Over the past several months, we’ve done a lot of purging of various unneeded items from our apartment. At the same time, we’ve acquired a pretty good amount of stuff, and I think we’ve probably maintained equilibrium. Here’s a record of things that we have gotten rid of either by selling on [Craigslist](http://boston.craigslist.org/) or giving away on [Freecycle](http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FreecycleNorthShore/), along with things we have acquired.
It’s a sunny, warm Saturday, so we’re spending it outside, right? Not today.
Today, we spent some time organizing and decluttering in the apartment. Since our ‘office’ has been converted to a nursery, there is a lot of stuff that has made its way out into our living room, and some other stuff that still needs to be taken out of the nursery. There is also a lot of extra junk in our apartment in general, and we’ve been in the process of getting rid of it for the past few months. Today we got rid of some extra books by donating them to the library. I cleaned out the drawers in my computer desk. I also fixed the drawer underneath our crib so that it slides in and out nicely, and Becky put away some more baby gear in said drawer.
One glaring issue with the furniture that we moved into our living room was that the “Manager’s Chair” I used for my computer desk was much too bulky for the tight walkway the computer desk is now located in. So today we went to [IKEA](http://www.ikea.com/) and bought a [STEFANO](http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15600&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=48222&langId=-1&parentCats=15600*15877*15879) swivel chair. It’s much less cushy than the big leather manager’s chair, but it is still quite comfortable, and most importantly it can easily slide under the desk to allow easy access past the desk:
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With the big chair
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With the little chair
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Much nicer, eh? It was even worse when I was actually sitting in the big chair… Becky could barely get past! By the way, here’s what my computer desk layout looks like now:
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It’s a bit crowded, but still very usable, and, most importantly, ergonomically correct.
Just to clarify a bit from my [last post](http://prwdot.org/2006/04/08/a-humbling-learning-experience/), I’d say that my interpretation of the situation was rather over-dramatized. In the grand scheme of things, it really was no big deal. The computer was completely usable with the IR receiver broken, we didn’t lose any data, and though I lost a bit of pride, I’ve mostly gained it back since successfully completing the repair. There was no household crisis, Becky didn’t yell at me for breaking the computer, it was pretty much 100% me being very hard on myself.
Thank you all for your concern. 🙂
Oh, and Mr. Anonymous, I would be more inclined to approve your mean-spirited comment if you would leave a valid email address. Then again, maybe not.
I wish that our blog had smell-o-vision. It is awfully hard to describe the wonderful smell coming from our kitchen right now. Becky is making meatballs and sauce. Yum!
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Mmmm
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As is our practice, this batch will be separated into plastic containers and then frozen. The resulting frozen packets can be used at any time to help make a delicious dinner!
I’ve been dealing with the problem of Tech Envy for a while now. Last night, I discussed the issue with Becky, and came up with some interesting observations and some new ways of handling the situation.
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So those Geeky Onesies that Becky made me for Christmas have become quite the sensation!
First, I [raved over them](http://prwdot.org/archives/2005/12/awesome_gifts.html) on Christmas. Then our relatives in Pennsylvania thought they were great when we showed them off later that day. Just recently, Becky posted them on the [Craftster forum](http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=71880.0) where they were received with a great response. And yesterday we discovered that Leah, the admin of [Craftster](http://www.craftster.org/) (and fellow Boston-area resident) had submitted the Geeky Onesies to [MAKE](http://www.makezine.com/), a do-it-yourself magazine/book run by [O’Reilly Media](http://oreilly.com/). MAKE [posted about the onesies earlier this week](http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2006/01/geeky_onesies.html)! That’s pretty awesome in both geeky and crafty circles!
I have created a new album just for the onesies [here](http://prwdot.org/gallery2/v/craftiness/geeky_onesies/). At this point, Rebecca has *not* revealed her plans, if any, for doing any further work with Geeky Onesies. But if you have any thoughts for her, be sure to let us know, either by leaving a comment on this entry, or by contacting her via our [contact page](http://prwdot.org/contact.html).
Update 01/13/2006
We’ve got another mention, this time at one of my new regular reads, [Daddy Types](http://daddytypes.com/archive/2006/01/13/opensource_geek_designs_on_trademark_onesies.php), the “Weblog for New Dads”. Cool!
Update 2 01/13/2006
Whoops, and there are even more links that I’ve found by way of searching for the Craftster thread. I was searching for links to our blog, but since most people are just linking to the Craftster thread, that didn’t turn up anything. Becky’s work was mentioned over at [Darryl Smith @ Radioactive Networks](http://www.radio-active.net.au/blog/2006/01/despite-being-good-puzzle-i-have-never.html), and also at [Yes, I’m Canadian](http://www.kevinyank.com/blog/archives/geeky-baby-wear/).
With the holiday season upon us I thought it appropriate to bring up a topic of conversation I have noticed among myself and a number of friends. What happens to Christmas when you’re an adult?
Alternately we ask: Why, now that I’m in my mid/late twenties, does Christmas not seem so much fun? Why do I feel depressed as soon as Macy’s decks out in the green and red? Why am I so much more senstive to the materialistic aspects of Christmas than I was as a kid (or even a teenager). Why can’t I just be happy about this season?
Even I have turned to Peter and proclaimed, “If I hear one more Christmas song on the radio I’m going to drive off that bridge!” I don’t really mean it, of course, but as someone who used to sing Carols all year long I’m surprised to hear myself say that.
So, why?
Continue reading
Today, Becky and I celebrate three years of marriage!
ggg|rt2005_day5/P1050377|At The Arch|ggg
Last night while we were watching [Gilmore Girls](http://thewb.warnerbros.com/web/show.jsp?id=GG), Becky said that I was like [Luke](http://thewb.warnerbros.com/web/show_bio.jsp?id=GG-H-SPatterson), only with shorter hair. If I had to pick a character on that show to be compared to, it would definitely be Luke, because he’s pretty darn cool. So thanks for the compliment, and thanks for three wonderful years. 🙂
P.S. I would also like to wish a happy anniversary to [Marc](http://acesoneights.blogspot.com/) and Vanessa, whose wedding was the day before ours, and an apparently not-so-happy anniversary to [Nick and Jessica](http://www.mtv.com/onair/newlyweds/nick_and_jessica/), whose wedding was on the same day as ours.
I was poking around the staff library at work when I found this little gem of a book: aaa|The American Frugal Housewife|048640840X|aaa by Lydia Maria Child and published in 1844. It is full of helpful hints on how to tell if walnuts are ready for pickling and how housewives should be sure to employ their children in making their own clothes, etc.
With all the talk about the price of gas the past few days, I thought that this passage was particularly timely. While there may not be anything individuals can do about the rising prices, they can change their practices to save, none-the-less. Child tells us not to be ashamed of our frugality, but to embrace it.
>We never shall be prosperous till we make pride and vanity yeild to the dictates of honesty and prudence! We never shall be free from embarrassment until we cease to be ashamed of industry and economy. Let woman do their share towards reformation- Let their fathers and husbands see them happy without finery; and if their husbands and fathers have (as is often the case) a foolish pride in seeing them decorated, let them gently and gradually check this feeling, by showing thatthey have better and surer means of commanding respect- Let them prove, by the exertion of ingenuity adn economy, that neatness, good taste, and gentility, are attainable without great expense.
Thanks, Lydia!
Without going into the actual monetary values, our [ING Direct](http://www.ingdirect.com/) savings account has generated more than 10 times the interest in the year so far than it did for the entire year of 2004. And our balance is more than 50 times what it was at this time last year.
w00t!
p.s. If you’re interested in setting up an account at ING Direct (they have a 3.3% APR right now!), let me know, and we can help each other out with some referral bonuses. 🙂