#this is what happens when you buy your only winter coat as a pre t underweight twink

[calamitys-child]

Wish I could get a good greatcoat without weird ww2 fetishists swarming my location like bigoted midges and also without spending a full month's paycheck

[shannaraisles]

Eclipsed - Chapter 3

Beware the company of wolves, my dear … beware the spawn of the dark. Where one rises, so does the other, and black blood runs in the streets. An old fable, perhaps, but one that is playing out on the streets of Denerim right under the noses of those not born to take notice. What happens when a mortal woman learns about the secret lives lived by the friends she thought she could trust? - A Modern Urban Fantasy Paranormal Romance AU

[Read on AO3]

Fort Drakon had once been the most feared gaol in Ferelden; the place where rebels were tortured and killed, where a Blight had been ended. These days, it had a slightly different reputation as the central building of Drakon College, the arts center of Denerim University. The place where countless men and women and elves and dwarves had suffered was now packed with music rooms, theater workshops, sound stages, and the liveliest canteen the university could boast. It was also home to the Arts Library, where Tatum worked when she wasn't studying or attending lectures and thus, it was Katrina's intended destination at this moment in time.

In the middle of the dual-level courtyard stood the Library itself, the only truly modern building within sight. Red brick and tall glass windows set it apart from the pre-Chantry Tevene architecture that surrounded it, the Satinalia decorations hanging in the windows giving it a more homely feel than Kat had been expecting to find in a library. There were six snowmen standing outside it as well, three on each side of the main door, and the sight made her laugh quietly to herself as she headed for the entrance. She remembered Tatum telling her about building those in protest at the head librarian, Mr Rutherford, not having any decent decorations for the season. He had given in after they'd stolen his spare glasses to put on one of the snowmen, apparently. None of the snow people was wearing glasses that she could see, so she assumed a condition of buying new decorations had been the returning of the hostage.

Grinning to herself, Katrina pushed open the door to the library, sighing happily as the warmth of a well-heated building washed over her. Sweet Maker, she hated winter in Ferelden with a passion. It had never got this cold in Ostwick, not even in the deepest part of winter. But this was where Tatum had wanted to be, so here they were. Thank goodness for the Fereldan obsession with supremely overheated buildings.

Already stripping off her hat and scarf, she looked around curiously at the quiet library, wondering if she should text her little sister to remind her they had a date, when her attention was caught by an enormous patchwork quilt hanging on the widest clear wall of this first floor. Each square was unique, obviously having been created by the student body at some point in the past, a riot of color and personality that clamored for the attention of the viewer. The border tied it all together, decorated with running mabari, silver on a background of black. Stepping closer, her gaze was drawn to a simply decorated square - what looked like deep navy blue velvet, decorated with pinpricks of silver and gold thread, and in the corner, a silver lamé circle. A beautifully rendered night sky complete with full moon.

"We do ask that people don't touch the quilt."

Katrina jumped, snatching her hand back from the square that had caught her attention so vividly, and turned, blinking in surprise at what she found behind her. Or rather, who.

Standing just a foot or two away was the grumpiest of her new acquaintances from last night, the gorgeous one who hadn't appreciated being teased about getting her laid. In the gloom of the bar, he had been gorgeous enough, but here and now, in the light of day ... She swallowed, unable to keep her eyes from wandering.

The man who had last night worn a dark t-shirt and jeans and glared at the world from behind his pint of ale was now stood upright, showing off his broad shoulders and the vaguest hint of a soft tummy in two parts of a three-piece suit. The jacket had either been abandoned or left off entirely, leaving him in a gray vest buttoned over a soft blue shirt, sleeves rolled up and top two buttons undone. The amber eyes that had caught her breath last night studied her from behind thick-rimmed glasses, his golden curls brushing over his brow.

And he wasn't speaking. He was just ... staring down at her, the way she was staring up at him, both of them apparently lost in similar thoughts. Maker's breath, not that similar, I hope. Kat wasn't entirely sure she wanted this beautiful specimen of a man to think of her like that.

Someone dropped something, the thump echoing through the quiet building, and she jumped again, tearing her gaze from his.

"I-I'm sorry, I ... it's lovely," she offered, glancing over her shoulder at the quilt.

The corner of his mouth turned up in a smile that tugged at the scar on his lip and made her think some truly sinful thoughts about what she could do with that mouth before she could stop herself.

"It is, isn't it?" he said, looking up at the vast quilt. "I did not mean to startle you. May I help you? Katrina, isn't it?"

Kat cleared her throat, forcing her hands to stay wrapped up in her handful of scarf and hat rather than fidget.

"Ah, yes, and, uh ... actually, I'm here to pick up my sister," she told him. "I-I didn't realize that you were Mr. Rutherford."

"Cullen," he corrected her, and she felt her lips twitch in an unbidden smile. "And you must be Tatum's sister. As far as I am aware, she is putting the back room to a purpose it was never intended for with Carver."

Kat frowned curiously.

"Who's Carver?"

It was worth the flash of vague hurt that Tatum apparently had a boyfriend she hadn't mentioned just to see Cullen momentarily at a loss for words. His mouth fell open, working silently for just a few seconds before he cleared his throat, wincing as he looked away. His hand rose to rub at his neck awkwardly.

"Could we, perhaps, pretend I did not say that?" he asked hopefully. Before she could respond, however, he was already moving on. "I, uh ... I believe I made something of a poor impression on you last night. It was not my intention to be unpleasant. Isabela constantly puts me on my guard."

"No, I-I can understand that," Kat assured him, her smile coming more easily at the implied apology. "It was pretty awkward with the whole table talking about getting me laid."

He chuckled awkwardly, and she felt a part of herself melt. There was something rather adorable about that sound, that expression on his face.

"All the same, I apologize for my behavior," he insisted. "I hope it won't prevent you from cultivating a musical friendship with Leliana. She is rather excited about it."

Kat blinked.

"Really?" she asked, surprised that the redhead had even remembered the conversation they had shared at the end of the night. "I mean, well ... it sounds like fun, but we didn't exchange numbers or anything like that. I don't have a way to contact her."

Cullen shrugged, reaching into his back pocket to pull out his cell phone.

"I could give you her number, if you would like?" he offered, frowning when Kat quickly shook her head.

"You shouldn't be giving out other people's phone numbers without their express consent," she pointed out, her expression softening at the flicker of guilt in his gaze. She considered him for a moment, and sighed. Why not? He seems trustworthy. "If I give you my number, could you give it to her?"

Cullen's mouth fell open for a moment, a glimmer in his whiskey-warm eyes almost delighted for a split second before he was nodding enthusiastically. Despite herself, Kat realized she was reminded of a large, friendly dog with that gesture, fighting not to laugh as she took his phone from his hand and typed in her own contact details.

"Oh my Maker, are you hitting on my sister, Mr. R?"

Kat didn't even bother looking up as Tatum's arm slung about her shoulders, handing Cullen's phone back to him before looking her sister in the eye.

"Finished playing tonsil hockey in the back room?" she asked innocently.

Tatum gasped theatrically, turning a playful glare onto Cullen.

"You told," she accused him laughingly.

"You locked me out of my office," he answered calmly, and Kat was both surprised and rather pleased to see the same playful flicker in his eyes once again. He was playing, and enjoying playing, rather than insulted or annoyed. That was surprisingly attractive. "Is Carver still conscious?"

"Last I saw, he was muttering about  the new catalog system," Tatum told the librarian cheerfully. "And I clocked out, so technically I'm not responsible for him right now."

"You decided to date him, that makes you responsible for him," was Cullen's response, his gaze flickering to Kat for a moment. "Don't let me detain you, I understand you have plans for the afternoon."

"Great! I'll grab my stuff."

And with that, Tatum slipped away to collect her belongings. Kat looked up at Cullen with a faint smile.

"Well, it's been ... it's been a pleasure to meet you again, Cullen," she said in a friendly way, offering him her hand. "I, um, I expect we'll meet again."

"I hope so, Katrina," he agreed, his large, warm hand enclosing hers in a gentle grasp.

"Kat," she corrected him without thinking, charmed by the way his face lit up behind his glasses.

"Kat," he confirmed, belatedly taking his hand from hers. "I will give Leliana your contact information. I expect she will be in touch within a day."

"I look forward to it. Thank you." Kat nodded, glancing away as Tatum rejoined them, wrapped up in her coat and scarf. "Ready to go, vampette?"

To her surprise, this was apparently hilarious to Cullen, who hurriedly turned his face away as he spluttered with laughter at her address to her little sister. Tatum cackled with laughter of her own at this not so subtle allusion to her back room antics, taking the hat out of Katrina's hands to wriggle it onto her elder sister's head.

"C'mon, spinster, before your purity starts showing," she said impishly, looping an arm through Kat's. "See you tomorrow, Mr. R!"

Cullen was still attempting to swallow down his chuckles, nodding as he offered a dismissive wave to the two women as they left. Kat wasn't entirely sure what was so funny about implying that her sister was a femme fatale, but apparently Tatum was a different sort of person when she was at work. It made her wonder what else she didn't know about the little sister she had turned her life upside down for. It wasn't the sort of thing she could just blurt out while they were walking through the campus, though, which meant Tatum got a slight reprieve.

A very slight reprieve, because as soon as they were sat down with their lunch at a cafe Kat hadn't even known existed off the Royal Market Square, her big sister just had to bring it up.

"So ..." Kat eyed her sister over a forkful of mashed potato. "Who is Carver?"

The guilt on Tatum's face would have been comical if Kat wasn't feeling hurt over being the last to know. The way Cullen had spoken, it seemed as though this relationship was not new, nor was it being kept a secret from anyone but her. But Tatum rallied in the face of her sister's soulful gaze.

"I didn't mean to leave you out," she said, concern bleeding from her eyes to color her expression as she spoke. "I just ... You've been kind of all about me for months now. I mean, you don't go out; you haven't kept in contact with your friends in Ostwick or Starkhaven. You just ..." She sighed. "You seem really lonely, Kat. I know I can't force you to go out and make new friends, but I thought keeping this quiet was a way of not making that worse for you."

"Why would you having a boyfriend make me feel bad?" Kat asked. "I'm glad you found someone you feel that way about. But I am hurt that you didn't feel like you could tell me."

"You're missing the point, but okay," Tatum conceded, pushing her fries through the gravy on her plate. "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, Kit-Kat."

Kat held her gaze for a long moment, but she knew she didn't really have room to complain. She herself had kept Sebastian a secret for three years while she attended university in Starkhaven, after all. She relented, offering up a forgiving smile.

"I get it," she assured her sister. "It's fine. But I want to know all about it. I cannot be outdone by your precious Mr. Rutherford when it comes to your love life."

Tatum laughed, a very faint blush painting her cheeks as she took a mouthful of her drink.

"To be fair, Carver does live with him," she offered, as though trying to assuage this sting.

Kat blinked in surprise; she hadn't expected that.

"What, are they related?" she asked, curious more about Cullen than the mysterious Carver. "He doesn't look old enough to have a son your age."

Now it was Tatum's turn to blink and stare for a moment, disbelief melting into a shriek of laughter that drew embarrassingly curious eyes toward their table until it was clear that nothing untoward was happening. Kat rolled her eyes, waiting patiently for her sister's fit of the giggles to calm down.

"No! Oh, Maker, no ..." Tatum gasped for breath, waving her hand as she fought for control of her mirth. "No, they're not related. It's kind of complicated, but I guess Mr. R is sort of Carver's guardian? He, uh, he knows Carver's brother."

"Oh, I get it." Kat smiled, choosing not to examine why this was something of a relief. "So Carver's not from around here, either?"

"No, he grew up all over Ferelden," Tatum clarified for her. "His mom moved him and his brother and sister to Kirkwall a year and a half ago, and he decided he wanted to come to uni in Denerim. So his brother called up Mr. R and arranged stuff."

What a lovely thing to do for a friend, Kat thought to herself, impressed that Cullen really did seem to have a heart as beautiful as his face. But she was supposed to be finding out about Tatum's boyfriend, not fishing for information about a handsome man. She wasn't in the market for a relationship, anyway. She distinctly remembered saying that to Isabela last night. Before you met Cullen, a quiet voice in the back of her mind pointed out.

"All right, so tell me all about Carver," she said, dismissing these thoughts to lean forward with teasingly eager eyes. "How did you meet? When did you start smooching in the stacks? Who asked who out?"

Giggling around her mouthful, Tatum swallowed, only too happy to tell her sister everything. The sheer pleasure at being able to talk freely at last went a long way to assuaging Kat's hurt feelings, gathering her close into her sister's confidence once more. Though the difference in their ages might be considered significant by some, it had never kept them from sharing everything they possibly could. Which was how they ended up in a subject Kat really should have expected to crop up.

"So ..." Tatum drew the word out, nudging her elder sister's arm as they walked over the bridge toward their own area of the city. "You gave Mr. R your number. Are you gonna bone my boss?"

"Tater!" Kat let out that exclamation in absolute shock, but swiftly dissolved into giggles. "That-that, no, that is not what was happening!"

"Oh, c'mon, he's gorgeous," Tatum pressed. "And you obviously noticed. You had those shiny eyes and everything, and he was staring at you like he'd seen Andraste's tits on a plate."

"Maker, what a terrible mental image." Kat shuddered affectedly, sharing a grin as her sister snorted with laughter.

"You know what I mean!" Tatum nudged her a little harder, this time making the gesture discernible through two layers of thick quilted winter coat. "I saw you with his phone. Did he ask you out?"

Kat laughed, shaking her head.

"No," she told her sister in amusement. "He was just getting my number to pass it on to a friend I made last night. Leliana's one of his friends, too, so it seemed like a good idea."

"Wait, wait, wait ... you met Mr. R last night and I'm only just now hearing about it?" Tatum demanded playfully. "Carver said he was going out to some music show last night - you went to that?"

"Yes." Kat tried not to sound defensive. "Isabela invited me, so I went out. And Leliana was performing her first show in a while, and all her friends were there, and they were very welcoming. Actually, wait, no, they weren't all welcoming. Your Mr. R was a bit weird and unfriendly. But he is much nicer in the light of day."

"Carver said something about Mr. R meeting someone he really liked last night and being all grumpy that he hadn't made a good impression," Tatum mused, grinning down at her big sister. "And it was you! Oh Maker, and you gave him your number to give to someone else?" She cackled with laughter. "He's gotta be so torn right now."

"Why would he be torn about that?" Kat asked, bemused by her sister's amusement.

"Duh!" Tatum rolled her eyes. "Pretty girl he kinda fancies gives him her phone number to give to someone else - does he keep it once he's passed it on, or does he delete it? Total conundrum, Kitty-Kat."

"He seems like a perfect gentleman, I trust that he'll do what's appropriate with it."

But inside, Kat could feel the blush wanting to make itself known. Had she given her number to Cullen so he could pass it on, or had she used the act of passing it onto Leliana as an excuse to give him her number? If even she wasn't sure, then she was certain he couldn't be. And if he was as gentlemanly as he seemed, then having her number would not be enough for him to make use of it. And why did she care, anyway? She'd only met him recently, not nearly long enough to know much more than how gorgeous he was both in and out of work, and last night, almost all his friends had been very ready to join in with Isabela's teasing about getting them into bed together.

Which isn't going to happen, she reminded herself. She was not looking for a relationship. She didn't want a relationship. And if she kept telling herself that, she might just start believing it, too.

[urxgfscloset]

How and Why You Should Ditch Fast Fashion

It’s no secret that clothing in today’s time is seen as disposable and worn more for aesthetic purposes rather than functionality and durability. With new styles, colors, and sizes being available almost every day it seems like the more feasible option for purchasing new outfits. Websites such as Shein.com and Forever 21.com offer exclusive deals, low prices, trendy styles as well as marketing geared towards teens and young adults. Buying from companies that recycle textiles, pay their workers a livable wage and offer an ethical workplace for employees do tend to charge more for their products, and make them less accessible to people who don’t have very much disposable income. Although this sounds like fast fashion is the better option, there are more solutions: Recycling clothing, buying second-hand, and reducing waste. Given this, I am only a broke college student who enjoys clothing, rather than someone who has done extensive research about pollution and sweatshops. This is just some light reading I have done about why recycling clothing and thrifting is all around better for the environment and your closet.

Firstly, recycling clothing. You may notice that there are designated spots in your nearest recycling bin that are meant for paper, plastic, and aluminum cans, but none for cloth items. The term “recycling” in this case does not always refer to melting down plastic or metal and turning something into a new object, but rather that we take our old clothes and reuse the fabric it is made out of to create something new. In “10 Easy Ways to Recycle Clothing and Fight Fashion Waste,” by Erica Eller from the company Goodfair, the blog mentions that 'the average person only wears about 20% of the clothing in their closet’, as well as the fact that 85% of that clothing ends up in landfills when most of it is recyclable. Erica goes into detail about what you can do to recycle/upcycle your unworn clothing. She even provides information on how to compost clothing made of natural fibers! You can read her full blog here.

Secondly, I want to talk about thrifting and buying secondhand clothing. As I mentioned before, I myself am a broke college student looking to re-vamp her closet and style. Thrifting in general is enjoyable to me, I can find pieces that have been pre-loved and have character. Old limited edition band t-shirts, blouses that have timeless style, and jeans that are perfectly worn-in are all some of the things that I have thrifted right in my small hometown. By doing this I am not only updating my wardrobe but I am also saving a large chunk of cash as well as reducing waste and pollution.

This brings me to my third and final point: reducing waste.

Up-cycling your clothing:

if you happen to find some worn-out t-shirts, you can turn them into small bags to grocery shop with. By doing this, you’re preventing the T-shirt from going into a landfill along with reducing plastic waste that is acquired while grocery shopping.

You can use old T-shirts, sweatshirts, pants, and even blankets as rags to clean your house or vehicle.

Repairing clothing:

This point, in a way, ties into recycling. When the lining of your favorite winter coat tears, you can take pieces of an old T-shirt or flannel to repair it. Use your old clothing as scraps to repair other clothing you still want to wear (Brands such as Patagonia will repair your items for little to no cost).

Donating, Selling, or Exchanging

Donate to a thrift store, just make sure you know the process for the specific store you are donating to.

Sell your unworn but still trendy clothing on apps such as Depop, Poshmark, Facebook, even on Instagram! Plato’s Closet has been a lifesaver for me since starting college. I have made several hundred bucks off of my unwanted clothes as well as saved that much, if not more on purchasing gently used items.

Set up a clothing swap with a friend- or a few friends. Every few months, my best friend Kait and I will bring clothing we no longer wear to each other's houses and trade pieces before donating or selling what neither of us wants. It works as a nice refresh, you know who owned those clothes before, and now some of these clothes may hold sentimental value

Buying, Wearing, and supporting the production of sustainable and ethically made clothing does not always have to break the bank. Sometimes, beginning the journey away from fast fashion begins will smaller actions here and there, however small, over time these actions will make a huge difference.

[alifeleadsimply]

Single mom hack: Change to a capsule wardrobe

About three years ago I started playing with the idea of starting a capsule wardrobe.  Just never got around to it. Until one day when I realised that simplifying my wardrobe would help a lot towards decreasing my anxiety, my planning time, and ultimately my brain function.

When I say I just didn’t get around to it it is only half the truth. The other half is I was scared. Back then, I owned A LOT of clothes, but from the huge pile, I only bought maybe 10% myself. I love inheriting clothes and have no issue with second-hand threads. So I have jackets and dresses and more that I took from my deceased grandmother, friends and family who outgrew (literally, they picked up weight, as well as figuratively) pieces and a few that other people bought for me. A true mixture of styles, textures and textiles. As I myself have had body issues, and have fluctuated in size over the past few years (3 pregnancies have a lot to do with it) I had not really thrown anything out. What then happened EVERY SINGLE MORNING was I would stand in front of my closet with literally nothing to wear. My clothes were old, stained, ill-fitting and just plain out of style. Then I decided enough is enough! I assumed I was pretty much the shape and size that I will be, so I didn’t really worry about throwing out my “fat clothes”. And I faced that I will most likely never again fit into my pre-pregnancy size 32. So they could also go. After throwing out the old, useless and ugly I was left with what I will now refer to as my core. At this stage the only core that is strong – hahaha.

Before I explain to you what was in my core capsule, let me first touch on why having a capsule is a great idea:

It saves you money. Since everything kind of goes with everything else, you don’t have to worry about individual outfits. Very economical. Great idea if you have to get by on a single income.

It saves you time. Having a kind of uniform means you can (if you wish and if you are inclined that way) grab a top and bottom from the top of your piles and the outfit will not only fit you but also be coordinated. Again, a great idea if getting yourself ready is at the bottom of the morning priority list – the kids must first be ready, then it is your turn.

It saves mind space. Simplifying your daily routines and responsibilities means freeing up headspace that can be used for more important thoughts and decisions.

It saves space. No need for extra storing, or using Husband’s closer because you don’t have enough space. With a capsule, you can make a month’s worth of outfits from a mere 30 to 40 pieces. And they fit in a normal closet.

You see, just benefits all around! Now the next question is, how did I decide on my core capsule? In my case, it was out of necessity and composed out of pieces I already owned. I have not gone out to buy anything. But when that need arises I will follow the following guidelines:

Decide on your basic capsule. That is what I call those items that you own and replace only when they are falling apart. The items that are generally seasonal and kind of usage-dependent. I jotted down my categories and decided each category may have 10 items in it. For me, my categories are:

Exercise (tops, bottoms, bras, trainers)

Seasonal (swimwear, coats, etc.)

Formal (dresses, shoes, tops and bottoms)

Sleep

Around the house

Identify your style. I like wearing clothes that are comfortable, functional and a bit grown-up. My go-to outfit is jeans or leggings with a top or a plain dress. I wear sneakers and pumps a lot and try to stay clear of sandals. So my style is casual. Here I am not talking about formalwear, just your day-to-day.

Identify the lifestyle categories that you get dressed for, then single out your top 3. My top 3 categories would be active, work, and daily.

Decide on the colour scheme of your core. Mine is natural and neutral (brown, beige, grey and black) with accents of blue and berry. Here and there I have something that breaks the mould, but when I have to replace it most probably it will be in a neutral colour.

Now tackle your cupboard. Throw out anything that is ugly, stained, ripped, too big, too small, or that you hate wearing. Look at what you have left. Do the items complement each other? Remove the items that fit into your identified basic capsule categories. Also remove the items that definitely fall into a season, e.g. a floral skirt or woollen pants.

Whatever is left will then form the basis of your core capsule. For it to work, you will roughly need the following:

10 tops

10 bottoms

5 dresses that can be worn all year round

5 pairs of shoes (shoes that you can wear year-round e.g. pumps or sneakers. Your sandals and boots will form part of your seasonal additions so don’t count them in here)

These should be items that you can wear the whole year. Good pieces to have include jeans, tank tops (in the winter wear them under your long-sleeved shirts for added warmth), and dresses that you can wear over long sleeved t-shirts and leggings in winter or as is in summer.

My core cupboard is composed of the following:

4 pairs of jeans (1 black, 1 jegging, 2 comfortable blue pairs)

4 leggings (2 black, brown, coloured)

2 skirts (pencil, long)

4 tank tops (beige, black, white, grey)

3 pairs of sneakers (white, black, navy)

2 pairs of pumps (grey, pinkish)

5 dresses (grey and black long, denim short, blue short, black short, brown long)

The items that are seasonal are packed away, to be taken out when that season rolls around. 

We are now going into spring (in Pretoria, South Africa, spring lasts about 4 days then it starts getting warm!) So I will add a few pieces to help with the transition (like light pashminas or light jackets for the cooler mornings and evenings) and again a few different pieces for summer.  Think floral dresses and off-the-shoulder tops.

If you are keen to start your own capsule, download my easy printable to help you get started! Also, keep coming back to get the articles on my seasonal capsules, as well as the kids!

Winter capsule for a 5 year old girl

My winter capsule

Enjoy the planning, but even more enjoy the simplicity that you achieve with a capsule.

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[danisnotofire]

hey im going to orientation in a few days and im rly nervous abt starting college, i was just wondering if you had any tips or any ~advice~ bc im like, lowkey freaking out ((also i also stage manage and i love musicals and astronomy (sry i was snooping around your about page)))

hey!!! ok i am so so so sorry this took so long lol i actually just went back to school myself to help out with a pre-orientation program and we’ve been having like 17 hour days so i’m Exhausted and haven’t had a lot of time to really give a thoughtful answer (UNTIL NOW). some of this is gonna sound cheesy, but this is Emma Danisnotofire’s Official Real List of Pro-Tips for College, so if it’s on here it’s true. that being said, i go to a medium/small school (4,000 students) in the middle of fucking nowhere, so some of my experiences are gonna be a lil different. most still apply. 

first off, it’s TOTALLY OKAY that you’re nervous. i know when i went i was highkey freaking out even more bc everybody else seemed to be just excited and i felt like i was the only one actually losing my mind from how scared i was. i didn’t sleep at all the night before i moved in. being scared is fine. you’ll probably be scared for awhile after you get there, too, and that’s absolutely okay. i remember it took me a solid few weeks for me to stop feeling nauseous from nerves whenever i woke up. i promise i promise this will go away. you will settle in and you’ll make friends and you’ll figure out where everything is and how things work, i PROMISE. 

second, once you get there, don’t be afraid to talk to people!! i know that sounds super cheesy and unhelpful, but seriously. talk to your orientation leaders!! they’re usually upperclassmen and 99% of the time they had to APPLY to get that position, and it’s because they’re so so excited to meet you!! i’m a mentor for this pre-o program (it’s arts-focused), and we all had to apply, and every single other mentor is super passionate not only about the arts but about making sure the incoming freshman feel comfortable and happy and at home right off the bat. we want to like you!! talk to us!!! talk to each other!! at my school, (bucknell), orientation is actually pretty fucking legendary (it’s 5 straight days of just. nonstop activities), so getting to know your group is always nice. good conversation starters include: compliment something they’re wearing/have done, mention pets, ask about what classes they’re taking. that’s usually where i start when i’m talking to my kids!! 

okay, now for some Actual Tangible Advice. most of this is actually taken from when i gave my friend natalie some advice about college, but it’s still applicable to you!! i’m putting it under a readmore bc It’s So Very Long, I’m Sorry, I Really Hope This Helps/Makes Up For Me Not Answering For So Long

-if you can, get a microwave. if you can’t, it’s nbd because there’s probably one in your dorm somewhere. but it’s really nice not to have to put on shoes/socks to go make ramen at 3am

-INVEST IN GOOD SOCKS!!!! srsly omg you’re never gonna wanna go anywhere barefoot, and dorm heating/cooling can be tricky. i treated myself to a 5-pair box where they’re all different classic art pieces. they’re GORGEOUS and super nice for when i can’t find my flip-flops.

-also, if you have birks. bring them. they are also good for sliding on when u really have to pee in the middle of the night and can’t for the life of u find anything else. also everyone i know wears birks casually (i have a 20 dollar pair of fake ones from american eagle lol)

-OLD NAVY HAS FLIP FLOPS 2 FOR 5 DOLLARS. they make the BEST shower shoes and also they come in so many lit colors they’re the bomb digs. these are also good if you don’t have a pair of birks

-if your dorm doesn’t have it already (most dorms don’t) BUY A SCREEN FOR YOUR WINDOW!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY if u hate bugs you do NOT want them coming in when all u want is some fresh air. my roommate last year brought one to school bc i didn’t even think about it and it was a LIFESAVER.

-if you can, get one of those febreeze scent things you plug in. if you aren’t allowed, there’s this thing called a scentsy that basically melts wax and it makes your room smell SO. GOOD. idk how much they cost but honestly you will be thankful you have it if you can get it (candles work too but most dorms don’t allow candles)  

-you don’t need a huge plastic shower caddy!! you can get a softer one and then hang it on a hook outside the shower or loop it around the shower knob. they’re probs better than a big hard one bc they won’t fill up with water and you can stash it easier. (i went with a big plastic one and it’s a hassle lol). however, if you already got a big plastic one, that’s cool too bc sometimes they come with a removable second smaller caddy, and that’s good for putting your phone in outside of the shower to play music.

-lofting your bed is super nice bc it gives you a little more privacy from your roommate (and privacy is so so so rare in college, esp in a dorm). it’s also nice bc if you’re up there and a friend walks into your room (which is bound to happen with dorm living, which is where i’m assuming ur living as a first-year) they won’t immediately see you, which gives you a few seconds to get ur shit together before they see you.

-HOWEVER!! there are a few downsides to lofting ur bed. the major one is that it’s a pain in the ass to not only get up there, but also to lug your laptop/charger/snacks/etc up there, and once you’re up u probably aren’t gonna wanna come down. also, i don’t know if you drink, (which btw totally cool if you don’t!!), but there was definitely one time where i was too drunk to climb into my bed (i know, i know, several bad choices were made that night and i regret all of them), but thankfully my roommate last year was a fucking goddess though (a definite Mom Friend) and pulled all my sleeping stuff down to the floor lol. it’s rare that something like that happens, but it’s definitely something u wanna take into consideration.

-college is infinitely emotionally taxing. face masks and shower bath-bombs (you put them on the floor of your shower and they slowly dissolve and release whatever scent they are) do LOADS to make u feel better. face masks are also good bonding with friends!! 

-some other self-care college tips: cafes will usually have either hot apple cider in the fall, or you can get steamed milk with vanilla in it and it’s very soothing and gentle and calming. i got it a lot when i was sick just bc it was warm and not difficult to stomach. 

-also baking. if you get a few friends and bake something, it is 1) bound to be hilarious and 2) everyone who walks by will love you. we once made cinnamon buns, except instead of individual ones we made one big disgusting MegaBon, and we still talk about it to this day. it’s the name of our group chat lmaooo

-you can literally never have too much storage. plastic bins, crates, etc. never too much.

-you will leave college with so much more stuff than what you came with. holy shit. you will also get so many t-shirts??? see above. you’ll need storage.

-college is also the definition of ‘Everything is Happening All The Time’, and ur probably gonna make friends who try and do Everything. it took me super long to internalize the fact that it’s okay to like, say no to doing something and take a nap instead. not all the time, sometimes its good to force urself out of your room, but you can stay in on a saturday every once in a while! it doesn’t matter. 

-that being said, do try and go out of your comfort zone a little!! i was definitely not the type to do this in high school, but these days i’ll sometimes go to frat parties!! they’re actually really fun when you go with friends (and always go with friends!!!). it doesn’t even necessarily need to be parties either. audition for a capella. stage manage a show. do a club sport. there’s so much you can do!! (i actually didn’t follow my own advice here last year, i was too terrified to do a lot of things. i did theatre though, which ended up taking up most of my time anyway, but i still wish i had done more, hence why i’m doing this program right now! don’t be like first-year me. be better!)

-HOWEVER here are some (frat) party tips: girls can usually get into parties much easier than guys can, but either way don’t try to go out until around october/late september. the first few weeks back are for upperclassmen catching up with friends . go with a group, and STAY with your group. please. no girl left behind. they usually only serve shitty beer, and ofc you should keep your eyes on it the whole time. if you put it down, just go get another one instead of picking that one up again. also, invest in a shitty coat/gross pair of shoes specifically to wear to the frats. the floors are gross, and you’re probs gonna end up storing your jacket behind a trash can in the winter bc it’s too fucking hot inside the room to keep it on. (is this coat thing just a bucknell thing?? this might just be a bucknell thing). 

-more drinking/etc/stuff: know your rights. RAs are not allowed to look through drawers/open closets when doing room searches, so if you have wine or anything, make sure it’s hidden in somewhere they’re not allowed to touch.

-THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT: if someone has drank too much, BACKPACK THEM. get them into bed while wearing a filled up backpack. it prevents people from rolling over and choking on their vomit. i cannot emphasize how important it is for you to backpack someone. if you can, stay with them to make sure they’re okay. also, don’t be afraid to let them throw up before they go to bed. it helps. they’ll usually feel better. 

-if you can, get a job that lets you sit down. receptionist, librarian, etc. these are the best, bc sometimes you’ll get the  chance to study or get paid for doing nothing. also? receptionist looks SUPER good on a resume. also? money is nice.

-LOCK YOUR DOOR!!!!! I LEARNED THIS THE HARD WAY WHEN SOME WEIRD SENIOR BOY WALKED INTO MY ROOM DRUNK AT 3AM AND WOULDN’T LEAVE. also, you’ll make friends in the first week that you won’t necessarily want to be friends with later on, but they won’t get that message lol. again, lock your door (learned that the hard way, too)

-for future semesters, if you can’t get into a class right away it REALLY helps to email the professor!!! seriously, 9 times out of 10 they are more than happy to let an extra person in, because there are always students who drop the class within the first week or two. that’s how i got into astronomy my first semester, and i’m now a teacher’s assistant for it. so. really, it helps.

-the best way to be better friends with people is to just, get meals with them. honestly. make a group chat with some people and whenever ur getting dinner or lunch or whatever just throw out a ‘hey anyone wanna get food with me??’ text. 90% of the time someone will come with you.

-speaking of meals tho, ik this is the number 1 thing people tend to say, but it’s tRUE. nobody cares if you eat alone. it too me SO LONG to internalize this, but it’s totally fine to do!! it’s actually really nice sometimes, you can bring homework or your laptop and get some work done. it’s not even with meals, either! you can study alone! you can walk places alone! you can go to the gym alone! i was always terrified of being seen alone bc i thought people were gonna think i didn’t have friends or w/e dumb thing my anxiety had me feeling, (i still struggle with that lmao) but in reality you just look independent and cool!!! also, it helps to be content in the fact that you have friends and it doesn’t matter if people THINK you don’t.

-get a reusable water bottle. i got a plastic one for like 12 bucks, and i use it DAILY. if ur walking a lot, it helps keep you hydrated. also, it gives you something to do in class. also, you can personalize it with stickers and stuff (you can do the same with a laptop case). i p much take mine with me EVERYWHERE.

-this was also hard for me to internalize, but u gotta remember the fact that it’s okay not to be who u were in high school. like, i gave up some of the things i was into in high school in favor of some other things, and it took me awhile to figure out that i wasn’t like, betraying anyone, if that makes sense?? like, i started going to frat parties and actually having FUN at them??? (something i NEVER would have been into in high school, but here we are).

-also, grades are very different in college. i freaked out when i wasn’t getting a 4.0, because that’s who i was in high school, but then i kinda put it in perspective. i ended with a 3.67, which is still dean’s list. you’re not going to be perfect, bc chances are you ended up at a school with people on kinda equal intelligence levels as you. don’t freak out. 

okay that’s pretty much it!!! i can def come up with more stuff tailored to certain things/etc if you want me to talk more about this stuff!!! i love giving college advice and talking and helping people feel better about this whole thing bc i know it’s hard and scary

[poop4u]

New Job, Who Dis?

#Poop4U

Some of you may remember this merry rag tag gang of misfits and the insane woman who runs herself ragged trying to keep up with them.

If you remember us, you probably wonder where the heck we’ve been, and why the radio silence in Blog Land. Well The Food Lady has been real busy, inventing The Hover Dog(tm).

Har har har.

I wish that’s what I was doing. I got a new “actual” job a couple months ago, because as much as I love photography, it does not bring home the bacon for me. Which makes me sad, because I like it a lot. And my new job leaves basically zero time to do it. At all. The hours are disgustingly terrible, the commute is brutal and the job itself hovers (har har har) somewhere between mindnumbingly boring and horrifically horrible with respect to how it’s managed (I mean above me, as I’m the manager). It pokes little holes in the fabric of my animal-welfare-background heart every day. But I have many things to feed, so I drag myself out of bed (sometimes at 3:45AM, sometimes at 6AM, depending which shift I’m on) and go, and I HATE IT WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING.

And speaking of Things, I managed to find a home for this one last week.

Never been so happy to see the backend of a red dog in my life. That puppy plum wore me out with her constant nonsense. She craned her evil giraffe neck over a babygate while I was in the shower and pulled down my favourite Bench jacket and chewed up the zipper, on both sides. It wasn’t even a dog coat, it didn’t even have tasty cookie smells in the pockets. She pissed on my dogs beds and I had to buy all new ones. There is not a blanket in the house without several holes in it. That dog is at LEAST a two person job, so I went to visit her potential home and hopped into my van and drove away while they were (foolishly) oohing and ahhing over her adorableness. SUCKERS!!!

Even my dogs breathed a collective sigh of relief when they realized she wasn’t coming back home with us. The Thing made Maisie look laid back!

Maisie, who will play fetch with literally anything.

Whenever I think of the people who passed on this smart girlie, I hug her just a little more tightly (which she objects to, LOUDLY, because it’s not playing fetch). I am so lucky to have her, she is just oodles of fun, and such a good girl. The other day we were playing ball in the off leash area and her ball (like her Best Dog Ever predecessor Tweed, she has A Ball that she will play with, and if it goes missing, she will not play with another ball without some serious pre-game pouting.)(It’s not the same as playing fetch with Literally Anything, these are two different games) bounced over the fence into a hard-to-reach place.

The off leash area is entirely fenced. The ball bounced over the fence as far away from the gate as possible. She knows she is not allowed to go out the *property* gate on the road (plus it was closed anyway), so damned if my smart girl didn’t go out the gates, run all the way along the outside of the off leash area in the parking lot, bushwhack through the blackberries and then run through the neighbour’s field and find her ball.

Then, like the shining star that she is, she retraced her steps and came back the same way she went and resumed our game of fetch. How brilliant is she? When she was about 7 months old I offered her to Canines for Conservation because she will do anything to find and retrieve her ball and has a work ethic that just won’t quit, but they felt she was too young (they like them 10 months and up). I am so glad they refused her, because my life would be a lot less shiny without her in it. Aside from her ear piercing bark (and her literal ear piercing of Dexter when she chases him down), she is just awesome. I love her so.

She can even get Winter to play with her, and Winter is far too weird and full of social anxiety to play with anyone other than his sister (or maybe she’s not his sister; doG knows the Woo “not-related-even-a-tiny-bit” TWoo fooled us all for years!).

And speaking of the Dastardly Duo…they’re both doing great, given they are old as dirt and I have effectively abandoned them for 11 hours a day in their old age. I bring Dexter and the two Littles to work, the rest of the dogs stay home. We try to play some fetch either before work or after I get home, depending on the shift, but the WooTWoo don’t play fetch, so they find life rather boring these days. So yesterday, my day off, Auntie Michelle and I piled them all in my van and took them to our old stomping grounds where I used to walk dogs, and we spent two hours decompressing in the cranberry fields. This is where Wootie’s resurrected Flamboyance(tm) chose to shine.

Look at that thing! It has fully recovered from its brush with shaving over a year ago thanks to that nasty infection he got. I am so glad to see it again. I am, however, not allowed to touch it still. Woo had gotten cantankerous in his old age and gets all snarly when I try to brush him (which is ironic, because without brushing, he is ALSO all snarly).

TWooie was having a good time too (lots of gross dead things to roll in, apparently) until he snagged and tore his front dew claw (AGAIN. Dog has the most feeble dewies in the world) and had to be carried out to solid ground because the cranberry plants kept snagging on the mangled claw. He was sad. I was also sad, because he’s heavy and super awkward to carry.

But we all needed the exercise and the time out in nature. It was so nice to see my crew running around being deliriously happy. It almost makes me regret giving up the dog walking gig, even though I was dead broke all the time.

This is a photo of Peetie. She’s still dumb as a sack of hammers. However, she was a godsend when we had The Thing…she entertained her for hours at a time, taught her to play tug with toys and wrestled patiently with her when the other dogs were all hiding from the Thing Tornado, even when The Thing got snappy and overstimulated…Peetie is truly awesome with annoying foster puppies.

Dexter is awesome at work … he stays behind a gate on the stairs behind my desk and he lures all of our clients over to pet him through the gate and tell him how handsome he is. He of course cannot hear them, but he knows what they’re saying. He knows how handsome he is.

He has a lump in his back along his spine so we went to visit Dr. Erica to have it checked out as it has recently gotten bigger. She examined it and said “It looks like a cyst. Ooooh, I want to squeeze it so bad!” What is it with you vet/tech types and your all encompassing urge to squeeze fluids out of dog lumps? The techs at the shelter LIVED for that shit too. You’re all disgusting!

Anyway, she did a needle thingie and cytology and it was indeed full of cyst material, but not the gooey kind, so she recommended we leave it alone until he’s under for something else … “like when you get his teeth cleaned!” she said, as she flipped up his lip to look at his teeth. “….or not,” she then said, because his teeth are fantastic (*chuffed*). So lumpy will remain lumpy unless the cyst gets too big to be ignored.

This is also the only photo of Spring you will see in this post, as she was too busy hunting all the imaginary critters out there. She ran so much that she slept all afternoon and evening.

No photos of Fae either, because she was too itty bitty to be seen in the cranberry fields … she was just some hair and floppy ears bouncing in and out of focus.

How come whenever I take a group photo, everyone looks very serious except for Dexter? How come he only has two facial expressions?? (this one and Mad Teeth(tm))

Anyway, it’s my last day off and I have 400 million things to do before work tomorrow, because I have no time to do anything on the days I am working. Maisie says we better get some ball time in before that happens (or any time, ever, why am I not a millionaire so I can spend all my time playing with her etc.)

Tell me what you think I should do for an actual living, because I can’t seem to come up with anything I want to do, and doG knows I don’t want to do what I am doing right now. You are smart peoples, help a sad, grouchy, tired sistah out.

ETA – oh I forgot, I was supposed to add this!

When I had the WooTWoo DNA tested, and learned they weren’t even a teensy bit the same breed(s) make up, they ran a “relatedness” test on them to see if maybe they had, like, same mom but different dad. Turns out they did not. It’s more sciencey than my pithy little grey matter can comprehend, but some of you s-m-r-t people might be interested to learn more about it on their blog post here.

Poop4U Blog via www.Poop4U.com The Food Lady, Khareem Sudlow

[studentholidayplans]

Disclaimer: This post was written in January 2019, if you are reading this post at a later date the information discussed below may be inaccurate. Please check your chosen airline’s information on luggage before proceeding with your flight booking.

  Quite often when posting a flight route on Student Holiday Plans, I’ll include a caveat about the different prices for different types of luggage. Although the flights may be as low as the price of a nice meal out, it is often these little price increases that push up the overall expenditure of a holiday. Of course for some longer journeys you just have to pay up for a higher luggage allowance, but spending over half of the cost of the flight either way for a short break is something that can easily be dealt with.

First you have to know what you’re working with. For Ryanair and Wizz Air, two of Europe’s biggest budget airlines, you get the same cabin baggage allowance for free – 40cm x 20cm x 25cm for Ryanair, and 40cm x 20cm x 30cm for Wizz Air. Now this is small, fact. It is smaller than most average-sized backpacks – be prepared to take your tape measure with you if you go out to buy a new small bag! It isn’t however beyond the realms of possibility to save money and travel on short journeys with only this bag. Check out our guide below to packing smartly to save money.

  Clothing –

When packing for a holiday, we all often tend to think we need to bring more than we actually do. Of course for many holidays having access to facilities to wash clothes is often not available, but if you’re only planning on bringing your hand luggage with you, you need to pack smart, and often savagely.

The first stop is daywear. It might sound basic, but check the weather of your holiday location before going. If it looks like sun all week, then you don’t need to pack your winter thermals just in case. Always be sure to make room for a thin raincoat or umbrella though, since rain is ubiquitous across all ends of Europe! Don’t pack for what ‘might’ happen either – if you’re travelling with fixed plans in mind for activities, then create your outfits for those days before you pack. Don’t just pack three or four different versions of an outfit for the sake of choice.

If you’re going somewhere with a nightlife that you want to experience, consider items that can double up as day and nightwear. Jean-like trousers are a perfectly example of something that can be worn all day and not look out of place – though beware, denim can be notoriously hard to compactly pack!

Now onto accessories. This can be chargers, brushes or other electronic equipment. These are surprisingly some of the hardest items to pack, as they’re simply not flexible or ‘squashable’. Always pack these things last, since you’ll know what kind of space you’re working with. Detach wires from their plugs if possible, and place them in the little gaps that will always appear. Don’t forget plug adaptors – it’s very unlikely you’ll find these in your holiday destination outside of being overly priced at an airport. As a note, some devices, including laptops and tablets, will need to go through airport security out of your bag, so don’t bury it at the bottom of your bag and forget about it.

Finally, a day sack, or handbag. While in the past you’ve been able to have your hand luggage and a ‘personal bag’ separately, you may now find yourself with just one bag as your carry-on. This may mean that your usual handbag or rucksack will simply be too large to bring with you. You don’t however need to re-pack everything already in your bag into a smaller receptacle. Be clinical with your packing – your essentials are few; you need money or means (debit or credit cards), your house and car key, if parked at the airport (there’s no need to bring all of your keys with you – they’re just taking up room, and you’ll have more to lose if your keys go missing on your holiday) and your passport (which, like your home keys, can easily stay in your main travel bag whenever you’re out of an airport) as necessities. You may also want to consider bringing items including a shopping bag (you may be visiting a country that has a carrier bag charge similar to that of the UK), a small map of your area (though we would advise downloading a map onto your phone that you can use offline), or a pen and small notepad. For such a short journey, everything that you normally have in your bag as ‘just in case’ items are very unlikely to be used, and will just take up room.

  Toiletries –

The universal EU rulings concerning liquids (including aerosols, ‘pastes’ eg. lipstick and gels) in hand luggage already place a limit on what you can travel with. All containers must be under 100ml, and must all fit in one 20cm x 20cm transparent plastic bag. If you want more information on this, check out the official information here.  This is something that can however be advantageous to the ‘hand luggage only’ traveller. Which such a small existing limit, you can easily make room for more items of clothing, or additional items that you may have had to leave behind.

If you want to make even more room through your travel toiletries, we have a few more tips. Our first is to think about just how small you can go with travel-sized products. For example, while most make up products are under 100ml or are compact, think about collecting a few free samples from locations that offer in-store beauty services, or from online free sample releases – there’s no point packing up your entire make up collection when you only need a tiny quantity of make up in relation to your length of journey. This works especially well with scents and perfumes – a tiny sample of perfume is perfect for a few days away, and saves you from trying to pack up your bulky full-sized perfume bottle in that small liquids bag. If you’re travelling with others, it’s also worth considering splitting up the essential toiletries that you’ll all be using. Things like shampoo and toothpaste can easily be shared, giving everyone more room in their luggage. Of course, if you have a bit more money to spend, you can purchase all of your necessary toiletries when you touch down in your holiday location, avoiding any issues with size and allowing for more space in your luggage. Just remember you can’t bring anything back with you if you do this!

As a last note, if you don’t have enough room in your bag to place your toiletries – in the regulated plastic bag – in the top of your bag pre-packed (or if you don’t have a bag itself), you can always save room and stick the tubes, sprays and sticks into small gaps or little side-pockets in your bag when originally packing, and a spend a couple of minutes before going through security re-packing your toiletries.

  We’re going to demonstrate a couple of different luggage options to help you visualise – and actually see- what can be packed – as a note, toiletries aren’t included in these examples.

The first is an over-the-shoulder travel bag measuring (when empty) at 35cm x 20cm x 20cm – this is below the limits for Ryanair and Wizz Air.

      This bag has been packed for an autumn/winter journey for 3 days/4 nights. Below the images is an itinerary for the content of the bag:

      Content =

3 pairs underwear

2 pairs socks

Thermal tights

Bra

Night-shirt

T-shirt

Jean-like trousers (but not denim – a very bulky material)

Dress

Long shirt (can be worn as dress)

Hairbrush

Plug adaptor

  Handbag – containing:

Purse

Passport

Keys

Tablet strips (paracetamol and ibuprofen)

Umbrella

Shopping bag

Pen

  This is not considering the items already being worn – bulkier clothes, large jumpers, jackets and coats don’t need to be packed, and even if you don’t need to wear it, you can carry it through the entire experience with no issues. Items including chargers could definitely fit within this bag also (that’s our fault for not checking twice when packing!)

      The next bag is a backpack, measuring (when empty) at 40cm x 22cm x 20cm. This time we’re going with a summer trip for 3 nights/4 days. Again, below the images is an itinerary for the content of the bag:

      Content =

3 pairs underwear

1 pair socks

2 pairs pop-socks

Tights

Bra

Night-shirt

3 T-shirts

Skirt

Shorts

Jumpsuit

Hairbrush

Plug adaptor

  Handbag – containing:

Purse

Passport

Keys

Tablet strips (paracetamol and ibuprofen)

Umbrella

Shopping bag

Pen

  While you might not have a coat with you in the summer, you can still carry around a jumper or thin jacket in the same way you can with a bigger coat in the winter. Again, a charger would fit fine in this bag too!

  We asked our followers on social media for their favourite tips and tricks for travelling light, here are a few:

    Of course, if you need more room for your luggage, there are many options that are offered by budget airlines for additional luggage. Often the best of these can be found when booking your flights – both Ryanair and Wizz Air offer a ‘priority’ package that entitles a passenger to 2 bags in the cabin; your small bag described above, and a larger bag sized 55cm x 40cm x 23cm for Wizz Air, or 55cm x 40cm x 20cm for Ryanair, as well as the opportunity to board the plane first. This is at a cost of £5 and £6 respectively. However, any time after this, this package increases to up to £15 and £10 respectively. Regarding Ryanair, there is however a limit on the number of passengers that can purchase the priority package per flight. This is usually around half of the expected passenger numbers per flight eg. 99 passengers out of 198 expected can obtain priority. If you find yourself on the wrong side of this, then the next larger luggage option is a 10kg checked bag for £10 at booking, and up to £12 afterwards. This bag is at the same dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm.

  There you have it, our tips and tricks for travelling with the budget airlines without having to spend more on bags. Let us know in the comments if you have any advice for the ‘hand luggage only’ traveller!

  Bothered by those extra baggage fees with low-cost airlines? Worry no more with our guide to one bag, hand luggage packing, perfect for those short breaks! #travelblog #ukblog #bloggerstribe #blogginggals #seetheworld #handluggage Disclaimer: This post was written in January 2019, if you are reading this post at a later date the information discussed below may be inaccurate.

[wristwatchjournal]

Independent Watchmaking – In Conversation with an Atypical Watchmaker, Fred Dingemans of d.m.h.

Independent Dutch watchmaker Fred Dingemans (b.1961) is something of an anomaly in the rarefied universe of watchmaking: he didn’t study watchmaking and he makes his watches by hand in his garden shed using pre-electronic machinery (a lathe, a drilling machine-cum-press and an engraving machine) he inherited from his job in precision mechanics. Embracing the DIY school of philosophy, Dingemans produces roughly 20 watches a year. The case, crown mechanism and dial are all crafted by Dingemans although the movements are 1970s new old stock Tenor Dorley jumping hours and 3-hand automatics. His distinctive solid steel or bronze cases with the crown at 2 o’clock are made on the old 1947 lathe. Customisation is very much a part of the package and Dingeman’s sends photographs of the work in progress from the moment work on the parts gets started.

Dingeman’s combination of low volume and absolute dedication is something he wouldn’t change for anything in the world. We caught up with Dingemans and his one-man-show the other day and found out how being fired from his 9-5 job was a blessing in disguise.

Rebecca Doulton, MONOCHROME – We’ll start with the classic background questions. What exactly are fine mechanics, what was your job in fine mechanics and how did this lead you to watchmaking?

Fred Dingemans – Fine mechanics is like mechanics but on a smaller scale, you deal with smaller components. Back in 1979, there weren’t a lot of job opportunities for youngsters in Holland. Without pronouncing a single word, my father let me know that I could forget any ideas I had of not working because the job market was depressed. So I went to work in the same company as my father. It was the pre-electronics period and I repaired mechanical things like typewriters and counting machines with small tools. Later on, I sometimes adjusted and rebuilt machines for disabled people; for example, adjusting a typewriter for somebody with Parkinson’s disease. I enjoyed solving things and thinking of mechanical solutions to adapt the machine to specific requirements.

I’ve always loved mechanical watches. I’d look at them in shops but always thought, better not buy that because that would trigger an argument with my wife. I wasn’t really making the kind of money to pay for a high-end watch and you have to make choices. Anyway, what gave me the push was when the company I worked for went bankrupt. It was a 130-year-old company and had rested on its laurels and didn’t embrace the advent of computers and technology. I was 45 when I was told I could go home. For most people, being fired is the worst thing that can happen to you; for me, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

How did you transition from fine mechanics to watchmaking?

When the director kindly fired me, she told me I could take some machinery I wanted from the company. So I loaded the company car with a couple of machines that had symbolic value for me. My father was the head of the technical department of this company and used to take me with him to work on Saturday mornings. It was the mid-1960s and even then, as a small boy, I was in awe of the machines. So I took home a lathe and some other machines and set myself up in the garden shed. Funnily enough, the first thing I made was a tamper to stamp the coffee for the espresso machine. This was, if you like, my pre-watch period!

I didn’t want to borrow money from the banks so, about 12-15 years ago, I started making my watches with the machinery I had. I started small and made A LOT of mistakes, but that is the interesting part of the process. My father died before he could see what I was doing, so in a way, this is also a kind of homage to him.

I got a part-time job for three days of the week and spent the rest making watches.  I contacted watch enthusiasts to let them know about my project. In fact, one of the first ones was Frank! He wrote something about me and things started to roll…It was slow, but that suits me just fine. I don’t like life in the fast lane.

Were you inspired by any brands/watchmakers in particular?

Not really, no. Not because there aren’t many beautiful watches out there – some of my favourite brands make amazing watches. My first mechanical watch was a pilot’s watch that had a really nice history. I don’t have that kind of history to sell a watch. I tell my customers just like it is: this is who I am, this is how I do things and this is how long it takes.

What’s the difference between your approach to watchmaking and a traditional Swiss watchmaker?

Well, I haven’t got the white lab coat or nice-looking manufacture! I work in my shed. I have no overhead and need just one heater in the winter. I was curious to see how far I could get with the minimal amount of materials from watch companies. For example, I am not able to make a movement, that’s not fine mechanics, that’s out of this world mechanics! I sourced the movements, the glass and the straps, the rest I made myself. I don’t use expensive CNC machines either and rely on my lathe and drilling machines. I have learned the shortcomings of my lathe and drill and how to work around them. When you know the shortcomings of something, you can do a better job. It’s all about finding solutions. When I come across a problem, my brain works better…

Why is the crown at 2 o’clock and what kind of customisation options do you offer?

I like big crowns and when it’s big and at 3 o’clock, it usually digs into your wrist. If a customer prefers, I can put the crown at 10 o’clock, but only for a 3-hander. The dial is where the most customisation options reside: from the colour, the material, the finishings (engraved, sandblasted, painted) to different shapes for the hands, different colours, textures etc. I use two movements setups, jumping hours and 3-handers, although sometimes, in the Fusion Hour model, I adapt minute tube and have a minute and seconds hand along with the jumping hour.

I know some people say “wow, two years to get a watch” is a long time. But that’s how I work. Every customer gets pictures during the process. Here I am on the lathe, drilling a hole, engraving the metal… customers and especially myself enjoy this, it’s like live coverage of the work I do for you. As long it is in my ability I have to do my best to fulfil the wishes of my customers. We have established a relationship of trust and this makes me do my best.

Are you adamant about sticking to 20 watches per year?

Yes. The downfall is that I earn less, but I have more time to do other worthwhile things… something other than accumulating debt. Life is too short for that. You see, watchmaking is a part of my life and my day is built around making a watch, but also having time to do other things I like. From my father’s passing at 60, I learned that later is now. I don’t need to make a lot of money to enjoy my life.

What have you learned in these past 12 or so years?

That life can take you to places that you wouldn’t have envisioned in your wildest dreams. In the beginning, I was plagued with doubts. There are so many watch brands out there and they make such beautiful watches and they do it so much better than me… But these thoughts tend to drown you and don’t get you anywhere. I learned that when you are honest about what you do and make a product that you like… well, you can be successful.

Is there any experience you would not repeat?

No, there is no experience I wouldn’t repeat. Learn from mistakes, learn from the process. In retrospect, everything that goes wrong in creative processes must have a reason and you have to learn from this. When you make a mistake, it’s how you respond that reveals a great deal about who you are. I never react immediately, I sleep on it and the next day I usually have come up with a solution.

Is there a historical character you would like to share a beer with?

Somebody like Jimi Hendrix in music and Churchill in politics. I’m sure Churchill didn’t do everything right, But he was a remarkable person that was in the right place at the right time.

In my free time, I play electric guitar (for instance a Fender Stratocaster, like Hendrix, although my ability is nowhere near). I’ve always had a problem with the guitar staying in tune after using the whammy bar, you know the thing that makes the guitar whine. Well, I’ve invented something to replace the conventional string tree/guide that gives B and E strings a prefered angle over the top nut. (Editor’s note: you can see Dingeman’s Dynaguide invention here).

 As a man with a mechanical mind, which is your favourite machine?

That’s an easy question: English machinery. I have an old Triumph Bonneville, a motorcycle from the heydays of English motor making. They really made the most beautiful things. We also drive a Triumph TR4A from the mid-1960s. I restored it mechanically but it still has the original red (now chalk-like) paint. We love to drive it and go on holiday with a little tent on the back rack. People think we’re crazy, aren’t you scared to travel in such an old car? Of course not, if it breaks, I have parts and I can fix it, if not it can be brought home and we move on with a rental car. I believe in using things, not locking them up in a garage for a sunny Sunday drive. Things are to be used and enjoyed. Just like watches. In the past 25 years, I have had three watches, only one was bought, the other two I made myself, a stainless some 10 years ago and a bronze recently.

In the past, watchmakers could order parts easily and these parts were often interchangeable with other brands. There was another concept of service back then. These days, that is no longer the case. Watches have become luxury items, not pragmatic items. I admire the old way of thinking. Utensils had to reliable and repairable by men’s hands.

More details about Fred Dingemans and d.m.h. here.

The post Independent Watchmaking – In Conversation with an Atypical Watchmaker, Fred Dingemans of d.m.h. appeared first on Wristwatch Journal.

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[thecoroutfitters]

Written by Guest Contributor on The Prepper Journal.

Editors Note: Another article from Konrad Vinson to The Prepper Journal. As always, if you have information for Preppers that you would like to share then enter into the Prepper Writing Contest with a chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards with the top prize being a $300 card to purchase your own prepping supplies!

Preppers are problem solvers, disaster planners before the fact. Potential situations are things we know may come to pass. Most preppers are ready for the curve balls Mother Nature can throw. Most natural events only cause a brief hiccup in our lives and infrastructure. (Notable exceptions: Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria) However, for preppers, identifying risks, is an intellectual pursuit, a thought exercise to solve for our family and community well being. What is the likelihood a natural event will occur? How likely am I to be dealing with a dirty bomb fallout at the end of the day? Except for earthquakes, most natural events are predicted and tracked with reasonably quick communication from the government, usually with time enough to prepare, flee, or shelter.

But anticipating basic human needs as a priority is the most versatile preparation. Most preparations for less exotic scenarios such as after a hurricane, long-term loss of electricity, loss of tap water are just as needed for those big sexy scenarios we build to challenge our minds and planning. Before we purchase exotic preps for complex super-sexy scenes, let’s review the essentials for clean air, clean water, nutrition, clothing, hygiene, first aid, and basic security.

The Big Scenarios We Love To Solve

We all have an existential curiosity about these possible events, they are reasonable, and nobody doubts they could occur. The prepping/survival communities discuss, share ideas, share theories, and otherwise consider what might happen in these situations. These have different problems to solve beyond the essentials. They also have on-ramps into politics and conspiracy—definitely the sexy end of prepping.

Will the event be nuclear attack by a foreign government?

Dirty Bomb (radioactivity) introduced by a hostile entity?

A Biological agent introduced by some hostile entity?

A Chemical agent introduced by some hostile entity?

Toxicity, some under-regulated producer, spills or intentionally dumps substance into water supplies or residential areas?

Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) or Air-Burst Nuclear detonation from some unknown government?

A natural pandemic arising from degraded sanitation across the region or nation?

Mr. Robot Cyber hack which creates global financial and social chaos

Any other scenario I haven’t mentioned which could reasonably happen. (I do not prep for zombies or supernatural events, but if this figures for you—I’m pulling for you.)

All of these events are viable in theories, but none have come to pass in any substantial way. YET. In my state, every so often, toxicity is an issue. Hog producers are caught dumping slurry in streams or rivers. Other times, swine sewage lagoons fail and rupture without any malice. The resulting fish kill in the waterways is not a big “Who Dun It” for the State Department of Natural Resources. Follow dead fish till you find the source toxin. Fines made, fines paid.

But preppers are trying to solve for problems ahead of time. We seek to solve these problems. We talk about, review, share and discuss our ideas every day. We love to talk about the BIG scenarios. The Big Scenarios are fun and intellectually tantalizing. However, reviewing one’s essential preps should account for most of the critical problems for nearly all events, big and small. Maybe we will find room for improvement in our foundational preparations. But before I go purchasing Geiger counters, expensive hazmat suits, or build a pressurized airlock to my porch, the essentials remain the priority. I prep for the basics in an ongoing process of testing, getting the optimal working gear and supplies for sustained events in my situation. There may come a day when I build that airlock, but I have a ways to go.

We cannot escape the basics we need as humans.

What We All Need:

Clean air: Respirators with various levels of filtration available at the outset of an event. One needs to remove the old filters and put on fresh ones from an unopened package. Generally, manufacturers of respirator filters rate them at six months of use. Then the disposable filters are changed out, the old ones discarded.

My shop respirators are NIOSH-approved P-95 types and used strictly for particulate matter and paint or lacquer fumes. P-95 masks can protect from a lot of bad stuff. The cartridges are available in paint stores, home improvement stores, and over the internet. I prefer a full face for prepping so I can wear prescription glasses inside the mask, my eyes protected. Half face masks are available too.

Sheet rock dust, because it is so fine-grained, can be challenging to filter using a cheap emergency respirator. Don’t underestimate it. There are 9/11 victims still suffering due to sheet rock dust from collapsed the buildings. Respirators for everyone in a party stowed in a Pelican Box, ammo can, large freezer bags in a plastic tub or anything with a gasket seal is a great prep. And is essential protection for any scenario, garden variety or exotic.

Acquire compatible respirators and filters with a variety of filtration capabilities for everyone in your family or group. Understand, once deployed filter media on most makes of respirator is rated at six months. A three-year-old mask with the original filter may leave you exposed. Purchase extra filter-media for different pollutants. Keep them in their original plastic wrapper. You may want to prep for a worst of the worst scenario and lay in gas masks which have different filtration abilities by all means. If purchasing for family or a group, try to acquire compatible respirators. Also, buy “in date” non-expired filter canisters.

Whichever the product you choose; respirators or gas masks, throw a generous amount of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly in the kit. Vaseline can make up for gaps in a device’s fit on a child, person with facial hair, or otherwise ill fit. Vaseline and Duct Tape can help out in a pinch! (Any petroleum jelly will work.)

Consider the utility of an Arab style shemagh scarf. Some military personnel use these simple scarves in adapting to the various Arabian climates. Conveniently it’s around your neck, in your rucksack, or a pocket. A shemagh is versatile in how it is worn and could pre-filter your respirator, or in a pinch, filter out fine sand-like particulate matter until you reach your cache of more robust filtration.

In bunker scenarios, one prep is to have an air intake and exhaust. DC or solar power supplies often power these. Consider taking an old squirrel cage blower, sans motor, and weld a hand crank on it. Size a flexible rubber connector for emergency connection. If your vent has a standard “China Hat” consider an old air cleaner and automotive filter media to reduce pollution in the bunker or shelter.

Water about 1-2 gallons a day: In shelters larger storage containers can be supplied. Or pallets and cartons of water bottles can be stored. Maybe some combination.

Locate a water test kit and learn how to use it. Also learn what common contaminants are in your area. The water supply can filter organic matter, for taste, and otherwise prepared for storage by inline filters before storing water. Purification methods like tablets or large boiling pots may be needed while pump filters and life straws are useful for mobile survivalists, or preppers in transit to a shelter, or get home plans.

Some of the water quotas in various disaster planning guidelines will be for drinking and cooking. Some of each water quota is for equally important sanitation and hygiene. 1-2 gallons is not a lot of water. It’s a lot to drink. But add cooking, bathing, and health and there is little to spare. At home don’t forget your hot water tank. You can access from 40 gallons to 80 gallons of clean water using the drain cock and a garden hose.

Nutrition of around 2000-4000 calories: These calorie values need to factor in activity and any disease or dietary requirements by team members. When you are physically moving toward your destination: use the upper end of the scale. When riding out the wake of an event: use the middle or lower end of the scale. Save back some food, so when you are actively moving toward your destination again, you have enough calories to support this movement.

If you are trapped, or otherwise confined: You may need to ration below the low end of the scale. Of course fresh food is best. Convenience foods have plenty of calories so if you pass a grocery store or convenience store with any product left to grab the longest-keeping items. MREs have a long shelf life, can be warmed with their heating system, are relatively light, and require no pots, pans or clean up.

You want to bury or securely dispose of the wrappers and trash. Food, especially MREs, will be highly prized. Nobody need know your special magic, lest they want it for themselves, or at the least beg for rations, you hadn’t counted on giving away. Unless, of course, you anticipated the value of an MRE in an event or scenario and had extra meals on hand for barter purposes. Also look for pre-packaged meals. There are a lot of good options out there.

Appropriate Clothing, and shelter the elements.

Outerwear:

Winter coat with a hood and which covers the wearers posterior. (Rothco N-3B Snorkel Parka)

Snow pants or cotton duck coveralls

Desert jacket- lightweight but protective from the sun and modest protection when desert suddenly cools off at night. Nicely matched for use with a shemagh. (Rothco Shemagh Tactical Desert Scarf – 8537)

Layers:

A tee shirt

Long sleeve shirt or Pendleton

A vest or light sweatshirt is a versatile layer

Headgear:

Winter stocking hat with a face mask

Ball hat

Boonie hat, or wide-brimmed hat for sun protection

Sunglasses

In winter conditions, consider tinted ski goggles

A shemagh scarf.

Footwear:

Footwear is a matter of taste: some folks like tennis or oxford style shoes. I like work or hiking boots without steel toes. I test out a pair, when satisfied, I buy another. Two pairs of boots last about three times as long

I have been well-served for 50 years with boots priced under $100.00

Leather Uppers

A good tread pattern

Replace the original shoestrings for heavy duty ones. Save the old ones in the ruck for a quick fix

You can waterproof after purchase

You should waterproof about ever 3-4 months depending on use

2 or 3 pairs of socks if marching all day. Toss a new plastic bag of twenty socks from your discount retailer.

Rucksack:

Think carefully through the bag itself.

Can you carry it for a day of strenuous marching toward your objective?

Can you even carry what you need to get home?

Is it worth investigating a cache of supplies or gear along the path I am traveling?

Are the straps comfortable and adjustable?

Is there a hip or chest strap? Does it help or feel weird?

Tent:

Can you carry it on your rucksack? Is it the minimally sized bag you need?

Ground cloth or tarp to go beneath it?

Or no tent and use a tarp for shelter?

Sleeping Pad/Air mattress. Sounds like a luxury, but without sleep, you will make poor time, or worse, poor judgments. Look, Tough Guy, even Marines use these sleeping pads

A sleeping bag rated for the worst weather you expect to encounter. Maybe simple blankets if you expect fair weather.

Hygiene:

Hand washing is king. Any nurse will tell you, “Wash your hands more and keep your fingers away from your face!” Keeping your hands clean during an emergency helps prevent the spread of germs.

If your tap water is not safe to use, wash your hands with boiled or disinfected water and soap

Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap

Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to get the backs of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your nails

Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Wash your hands long enough to sing or hum along to “Happy Birthday” from start to completion twice.

Rinse your hands thoroughly under running water

Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them

A temporary hand washing station can be made using a large water jug containing clean water. Recapture this grey water with a bucket and use it for making flush toilets flush. How to Put a Garden Hose Spigot on a Five-gallon Pail | 

Washing hands with soap and water are the best way to reduce the number of germs on them

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer which contains at least 60% alcohol

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but sanitizers do not eliminate all types of microbes or bacteria.

Hand sanitizers are not effective when hands are visibly dirty

Avoid contact with flood waters whenever possible. Avoiding flood water seems obvious, yet every flood produces victims–further clogging the medical systems. Not only are flood waters often contaminated with raw sewage, but they regularly contain industrial waste or agricultural chemicals at levels which may exceed your ability to treat with your first aid supplies. A trip to the hospital may not be an option depending during an event. If you must enter flood waters, try to clean yourself off, and ESPECIALLY any open wounds as soon as possible. Monitor exposed areas for rashes, redness, lesions.

Educate children as to why flood waters are dangerous

Keep pets leashed and away from flood waters.

Bathing:

Check the safety of shower or bathing water when bathing or showering after a water-related emergency one should use safe water.

Sometimes water which is not safe to drink can be used for bathing or showering–but do not swallow any of this sort of water or get it in your eyes.

If you have a drinking water well, listen to your local health authorities for advice on using your well water for showering and bathing.

If extensive flooding has occurred or you suspect your well may be contaminated, contact your local health department for well testing and disinfection information.

Brushing your teeth after a water-related emergency should only be done with clean, safe water

Keeping wounds clean and covered is crucial during an emergency

Open wounds, sores, or rashes exposed to flood waters can become infected. To protect yourself and your family

Avoid contact with flood waters if you have an open wound

Cover clean, open wounds with a waterproof bandage to reduce the chance of infection

Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water

If a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, seek immediate medical care

Vibrios are naturally occurring bacteria which live in certain coastal waters. They can cause a skin infection if an open wound exposed to salt water or a mix of salt and fresh water, which can occur during floods

Tetanus, other bacterial infections, and fungal infections are potential health threats for persons who have open wounds.

Health:

Take into account everyone’s medications, even the pets?

What alternative pharmacies can I use if my usual one is knocked out and I need medicine?

What needs will any elderly or special-needs members of the family or team require? (Ramps, wheelchairs, particular vehicle, pets for comfort, items of comfort) If you make a list now, it may save distress in the future

What are my options for healthcare if my primary physician’s facilities are knocked out?

Do I have digital copies of family health records? If not how might I get them? If so, how best to archive them?

First aid:

The Duquesne University School of Nursing has excellent resources here for First Aid Kits in Disaster Preparedness. Think about stretchers. You may need one for a neighbor or team member. Stretchers, like seat belts, are not something you want to think about but darn glad you thought it through.

Security:

Having a plan of where to meet up is good advice. Cell phones and landlines may either be instantly jammed or nonfunctional in an event

Having some code word, code phrase, or shared memory only your family would know isn’t a bad idea

If on foot, you might consider not wearing apparel which looks military or makes you look “like a prepper.” You want to blend in, go unnoticed.

I think you will agree, for all the big sexy scenarios we imagine, there is always room for improvement in our preps for essential human needs. We have constant work to do improving or maintaining gear, or if not, then widening available supplies, or adding depth and longevity to them. I work to “bug-in” at home. We want to get home to great neighbors and tend to think there is safety in numbers, especially when it comes to our elderly and special needs neighbors.

In my case prepping is more of stewardship to my family and neighbors. I buy extra food; when it gets close to the use by date, it goes to the food pantry. If the event happens and we are all in the soup together, I have some food to spare. If the electricity goes out for a few days, we pull all the grills together in the street and have a BBQ party cooking meat and frozen goods before they go bad.

One civilian experience which informs my thinking is that where I live has a long-honored rural tradition of neighbors helping each other. In the aftermath of the 2008 Parkersburg, Iowa tornado, I witnessed, less than an hour after the natural event, neighbors helping neighbors, the sounds of chainsaws clearing roadways before first responders or FEMA was on the scene. SHTF. For many in Parkersburg, it was TEOTWAWKI.  There was no societal breakdown. No shootouts. No looting. People were more in need of a charger for their cellphone than .357 ammo, so I generally do not focus much on weapons.

I don’t don’t want you to misunderstand me—I have weapons—but I feel no need to advertise what I have or where I have it. One further security consideration: If you have Second Amendment or NRA membership stickers on your vehicle, get a scraper. Proud as you may be of the political or cultural statement on your back window or the bumper, you might have placed a target on your car or truck. It tells people exactly where they can acquire a weapon.

During an event, a once harmless sticker might come to read “follow me home and wait for a chance.” Don Corleone in the Godfather is a great model for individual preppers, “Never tell anyone outside the Family what you are thinking again.” You could educate children not to discuss this aspect of family life. Not out of shame, rather just good security. The less even your beloved neighbors know about your prepper-life, the better. You want to help others on your terms. You do not want to create a situation like “The Shelter” on the old show The Twilight Zone.

As I write this on a Monday, over this last weekend, six hunters got shot in Iowa. One young man died at the hands of a person in his hunting party. Good preppers should practice the most stringent gun safety. Take a refresher hunter safety or gun safety course. A competent firearms owner needs to practice putting rounds downrange and exercising gun safety regularly. Tenderfoot civilians with guns are pure chaos. I am more likely to get shot in a public hunting reserve during deer season than in the roughest neighborhood in the nearby metro area. Maybe you, too, have seen people in sporting goods stores sweeping the muzzle of a weapon across the backs of other customer’s heads or even faces of sales staff nearby when handling a firearm.

We all have to start somewhere, but let preppers be good, vocal examples of safety. Be part of the solution and not a part of the problem for your neighbors, your community, local LEO and First Responders.

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from The Prepper Journal Don't forget to visit the store and pick up some gear at The COR Outfitters. How prepared are you for emergencies? #SurvivalFirestarter #SurvivalBugOutBackpack #PrepperSurvivalPack #SHTFGear #SHTFBag

[yasunope-blog]

Seasonable Clothing For Youngsters

zaujímavé oblečenie pre deti Except you stay in a magical land exactly where you and your loved ones face zero modifications in temperature, you will will need to choose garments for children that go well with the seasons. In truth, the seasons must be your prime precedence when it will come to kids' clothing. Working with the seasons and preserving expanding kids clothed is a challenge. If there is certainly one universal reality about young children, it truly is that youngsters increase quick, and kids' clothes has to maintain up with them while keeping proper to the seasons. The Power of Levels Layering is a trend method that has been employed for years to develop a multipurpose appear. If you appear intently at the little ones segment of a clothes retail outlet, you can come across that approach is large with kids' garments, exactly where a turtleneck is generally marketed paired up with a vest and a jacket. Over and above the style assertion, levels are critical to keeping your kids in time-suitable outfits all calendar year whilst aiding you extend a wardrobe as very long as achievable. Start out modest when layering test pairing a turtleneck with a light-weight sweater through the winter season, and make it hotter working with a coat and scarf. Throughout the spring, that very same light-weight sweater will be perfect for carrying above a t-shirt and underneath a jacket. The idea is to produce a series of things that can be pulled on or peeled off according to the whims of the temperature. Intention for layers that consist of two shirts, a jacket or coat and any equipment, this sort of as hats and gloves. Start off with a great base layer, and incorporate to it subsequent the period you happen to be heading into. If specified layering approaches work for you, they may well function equally properly for your little ones. Go for the Lengthy Operate In the exact same way that some outfits for children works very well 12 months-spherical when layered, other outfits operate nicely yr-round since of their model. A few things go into selecting styles that will final the seasons: top quality, colour and slice. Never slice corners when it will come to finding kids' outfits. Try as we might to encourage ourselves otherwise, excellent merchandise expense more. Excellent kids' clothes is not only far more long lasting, but it also commonly consists of a lot more normal fibers that will preserve kids warmer and drier. Even though these items may possibly value far more in the quick term, their durability and purpose will fork out off in the long run. If you're nonetheless apprehensive about expenses, shop the off-period kids' apparel product sales. When it will come to hues that will aid you climate the seasons in style, preserve the essentials muted. Goods like sweaters, denims, jackets or coats can be bought in a muted, subdued shade. Feel earth tones and the black-and-white staples that will endure into the next season's traits. To satisfy the craze element, keep vibrant hues and accents, like girls' butterfly styles, to the garments you really don't anticipate to past in excess of a calendar year and to accessories. Gloves, hats, shorts and comparable products can increase a splash of color. Functioning with muted hues for the principles also maximizes outfit prospective. When mix-and-match colors make up the normal pieces in children's closets, it is straightforward for them to decide on their very own great outfits. Last but not least, consider a great appear at the minimize of popular kids' apparel. In the spring, capris occur on powerful for girls, and they are going to very last appropriate on by the drop months. Cuffed pants, which you can roll down as little ones develop taller, and cotton shirts are also excellent for carrying by way of the seasons. Ideal Organizing Preserving up with progress and the seasons can be draining on any mother or father, no make any difference how effectively we maintain an eye on top quality and coloration. All the levels in the earth won't aid if Jimmy is managing about in the snow wearing large waters. Organizing starts with staying on best of the racks. Take a really serious glance at what's readily available in advance of a season even starts. The lengthier you wait around to get the clothes your youngster demands, the more difficult it receives to come across the appropriate sizing or the finest excellent. By acquiring began when seasonal kids' garments 1st begins selling, you get a bounce-begin on the crowds and stand a significantly much better likelihood of kicking the season off appropriate. Prior to you essentially buy something, even though, consider some time to pull together an stock of what apparel your children by now have. Maintain goals like layering and the skill to blend and match outfits in mind, and take note what basic principles they have outgrown. Also contemplate your child's functions: Do they need far more outfits for sports or are they in want of a couple of new dressy outfits?

[themargaret66-blog]

Getting organised for summer

Desiree and Siua are flying out to the Cook Islands next week for five days in order to attend Clarisse’s wedding. Desiree has offered me her car for those five days.  So I thought what a great opportunity, as I now aim to go to Waihi for a couple of days.  I am going to take photos of grandfather’s grave and then place it on geni.com.  I also asked Desiree if she belonged to the AA and she said that she did - so that is a relief. The AA is good for getting someone from AA to repair a flat tyre  - if the need ever arises.  Also, there is a Heritage Festival in Auckland which runs for two weeks.  I have practically booked to go to an event on every day of the festival.  I love living near Auckland - there is always lots to do.  Especially in the summer months - every weekend there is a festival somewhere in Auckland such as Pasifika,  the Irish festival and The Navy came to Auckland on two separate occasions last summer - which was really interesting.  This is what keeps me going psychologically and physically.  I never see either daughter on the weekends.  They both attend church - Adrienne goes with her friends and Desiree goes to see her in-laws and also attends church on Sundays.  Poor Siua does most of the cooking of dinner every night and washes the dishes as well.  When I asked Desiree why she did not cook - she said because she goes and picks up the girls from pre-school every afternoon. She said she cleans the bathroom every weekend.  I remember with Jim - I use to cook dinner every night and have it on the table at 5.30pm.  He would eat it, go and have a bath and then go to the Working Mans Club every night of the week apart from Sundays.  When I asked why he wouldn’t stay at home - he then retorted by saying “why would I want to stay at home with you?” Sometimes we had battles over his laziness in the house - where he refused to do anything!  He would say that is your job - besides you can do anything you want because you are not working! We lived in Twizel - approximately 100 miles from Timaru and 100 miles from Oamaru. This town was so isolated that there was nothing to do anyway. You could go skiing if you had the money and you had someone to look after any children!  I did not have any money to squander on skiing or on child care for Adrienne. I could have left Jim as my father had offered me one of his houses in Kerepehi to live in.  However, I did not want to live in Kerepehi - as I had no car and the village has only one dairy.  The buying of any groceries would have been prohibitively expensive.  Anyway as it happens I have barely spoken to Adrienne in two years and before that - my visits to her were very infrequent like one visit every three months for a couple of years. Desiree asked me a few days ago why I haven’t spoken to Adrienne - I told her I got tired of being treated like an embecile (someone who has dementia)  and I also got tired of her uncontrollable vehement temper tantrums.  I don’t remember ever treating her or Desiree to temper tantrums - like yelling and screaming which Adrienne has done to me on frequent occasions!  It was like walking on egg-shells around her and trying hard not to say the wrong thing and in the end, I found the whole situation to be totally exhausting!  I then decided that I have more self-respect than to allow myself to be treated in such a demeaning and contemptuous way! She needs to smarten up her act towards me - like respect, consideration, kindness and out and out good manners - its not hard!  Even though we do not talk to each other (have barely spoken to each other in two years) I continue to send Adrienne and Matheus parcels of clothes.  This year I have sent Matheus three parcels of clothes by NZ Post Courier - each parcel would contain at least 20 items of clothing.  I sent Adrienne slippers (grey with silver dots)and a cooking book written by Jax Hamilton - (a West Indian lady from London originally - she has lived in Christchurch for the last few years) for her birthday in June. At the end of the day - it is Matheus who misses out in spending time with his nan - me. I remember how I use to see my maternal grandmother on a frequent basis up to the age of about eight years old.  However, my father then decided he loathed and could not tolerate her and as a consequence of this, we never saw her again until I was approximately 17 years of age. I did not really get to know her until I went nursing in Whakatane and she was living in Hamilton (from 1973 to 76) - I used to hitch-hike to Hamilton from Whakatane on a monthly basis - sometimes I stayed with her and sometimes I stayed with my sister Barabara.  However, once Barbara started acquiring and running clothing boutiques - the visits stopped.  When I come to think of it - Barbara then began behaving in the same way as Adrienne is doing now - she became arrogant, haughty, conceited, imperious and overbearing.  I haven’t seen Barbara or Jeanette (my two sisters) in over 10 years and before that - we never spoke to each in years and years. Neither showed any interest in my two daughters when they were growing up. For my latest visit to my aunt Val - I showed her some of my photos on my computer and Val took an interest in one photo of Desiree dressed in her New York, New York tap dance costume.  She seemed very surprised to see Desiree looking so glamourous in her costume! I just thought - you never came to visit me in Hamilton - (I lived there for 20 years) - you always wrote to me and said you were too busy to visit and as a consequence, you have missed out on so much!  On my recent visit to Val - I told Val about Adrienne’s temper tantrums and she said that she would have a talk to one of Adrienne’s friends who lives in Thames and is a counsellor!  Yeah, I thought this may help - you never know! Anything is worth a try as far as I am concerned for Matheus sake! When I told Val that Matheus paternal grandparents look after Matheus on a constant basis - I could see she was unimpressed - given Henry’s history and being jailed for 17 years! 

Yesterday being the 23 of September (the last day for the national elections) - so disappointed as I think that National was elected again.  Another three years under a National government is hard to bear and then I have to watch Bill English - his boring, supercilious and arrogant smile on the television for the next three years!  It was time for a change in my opinion, being under National for the last nine years! Anyway I decided to sort out my summer clothing yesterday and I was amazed to see that I am now in ownership of approximately 10 pairs of 3/4 pants and numerous summer tops and t-shirts. I remember going to the Highland Games in Paeroa about five years ago and all that I had to wear was one pair of 3/4 pants - second hand from the Pukekohe markets! They wern’t very suitable as the material was quite thick to boot! I then made a conscious effort to buy up large from sales - 3/4 pants! I had no desire to be caught in such a situation again! While I was sorting out winter clothes from summer clothes - I was also shocked to see I had numerous brand new winter tops - I had no idea that I owned these items.  They will never go to waste - they will all get worn eventually!  I also discovered that I have about 20 brand new bras - (absolutely ridiculous) which I had forgotten that I owned!  For the last three years (from the time that I have had no car) I have travelled to Manukau which requires me to travel on one bus and two trains in order to get to Manukau.  I love shopping at the Manukau Mall - I always go to Millers - the shop where I buy most of my clothes. I go at least once a fortnight.  Two weeks ago, I decided to go to Otara in order to pay a visit to the Green Party Protest over Poverty at the Otara shopping centre.  I had to sit on the platform for 30 minutes at Puhinui and it was extremely and bitterly cold. I had everything with me like a spare pair of trousers (I suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome) in case of an accident, spare pair of knickers, pads, camera, home-made cut lunch, book to read and camera.  I could have done with a thick scarf (as I only wore a thin coat - had no padding) and as a result I have been coughing my lungs out for the last two weeks! When Desiree heard me coughing - she said you want to be careful that you don’t end up with pneumonia  - I agreed with her!  What was so annoying about the coughing - I had only just got over a cold that I had for approximatley three weeks! With the cold - my nose was constantly running (thick yellow stuff) and I got through two huge box of tissues. Most days when I am at home - I don’t turn the gas heater on on until at least 5.30pm during the winter months.  This rule never worried me as I went to the library most afternoons in order to research my genealogy!  One day however I stayed at home and was completing some photoshop work on some of my photos - it was bitterley cold and I wrapped myself up in a blanket with a hot water bottle!  By the end of the afternoon - I had a sore throat and this was the beginning of my cold which lasted for three weeks! I would never last on the streets as a homeless person - after a couple of weeks of sleeping rough - I would probably die of pneumonia!  Aunt Val was completely shocked when she saw my images of homeless people sleeping rough on Queen Street, the main street of Auckland. Her daughter Susan had worked at the Auckland central library for several months and she had never told Val about the problem of the homeless - which equally had shocked me! Many of the homeles use the library facilites like the computers and lie around inside the library on cold wet days.  On one occasion - a homeless couple were sitting opposite me on the pubic computers.  The woman (she looked about 30 years of age) was completely filthy.  She had black finger nails and the dirt was deeply ingrained into her skin and her hair was matted! She kept telling her male friend she was “getting transferred to Christuchurch - as she wanted to beat someone up” - someone she saw on the internet living in Christchurch!  She was completely delusional and irrational! I was just filled with horror, disgust and I then I thought - well I don’t know what her situation is and therefore it is not for me to judge! On another occasion - a few months ago - there was a young guy in his 20s and he looked disheavelled and a bit grubby.  A young lady of about 30 years came along and offered him the use of a shower in her flat - which was close to Queen Street - perhaps she was a student! I thought at the time - what a brave young woman as she obviously did not know the man when giving him her phone number and address!

Anyway got to go and finish sorting out my summer clothes from my winter clothes today and also clean out the garage.

[mandyandsamswedding-blog-blog]

The Outdoor Shower Project

This past year we estimated that our family has been heading to the Jersey Shore for nearly 30 summers. The best thing besides the ocean, boardwalk and Kohr's are the Outdoor Showers that are bolted on the back of almost each summer cottage!  This year we finally made that Jersey dream a Connecticut reality by adding one to our home.

Our single biggest challenge in making this upgrade: We wanted to put it on our 2nd floor deck.  This project focused around building a catch basin to collect and route the water away into our gutter system. In the end, this feature could be useful, even if used on a first floor deck, or just against the house to provide a nice place to stand. 

While these instructions will hopefully help. Be sure to mock things up along the way.  We "freehanded" a lot of this project and sort of made things up along the way.  Take your time, have a vision of what you want and go for it.

Step 1: Plumbing.  This is where we cheated and brought in a pro. We had a hot/cold winterized spigot installed. Done. The plumbing on the actual shower was handled by us. We went with the Shark Bite pipe system. It is by nature flexible and allows for greater usability for a project like this. 

Components:

Base

Shower Head Back-Board

Shower Plumbing

False Cedar Floor

Shower Curtain Rod

Step1: The Base

Base Supply List

1 - 7' Long 2 x 8 pressure treated

4 - 45" Long 2 x 8 pressure treated

1 - 45" x 45" 1/4 Plywood

11 - 1" x 4" Cedar (one side rough one smooth)

3 - 42" Long 2 x 4 pressure treated

Box of Stainless Deck Screws

Silicone Caulk

Stain, your choice of color

Build a simple box using your 45" 2 x 8's.  Be sure to pre-drill pilot holes, especially if your pressure treated lumber is wet. Put a healthy bead of the silicone caulk between each joint and along the plywood base to create a nice watertight seal before securing with deck screws. I put about 4 deck screws along each side to secure the plywood base.

Shower Head Board:

Shower/Plumbing Supply List In Order of Faucet to Shower Head

Hose to 1/2 Connector

1/2 Female Shark Bite

Shark Bite 1/4 pipe 10 Foot section

Shark Bite Right Angle

Shark Bite clamps 1/4

Shark Bite 90 Degree

Shark Bite Female to 1/2

Shower Neck

Shower Head

Teflon Tape

This is a good point where you want to partially assemble the shower head that you picked out.  Depending on how you want the water to fall is going to determine the height of the back board.  We wanted to have an overhead rainfall like effect, so we used a 7' foot section.  Keep in mind that the base you are going to build will raise you up a few inches closer to the shower head. Drill a 1/2 hole using a spade bit for the shower head shank at the top of the board.

Once you determine the height measure the distance from your faucet to the actual shower.  Cut the Shark Bite pipe to length to allow enough room for it not to kink or be stretched when connected to your faucet.  Use the Shark Bite 90 degree bend to direct the pipe up toward where the shower head will connect. Use your copper brackets to secure the pipe in place.

Here is a close up of the back of the shower head. Let's agree that there is probably a better way to do this.  A real plumber might scoff through his mustache at this.  Clearly, I am not a skilled plumber. The Shark Bite stuff is really easy to work with, they are easy to compress clamps once you cut the pipe to the desired length.

Very Important: Make sure when you attach the shower head backboard that the bolts are on either side of where floor support will rest AND make sure they are low enough so the cedar planks won't get stuck on the bolt heads.  As you can see from the extra holes, I didn't plan ahead for this.

Building the Floor

Now comes the fun part. The floor. Besides the shower head this is a major touch point.  Every time you step in the shower you are going to be greeted by this portion of your masterpiece.  We used cedar for a few reasons.  It's way cheaper than Teak. It is resistant weather, especially when stained. It smells awesome.  It's more affordable to buy stuff that is smooth only on one side.  The guy at Ring's End was awesome.  He cut all the boards, wrapped them and said I looked like Paul Walker(RIP). He let me drive my Mini into the warehouse to pick up the boards, all around it was a fun day at the lumberyard.

Get sanding. You want these to be smooth, your feet will thank you later.  No rough edges or sharp corners. You will be rewarded by the sweet smell of cedar as you sand away. Be sure to wear a dust mask though, because, well, too much of anything is bad for you.

Optional, but recommended: Staining.  Both cedar and pressure treated wood are resistant to the elements. We opted to stain, both for aesthetics and to make sure it lasted the test of time.  The plywood piece of wood that we used on the bottom was not pretreated, be sure to stain or seal this piece.  I not only stained the plywood but coated it with some spray on Spar Urethane to give it a little extra protection. 

Assembling the floor.  This step requires the most amount of precision. You will see from the pictures that the supporting 2 x 4 are lined up at the very edge and then one directly in the middle.  If I could do this project all over again I would move the outside 2 x 4's in a few inches.  Here is why, when you finally drop this portion into the base it will be a snug fit. I had to sand those down and round off the corners for mine to fit into place.  Had those boards been moved in a few inches it would have slid in a lot easier. 

Be sure to pre-drill pilot holes in wood to avoid splitting.  To make things easy in the next section I am going to number each board, we had 11 total.  Secure the two outside cedar boards and the middle first, so those would be boards 1, 6, and 11. Then work your way in, measuring equal amount of space between each board.  You can get really overwhelmed trying to space these out evenly.  Don't overthink it, after you secure boards 1, 6, and 11. Lay the boards out and eyeball the spacing, mark it with a pencil and move on. 

I used 2 stainless screws on the end of every board. Boards 1, 6 and 11 were the only boards that were screwed into the middle support. Why? For one I didn't want to look down at a bunch of bolts. Also, this allows the other boards to flex a bit more underfoot and give it an inviting feel. 

I tied a piece of nylon rope around the board to be able to remove the base.  If I had skills, I would used my router to cut out holes in the board for this purpose.  Those will all have to be part of Outdoor Shower 2.0.

Here we are in assembly mode.  I took 2 lag bolts with a washer on each side to attach the shower head support beam to the base. Predrill these holes, put a washed on each side and tighten down. Cut Qty 6, 2 x 4's into small 3" pieces.  This is where your cedar floor will rest so that the water can drain out.

Apply a healthy amount of silicone caulk to each and every spot that might leak. As you can see below. I drilled the blocks in place and applied silicone liberally.

Ye Old Bilge Pipe: Here is where the magic happens.  I used a 1/2 spade bit to drill this hole out and then applied, you guessed it, a liberal amount of silicone to seal it up.

Drainage:

Let's talk about this.  I had numerous ideas of how to create a way to angle the water out the back.  In the end I opted for the easiest method.  I cut 2 extra 3" pieces of 2 X 4 and put them under the front of the shower.  This puts the entire shower on a very slight tilt backward.  You won't even notice it, but gravity will take over and out the water will go out and down the magic pipe.

Curtain Rod:

This step involves a level of detail orientation and took me the longest time to plan out.  Learn from me and save yourself some time.  I spent a good deal of time using good old fashion graph paper and actually utilized Pythagorean Theorem to get an octagon that would create a perfect curtain rod around the outside of the shower so that water would drip inside the shower into the base.

Supplies:

4 - 24" Copper 1/2" Pipe

3 - 17" Copper 1/2 Pipe

2 - 8" Copper 1/2 Pipe

8 - 45 Degree Copper Elbow joints

1 - T-Joint Copper Fitting

Long Section of Copper Pipe(This is going to depend on the height of your shower head board.

Solder, Flux, Blowtorch

Pipe Cutter

This was my first time soldering. It's not that hard, just watch a few YouTube videos and you will be a pro.  You don't even need to worry about leaks, it just has to fit together.  Your goal is to make a very simple octagon. I built a solid octagon first bolted it to the back board and then cut and installed the T-Joint.

On one side you need to have the T-Joint in the middle section.  This is where a support pole that will attach and fit directly into your shower base.  Drill a hole into the middle of the base with a spade bit. Before cutting that long support section down do some mock assembly. Put your curtain on the octagon rod and make sure that you position your rod at a height that makes sense.  You don't want the curtain to bunch up on the ground or hang to high.  Once you are happy strap the rod to the back of the shower head board with copper brackets.  Then cut the support pipe to length and insert the T-Joint. I soldered the T-Joint into the octagon, but I didn't solder the support pole. We want to be able to disassemble this in the winter time. 

Detail shot of the supporting copper pipe inserted into the hole I drilled in the base.

Pro Tip: Marry someone that loves to paint.

Start putting the pieces together:

Install shower head

Add a shelf and towel hook

I had some leftover cedar boards and deck screws, so I built a small shelf.  Since this water is draining into gutters be sure to use environmentally friendly soaps.  I am sure there are laws in the certain states that require "gray water" to be routed to the sewer. We only use Dr. Bronner's, you can find it at you local over-priced hippy health or grocery store. 

All systems go.  This picture, like many others, is a bit is out of sequence.  I did a test run at night before we built the curtain rod.  If you are a free spirit or have a private place to build your outdoor shower you can just skip the shower curtain step and run it like this.

It almost speaks to you, "Come, wash away your troublesunder the stars in the sky. Listen to the bird's chirp as you lather, rinse and repeat"

Finished!

[justalittlebluetiefling]

Chapter 13: Sometimes I Can’t See Myself

Rating: T Fandom: The 100 Pairing: Bellamy x Clarke Chapter: 13/? Word Count: 2124 Words

Chapter Summary: The one where Clarke and Bellamy try to figure out why they argue almost every time they talk to each other.

Also on AO3

Dec 5 Pre-Winter Break Extravaganza Guests and Friends Hosted by Harper Williams, Nathan Miller, and Bellamy Blake Friday, December 5 at 9:00pm Tonight – 46ºF / 38ºF Chance of Rain Our Place Invited by Harper McIntyre Harper is going   21        43           8 going   maybe   invited

Hey everyone! Winter break is approaching and we’ll be separated for 3 weeks!!! Let’s get together and wish each other whatever happy kinds of holidays we celebrate and drink before we vacate the campus! We’ll have beer and liquor, but please bring your alcohol of choice for a fun party game (if you’re underage, obviously not required, but find a way if you can! <3). Hope to see you all there!! – Harper

Bellamy Blake November 29 at 1:28pm Monty , I am requiring that you bring your moonshine. That shit is horrible, but for some reason, I really want more of it. Clarke Griffin and 4 others like this

Monty Green: You got it. One order of Bellamy moonshine coming right up. Jasper Jordan: Thanks a lot. Now I have to go buy scented candles. That stuff makes our room smell weird. Monty Green: Stop complaining. You helped me come up with the recipe.   Bellamy Blake: You guys can’t come to the party without it, so suck it up, Jasper.   Octavia Blake: Monty's moonshine counts for me and Clarke too! Bellamy Blake: Seriously, that doesn’t count. Find your own. Monty Green: Yeah. Stop riding on my coat-tails, little Blake. Octavia Blake: I need people to stop calling me little Blake. Clarke Griffin: Oh, come on. We discovered Monty. We deserve some credit. Monty Green:  I seem to remember Jasper and me discovering you, not the other way around. Jasper Jordan: Yeah, come on, Clarke. Get your facts straight. Bellamy Blake: Well, it was a valiant effort, Clarke. But a loss nonetheless. Clarke Griffin: Ugh. You guys suck.

It was a bigger party than he thought it would be. Even after seeing the invitation Harper sent out, he hadn’t expected so many people to show up. Still, it was oddly comforting to see his sister interacting with his friends as an adult; to see her laughing with Jasper and Monty; to see Miller actually accepting a hug from her. He could even reluctantly admit that it was nice to see the way she interacted with Princess. The two brought something out in each other. Princess seemed to ground his sister and bring her down from the clouds. Octavia had actually been finishing homework, and one time he had walked into their dorm to find her studying for their French class. On her own.

And Octavia… well, she seemed to make the princess laugh. She had a face that looked like it didn’t get to do that very often. Most of the time, he saw her with her brow furrowed, ink marks somewhere on her person, and paper cuts on her fingers. But, O seemed to be able to get her to attempt to relax. While he wasn't thrilled by her almost constant presence, he could tell that she kind of needed it. He wasn't unhappy when she walked through the door anymore, either. 

Bellamy found himself a little distracted from his date and a little too focused on watching them instead. He just happened to be watching when Princess wandered away from the group and down the hall. Annoyance flared up inside of him. Everyone got the speech when they walked in that the bedrooms were off limits. And she had been to more than one party there, so she really should have known better. He dropped to whisper into Roma’s ear that he would be right back.

He was a little shocked to find her sitting on his bed, but not as shocked as she was to see him open the door. It struck him then that this was a chance for him to talk to her about Octavia and maybe they could actually try to call a truce, but she jumped up and muttered an apology, attempting to skirt around him. He did the only thing he could think of and he grabbed her upper arm to stop her from going past.

“Where you going, Princess?”

“Back to the party.” She tugged her arm back, but he just moved his hand down to her elbow.

“Why were you in here?” She finally met his eyes and her jaw tightened. He grinned down at her when she didn’t speak. “I mean, if you wanted to see my bedroom, all you had to do was ask.”

She pulled her arm back harder and he let go. “You’re disgusting, Bellamy.”

“Maybe.” Good job, Bellamy. He leaned back against the wall next to the slightly-open door. “But you’re the one who was sitting on my bed.”

“It wasn’t like that.” She glared at him. “I just needed to get away from the noise for a minute, okay? But the noise followed me in here, so I’m just gonna go.”

Guilt stabbed at his gut and he grabbed her elbow again when she tried to push through the door. “Clarke.” It was a small thing, but it stopped her from leaving. He had never said her name in the two months he had known her. “Listen. Why do we always do this?”

The glare melted off of her face and she looked confused without it. “Argue?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged and dropped his hand, allowing her to step back, then sat in his desk chair. She stood and regarded him carefully, chewing her lip, until he motioned at his bed. “Are you going to sit down so we can talk about this or are you going to leave?”

Clarke scoffed, but she sat, crossing her arms and staring at him intently. “I think we argue, because you hate me when you haven’t even taken the time to get to know me.”

He smirked, keeping his eyes focused on hers. “I think that’s a little mutual, Princess.”

“There. That’s what it is. Princess. Why do you keep calling me that?”

He studied her for a moment. She straightened her back and set her hands on her knees, but didn't break eye contact. There was a right way to describe the origin of the nickname, and he wasn’t sure what it was. “Well.” He hesitated. He didn’t know much about her, but he thought she might be able to handle the truth. “I’m sure you know O and I didn’t grow up with much money. And I have to admit, I might have made a snap judgment when you and your mom came in and… contributed all that furniture.”

“I didn’t ask her to do that. I mean, I asked for the desk, but I wanted to give O-”

“I know. O told me.”

“And yet, you still call me Princess.”

“Well, if you stopped reacting, you’d take all the fun out of it,” he offered with a sheepish grin. She laughed. Reluctantly, but she laughed. 

“Listen.” She hesitated, and he thought it was funny how they were both so unsure over their attempt to have a civil conversation. “I don’t have any close friends anymore, Bellamy. Octavia kind of forced her way into my life, but now….” She held up a hand for a moment, but let it drop heavily into her lap. “I don’t want to lose her just because her older brother sucks.”

He couldn't not laugh at that. She surprised him by smiling instead of glaring. “I really haven’t ever seen O get this close with someone, either, if that helps. I don’t want her to lose the chance to have a friend who,” he paused to clear his throat, because what he was about to admit was uncomfortable for him, “takes care of her. I mean… just because her choice in friends can be a little uptight sometimes.”

“So, what does this all mean?” She gestured between the two of them and he shrugged.

“I don’t really know. I think we’re always going to butt heads a little. You’re pretty stubborn.” She opened her mouth but he continued. “And I can be, too. I’ll admit that.”

She smirked. “So, we’re always going to butt heads, but we can at least –“

“Try harder to get along?” She nodded and he stood, offering her his hand. For a moment, he thought she wouldn’t take it. But she did and they shook on their tentative agreement. Maybe they wouldn’t be friends, but they could at least make it easier for Octavia to get time with everyone she wanted. When he dropped her hand, he smiled. “You can hide out in here for a while longer. But I should get going before Roma thinks I ditched her.”

Clarke just nodded and offered a quick thanks. He hung back at the door. She tilted her head with a half-smile. He had to shake himself to try to rid himself of the strange intrusive thought that he liked to watch her when she was thinking. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, half laughing.

He shook himself again and smiled. “Rejoining the party.”

 ***

Clarke was more than a little tipsy by the time the party ended, but so was Octavia. It was hard for her not to be. She had to keep drinking to tame the whiplash Bell and Clarke were giving her. Bellamy had brought a beer to Clarke. He hadn’t taken the opportunity to make fun of her when she gestured so wildly telling Jasper a story that she knocked Harper’s psychology book off the counter. And then, Clarke didn’t make a joke about how he should get a room instead of sticking his tongue down Roma’s throat when she accidentally interrupted their little groping session against the fridge. Octavia had picked up the slack on that one though. It was too much to ignore, really.

The weirdest part was that Octavia was ready to go home before Clarke for once. In fact, she had to pull Clarke out of a spirited debate about what the best anti-zombie weapon would be. 

"Guns. Seriously. How is this even a debate?" Jasper asked.

Bellamy rolled his eyes. "You're going to run out of ammo in... what do you think, Clarke? A couple years?"

"Years? More like months. Even if you had all the ammunition from all over the world," Clarke paused to take one of the shot glasses Bellamy offered her and raised her eyebrows at him before tossing it back. "Even if you had allllll the ammunition, what if you're a shitty shot? You going to headshot one-hundred percent of the time? No."

Bellamy nodded in agreement. "What are you going to do? Figure out how to make gunpowder?"

Jasper frowned. "I could totally make gunpowder. Saltpeter. You have an easy supply in your body. Just pee. Charcoal? Just burn wood. It's easy. And sulfur."

"There's no way!" Clarke gestured wildly and Bellamy had to steady her, chuckling. "Unless you're fighting the zombies from Yellowstone, where are you going to have a readily available supply of sulfur?!"

"What's your answer then?!" 

"Lightsabers." Bellamy and Clarke spoke at the same time, laughed, and then high-fived.

Of course, this led to an argument between them about what type of lightsaber would actually be the best (Bellamy insisted it was a double-bladed one; Clarke insisted it was dual wielding dual-phase blades which Bellamy thought that was impractical) while they ignored Jasper's protests about their choice being a fictional weapon. Octavia had to placate them by saying that really, any lightsaber would be effective. She had no idea Clarke knew that much about different lightsaber types.

When she finally got Clarke out the front door, she glanced back to see Bellamy leaning out of the front door, waving. Clarke actually smiled at him and waved back. Whiplash. Seriously. Octavia would have said something, but she was terrified that she would jinx it, so she just rolled her eyes and linked her arm through Clarke’s.

Clarke steadied herself on Octavia’s shoulder about halfway home so she could unlock her phone and keep walking. O couldn’t help but glance down at the screen.

Bellamy Blake has sent you a friend request. Approve   Decline

Clarke’s thumb hovered over the ‘approve’ button, but she stared down at her phone like it bit her. There would be a time and a place to mock these two over how weird they were about becoming friends. Sadly, it was not this night. It was possible that they were finally figuring out how awesome they both were. It was more likely that they were trying to get along for her sake. She loved them both so much it wasn’t even funny.

Bellamy Blake and Clarke Griffin are now friends

[alifeleadsimply]

Capsule wardrobe - the productivity secret of many over-achievers [Printable]

Simplify: Follow my blog with Bloglovin

About a year ago I started playing with the idea of starting a capsule wardrobe.  Just never got around to it. Then the disaster with A1's wardrobe happened (read about it here) and I changed her wardrobe to a capsule. It worked so awesomely that A2 's wardrobe followed. And now it is my turn. 

When I say I just didn't get around to it it is only half the truth. The other half is I was scared. I own A LOT of clothes, but from the huge pile, I only bought maybe 10% myself. I love inheriting clothes and have no issue with second-hand threads. So I have jackets and dresses and more that I took from my deceased grandmother, friends and family who outgrew (literally, they picked up weight, as well as figuratively) pieces and a few that other people bought for me. A true mixture of styles, textures and textiles. As I myself have had body issues, and have fluctuated in size over the past 4 years (3 pregnancies have a lot to do with it) I have not really thrown anything out. What now happens EVERY SINGLE MORNING is I stand in front of my closet with literally nothing to wear. My clothes are old, stained, ill-fitting and just plain out of style. Last week I decided enough is enough! I assume I am pretty much the shape and size that I will be, so I don't really have to worry about throwing out my "fat clothes". And face it I will never again fit into my pre-pregnancy size 32. So they can also go. After throwing out the old, useless and ugly I was left with what I will now refer to as my core. At this stage the only core that is strong - hahaha.

Before I explain to you what is in my core capsule, let me first touch on why having a capsule is a great idea:

It saves you money. Since everything kind of goes with everything else, you don't have to worry about individual outfits. Very economical.

It saves you time. Having a kind of uniform means you can (if you wish and if you are inclined that way) grab a top and bottom from the top of your piles and the outfit will not only fit you but also be coordinated.

It saves mind space. Simplifying your daily routines and responsibilities means freeing up headspace that can be used for more important thoughts and decisions.

It saves space. No need for extra storing, or using Husband's closer because you don't have enough space. With a capsule, you can make a month's worth of outfits from a mere 30 to 40 pieces. And they fit in a normal closet.

You see, just benefits all around! Now the next question is, how did I decide on my core capsule? In my case, it was out of necessity and composed out of pieces I already owned. I have not gone out to buy anything. But when that need arises I will follow the following guidelines:

Decide on your basic capsule. That is what I call those items that you own and replace only when they are falling apart. The items that are generally seasonal and kind of usage-dependent. I jotted down my categories and decided each category may have 10 items in it. For me, my categories are:

Exercise (tops, bottoms, bras, trainers)

Seasonal (swimwear, coats, etc.)

Formal (dresses, shoes, tops and bottoms)

Sleep

Around the house

Identify your style. I like wearing clothes that are comfortable, functional and a bit grown-up. My go-to outfit is jeans or leggings with a top or a plain dress. I wear sneakers and pumps a lot and try to stay clear of sandals. So my style is casual. Here I am not talking about formalwear, just your day-to-day.

Identify the lifestyle categories that you get dressed for, then single out your top 3. My top 3 categories would be active, work, and daily.

Decide on the colour scheme of your core. Mine is natural and neutral (brown, beige, grey and black) with accents of blue and burgundy/red. Here and there I have something that breaks the mould, but when I have to replace it most probably it will be in a neutral colour.

Now tackle your cupboard. Throw out anything that is ugly, stained, ripped, too big, too small, or that you hate wearing. Look at what you have left. Do the items compliment each other? Remove the items that fit into your identified basic capsule categories. Also remove the items that definitely falls into a season, e.g. a floral skirt or woollen pants.

Whatever is left will then form the basis of your core capsule. For it to work, you will roughly need the following:

10 tops

10 bottoms

5 dresses that can be worn all year round

5 pairs of shoes (shoes that you can wear year-round e.g. pumps or sneakers. Your sandals and boots will form part of your seasonal additions so don't count them in here)

These should be items that you can wear the whole year. Good pieces to have include jeans, tank tops (in the winter wear them under your long-sleeved shirts for added warmth), and dresses that you can wear over long sleeved t-shirts and leggings in winter or as is in summer.

Minimise your wardrobe without minimising your style

Shownotes: My 5 tips for starting a capsule wardrobe

Simplify your life - Capsule wardrobe: My summer capsule wardrobe

My 30 item capsule wardrobe: Winter 2019

My core cupboard is composed of the following:

4 pairs of jeans (1 black, 1 jegging, 2 comfortable blue pairs)

4 leggings (2 black, brown, coloured)

2 skirts (pencil, long)

4 tank tops (beige, black, white, grey)

3 pairs of sneakers (white, black, navy)

2 pairs of pumps (grey, pinkish)

5 dresses (grey and black long, denim short, blue short, black short, brown long)

The items that are seasonal are packed away, to be taken out when that season rolls around. 

We are now going into autumn (in Pretoria, South Africa, autumn lasts about 4 months then it only starts getting cold!) So I will add a few pieces to help with the transition (like light pashminas or light jackets for the cooler mornings and evenings) and again a few different pieces for winter.  Think long dresses and oversized sweaters with boots.

If you are keen to start your own capsule, download my easy printable to help you get started! Also, keep coming back to get the articles on my spring/summer capsule and autumn/winter capsule!

Simplify your life - Capsule wardrobe: Planning a winter capsule wardrobe for a baby girl

Simplify your life - Capsule wardrobe: How to plan a winter capsule wardrobe for a toddler girl

Enjoy the planning, but even more enjoy the simplicity that you achieve with a capsule.