> -- For hearing people who think captions aren't needed, I invite you to open your mind to a life without sound for a day, or seek out a local deaf/hard-of-hearing group so you can learn from them the powerful impact of text when hearing isn't an option.</i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-22360697310007176212019-10-30T01:31:00.000-07:002019-10-30T01:31:00.230-07:00Act Like a Wife, Think Like a Waitress<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBZETQMaqi5EAhedugXOzMSSJ61Mv4pTALch2M38NikBxaupS4aFwJpcuCEV4fo1x8Sy4FooHNeefPYxR061j_kVc3V2L-8NlvjsGNuXZZfHDWg1ej9TJj6QjZgKH3xrWPnS62jgvc-c/s1600/of+wives+and+waitresses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A wife who won't cook is a waitress's best friend ~ Of Wives & Waitresses ~ Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBZETQMaqi5EAhedugXOzMSSJ61Mv4pTALch2M38NikBxaupS4aFwJpcuCEV4fo1x8Sy4FooHNeefPYxR061j_kVc3V2L-8NlvjsGNuXZZfHDWg1ej9TJj6QjZgKH3xrWPnS62jgvc-c/s400/of+wives+and+waitresses.jpg" title="A wife who won't cook is a waitress's best friend ~ Of Wives & Waitresses ~ Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3dakun" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Of Wives & Waitresses | Memes by Eve @ imgflip</span></b></i></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Q: How do you keep a husband at home and away from other women while saving money?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>A: Cook for him! </b><br />
<br />
<b>Granted, women don’t <i>have</i> to cook for their men or serve them with love or even make them happy;</b> in reality, women don’t have to do anything they don’t want to do, according to the Popular Mantra of American Women which hasn’t changed since the 1970s, the decade of my birth.<br />
<br />
<b>However, not cooking for a man may result in him going to restaurants, </b>where he will pay waitresses to serve him in a more hospitable manner than his wife does, while they give him attention which could easily make an insecure wife jealous, even if the attention is only for a monetary tip.<br />
<br />
<b>But that only leads to the economic reality that another woman (the waitress) will make money</b> <b>from the man</b>, when that money could help his wife and his own home for the better rather than helping a waitress who is paying for school tuition, or raising kids without a husband, or paying off her financed boob implants, or just playing the field for tips and hooks-ups because she knows how to play the game that the wife is losing.<br />
<br />
<b>At least that’s what I witnessed firsthand behind the scenes </b>as a $6/hr restaurant hostess back in the 1990s; and I know it hasn't changed because the game never changes, only the players do.<br />
<br />
<b>Now that I'm a stay-at-home bookkeeping housewife, I fully recognize the shocking cost difference between eating at home and eating out;</b> and I see two extreme errors when women choose to not cook for their men at home:<br />
<br />
<b>First, the financial impact of money leaving the home is likely to harm the wife </b>since she depends on the husband’s finances for home management and paying bills.<br />
<br />
<b>Second, the home environment is likely to suffer when the husband and wife don’t work together to help each other,</b> like the partners they agreed to be when they entered into their legally-binding marriage contract; a legally-binding business partnership works in similar ways in that the partners have designated roles and they must fulfill their responsibilities in order to be successful.<br />
<br />
<b>A husband helps his wife by working hard to bring home reliable money; and a wife helps her husband by having home taken care of and food prepared for him when he needs it,</b> rather than being away at a job taking care of strangers while leaving her husband to fend for himself in a messy home after a hard day of work.<br />
<br />
<b>If a bread-winning wife wouldn't tolerate a disobedient house husband,</b> a bread-winning husband equally should not tolerate a disobedient housewife who needs to learn to appreciate the importance of her position in the balancing act that is a stable household; but I digress.<br />
<br />
<b>When the husband and wife help each other in unison, it creates a positive cycle </b>that lets the husband and wife continue to do what they do best in order to help each other and secure their future -- <i>and the wife won’t have to worry about losing money or her husband to a flirty waitress who would be better off at home serving her own man if she had one.</i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF3sWOyHde2XJSpcMcoJq70IohNkYhJjZaaFOdcW46Hqmy28RCOzqGvXtK9CXyO4psHqamvZFJ3f_iCk8CVy9GhS-TPbCxYPZOLZZ6KEW-NmHiINUw3B_qRjZZrp0TDFXfYX-HhS9C9k/s1600/act+like+a+wife+think+like+a+waitress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Your wife won't serve you dinner? We will! ~ Act Like a Wife, Think Like a Waitress ~ Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnF3sWOyHde2XJSpcMcoJq70IohNkYhJjZaaFOdcW46Hqmy28RCOzqGvXtK9CXyO4psHqamvZFJ3f_iCk8CVy9GhS-TPbCxYPZOLZZ6KEW-NmHiINUw3B_qRjZZrp0TDFXfYX-HhS9C9k/s1600/act+like+a+wife+think+like+a+waitress.jpg" title="Your wife won't serve you dinner? We will! ~ Act Like a Wife, Think Like a Waitress ~ Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3dai2x" target="_blank"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Act Like a Wife, Think Like a Waitress | Memes by Eve @ imgflip</span></b></i></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br />And isn't that the grandest irony of all -- women will serve strangers and strange men for money but act as if they are too empowered to serve their own husbands whom they claim to love. <i>As if! </i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Having served both strangers and my husband, and knowing the difference between the two,</b> I will always choose to serve my husband who loves me over serving strangers who pay women to do their bidding, which actually sounds more regressive and degrading than being a housewife to a loving husband.<br />
<br />
<b>And just for the record: Coffee stands are no different than a restaurant, </b>only smaller with different menus.<br />
<br />
<b>Women can keep money in their homes and their men away from bikini 'baristas'</b> <b>by making coffee at home,</b> which is always better than what gets served in the stands. Do you even know when anyone last cleaned the machines that your favorite coffee drinks get made in, which is where bacteria and nasty contaminants can grow if they aren’t cleaned regularly?<br />
<br />
<b>Better yet, do you even know how much money your household spends on coffee stands, dining out, and groceries for the home each month?</b> A successful business would have to know its spending habits in order to stay in business; likewise, a household should know its spending habits in order to become a successful household.<br />
<br />
<b>I encourage anyone who doesn't track daily spending habits to start keeping track to learn how much money is actually spent and what the money is spent on;</b> without knowing where the money goes, it makes it even harder to figure out how to change spending habits; crawling comes before walking, and knowing how money gets spent must be known before figuring out how to change the way it's spent.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Therefore, make it a homemaking goal to keep your man (and yourself) healthier and wealthier with food lovingly prepared at home as only a wife can do, </b>along with a heaping helping of regular bookkeeping, and don't forget his favorite coffee, too. That's how you act like a wife and think like a waitress!<br />
<br />
<i><b>PS -- I am all for capitalism, making money, supporting businesses, and enjoying a night out for dinner;</b> however, when the money spent outside the house isn't helping the household for the better and is only making life at home worse, that means the home's economic well-being is under attack and the <u>spending habits must change</u> or all hell will eventually break loose, as I have experienced myself and witnessed numerous times as a court reporter in bankruptcy and divorce proceedings; but you don't have to take my word for it.</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jenexxifer/home-economics-money-management-help/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Eve's Home Economics Money Management Help Board @ Pinterest" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKbnOETcwJTGaNeA-Nc-KTJahwqAdl5ZoCNMHwhUAqonx49OWYj_sThhnjERamXLDsTYyqxRN77-J7FGqD8Vk3DKOwxVbuafeEKYnlZsKETpLXL7eEQPmVfYHBA-nkPFlQV7E-D6j5GI/s320/pincode_358036307815685534.png" title="Eve's Home Economics Money Management Help Board @ Pinterest" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>Visit my new <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jenexxifer/home-economics-money-management-help/" target="_blank">Home Economics Money Management Help Board @ Pinterest</a> for free simple budget templates (just like I use in my home) to get your home finances on the right track. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>I have been tracking our spending habits for over two years now which helped me find financial losses that brought about a career change for my husband with a bigger paycheck; we are no longer in a hole each month or scraping by paycheck to paycheck, we put money into savings with each paycheck, we have an actual physical on-hand emergency fund established which we have never had before, no more accidental overdraft charges, dwindling debt, and stabilized spending -- <i>and it all started with tracking our spending habits.</i></b><br />
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jenexxifer/moneymemes/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Eve's Money Memes Board @ Pinterest" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDdAEjsm8t4dg-Ot_nlaN2oVpYI9ZDPUEmUP8ERHTRLPHVWv9bfMrvYRmDm5GipoRj8bRUOzaalQE7Ku99rlAvEFnBDXaBDg6MGICbEG6LZ1DgFzavaJZendi-cBeCDT-Gfs1bsHuAoE/s320/pincode_358036307815685547.png" style="cursor: move;" title="Eve's Money Memes Board @ Pinterest" width="320" /></a></div>
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>Also visit my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/jenexxifer/moneymemes/" target="_blank">Money Memes Board @ Pinterest</a> for a walk on the meme side.</b><br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-27446772053551578382019-10-25T03:15:00.000-07:002019-10-25T03:15:09.265-07:00His Girl Friday Goes Home<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi9N8phnPyP0id80Ym5c52OeK59jD8tItztt_SaJnNbU8Fw7bIjnr7fCwTxZHcHbKHKCk3iVu7WEwSOHfA2jieX1YfJfsJR7DPvBFi4YNvHr0M6hC8h4-qau-MVOBlTi_KaDUKbD8Td4/s1600/his+girl+goes+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Screw you guys, I'm going home. | His Girl Goes Home | Memes by Eve @ imgflip" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLi9N8phnPyP0id80Ym5c52OeK59jD8tItztt_SaJnNbU8Fw7bIjnr7fCwTxZHcHbKHKCk3iVu7WEwSOHfA2jieX1YfJfsJR7DPvBFi4YNvHr0M6hC8h4-qau-MVOBlTi_KaDUKbD8Td4/s640/his+girl+goes+home.jpg" title="Screw you guys, I'm going home. | His Girl Goes Home | Memes by Eve @ imgflip" width="444" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3dv3zl" target="_blank">His Girl Goes Home | Memes by Eve @ imgflip</a><br />(His Girl Friday, Rosalind Russell, 1940)</i></b></td></tr>
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<b>Q: How do you know when you've outgrown a movie?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>A: When you watch <i>His Girl Friday</i> and start hoping that Hildy will turn into Cartman from <i>South Park.</i></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Considering it's a movie from 1940 and it promotes the same old idea of women in the workplace (along with the idea that marriage is a farce), it just goes to show how long Hollywood has been beating women over the head and programming them to think that they need to be in the man's club and treated like men, instead of being treated like the women they were born to become.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Well, guess what? It is almost 2020 -- <i>eighty years later</i> -- and it is beyond time for a change.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>So screw you, outdated Hollywood, I'm staying home and enjoying everything Hildy didn't have the smarts to enjoy herself -- <i>no coworkers, no stress, and no office wardrobe! </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>PSQ:<i> <u>What would you do with your life, if Hollywood wasn't programming you to think otherwise?</u> </i></b><br />
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-55792020225857447422019-10-21T01:52:00.000-07:002019-10-23T16:27:40.889-07:00If You Would Rather Be At Home, Raise Your Hand<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgflip.com/3dl1kp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Fake Smile Club: If you would rather be at home, raise your hand | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com " border="0" height="400" src="https://i.imgflip.com/3dl1kp.jpg" title="The Fake Smile Club: If you would rather be at home, raise your hand | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com " width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3dl1kp" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Fake Smile Club / Memes by Eve @ imgflip</span></i></b></a></td></tr>
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<i><b>Monday Motivation: Sassy song lyrics set to the tune 'If You're Happy and You Know It'; </b>inspired by all the times I would have rather been at home than at work, a</i><i>nd how nice it is to now be a homebody housewife:</i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<b>If you would rather be at home, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather be at home, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather be at home and never have to roam;<br />
If you would rather be at home, raise your hand!<br />
<br />
<b>If you would rather quit your job, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather quit your job, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather quit your job and leave the working mob;<br />
If you would rather quit your job, raise your hand!<br />
<br />
<b>If you would rather scrub the tub, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather scrub the tub, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather scrub the tub than be a teacher’s sub;<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgflip.com/3dsfw4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="TradWifeLife: I'd rather please my man and not the boss man | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://i.imgflip.com/3dsfw4.jpg" title="TradWifeLife: I'd rather please my man and not the boss man | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3dsfw4" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>TradWifeLife / Memes by Eve @ imgflip</b></i></span></a></td></tr>
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If you would rather scrub the tub, raise your hand!<br />
<br />
<b>If you would rather please your man, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather please your man, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather please your man and not the boss man;<br />
If you would rather please your man, raise your hand!<br />
<b></b><br />
<b></b>
<b>If you would rather make the bed, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather make the bed, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather make the bed and stay happily wed;<br />
If you would rather make the bed, raise your hand!<br />
<br />
<b>If you would rather be a wife, raise your hand;</b><br />
If you would rather be a wife, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather be a wife and avoid office strife;<br />
If you would rather be a wife, raise your hand!<br />
<br />
<b>If you would rather clean your house, raise your hand;</b><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgflip.com/3ds9rr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Unbloused Bliss: I'd rather clean my house than wear an office blouse | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://i.imgflip.com/3ds9rr.jpg" title="Unbloused Bliss: I'd rather clean my house than wear an office blouse | Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3ds9rr" target="_blank"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Unbloused Bliss | Memes by Eve @ imgflip</span></i></b></a></td></tr>
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If you would rather clean your house, raise your hand;<br />
If you would rather clean your house than wear an office blouse;<br />
If you would rather clean your house, raise your hand!<br />
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<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/lemon_lime_happy_home_cleaning_notebook-130547611934190938?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Lemon Lime Happy Home Cleaning Notebook" src="https://rlv.zcache.com/lemon_lime_happy_home_cleaning_notebook-rc2ed3d5c0fef48abbe8f027c3d46415a_ambg4_8byvr_1024.jpg?max_dim=325" style="border: 0px;" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.zazzle.com/lemon_lime_happy_home_cleaning_notebook-130547611934190938?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">Lemon Lime Happy Home Cleaning Notebook</a>
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Only @ Eve's <a href="https://www.zazzle.com/store/cleanhouseguide?rf=238172181484073171" rel="nofollow">CleanHouseGuide</a> Zazzle Shop!</div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-72932729162109137022019-10-16T22:05:00.000-07:002019-10-16T22:13:27.274-07:00Furniture.com: Home Solutions for Rural Living & Introvert Homemakers<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2VsrFxsmv724f_pzXU3S0cv6huNGUATZT8pXURi61qAoiM4Le7CGRXt8-3g8oatJRRtI7U41vys88ZYU9YLoZZEnEfIdoMiZUlf23p7ScR7tyGtObe3-Jc9bOA9eMvmLKnt7eha3p4Y/s1600/furnished+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Furnished Life: A woman's place is at home with her furniture. Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="581" height="343" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM2VsrFxsmv724f_pzXU3S0cv6huNGUATZT8pXURi61qAoiM4Le7CGRXt8-3g8oatJRRtI7U41vys88ZYU9YLoZZEnEfIdoMiZUlf23p7ScR7tyGtObe3-Jc9bOA9eMvmLKnt7eha3p4Y/s400/furnished+life.jpg" title="The Furnished Life: A woman's place is at home with her furniture. Memes by Eve @ imgflip.com" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3deid2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>The Furnished Life / Memes by Eve @ imgflip</b></i></span></a></td></tr>
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<b>Q: How do you furnish a home when you live in a rural area</b> with limited options in the local stores, and you would just as soon not deal with people if you can avoid it?<br />
<br />
<b>A: You embrace the power of 21st Century cyberspace and you go online; and <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a></b> <b>is an informative site</b> to start at if you don’t know where to start.<br />
<br />
<b>Disclosure: I was contacted by associates of </b><a href="http://furniture.com/" style="font-weight: bold;">Furniture.com</a> who found my blog and thought my readers would like to know about the site, and after reviewing the site I was pleased they reached out to me.<br />
<br />
<b>I solemnly swear and affirm that I was not told what to write, nor is this a paid endorsement,</b> beyond paying it forward to anyone who benefits from this information, which I think many people in rural pockets of America can find something of value at <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a>, along with any homemaker who is new to furnishing a home and wants to learn more about what goes into it, or any introvert who loves to shop in privacy online rather than out in the public with gossipy locals eyeing your buys during cold and flu season.<br />
<br />
<b>Whether it’s room furnishings, home décor accessories, organization and storage solutions, or design and trending style tips, the website covers a lot of ground </b>for all areas of a home, including easy-to-read guides that explain home design basics; like <a href="https://www.furniture.com/rugs/guide" target="_blank">this section on rugs</a> that gives information about sizes, styles, materials, shapes, colors, and even how to keep rugs in place.<br />
<br />
<b>Don’t Forget:</b> <u>Having a good-sized rug at the main entrance helps to lessen dirt and contaminants from spreading around the house,</u> especially when outdoor shoes are changed for indoor shoes. <i>Read my blog post about <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/09/clean-home-hacks-etiquette-of-house.html" target="_blank">Clean Home Hacks & The Etiquette of House Shoes</a> to learn more.</i><br />
<br />
<b>An entrance area rug does not have to look utilitarian even though it serves a useful function;</b> and <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a> features a <a href="https://www.furniture.com/rugs" target="_blank">vast selection of rugs</a> in a range of prices for folks in search of more stylish options than what home improvement stores offer in a rural area, and more modern options than what are available in small stores that carry styles from another era that don’t match what young people want in their homes today.<br />
<br />
<b>The website is also easy to navigate and not overwhelming or difficult to search through,</b> considering how much information can be found on it; not to mention all the shopping people can do from it as well, which is ideal for introverts who don't want to deal with people more than they have to, or anyone who doesn't have transportation to leave home in a rural area now the delivery can come to them direct. There are even pages that let people shop by <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-color" target="_blank">color</a>, <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-style" target="_blank">style</a>, and <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-room" target="_blank">room</a>; the pages are informative with descriptions that are easy to understand for anyone new to the world of design.<br />
<br />
<b>I don’t want to know what living in rural America was like before the internet and e-commerce existed,</b> and I hope to never find out, knock on wood paneling. People in large urban areas, of which I used to be one, may not know how extremely impactful e-commerce is in rural areas; while main street shops loathe it because it forces competition that they don’t know how to compete with, it ultimately changes lives for the better when working class individuals in rural areas can get the products they need and want without having to settle for unsatisfactory service or unappealing products.<br />
<br />
<b>Rural people <i>need </i>their money to go further for them than just the local economy</b> when the <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2016/05/arrested-economic-development-can.html" target="_blank">local economy is waning and not giving back</a> to the people who give to it; and I am not ashamed to say as a rural resident that rural people <i>should</i> go online if that’s what it takes to bring happiness to their homes when the local options are far under par. <i>Fun Fact: Residents in rural areas, such as Sequim, have thousands of dollars less in annual income than people working in urban areas in the same state, <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2017/10/what-you-dont-know-about-sequim.html" target="_blank">as I documented here</a>.</i><br />
<br />
<b>When it comes to being budget friendly, <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a> has plenty to choose from for all budgets;</b> the trick of course is to <i>budget</i> for the furniture and plan ahead instead of buying it on an impulse when there is no money for it.<br />
<br />
<b>A home is worth investing in with quality goods that add comfort and luxury, </b>so long as the cost of the goods doesn’t take money away from the necessities that make a home function, like electricity and groceries.<br />
<br />
<b>When money is invested to make home better every day,</b> instead of being spent on a costly weekend at a hotel to escape the drudgery of a messy home, it’s well worth it in the long run to make home your hotel away from home by cleaning it, investing in it, and budgeting for products that add value to the lives in the home every day.<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you to the associates of <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a> </b>who found my blog and reached out to share information; links have also been added to my <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/p/homemaking-resources.html" target="_blank">Homemaking Hub page</a>. I invite readers in search of home furnishing solutions to visit the site and see what it’s all about; even if it’s just to search through the pages to get ideas from the comfort of home at 1:00 a.m., it’s worth visiting <a href="http://furniture.com/">Furniture.com</a> if you never have.<br />
<div>
<br />
<u><b>LINKS:</b></u><br />
<b><i>About: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/about-us">furniture.com/about-us</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Rug Guide: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/rugs/guide">furniture.com/rugs/guide</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Shop By Color: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-color">furniture.com/shop-by-color</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Shop By Room: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-room">furniture.com/shop-by-room</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Shop By Style: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/shop-by-style">furniture.com/shop-by-style</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Tips & Trends: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/tips-and-trends">furniture.com/tips-and-trends</a></i></b><br />
<b><i>Website: <a href="https://www.furniture.com/">furniture.com</a></i></b></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Protect furniture from stains & make cleaning easier every day </span><span style="font-size: large;">with <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/shop/top+selling+coasters?accordion=product&ref=artist_shop_product_refinement" target="_blank">cork-backed coasters designed by Eve o</a></span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/shop/top+selling+coasters?accordion=product&ref=artist_shop_product_refinement" target="_blank">nly @ Redbubble!</a></span></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-24806405234503260182019-10-07T23:43:00.001-07:002019-10-12T16:52:26.086-07:00Consumer Research & How To Vacuum Like a Luxury Housekeeper at Home<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.imgflip.com/3ciam7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Eureka Vacuum Inspiration: Cleaning Today Makes Tomorrow Better (Memes by Eve @ Imgflip) (Vintage Eureka Vacuum Ad)" border="0" height="640" src="https://i.imgflip.com/3ciam7.jpg" title="Eureka Vacuum Inspiration: Cleaning Today Makes Tomorrow Better (Memes by Eve @ Imgflip) (Vintage Eureka Vacuum Ad)" width="404" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Cleaning Today Makes Tomorrow Better<br /><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3ciam7" target="_blank">Memes by Eve @ imgflip</a> / Vintage Eureka Vacuum Ad</b></span></i></td></tr>
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<b>Q: How do I choose between a bagless vacuum cleaner and one with bags?</b><br />
<br />
A: Do independent research until I arrive at my answer, which I finally have:<br />
<br />
<b>First I did a Google search that brought up </b><b><i><a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/vacuum-cleaners/buying-guide/index.htm" target="_blank">Choosing the Best Vacuum Cleaner by Consumer Reports:</a> </i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<u><b><i>Bagged vs. Bagless:</i></b></u><br />
<i>“<b>Bagless vacuum cleaners save on the cost of purchasing bags, but they also require more filters that need periodic cleaning</b> or—for HEPA filters—replacing. The dust and mess of emptying the bin of a bagless model can be problematic if you have asthma or allergies.“ </i><br />
<br />
<i>Source: <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/vacuum-cleaners/buying-guide/index.htm">https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/vacuum-cleaners/buying-guide/index.htm</a></i><br />
<br />
- - - - - - -<br />
<br />
<b>Then I found an article in the same search that reviews the <a href="https://primereviews.org/best-commercial-vacuums-for-home-use-or-worksites/" target="_blank"><i>10 Best Commercial Vacuums for Home Use or Worksites 2019</i></a> </b>and <u>they are all bagged vacuums</u>.<br />
<br />
<i>Source: <a href="https://primereviews.org/best-commercial-vacuums-for-home-use-or-worksites/">https://primereviews.org/best-commercial-vacuums-for-home-use-or-worksites/</a></i><br />
<br />
- - - - - - -<br />
<br />
<b>Then I remembered when I worked as a commercial housekeeper, and the facility only used bagged vacuums</b>; so I know and can verify from my own experience that <b>bagged vacuums are the standard in luxury commercial facilities</b>; and since bagged vacuums are the standard, that tells me that <u>commercial businesses don't even expect their employed housekeepers to spend time cleaning vacuum filters</u>, so I will not put myself through that at home when it wasn't expected of me on the job.<br />
<br />
- - - - - - -<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion: I originally thought bagless would be the way to go for my next vacuum upgrade and was set on getting one, but the more I research, the more I am realizing that a bagged vacuum will suit my needs best;</b> I have also read a good amount of vacuum reviews where <u>people went bagless and hated it due to the small bins that require emptying after each use and went back to a bag that holds more.</u> I don’t doubt bagless has its benefits, but when it comes to what will work best for my vacuuming regime I will stick with a bagged model, since bags are the standard in luxury and that’s good enough for me.<br />
<br />
- - - - - - -<br />
<br />
<b>Housekeeping Tip: Not sure how often to vacuum? Consider the fact that vacuuming happens every day, </b>multiple times a day, in luxury destinations where people pay good money to vacate their homes; therefore, <u>if people pay for and expect daily cleanliness outside their homes, then that should always be the goal inside a home as well</u>. After all, if you wouldn't pay money to stay somewhere that's just like your home, <i><u>then why are you paying to live in your home?</u></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-size: large;">Start cleaning today to make tomorrow better with my helpful Coral Graph Housekeeping Guides, now available @ <a href="http://www.evepenman.redbubble.com/" target="_blank">Redbubble</a> on <a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41539312-coral-graph-housekeeping-guide?p=spiral-notebook&asc=u" target="_blank">notebooks</a>, <a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41539312-coral-graph-housekeeping-guide?p=glossy-sticker&asc=u" target="_blank">stickers</a>, <a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41539312-coral-graph-housekeeping-guide?p=gallery-board&asc=u" target="_blank">display boards</a> & more! </span></i></b><i>Cleaning Today Makes Tomorrow Better: Follow the daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning guides to keep your home clean all year long; adjust frequency as needed for optimal cleanliness.</i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0CgkLfUyHLd9YBp923m1GXUvzhYFKVQMe3X06ijmNWiG0trKyePCBog2GbmJHR-PdgPX0azaDYS-i9gy5ic8A657xZ_fMAP4zWd7qG3CVx65fm43tpt26OOm64IwxmUcdFP2dPa22ew/s1600/coral+graph+collage+rb.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Coral Graph Housekeeping Guide Accessories @ evepenman.redbubble.com" border="0" data-original-height="460" data-original-width="1024" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0CgkLfUyHLd9YBp923m1GXUvzhYFKVQMe3X06ijmNWiG0trKyePCBog2GbmJHR-PdgPX0azaDYS-i9gy5ic8A657xZ_fMAP4zWd7qG3CVx65fm43tpt26OOm64IwxmUcdFP2dPa22ew/s640/coral+graph+collage+rb.png" title="Coral Graph Housekeeping Guide Accessories @ evepenman.redbubble.com" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Coral Graph Housekeeping Guide Accessories @ <a href="http://evepenman.redbubble.com/">evepenman.redbubble.com</a></b></span></i></td></tr>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-71607577747429433572019-10-01T02:59:00.001-07:002019-10-01T02:59:08.583-07:00Stuffed Up: Clutter Solutions for the Clueless<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://imgflip.com/i/38lc53"><img alt="Stuffed Up: You don't need more space. You need less stuff. Memes by Eve @ Imgflip" border="0" data-original-height="415" data-original-width="601" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX_W39ZOcL3ETqad4bQa7q7t7M4woBnlXN7puwsR5nn6s9tyvc5NkZrHB7ZNYnDw9141UGrggR6X7_RTO82Rixry6sF8WEOgnsOexwq3AkxnC-W31FVLS9GRZt44WCHY_ifNnKEG4PG_c/s1600/stuffed+up.jpg" title="Stuffed Up: You don't need more space. You need less stuff. Memes by Eve @ Imgflip" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/38lc53" target="_blank">Stuffed Up:</a> </span></b><br />
<b><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/38lc53" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size: large;">You don't need more space. You need less stuff.</span></i></a></b><br />
<br />
<b>
Fun Fact: If you get rid of the stuff that’s taking up space, you’d have more space. </b><br />
<br />
LOL.<br />
<br />
<b>So what's the simple solution to stopping clothes clutter before it starts?</b> <u>When something new comes in, something old goes out.</u> <i>Learn it, know it, live it.*</i><br />
<br />
<b>Purposeful Possessions: Imagine treating a refrigerator like a closet and treating a closet like a refrigerator.</b> If new items are always added to either without ever removing old items, <u><b>neither will effectively serve their purpose</b>,</u> and what's the purpose of that? <i>And what's the purpose of keeping items that don't get used? </i><br />
<br />
<b>If outdated clothes smelled as bad as old eggs, would you still keep them? </b><i>As if. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYb0XkCR6_hQhHFcovClTZ1tW7JWhnvEIegxy4zehFKRa7V3ZEqVpwFaHOlG7f-Bo9rmsUZBSWiwm0OIiIJtYAYU4uybqblp4ARcvRart3qOSQ_ue3c03Im4ejOKTQbbya8ltxwTLuhkg/s1600/clueless+closet+cleanout+gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Closet Clean Out GIF: Alicia Silverstone in Clueless (1995)" border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYb0XkCR6_hQhHFcovClTZ1tW7JWhnvEIegxy4zehFKRa7V3ZEqVpwFaHOlG7f-Bo9rmsUZBSWiwm0OIiIJtYAYU4uybqblp4ARcvRart3qOSQ_ue3c03Im4ejOKTQbbya8ltxwTLuhkg/s400/clueless+closet+cleanout+gif.gif" title="Closet Clean Out GIF: Alicia Silverstone in Clueless (1995)" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Closet Clean Out GIF: Alicia Silverstone in Clueless* (1995)</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><br /><b>May all your decluttering dreams come true!</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>* Two Amy Heckerling movie references in one blog post!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<a href="https://imgflip.com/all/user-images/EvePenman" target="_blank"><b><i>Find more Memes by Eve @ Imgflip</i></b></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1xLyg06-BgJwExcFgDFO8VeVCXrxCpNU7e6QCkaN881nSDD2_q194eFjRfiWEtEB06lE56OYFJ91xcdsQ38CgfOSZrr7NHmh9XmSdm6cETtoXaDV8GThADVQpFxD0Qwbjabb2HU7q6M/s1600/emil+and+the+detectives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Movie Poster: Emil And The Detectives (1964 Walt Disney film) @ IMDb.com" border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1xLyg06-BgJwExcFgDFO8VeVCXrxCpNU7e6QCkaN881nSDD2_q194eFjRfiWEtEB06lE56OYFJ91xcdsQ38CgfOSZrr7NHmh9XmSdm6cETtoXaDV8GThADVQpFxD0Qwbjabb2HU7q6M/s640/emil+and+the+detectives.jpg" title="Movie Poster: Emil And The Detectives (1964 Walt Disney film) @ IMDb.com" width="422" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Movie Poster: Emil And The Detectives (1964 Walt Disney) @ IMDb</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/review/rw5106774/?ref_=tt_urv">Sleuths, Skrinks, & Scenery, Oh My!</a> </i></b><br />
<br />
<b>Enjoy a step back in time to West Berlin, Germany,</b> during the early 1960s when Germany was divided and skrinks were invading.<br />
<br />
<b>Real scenery, real buildings, real vehicles</b> – it’s not an imagining in a fantasy land, it’s what actually did exist at one time and some of it still does today. (Note the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaiser_Wilhelm_Memorial_Church" target="_blank"><b>tall hexagon-shaped building and old church</b></a> in the background when Gustav and Emil meet; it’s the <a href="https://gedaechtniskirche-berlin.de/page/5/kontakt" target="_blank"><b>Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church</b> located at Lietzenburgerstrasse 39, 10789 Berlin</a>)<br />
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<b>1960s style, fashion, costumes</b> – each character’s outfit defines them and adds to the charm of the story; whether it’s an actual character in the script or a nameless passerby in the background, the styles and colors are captivating.<br />
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<b>Story narrator, opening credits, film effects, editing</b> – enjoyable features that add to the story and help it move along; even during the slower-moving moments of the film, I’m still intrigued by the scenery, the background, the music, the writing, or other subtle elements that could be edited away but it wouldn’t necessarily make the film better, just shorter.<br />
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<b>Young detectives, innocent loyal do-gooders</b>, solving problems together in a more adult manner than adults in modern films.<br />
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<b>Score, background music, sound effects</b> – I don’t have to watch every second to know what’s going on because the sounds and music tell the story too; while it’s not a musical, the music is essential to the movie.<br />
<br />
<b>Dry humor, no swearing, witty insightful writing</b> with good moral lessons and silly words that should get used more, like ‘skrink’ and 'skrunky’. <i>(Get a taste of the writing on the </i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058056/quotes/?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu" target="_blank"><i><b>IMDb quotes page</b> I started</i></a><i>)</i><br />
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<b>Stunts, physical work</b> – not high-impact but highly enjoyable.<br />
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<b>Cartoonish villains that aren’t animated</b> and don’t cause serious harm to anyone as much as they try – similar to the <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072653/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">Apple Dumpling Gang</a></i> or the bad guys in <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059793/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1" target="_blank">That Darn Cat</a></i>; other good titles would be the <i>Apple Streusel Gang</i> or <i>That Darn Skrink</i>.<br />
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<b>Worst thing about movie:</b> I didn’t know it existed the first 41 years of my life.<br />
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<b>Thanks to <a href="http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/1503106%7C0/Treasures-from-the-Disney-Vault-June-2019.html" target="_blank">TCM and their Disney Vault series</a></b> for making these movies available without commercials, and with captions too!<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>Enjoy movie night @ home with throw blankets & pillows!</b></h2>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"> Write movie night memories</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">in a matching notebook!</span></b><b style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<b><i><span style="text-align: center;">Black & White Zigzag Diamonds Digital Artwork</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Available on <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41034506-black-and-white-zigzag-diamonds?p=a-line-dress" target="_blank">apparel</a>, <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41034506-black-and-white-zigzag-diamonds?p=drawstring-bag" target="_blank">matching accessories</a>, <a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/evepenman/works/41034506-black-and-white-zigzag-diamonds?p=coasters" target="_blank">home decor</a> & more</i></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3adjag" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="No Shoes, No Dice: Memes by Eve @ Imgflip.com" src="https://i.imgflip.com/3adjag.jpg" title="No Shoes, No Dice: Memes by Eve @ Imgflip.com" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>No Shoes, No Dice: Just say NO to no shoes and YES to house shoes</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<a href="https://imgflip.com/i/3adjag" target="_blank">No Shoes, No Dice: <span style="font-weight: normal;">Memes by Eve @ Imgflip</span></a></h3>
<i>Inspired by what we practice in our home </i>– <i><b>house shoes.</b></i><br />
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<b>Our entrance area has two trays of shoes, one for each of us,</b> along with plenty of room to maneuver and set stuff down when changing shoes. I don’t keep all our shoes there, but only a select few pair that are most commonly worn outside, along with the house shoes.<br />
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<ul>
<li><i><b>House shoes can be any kind of shoe</b>, but its purpose is to stay in the house and <u>not be worn outside</u>, so that no outside dirt gets on them and tracked all over the house; i.e., cross-contamination.</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i><b>House shoes are not slippers</b></i></li>
<ul>
<li><i>House shoes are intended for working in the house</i></li>
<ul>
<li><i>Slippers are intended for relaxing in the house</i></li>
<ul>
<li><i><u>House shoes are not slippers</u></i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<b>I prefer easy slip-on shoes, nothing with laces; the point is to make it quick and easy;</b> if changing shoes takes longer than it’s worth then it’s just a nuisance; and <b>the trick is to make it a habit, then it’s what you automatically do </b>because it’s a habit. I can actually feel that I missed a step if I don’t change my shoes now because my muscles remember the routine and habit; muscle memory is awesome like that.<br />
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<b>We have plenty of dirt outside, so this way all the excess dirt stays on the entrance area rug</b> and makes it more efficient for cleaning, instead of dirt being dragged all over the house; <b>I don’t even vacuum my entire house every day now</b> since the majority of the dirt stays in the entrance area, which was why I designed the entrance area to function like that – <i><u>to clean smarter, not harder.</u></i><br />
<br />
<b>I find it quite gross and disgusting</b> with all the unseen microscopic bacterial diseases in America that it’s expected <b>to remove one’s shoes in someone else’s home</b> when I don’t know their level of cleanliness, and they don’t know if a guest is carrying something on them and leaving it behind – <i><u>and the guest may not even know they’re carrying something.</u></i><br />
<br />
<b>Not only that, whatever happened to treating guests like guests</b> instead of one of the family; <b>or just being civilized</b> in the 21st Century in one’s own home? People start hanging barn doors inside and everyone acts like they were born in a barn.<br />
<br />
<b>Walking around in bare feet or socked feet is rudimentary and negligent</b> and tends to create problems that could be avoided altogether by wearing sturdy shoes like people in first world countries do; <b>my ancestors left other countries for something better</b> and I like to think something better includes not being barefoot or shoeless in my own home.<br />
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<a href="https://imgflip.com/all/user-images/EvePenman" target="_blank"><b><i>Find more Memes by Eve @ Imgflip</i></b></a><br />
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<a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--jk6ls6gk--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_fit,g_north_west,h_954,w_954/co_001136,e_outline:48/co_001136,e_outline:inner_fill:48/co_ffffff,e_outline:48/co_ffffff,e_outline:inner_fill:48/co_bbbbbb,e_outline:3:1000/c_mpad,g_center,h_1260,w_1260/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Sticker Decal at TeePublic" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--jk6ls6gk--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_fit,g_north_west,h_954,w_954/co_001136,e_outline:48/co_001136,e_outline:inner_fill:48/co_ffffff,e_outline:48/co_ffffff,e_outline:inner_fill:48/co_bbbbbb,e_outline:3:1000/c_mpad,g_center,h_1260,w_1260/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" title="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Sticker Decal at TeePublic" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><a href="https://www.teepublic.com/tote/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">Never forget American history</a> with this original commemorative design featuring statistics from the unforgettable siege at Mount Carmel near Waco, Texas, USA, that began on February 28, 1993, and ended on April 19, 1993. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Never Forget 2/28/1993 - 4/19/1993; 51 Days, 82 Deaths, 11 Arrests, 1 Government. </i><br />
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<i>A white American flag is the symbolic centerpiece of this US history lesson design that is educational both on and off the grid.</i><br />
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<b>While the number of reported deaths varies from site to site and changes over the years,</b> the fact remains that there was only one government responsible for orchestrating the <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/mug/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">civil battle in Texas</a> which resulted in <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/hoodie/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">numerous needless deaths</a> of innocent women, children, and men.<br />
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<a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--iDRl3AOT--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_358/c_crop,g_north_west,h_550,w_412,x_-27,y_-32/g_north_west,u_upload:v1460650877:production:blanks:vuhfrhi4vergymowfwez,x_-453,y_-483/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Tank at TeePublic" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--iDRl3AOT--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_358/c_crop,g_north_west,h_550,w_412,x_-27,y_-32/g_north_west,u_upload:v1460650877:production:blanks:vuhfrhi4vergymowfwez,x_-453,y_-483/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" title="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Tank at TeePublic" width="320" /></a><b>I don't know firsthand what went on at Mount Carmel before, during, or after <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/tote/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">the siege;</a></b> all I know is the hearsay that has been in the media for the past twenty-six years. But no matter what happened behind closed doors on the private property of Mount Carmel, it's <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/hoodie/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">what happened when the United States federal government showed up</a> and got involved that concerns me.<br />
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<b>It concerns me because <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/mug/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">it happened in 1993</a>, </b>during a time when I was being taught in American public high school about the evils of Hitler, and about Japanese-Americans being stripped of their rights and thrown into internment camps on American soil by American government during World War II; now it was happening live on the news while we watched from a government classroom -- <i>and the same government, nonetheless.</i><br />
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<a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--7IUJ1dvy--/c_scale,h_512/c_lpad,g_north_west,h_801,w_1802,x_182,y_144/c_crop,h_801,w_691,x_125/c_mfit,g_north_west,u_misc:Mug%20Effect%20Coffee3%20Left/e_displace,fl_layer_apply,x_14,y_-2/c_mfit,g_north_east,u_misc:Mug%20Effect%20Coffee3%20Right/e_displace,fl_layer_apply,x_-14,y_-2/c_crop,h_801,w_656/g_north_west,l_upload:v1466696262:production:blanks:w00xdkhjelyrnp8i8wxr,x_-410,y_-235/b_rgb:001136/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Coffee Mug at TeePublic" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--7IUJ1dvy--/c_scale,h_512/c_lpad,g_north_west,h_801,w_1802,x_182,y_144/c_crop,h_801,w_691,x_125/c_mfit,g_north_west,u_misc:Mug%20Effect%20Coffee3%20Left/e_displace,fl_layer_apply,x_14,y_-2/c_mfit,g_north_east,u_misc:Mug%20Effect%20Coffee3%20Right/e_displace,fl_layer_apply,x_-14,y_-2/c_crop,h_801,w_656/g_north_west,l_upload:v1466696262:production:blanks:w00xdkhjelyrnp8i8wxr,x_-410,y_-235/b_rgb:001136/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" title="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Coffee Mug at TeePublic" width="320" /></a><b>Since I was only 14 at the time,</b> the news hype is what I remember the most, and seeing the same images of David Koresh all the time on the television and wishing something else would captivate American news because the siege did not interest me at all. Now, twenty-six years later, it does interest me, and I'm not the only one.<br />
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<b>I created the <i><a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">Never Forget Mount Carmel</a></i> design a couple years ago for my <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">TeePublic shop</a>;</b> and every year now during the 51-day anniversary, anonymous buyers purchase various products featuring my original commemorative design. <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">T-shirts</a> and <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/sticker/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">decal stickers</a> with the design are the most popular so far. TeePublic has a wide selection of shirt styles to choose from, including <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">ringers</a>, <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/hoodie/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">hoodies</a>, <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/tank-top/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">tanks</a>, and more, in sizes for adults and <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/kids-t-shirt/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">kids</a> -- <i>and even <a href="https://www.teepublic.com/onesie/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank">onesies for little ones</a>, too!</i><br />
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<a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--cMNrJ-Xj--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_405/c_crop,g_north_west,h_620,w_465,x_-30,y_-36/g_north_west,u_upload:v1446840654:production:blanks:xxlr5aujpichex3rg3uw,x_-421,y_-312/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Hoodie at TeePublic" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="320" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--cMNrJ-Xj--/t_Resized%20Artwork/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_405/c_crop,g_north_west,h_620,w_465,x_-30,y_-36/g_north_west,u_upload:v1446840654:production:blanks:xxlr5aujpichex3rg3uw,x_-421,y_-312/b_rgb:eeeeee/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" title="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Hoodie at TeePublic" width="320" /></a><b>While I am always glad and grateful to make a sale,</b> what makes selling a <a href="http://never%20forget%20mount%20carmel%20usa%20navy%20tote%20bag%20at%20teepublic/" target="_blank">Mount Carmel design</a> even more meaningful is the information that is being shared with the people who see the design; and that the more people who see it will momentarily pause to read it and remember this important <a href="http://never%20forget%20mount%20carmel%20usa%20navy%20tote%20bag%20at%20teepublic/" target="_blank">historic event</a> that should not be forgotten.<br />
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<i>Thank you for reading, buying, sharing, and remembering.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--IR62GVuB--/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_359/c_crop,g_north_west,h_536,w_536,x_-88,y_-107/l_upload:v1507575672:production:blanks:ykjo4q2yjyz9cpowr86k/fl_layer_apply,g_north_west,x_-419,y_-597/b_rgb:001136/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Tote Bag at TeePublic" border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="630" height="640" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/teepublic/image/private/s--IR62GVuB--/c_crop,x_10,y_10/c_fit,w_359/c_crop,g_north_west,h_536,w_536,x_-88,y_-107/l_upload:v1507575672:production:blanks:ykjo4q2yjyz9cpowr86k/fl_layer_apply,g_north_west,x_-419,y_-597/b_rgb:001136/c_limit,f_jpg,h_630,q_90,w_630/v1520117470/production/designs/2418763_1.jpg" title="Never Forget Mount Carmel USA Navy Tote Bag at TeePublic" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teepublic.com/tote/2418763-never-forget-mount-carmel-usa" target="_blank"><b>Never Forget Mount Carmel USA American History Design by TheDaintyTaurus at TeePublic</b></a></td></tr>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-43869073944146937092019-04-16T19:29:00.000-07:002019-04-16T21:58:16.123-07:00Take This Career and Shove It: The Joy of Being a Housewife<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://imgflip.com/i/2yccda" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Memes by Eve at imgflip.com" height="215" src="https://i.imgflip.com/2yccda.jpg" title="Memes by Eve at imgflip.com" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Teri Garr in Mr. Mom (1983)</i></td></tr>
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I've had odd jobs, I've had steady jobs; I've been a minimum-wage blue collar worker, and I've been a well-paid white collar professional.<br />
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For all the work I have done, from the time I was a child until nearly 40 years of age, I have this to say: <i>Take this career and shove it.</i><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
Smashing ceilings and making bank has its place, but I am loving my new traditional role of staying home and <i>not working</i> for other people. I am now on my new wifely mission from the marriage gods, to make home the best it can be for my husband when he's home from work, and for me, of course, as well.<br />
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I no longer put my schedule before my husband's; I no longer make coffee for lawyers; I no longer have to go to an office during office hours in office attire, or wear a uniform that I don't want to wear, or do work for someone I don't want to work for; I no longer do anything for anyone except my husband, myself, and my home.<br />
<br />
Now, I am the chief of home operations and my husband's dedicated support staff; I only make coffee for my husband and I only clean his coffee cups, and he treats me better than clients, coworkers, and customers ever did. Plus, if there is any sexual harassment in the home, we have a license, so it's okay because it goes both ways.<br />
<br />
We have lived the two-occupation cohabitation lifestyle since last century and in hindsight it has never been optimal; with both of us coming home carrying the weight of a work day, neither of us wanting to do anything but needing to and only having a few hours to get it all done for the next day, and always waiting for that never-long-enough-two-day weekend to catch up on errands when we would rather not.<br />
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We also lived the one-career-household woman-breadwinner lifestyle for a time, which resulted in a mess of home wreckage that could rival any classic country song; but it has made us stronger and wiser for future wear. So, with our new marriage we are learning from our insane past and we're not doing things the same way while expecting different results.<br />
<br />
Now, I stay home, and I am not offended that my husband wants me to stay home, because, get this -- <i>I <u>want</u> to stay home. </i>Staying home is so easy compared to going to work; and there is nothing wrong with taking it easier for a while in my forties, having decades of hard work behind me and the collateral damage that comes with it, so say I.<br />
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Staying home actually shows me what men really want too, which is something many women are unwilling to do for their husbands and their marriage -- <i>housework</i>. So, thanks to my husband making the income out in the man's world, coupled with my determination to master what I have been taught to resist -- <i>being a good housewife</i> -- I get to stay home with our cats and make home better for all of us, which suits me better than keeping up with a career full of alarm clocks, deadlines, and uncomfortable office attire.<br />
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Our cats also treat me better than I've been treated in the working world, which is all the more reason to stay home; and while cats aren't for everyone, the fact of the matter is, neither are careers.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>CAREERS ARE LIKE CATS -- THEY'RE NOT FOR EVERYONE</i></b></div>
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<b><i>New sassy design now at Zazzle!</i></b></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-31191066597629606072019-04-05T03:48:00.000-07:002019-04-05T10:04:53.796-07:00Spring Begins with Life Lessons in Self-Employment, Home Economics & eBay<b>A new season has begun here at Ravenwood and, oh, what a relief it is. </b><br />
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<b>First</b>, all the snow from the <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/indecent-slander-in-clallam-county.html" target="_blank">record-breaking dump in February</a> finally melted two days after spring started. Here's what it looked like the first day of spring in the front yard, where the shadow of the house blocked half the yard from melting:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgfbxiNXH2VFiPc2cR5lbeExLYvHq0HkJNaWOkbeiLl0d70m0YRTW573zrZh0HbQPKNPTInsmZeilfX_JJVL-fpDJbNSM8R22vLghiNF6y_dMsptCCjduTzaCARdwafhNtOluPEtPT0w/s1600/ravenwood+spring+info.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="First Day of Spring 2019 at Ravenwood 98382, a fixer-upper rural rambler" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgfbxiNXH2VFiPc2cR5lbeExLYvHq0HkJNaWOkbeiLl0d70m0YRTW573zrZh0HbQPKNPTInsmZeilfX_JJVL-fpDJbNSM8R22vLghiNF6y_dMsptCCjduTzaCARdwafhNtOluPEtPT0w/s640/ravenwood+spring+info.jpg" title="First Day of Spring 2019 at Ravenwood 98382, a fixer-upper rural rambler" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Second</b>, we are no longer in the <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html" target="_blank">self-employment struggle</a> which gave us a loss of $6k last year, and more likely than not other losses in prior years. Making money is not the same as managing money, and I have always preferred making it over managing it. So I have made it my goal to be better with managing the money, because I <i>have</i> to get better.<br />
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If we ever want to be better with our finances, I have to master my bookkeeping and money management skills, especially because it is not my money now but my husband's earnings that support our household. So, now that I have been keeping records the past couple years, my home bookkeeping data tracks every receipt and bill, which is how it should be but in reality not everyone does it or knows how to do it; and this time I went over the numbers in closer detail.<br />
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I discovered that the $6k hole almost perfectly matched the business costs associated with being self-employed as a contractor in Washington State. Once the numbers proved that more self-employment would only bury us out here more, it was evident what was actually needed to make our goals happen --<i> full-time employment. </i><br />
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After a winter of an excruciating job search that left us feeling hopeless on most days and discriminated against on others, an offer finally came through. Now my husband has an excellent position as a construction quality specialist with an established builder who provides more work than there are hours in a day to get it all done; perks include the usual benefits but also a company truck, which is a major relief for our one-truck household, plus a Costco membership where we already do 90% of our household shopping -- <i>the absolute best perk ever! </i><br />
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<i>(For anyone else going through a job search in a rural area: Keep going through the hell, keep faith in what you're doing, and you'll get through it; revamp your resume as many times as you have to; just keep going and do not settle for less than you know you are worth, or less than you can economically afford to get out of a hole.) </i><br />
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So our ducks are finally lining up and we are moving on up so that we can move on out in a few years, which segues into my <b>third</b> seasonal relief announcement:<br />
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Along with melting snow and blossoming careers, <a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/jenexx" target="_blank">my rural virtual snail-mail moving $ale on eBay</a> has helped us move more stuff out of our home and lives forever; it also helped us get through a lean winter thanks to money made from sales, over $800.<br />
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All the money came from buyers in other places, for which I am very grateful. I can state with absolute certainty, having experienced the local market here for 4 years, I never would have made that much money with local sales due to the demographics. The reality is people out here spend good money on building custom homes, not on buying other people's old stuff of which there is an overabundance due to all the seniors who vie to be the one with the most stuff when they die.<br />
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While I don't enjoy living somewhere with so little community outreach, I am thankful to have a satellite internet connection that lets me reach out to the huge world beyond this peninsula through eBay and e-commerce. The results from the 2018-2019 Winter to Declutter are as follows: 34 sales in 89 days with 140 items sold weighing 61 pounds (equivalent to an 8-year-old); packages were mailed to 19 states, 2 countries, and 1 territory.<br />
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I started doing the seasonal sales in the summer of 2018; here are my totals through the end of winter 2019:<br />
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244 Days<br />
107 Transactions<br />
330 Items Sold<br />
<u>223 Pounds </u><br />
$1,309.05 Net Profit<br />
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To give you an idea of the weight, 223 pounds is roughly 101 kg, which is the <a href="https://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/adult-weight.html" target="_blank">weight of an adult caribou or reindeer</a>.<br />
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Had I known a few years ago what I know now, we would not have moved so much stuff to the peninsula where getting rid of it has proven to be a harder and longer process than becoming a court reporter. A moving tip for anyone who wants it: Before moving to a rural area, get rid of excess stuff in urban areas where there are an abundance of donation centers and where people are likely to pay more for it if you try to sell it.<br />
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With that being said, everything happens for a reason and I have learned a lot from what has happened. If you find yourself in a similar situation, with too much stuff that has value to people in places where you don't live and you want to make money on your stuff instead of losing money by driving it to donation centers or paying to dump it, start listing it online so more people in more places have a chance to buy it at the price you believe it's worth.<br />
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For all the challenges we have gone through the past few years, eBay has given us a huge relief in this forgotten rural area where the revolutionary impact of e-commerce can help people live, work, and be productive, without having to be subsidized farmers.<br />
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We have moved 223 pounds of stuff out of our lives forever, with me doing the listing and packaging, and my wonderful handy husband doing all the delivering to the post office; everything went to people who wanted it and were happy to pay for it; and moving it out the door didn't wear us out as much as it did when we moved it here. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/jenexx" target="_blank">My eBay experiment</a> has been eye-opening and rewarding in two ways: the money earned and the economics learned.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/jenexx" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjINmp5gUYa0RDbegBcD07hQm1a5tgtWIp2m6ZEM5y_e1238BSYJjWL-4AEaolRB0SpIojJcTJgdpSfq1UmlJRXt_XKoa7UmBLWwG91XaEvjV6wMF8rovJ8n8Lf2RF8pG-pqFsis27nyJ0/s320/spring+fling+revelry+butterfly+square+3.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>Finally</b>, the fourth consecutive season of my eBay moving $ale -- <i><a href="http://www.ebay.com/usr/jenexx" target="_blank">the 2019 Spring Fling Revelry</a></i> -- started off on the right foot with a massive bundle of 48 books, weighing 63 pounds, selling on the first day of spring.<br />
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Since April has started, I have averaged one sale every day, with three packages waiting to be mailed in the morning. Sales are hit and miss, of course, but every time something goes out the door I hope the buyer will be as happy with it as I am to see it go.<br />
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And now, with steady full-time employment attained and things finally heading in a better direction, I am taking April off from listing anything on eBay, so I can enjoy my first official month of housewifedom. I imagine it's what parents feel like when kids go back to school; suddenly there is a schedule in place and instantly a new daily routine begins which brings a calm relief over the house while tending to duties; and everything is as it should be.<br />
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Below are screenshots of some random eBay sales the past couple months to give people an idea of what sells and to encourage anyone who wants to get rid of stuff to start getting rid of stuff now; on each screenshot I marked the date sold, the page views, and the listing start time; click the pictures to enlarge them.<br />
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<b>Stop procrastinating and start today</b>; your future self will thank you for it in 244 days.<br />
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<i>Thanks for reading!</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzD16dadTt2O1KeO9vdQDOOWzZvhNTw24s9UcRExZzD0YLX1UKuu9ZPUvVrMH0pMUHL7EWh-5bNz9XhpQWwIw7ULJcT2dL7F__1qlCLUNcrlKwKfzGsSe1GQrsjxCSc4pe5zIhUbfehE/s1600/home+repair+books+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1243" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrzD16dadTt2O1KeO9vdQDOOWzZvhNTw24s9UcRExZzD0YLX1UKuu9ZPUvVrMH0pMUHL7EWh-5bNz9XhpQWwIw7ULJcT2dL7F__1qlCLUNcrlKwKfzGsSe1GQrsjxCSc4pe5zIhUbfehE/s640/home+repair+books+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNNGw-XXFHtjgZK1NGPodhOZBvjPcAw8L-zwUPMmnzyLTojLPBtgM-CEJXUH1fadNMSYuJInLsABup8INp7qaUdbb1HY4YtLpGRMZYJzW-mBZrSLQE6PCvV8NecVk15Uf0nZ4UVLZMic/s1600/haha+lung+books+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="1260" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnNNGw-XXFHtjgZK1NGPodhOZBvjPcAw8L-zwUPMmnzyLTojLPBtgM-CEJXUH1fadNMSYuJInLsABup8INp7qaUdbb1HY4YtLpGRMZYJzW-mBZrSLQE6PCvV8NecVk15Uf0nZ4UVLZMic/s640/haha+lung+books+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5BW38sRFS0MSQ2Rwl0Vx5LwIaDriMOneElKRGF6kwlmnJ5YcBxrIwOFBJqA7lwF74ojCaYLsYoLoWPt21nTGqkkYlSkZouZJuIrECJDeAPFqg0XyDRFqglKXdLDgcfK2s8AGyUncj8M/s1600/holy+bible+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="1117" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5BW38sRFS0MSQ2Rwl0Vx5LwIaDriMOneElKRGF6kwlmnJ5YcBxrIwOFBJqA7lwF74ojCaYLsYoLoWPt21nTGqkkYlSkZouZJuIrECJDeAPFqg0XyDRFqglKXdLDgcfK2s8AGyUncj8M/s640/holy+bible+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSON_8s6UTiPhZ5N1d29Iu1v20u5-J0bEd5-bHQK6RMdZSwnVYoPa8KAXjGG5v7E3rkgVJEeUIDllbK538RKJeVoWZ86N4isFhir4vVE1Lb-wqJFa4B8Wi1yx6PwHJojwFYCvbXupdzs/s1600/shooting+book+bundle+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1247" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSON_8s6UTiPhZ5N1d29Iu1v20u5-J0bEd5-bHQK6RMdZSwnVYoPa8KAXjGG5v7E3rkgVJEeUIDllbK538RKJeVoWZ86N4isFhir4vVE1Lb-wqJFa4B8Wi1yx6PwHJojwFYCvbXupdzs/s640/shooting+book+bundle+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4rR9Tj0NPpvkxe8tWnrbKncGzcfHjO8dncLRakqxbV_zean_Dh65AMQeYFo4zugy6V2p9RABSWynuNluR315611Jm7tqmdV2chFqbUDNAAHM1ilAdpQZA6PZMRaOe2lKTq0DY094G-s/s1600/horror+stories+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="1295" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4rR9Tj0NPpvkxe8tWnrbKncGzcfHjO8dncLRakqxbV_zean_Dh65AMQeYFo4zugy6V2p9RABSWynuNluR315611Jm7tqmdV2chFqbUDNAAHM1ilAdpQZA6PZMRaOe2lKTq0DY094G-s/s640/horror+stories+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKoT7LtQ8zxvwVfAMPNe3_GvO90JzBemhnebW7OB8qrx-7FOxQMJwjve2ca90UtWvqOZiIuaVJBrzE79ncwWe7EhHolxpcJ80tx0r1iIsA4joE1XarDf_OmJWRe5Sp7zYCDvlICNHM_Q/s1600/safariland+set+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Accessories Sold" border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1300" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKoT7LtQ8zxvwVfAMPNe3_GvO90JzBemhnebW7OB8qrx-7FOxQMJwjve2ca90UtWvqOZiIuaVJBrzE79ncwWe7EhHolxpcJ80tx0r1iIsA4joE1XarDf_OmJWRe5Sp7zYCDvlICNHM_Q/s640/safariland+set+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Accessories Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LCmUB4c9obMlRppEWbV6OT2fxOtY-QyPzYFdv0-7Wr-tNhD3ku02vXeHsnJ_QiEhCXnxMMvXho6PmXcjlnWKcg0HUWL8jr18E1eW8wZ3rYh_u8Ofrx0dJUwxnt30SqTVcz7o1wQWgu4/s1600/hoppes+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Accessories Sold" border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1228" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LCmUB4c9obMlRppEWbV6OT2fxOtY-QyPzYFdv0-7Wr-tNhD3ku02vXeHsnJ_QiEhCXnxMMvXho6PmXcjlnWKcg0HUWL8jr18E1eW8wZ3rYh_u8Ofrx0dJUwxnt30SqTVcz7o1wQWgu4/s640/hoppes+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Accessories Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMrDW8C9IOXf9KcoQiocBHItjKyiPd7VdhNiNSOshzrZ2sqo5whuiQWqPGTd8E6Cxy2UEEluiu8DOEsAufhVnMdeuW2szd2uvkOeXDOnJZYAW1QA2ASGOyogygXeCV1HyRCjLFz5Gzks/s1600/hoppes+mug+patch+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Collectibles Sold" border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1266" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMrDW8C9IOXf9KcoQiocBHItjKyiPd7VdhNiNSOshzrZ2sqo5whuiQWqPGTd8E6Cxy2UEEluiu8DOEsAufhVnMdeuW2szd2uvkOeXDOnJZYAW1QA2ASGOyogygXeCV1HyRCjLFz5Gzks/s640/hoppes+mug+patch+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Firearms Collectibles Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtLslUspZ5tOqk_C0rLHwl92ifp630VDnDPjbe5Ku1NFB2irR-47YRVv2boP_GXkxhrIIH-Z2is16YSdgMLNqTBW5nzjKnkwrGx5LZcTqYf1PoOJDOm5aXDPNTHv_6mV6NYfl0lRLAjU/s1600/wonder+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Decor Collectibles Sold" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1224" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMtLslUspZ5tOqk_C0rLHwl92ifp630VDnDPjbe5Ku1NFB2irR-47YRVv2boP_GXkxhrIIH-Z2is16YSdgMLNqTBW5nzjKnkwrGx5LZcTqYf1PoOJDOm5aXDPNTHv_6mV6NYfl0lRLAjU/s640/wonder+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Decor Collectibles Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfYg9-IuU5mdR8cKvZXmkpLgGcvupLLmYThjPhKxePP8CuUG_L73w-Oyf0u1x4Hig1IGaTZd3YJhc8bUilYyhaU6Pd43R379LMD-oKtJPPNDLIKIiqx2jbJpnx1bCxOkRFnuiJGyLV6M/s1600/cooking+dvds+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="eBay Moving Sale Used Books DVDs Sold" border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1324" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfYg9-IuU5mdR8cKvZXmkpLgGcvupLLmYThjPhKxePP8CuUG_L73w-Oyf0u1x4Hig1IGaTZd3YJhc8bUilYyhaU6Pd43R379LMD-oKtJPPNDLIKIiqx2jbJpnx1bCxOkRFnuiJGyLV6M/s640/cooking+dvds+sold+ebay+screenshot.jpg" title="eBay Moving Sale Used Books DVDs Sold" width="640" /></a></div>
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JenExxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02887477919834373014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8772270812331374813.post-13231202308448170242019-02-14T05:18:00.001-08:002019-02-14T15:05:27.685-08:00Indecent Slander in Clallam County & What's Really Happening During the February 2019 Snowstorm <b>Have you been wondering to yourself: </b>What must it be like to live in the midst of the historic February 2019 snow-dump on the rural north Olympic Peninsula of Washington State? Please, let me fill you in.<br />
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<b>For starters, our front yard is a swimming pool of snow </b>and I haven't seen the bottom fence beam since February 8th:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0htYcmf5MB9hyphenhyphenKZmU9ccXkWrYdrexauRkrpOhmDMS_U5Afte-7UItgnZeAW5j50VXWfT7zAqsxC2kOO9QdzGtQ1GfUJmleew_-HixYhB6AD5hb6AS_SP1IpJGMJQaMnorfoGAMwvrxrI/s1600/0007+edit+feb+4+9+comparison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Front yard snow accumulation before and after epic February 8/9, 2019 snow dump" border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0htYcmf5MB9hyphenhyphenKZmU9ccXkWrYdrexauRkrpOhmDMS_U5Afte-7UItgnZeAW5j50VXWfT7zAqsxC2kOO9QdzGtQ1GfUJmleew_-HixYhB6AD5hb6AS_SP1IpJGMJQaMnorfoGAMwvrxrI/s640/0007+edit+feb+4+9+comparison.jpg" title="Front yard snow accumulation before and after epic February 8/9, 2019 snow dump" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>That's when my husband and I officially got snowed-in our remote private property.</b> We share a fence line with Department of Natural Resources land that connects to Olympic National Forest land, to give you an idea of the remote logistics. Due to the length of the driveway (over one-tenth of a mile) and us not having any major machinery to the move the snow, it's been a shoveling game for over a week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK3f7LBkjzbRSGyy6nWhzFMkxQieoQVayXB1w7X7r3QhRV2AoOT3R4kZRP6KysbugADK2jCpBFwqoSTrGAHGj1dq-uEcz6gjx09wKYF-dAsX4GLYI-lVknGWaOkqwEMxxeb_3rk_l84c/s1600/IMG_0002+ravenwood+john.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Shoveling the driveway in rural Clallam County during the February 2019 snowstorm " border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvK3f7LBkjzbRSGyy6nWhzFMkxQieoQVayXB1w7X7r3QhRV2AoOT3R4kZRP6KysbugADK2jCpBFwqoSTrGAHGj1dq-uEcz6gjx09wKYF-dAsX4GLYI-lVknGWaOkqwEMxxeb_3rk_l84c/s640/IMG_0002+ravenwood+john.jpg" title="Shoveling the driveway in rural Clallam County during the February 2019 snowstorm " width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>But, since we have supplies, we aren't injured and aren't in serious need of anything,</b> we haven't made it top priority to get out, especially since the local 'news' from neighbors was that the county roads are covered with snow and cars were in the ditches.<br />
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<b>So there has been no major rush to get anywhere, which has worked well</b> since my husband has spent numerous hours making sure the property buildings are holding up under the record-breaking weight by removing many feet and pounds of snow from the building roofs; and without any major problems or accidents -- <i>knock on wood paneling.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaFJutxVexwO8CPO2aCBLeeBmuhy-HPGWrI4aNKtOhr7w-U_EqgMBf323Nm2x9kgRL7T-Yp5PSMTonyGS5ooE8BKGZOsYAW5vJYql26_nqTz3KsmZHGI7-iXTNM56VZeNwgQmRmcmo3o/s1600/IMG_0012+%25283%2529+john+ravenwood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Clearing many feet and hundreds of pounds of snow weight from outbuilding roofs " border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaFJutxVexwO8CPO2aCBLeeBmuhy-HPGWrI4aNKtOhr7w-U_EqgMBf323Nm2x9kgRL7T-Yp5PSMTonyGS5ooE8BKGZOsYAW5vJYql26_nqTz3KsmZHGI7-iXTNM56VZeNwgQmRmcmo3o/s640/IMG_0012+%25283%2529+john+ravenwood.jpg" title="Clearing many feet and hundreds of pounds of snow weight from outbuilding roofs " width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFzBWWwJ9g3q1T3lb2nV6hyylk-3_RZMi7xqOjIBpCyiXBxmP2wTluDB17ni-9T0J98gA_3y_x8eUDNkMr7YqZbtJLRy6W_7Bmri0cYl4tUkcF5K87GGWZqLd7w6T3I8gBxOCY2bXWoM/s1600/0006+edit+ravenwood+snow+measure+02092019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="21 inches of snow accumulation on the wood shed roof after 24 hours of snow on February 9, 2019" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibFzBWWwJ9g3q1T3lb2nV6hyylk-3_RZMi7xqOjIBpCyiXBxmP2wTluDB17ni-9T0J98gA_3y_x8eUDNkMr7YqZbtJLRy6W_7Bmri0cYl4tUkcF5K87GGWZqLd7w6T3I8gBxOCY2bXWoM/s640/0006+edit+ravenwood+snow+measure+02092019.jpg" title="21 inches of snow accumulation on the wood shed roof after 24 hours of snow on February 9, 2019" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Buyers on <a href="https://www.ebay.com/usr/jenexx" target="_blank">eBay</a> have been very nice and patient too,</b> as I have explained the situation to folks whose packages are not going anywhere; and even if I could get to the post office, I don't know how far mail is moving beyond my area.<br />
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<b>While my husband and I have both lived through colder and longer Montana winters</b> than this one record-breaking month in Washington State, we have never experienced this much snow so quickly in a region that is always under-prepared for snow, while at the same time receiving very little information from local authorities in a rural area.<br />
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<b>For example, I invite anyone who has a Twitter account to <a href="https://twitter.com/clallamweb" target="_blank">click here</a></b> and view how much information <a href="https://twitter.com/clallamweb" target="_blank"><b>Clallam County</b></a> has posted during the week of a snow storm that has left many without power at times, not to mention leaving people stranded on their properties with unmovable amounts of snow. I'm not speaking of my place, but of the majority 55-and-over demographic in the county, and people out here who have limited mobility and pressing needs in an emergency such as physical injuries and running out of prescription medications.<br />
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<b>While Facebook is the preferred social media site in this region,</b> there is no sound reason in 2019 for county agencies to segregate themselves to one social media platform, thereby forcing everyone else to use the platform, when more and more people are using multiple platforms now and not just Facebook.<br />
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<b>As well, the <a href="http://www.clallam.net/" target="_blank">official Clallam County website</a> is always open and free for everyone to look at <a href="http://www.clallam.net/" target="_blank">here</a></b>, so you can see how much information is being put out to the public during a time of emergency in this region. It is staggering that in the year 2019, with so many communication tools online made for sharing information, the county doesn't provide more information to the public; I understand the explanation is usually due to budget cuts and/or staff not knowing how to use the tools.<br />
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<b>But, beyond the lack of information, I discovered a more serious problem</b> --<i> discriminatory slander</i> -- while reading the <b><a href="http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/sheriff20190212134715.pdf" target="_blank">February 12, 2019, Clallam County Sheriff's Office Report</a>:</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8MiaR7QkjjLQZRkzpzKpJGYwsPT2ct2Rm2JZACEvj0lJKQJSzMoKDXeqsF6WUJ3LlQI5Dn08dbN1ByvX41Fp0qE3C2ui66Pi7w-6jKYm0Kns0Duhk0fFcfqoKLHnAhDh4MNQ0_Y6pGk/s1600/02122019+clallam+county+sheriffs+report-page-001+box.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="February 12, 2019, Clallam County Sheriff's Office Report" border="0" data-original-height="1163" data-original-width="1199" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8MiaR7QkjjLQZRkzpzKpJGYwsPT2ct2Rm2JZACEvj0lJKQJSzMoKDXeqsF6WUJ3LlQI5Dn08dbN1ByvX41Fp0qE3C2ui66Pi7w-6jKYm0Kns0Duhk0fFcfqoKLHnAhDh4MNQ0_Y6pGk/s640/02122019+clallam+county+sheriffs+report-page-001+box.jpg" title="February 12, 2019, Clallam County Sheriff's Office Report" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>The image was made from the Sheriff's Office Report <a href="http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/sheriff20190212134715.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a> and I added the red box around the slander for emphasis:</b><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>We would like everyone to be aware that while storms and emergencies bring out the </i><i>best in most people, it also brings out some who want to take advantage of the </i><i>situation. </i><i>You can visit the Washington State Labor and Industries site and verify if a </i><i>contractor is licensed and bonded with the state. https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/ or </i><i>click on the link on our website. </i></blockquote>
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<b>Note that the sheriff's office does not warn the public of anyone else </b>who may take advantage of this emergent situation, except contractors who offer home repair services. So, if that isn't slander or discrimination or profiling, can somebody reading this please tell me what it is in the legal realm -- <i>when a government agency singles out one group of people and infers that they intend to do something malicious? </i><br />
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<b>After four years of living in this area, and seeing my husband's contracting business earn less</b> and less, to the point that paying for the state license and bond to be a self-employed contractor in Clallam County is not worth it because the people here don't want to pay for the licensed services that they demand; it's no wonder that contractors don't get treated or <a href="https://evepenman.blogspot.com/2019/02/are-food-stamps-in-your-future-on.html" target="_blank">paid well</a> from the public in Clallam County -- <i>because the public is being warned by local authorities not to trust home repair contractors. </i><br />
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<b>Why isn't the sheriff's office warning the public about staying away from anyone asking for help in a snow storm?</b> That's another way how people take advantage of an emergency situation too, by looking weak so that someone who is unsuspecting will help them. But for whatever reason the sheriff's office doesn't warn about that, only contractors who make a living by repairing homes in Clallam County.<br />
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<b>I found the <a href="http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/sheriff20190212134715.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> on the main page of the <a href="http://www.clallam.net/" target="_blank">official Clallam County website</a></b> while trying to find current information about the road conditions, which resulted in me learning through the <a href="http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/ci20190206121023.pdf" target="_blank"><b>Clallam County Snow and Ice Removal Procedures PDF</b></a> that there is no set pattern to snow removal, nor is there any way of being updated as to when roads will be cleared since the crews are unable to stay in contact.<br />
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<b>So, that's what's really happening with the roads in Clallam County </b>-- <i>they are undermanned, under-serviced, and under-budget. </i><br />
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<b>Since the information I want isn't being put online, I shared a lot of the Snow & Ice Removal Procedures PDF on <a href="https://twitter.com/jenexxifer" target="_blank">my Twitter account</a></b> so more people here and everywhere can find the information and learn what it's really like in Clallam County.<br />
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<b>I also exercised my free speech by sending an email to Anne Chastain, the contact in the <a href="http://websrv7.clallam.net/forms/uploads/sheriff20190212134715.pdf" target="_blank">sheriff's office report</a>, </b>and gave her my unsolicited opinion of the discrimination in the report against contractors working to make a living in Clallam County at a time when locals are snowed-in and there's no information about what's going on, which is what the county should be focused on -- <i>getting services running and making sure county roads are cleared for residents to use</i> -- instead of slandering the local people who pay taxes that keep public employees fed.<br />
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<b>To end on a happy note, we are staying fed, too, as I attempted a batch of over-sized <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10264/oatmeal-raisin-cookies-i/" target="_blank">oatmeal-raisin cookies</a></b> the other day and the result was perfection, which makes up for the less-than-perfect predicament we are currently working through with a healthy sense of humor.<b> <a href="https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10264/oatmeal-raisin-cookies-i/" target="_blank">Get the recipe here</a>, and <a href="mailto:evepenman@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me here</a> or leave a comment with your thoughts, <u>if you think the sheriff's office is right to single-out contractors or wrong for doing it, or something else.</u></b><br />
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THANK YOU FOR READING</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSjUHSgVOkrPraU2OVf_8GICZtvdj__mzcjWCyKVd45lMWQ3EYwtfcsx_HPwL3aYhg24kOsy7p5M94E8EL5CEoQiMe5k_Vkk8VMzSx1pBUn95qKgQ9Vj5V1AUAWIA7jSpFqF5PbPWTCY/s1600/IMG_0004+%25282%2529+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Perfect Snow Day Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies on grandma's antique saucer plate" border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXSjUHSgVOkrPraU2OVf_8GICZtvdj__mzcjWCyKVd45lMWQ3EYwtfcsx_HPwL3aYhg24kOsy7p5M94E8EL5CEoQiMe5k_Vkk8VMzSx1pBUn95qKgQ9Vj5V1AUAWIA7jSpFqF5PbPWTCY/s640/IMG_0004+%25282%2529+cookies.jpg" title="Perfect Snow Day Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies on grandma's antique saucer plate" width="640" /></a></div>
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