Well, we've been using the homemade stuff for awhile now and still like it. We've made it easier on ourselves by getting a bigger food processor, one that has the power to take care of the soap. One thing I did start to notice recently was that our towels were starting to smell like mildew. I knew our washing machine had to have the door left open to keep it from smelling that way, but this was getting worse every week, so I had to do some more research to find a solution or else we'd have to replace our towels and likely go back to commercial detergents. Luckily my research gave me something to try and it has worked. The recipe for our detergent is now:
2 cups of grated Fels Naptha soap
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Washing Soda
1/2 cup of oxygen cleaner (like Oxyclean, but we didn't buy the name brand stuff)
It took probably a good half dozen washes to finally start getting the smell out (it was really set in), but in the end we saved our towels and my nose. :)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Social network? How do you figure?
I just read a comment someone wrote about Facebook. It wasn't long, it just contained a short quip about the user's mom and what she said about it. What she said was that ever since Facebook became popular and everyone started using it she, being one of the few who doesn't use it, has lost track of what is going on with the people she knows. She used to get the occasional e-mail or phone call, but now, nothing. This brought to mind the fact that, though they call it a social network, Facebook is more like a social cop-out. I know some of you will argue this, that it is a great way to be more involved in the life of others, but I am going to post my thoughts on it.
Now, to make sure it is clear, I hardly log in to Facebook, let alone actually use it. Every time I log in to it I see random comments that to understand I would have to read millions of posts from many people to get a somewhat hazy picture of what the poster might actually be talking about, I just don't have the patience to figure out someone else's drama, so I avoid Facebook and if anyone messages me on it I usually don't see it until much later. Anyway, that being said here is why I feel that using a social network to connect with others is really just a way to not do it.
Our communication skills have been getting worse as our technology improves. It used to be you had to travel somewhere to talk to someone and that made it a very special occasion to get to catch up with them. Then at some point we started sending messages, like mail, with someone to be delivered. This made it possible for us to keep up on the more recent events but it was still special to see people, this was actually an improvement. The next thing that happened is we could call someone and talk to them, hearing someone's voice can be very comforting and also gives us a more instant connection to people, talking on the phone can still be quite personal, though a letter is more heartfelt and visiting in person is still the best way to connect with someone. The next things that happened were technology, we started sending e-mails, still something we could personalize, like a letter, except that it arrived nearly instantly. We eventually moved on to paging people or sending text messages, which limited the things we could say which changed our language and degraded our skills in actually writing. Then we continued down this path and eventually arrived with social networks. Now, instead of sending a person a letter, calling someone specifically or using any other of the past points of contact we can just post our thoughts to everyone in general and if we want to connect with someone specifically we "like" their post or say something short and truly pathetic in terms of comfort to what we previously had. So, instead of making single, personal connections that take time out of our lives and let people know we care, we instead can put this little "social" blurbs about what's going on and let people know we saw they wrote something. Don't you feel so much closer now to the person who said, "Yeah, that sucks" to you when you shared your absolutely worst experience ever with them? Yeah, I don't either.
So, to keep with the theme of this blog, your life will be quite a bit greener if you take some time to really connect with others. Give someone a call or write them a letter, it will make them feel better and in turn you'll feel better as well, especially if they take the time to write a letter back.
As a side note, I must add this as well. Social networks aren't all evil, they do have some benefits for people that really don't have much time in the day and need to connect somehow. My wife for example pointed out that it helps her feel less lonely in the day and she doesn't really have the ability to call someone or write a letter when she's watching two young children. So yes, they have their place, but my argument is that they aren't always as social as they are made to be.
Now, to make sure it is clear, I hardly log in to Facebook, let alone actually use it. Every time I log in to it I see random comments that to understand I would have to read millions of posts from many people to get a somewhat hazy picture of what the poster might actually be talking about, I just don't have the patience to figure out someone else's drama, so I avoid Facebook and if anyone messages me on it I usually don't see it until much later. Anyway, that being said here is why I feel that using a social network to connect with others is really just a way to not do it.
Our communication skills have been getting worse as our technology improves. It used to be you had to travel somewhere to talk to someone and that made it a very special occasion to get to catch up with them. Then at some point we started sending messages, like mail, with someone to be delivered. This made it possible for us to keep up on the more recent events but it was still special to see people, this was actually an improvement. The next thing that happened is we could call someone and talk to them, hearing someone's voice can be very comforting and also gives us a more instant connection to people, talking on the phone can still be quite personal, though a letter is more heartfelt and visiting in person is still the best way to connect with someone. The next things that happened were technology, we started sending e-mails, still something we could personalize, like a letter, except that it arrived nearly instantly. We eventually moved on to paging people or sending text messages, which limited the things we could say which changed our language and degraded our skills in actually writing. Then we continued down this path and eventually arrived with social networks. Now, instead of sending a person a letter, calling someone specifically or using any other of the past points of contact we can just post our thoughts to everyone in general and if we want to connect with someone specifically we "like" their post or say something short and truly pathetic in terms of comfort to what we previously had. So, instead of making single, personal connections that take time out of our lives and let people know we care, we instead can put this little "social" blurbs about what's going on and let people know we saw they wrote something. Don't you feel so much closer now to the person who said, "Yeah, that sucks" to you when you shared your absolutely worst experience ever with them? Yeah, I don't either.
So, to keep with the theme of this blog, your life will be quite a bit greener if you take some time to really connect with others. Give someone a call or write them a letter, it will make them feel better and in turn you'll feel better as well, especially if they take the time to write a letter back.
As a side note, I must add this as well. Social networks aren't all evil, they do have some benefits for people that really don't have much time in the day and need to connect somehow. My wife for example pointed out that it helps her feel less lonely in the day and she doesn't really have the ability to call someone or write a letter when she's watching two young children. So yes, they have their place, but my argument is that they aren't always as social as they are made to be.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Home Solar Followup
What an interesting year it has been for me. Back in February, when I was hoping that the solar install would happen our energy provider decided to stop handing out rebates, which was essential for my lease to work. So I played the waiting game, following up every few weeks with my project manager to see what was going on and finally, after a few more anxious months, my panels were installed in July. Strangely though, the delay was actually a very good thing for us. You see, we got a good hail storm about a month and a half before the panels were installed and my insurance, after taking a look at my roof, bought me a new roof. So the same week we were looking at getting the panels done was the week we ended up getting a new roof and the following week the panels were up. Once they were there it took another couple of weeks before everything could be turned on, once again having to wait on our energy company. However, once it was all done and everything was hooked up I got to turn it on and then followed up on it every day for the first week looking at the numbers. Now, I don't think about it as much, its there and doing what it needs to, I've received two bills that were lower than they normally are, which is good.
One thing that made me a bit sad was that when the panels were installed a new meter was installed as well, a digital one, so I can't actually go watch it spin backwards any more. Oh well, it's not the end of the world, but it still would have been fun to watch. As of this morning my system has generated 855.4kWh of energy, this offsets about 253.9lbs of coal or saves about 3/5 of a tree or about a half a barrel of oil. It doesn't sound like much, but every little bit helps, plus my wallet and budget are a bit happier now and will stay happier longer as energy prices continue to go up.
To finalize my thoughts on it this morning I am still glad I went with this option, Sungevity was great to work with and I am very happy with product they have leased to me. I would definitely recommend anyone who can to check them out, they have been growing a lot lately and if they are in your area they might be able to save you some money in the long run as well. Be sure to use my referral number when you get your quote:
1.) Go to www.Sungevity.com
2.) Enter your address and information. When the site asks "How did you hear about us?" type in my referral code 44120 so you can get the $500 gift card bonus.
3.) In 24 hours, you'll receive your free, no obligation iQuote in your email inbox.
One thing that made me a bit sad was that when the panels were installed a new meter was installed as well, a digital one, so I can't actually go watch it spin backwards any more. Oh well, it's not the end of the world, but it still would have been fun to watch. As of this morning my system has generated 855.4kWh of energy, this offsets about 253.9lbs of coal or saves about 3/5 of a tree or about a half a barrel of oil. It doesn't sound like much, but every little bit helps, plus my wallet and budget are a bit happier now and will stay happier longer as energy prices continue to go up.
To finalize my thoughts on it this morning I am still glad I went with this option, Sungevity was great to work with and I am very happy with product they have leased to me. I would definitely recommend anyone who can to check them out, they have been growing a lot lately and if they are in your area they might be able to save you some money in the long run as well. Be sure to use my referral number when you get your quote:
1.) Go to www.Sungevity.com
2.) Enter your address and information. When the site asks "How did you hear about us?" type in my referral code 44120 so you can get the $500 gift card bonus.
3.) In 24 hours, you'll receive your free, no obligation iQuote in your email inbox.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Netflix
After ditching the cable oh so many years ago (has it really been 4 years already?) and going with over the air television for quite a while, I decided, after hearing about their streaming service, to try out Netflix. I have to say, it was great. It was affordable and so long as we watched at least 2 movies a week it paid for itself when compared to Redbox (which is another good option for the occasional movie watcher). However, with recent changes I have rid myself of Netflix's services. The prices have gone up and they separated their DVD and streaming service. I would have kept the streaming except for one thing I heard. They were losing their deal with Starz, which wouldn't have affected most people, but for us it is a real deal killer. You see, the streaming was great for my daughter who loves to have the TV on, not to watch, usually, but to have the noise. With the coming loss of that content our selection would be pitiful and so I had to say fair-well to them. This however gave me a hole in my budget, I already had allocated money for Netflix and so now I could take this money and move it towards buying more DVDs, which I have done. So, with this change and going back to using our local library and Redbox some more, I am probably saving more money than I was spending, just without the convenience. I will still recommend the service as an alternative to cable, but not as a way to get what you weren't getting anyway.
Now for my next task in making life convenient for my family, figuring out how to create a digital media center for all those DVDs so I don't have to get up and put them in the tray and then wait for them to load.
Now for my next task in making life convenient for my family, figuring out how to create a digital media center for all those DVDs so I don't have to get up and put them in the tray and then wait for them to load.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Rethink Processes
I was talking to someone I work with yesterday about how difficult it is for them to make meals, not that they didn't have time but that when they finished making them they didn't want to eat them right away, instead they wanted to rest afterwards for a few hours. This got me thinking about how we all have processes and everyone seems to adopt them in the same way that they observed someone else do them. For the most part you can see what works for someone and see if it works for you, but what happens if it doesn't? Do you give up the good thing you could have if you did this process or do you force yourself to do it anyway? The problem with forcing yourself is that you won't really enjoy it and if you give up the good things how will you change? I thought about the problem that was presented to me and gave the coworked a different perspective on it.
What I asked was why dinner had to be prepared before dinner time. I mean, if you eat very late which we all know isn't very good for you because you're spending the time making the meal, is it really worth it? Probably not, you might be negating the benefits of the good food by eating it at a time that your body would rather be settling down for bed. So my suggestion was this: make the meals in advance. Use a slow cooker and have the food cooking while you're at work and in order to save yourself from having to get up so early to prepare it, do all the preparations after you have eaten dinner. That way instead of making dinner before eating you're making it afterwards for the next day which will help you to eat earlier instead of later. This works for other things as well, just because it is normally done one way by most people doesn't mean that's the way you have to do it.
I look at recipes as more a basic set of instructions to be loosely followed. With that kind of mindset I can go from making what it says to creating what I would rather have. I often do this with soups and casseroles because I don't have everything they ask for and normally they turn out pretty good with the changes I make. Some of the processes I change aren't always for the better either, at least not for everyone, but they work better for me and makes it more of my own so that I can actually remember it. I often did this in math class when I was in school, skipping steps or doing two parts of it at once. I did this because I saw it as redundant and it drove my teachers crazy, they would always ask how I got there and tell me to show my work, which I would point out I did but I just cut out the extra steps (and my answer was right, so did it really matter that I did it their way?). There are many processes we follow in life, some are good as they are but others can be changed to accomodate your own lifestyle. Perhaps there is a time that works better for you to do something, it may not be normal, but if it works and doesn't disturb other people's processes I would say go for it, take that task and make it your own.
What I asked was why dinner had to be prepared before dinner time. I mean, if you eat very late which we all know isn't very good for you because you're spending the time making the meal, is it really worth it? Probably not, you might be negating the benefits of the good food by eating it at a time that your body would rather be settling down for bed. So my suggestion was this: make the meals in advance. Use a slow cooker and have the food cooking while you're at work and in order to save yourself from having to get up so early to prepare it, do all the preparations after you have eaten dinner. That way instead of making dinner before eating you're making it afterwards for the next day which will help you to eat earlier instead of later. This works for other things as well, just because it is normally done one way by most people doesn't mean that's the way you have to do it.
I look at recipes as more a basic set of instructions to be loosely followed. With that kind of mindset I can go from making what it says to creating what I would rather have. I often do this with soups and casseroles because I don't have everything they ask for and normally they turn out pretty good with the changes I make. Some of the processes I change aren't always for the better either, at least not for everyone, but they work better for me and makes it more of my own so that I can actually remember it. I often did this in math class when I was in school, skipping steps or doing two parts of it at once. I did this because I saw it as redundant and it drove my teachers crazy, they would always ask how I got there and tell me to show my work, which I would point out I did but I just cut out the extra steps (and my answer was right, so did it really matter that I did it their way?). There are many processes we follow in life, some are good as they are but others can be changed to accomodate your own lifestyle. Perhaps there is a time that works better for you to do something, it may not be normal, but if it works and doesn't disturb other people's processes I would say go for it, take that task and make it your own.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Homemade Laundry Soap
Recently while trying to figure out more ways to save some money in my monthly budget I came across an article talking about making my own laundry soap. Now, this isn't the first time I heard about it, my wife had mentioned it to me before but as I had not been researching I hadn't listened all that much. After reading the article I did some searching and found several recipes for the soap. At our house we prefer the dry stuff, so that narrowed it down for me which one I might like to try. Then I looked into what was in it and how much work it looked like. In the end, it didn't look too hard and the soap only contains 3 ingredients. To start off I wanted to test it to see if it would even work for us, so the first thing I did was went and bought the cheapest of the ingredients I could get. All these ingredients were found at my local grocery store, they were a box of Borax, a box of Washing Soda and some Ivory soap. I also had to buy a grater because I don't like the idea of using the same grater for soap as I do for my cheese. I then followed the very simply instructions.
Grate 2 cups of soap
Mix with 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing Soda
That was it, once I had mixed it to my liking we had laundry soap. We tested it out and found that our clothes looked clean and didn't have any smell (it's odd to smell clothes that haven't been perfumed, they don't really smell like anything). We tried it out on a few loads of laundry and found that the fabric didn't quite feel as soft. So after a bit more reading I found out we could use plain white vinegar for a fabric softener. We tried this out and it worked wonderfully, so the next logical step for us was to see what happened if we tried to get rid of the dryer sheet. What we discovered was a lot of static and so I had to do more research and found a few things to try. We tried using tin foil balls, but these did not work for us, so then we went and found those fancy blue dryer balls that they sold on TV, it took some searching but we eventually found them (the store we were shopping at didn't even think they had them). Once we had these and tried them out we found that they helped. They didn't remove all the static, but enough of it to make us happy. So once we finish using up all our name brand stuff I think we're going to be a bit greener for the environment and stop using all these chemicals to clean our clothes.
Oh, and if the environment isn't enough, I found that each load of laundry would save us around 5 cents. If you do 10 loads a week that's 50 cents, which is $2 a month or $24 a year. If that isn't enough, then add in what you save by not buying dryer sheets, I'm guessing for us it comes close to $70 a year and that is an amount I can do something with. Oh, and we have an HE washer, seems to be fine with this homemade stuff, we use about 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of soap per load for our average sized load and it takes 1/4 a cup of plain white vinegar. So, having tried this I am ready to move to the next step and buy the soap they recommend, which is Fels-Naptha. When I have this and try it out I'll probably be writing some more, though from what everyone else says about it this stuff is great. So, though it originally sounded like too much work, it turned out that it was quite easy to make our own laundry soap.
Grate 2 cups of soap
Mix with 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of Washing Soda
That was it, once I had mixed it to my liking we had laundry soap. We tested it out and found that our clothes looked clean and didn't have any smell (it's odd to smell clothes that haven't been perfumed, they don't really smell like anything). We tried it out on a few loads of laundry and found that the fabric didn't quite feel as soft. So after a bit more reading I found out we could use plain white vinegar for a fabric softener. We tried this out and it worked wonderfully, so the next logical step for us was to see what happened if we tried to get rid of the dryer sheet. What we discovered was a lot of static and so I had to do more research and found a few things to try. We tried using tin foil balls, but these did not work for us, so then we went and found those fancy blue dryer balls that they sold on TV, it took some searching but we eventually found them (the store we were shopping at didn't even think they had them). Once we had these and tried them out we found that they helped. They didn't remove all the static, but enough of it to make us happy. So once we finish using up all our name brand stuff I think we're going to be a bit greener for the environment and stop using all these chemicals to clean our clothes.
Oh, and if the environment isn't enough, I found that each load of laundry would save us around 5 cents. If you do 10 loads a week that's 50 cents, which is $2 a month or $24 a year. If that isn't enough, then add in what you save by not buying dryer sheets, I'm guessing for us it comes close to $70 a year and that is an amount I can do something with. Oh, and we have an HE washer, seems to be fine with this homemade stuff, we use about 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of soap per load for our average sized load and it takes 1/4 a cup of plain white vinegar. So, having tried this I am ready to move to the next step and buy the soap they recommend, which is Fels-Naptha. When I have this and try it out I'll probably be writing some more, though from what everyone else says about it this stuff is great. So, though it originally sounded like too much work, it turned out that it was quite easy to make our own laundry soap.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Solio Charger
Sometimes you find things you like, other times you are given things you like. A couple months ago I was given a Solio Classic Solar Charger, I haven't used it as much as I like, but that is mostly because I'm a bit lazy, but thinking about it, this device is great! I have no idea what kind of money I save using it, but I do like the fact that it is doing something for me. This device charges an internal battery using light from the sun, I just stick it in a window and let it sit there when I'm not needing it. Right now, because it is winter, it doesn't charge very fast, it takes a few days to get anything usable for me, so the only thing I charge with it usually is my cell phone. But even one device can make a difference. Each little thing you and everyone else does adds up, we can have a much greener existence if we all do little things. I'm not saying everyone needs to go out and get these little solar devices, but making any little change in your life can make things better for everyone.
My journey with solar is just beginning, since entering into a lease with Sungevity I have been looking more and more into what I can do. I am looking forward to the warm season because I have many things I want to work on, one of the biggest being the yard. My yard is currently a haven for weeds, I plan to change that this year. But I also have a shed that needs some work and my plan is to eventually get a solar powered light in there as well and turn the shed into a workspace for me. I'm looking forward to planting the garden, it uses the sun too. I have ideas and plans and things to try, I'll only get to do a few of them, but I wish I could do more of them. One of the things that I love about this little device I was given is the fact that I, being lazy, have unplugged the charger for my cell phone from the wall. Yeah, that should have been something I normally did, but I didn't. Having unplugged it I know I am saving more energy, those things draw power just by being plugged in, they don't have to be charging anything to cost you money. If I can keep that unplugged and charge my phone only using the solar charger I will be thrilled.
For me, this is more than just a choice, it is a challenge. I want to take some more time this year improving my life, greening it up in ways that I dream of but have not implemented yet and to find new dreams to pursue as well. I don't want to get my solar panels and say, "Great, I've done my part." I want to say, "Wow, look at that, what a great start. Now, what's next on my list?" This solar charger is more than just a neat device to me, it is a challenge to change, to make a difference with my life by making good choices and finding ways to improve it. Oh, how I love finding passion for things, now to fight to keep that passion going.
My journey with solar is just beginning, since entering into a lease with Sungevity I have been looking more and more into what I can do. I am looking forward to the warm season because I have many things I want to work on, one of the biggest being the yard. My yard is currently a haven for weeds, I plan to change that this year. But I also have a shed that needs some work and my plan is to eventually get a solar powered light in there as well and turn the shed into a workspace for me. I'm looking forward to planting the garden, it uses the sun too. I have ideas and plans and things to try, I'll only get to do a few of them, but I wish I could do more of them. One of the things that I love about this little device I was given is the fact that I, being lazy, have unplugged the charger for my cell phone from the wall. Yeah, that should have been something I normally did, but I didn't. Having unplugged it I know I am saving more energy, those things draw power just by being plugged in, they don't have to be charging anything to cost you money. If I can keep that unplugged and charge my phone only using the solar charger I will be thrilled.
For me, this is more than just a choice, it is a challenge. I want to take some more time this year improving my life, greening it up in ways that I dream of but have not implemented yet and to find new dreams to pursue as well. I don't want to get my solar panels and say, "Great, I've done my part." I want to say, "Wow, look at that, what a great start. Now, what's next on my list?" This solar charger is more than just a neat device to me, it is a challenge to change, to make a difference with my life by making good choices and finding ways to improve it. Oh, how I love finding passion for things, now to fight to keep that passion going.
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