Facebook is often seen in a negative light. It's a time sink that gives nothing back, it provides the highlights of everyone else's lives, political arguments abound, advertising is everywhere, and it is overwhelmed at times with baby/cat pictures. Sometimes, people even pay real money to play facebook games. Beyond that, at times people become jealous because they see others doing that which they wish they were doing.
People often deal with the onslaught by deleting their facebook account, or taking a month long digital hiatus. Others seem unaffected.
I think facebook can be used positively; either as a means to boost your own mood and affirm ourselves, or as a means of building true friends networks, the emerge from the internet and become physical reality. I'm going to focus on the first right now, because the second seems fairly obvious; simply type "I'm bored, who wants to hang out" and see what happens, or create and plan a party/potluck/get-together online.
So how can we boost our moods and our self concept? My partner has done a lot of reading into research on happiness, and one of the interesting concepts he found was that if you see pictures of yourself happy often, they will improve your mood.
I personally want to tie this to the fact that I don't go out and do all those things I love to do as much as I wish I would. And that I get a teeny bit jealous when I see people's pictures of those same things that I enjoy doing.
So, to use facebook to positively boost my mood, I'm going to go out and do those fun things I keep forgetting to do, and then post pictures on facebook. People's comments tend to be positive, so that will serve as an instant mood boost, and as reinforcement of the desired behaviour.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
How to relax after a stressful day
It might surprise you, but sitting down in front of the computer or tv is probably not actually the best way to relax after a long, stressful day. Or at least, that's true for me, maybe not so for you. But it's easy enough to check. For me, after noting several times my initial emotional state/level of energy before and after using the internet, I found out that I often end up even more tired, and more emotionally drained after using the internet.
This might have to do with getting into arguments/discussions a lot.
There are some ways of using the internet that aren't tiresome, such as looking at cute pictures of animals, blogging, or posting pictures of cool fungi. However, I almost inevitably end up in the non-relaxing parts of the internet.
So how to actually relax after a long day?
1. Take a walk (even if it's raining). Walks allow me to process what happened during the day, and it's also physical movement which our bodies need.
2. Journal/blog/draw/photograph. Another way to process the day while doing something innately enjoyable.
3. Drink a cup of tea. Don't do anything else while drinking the tea. Just sit, and think, and be in the moment.
4. Meditate.
5. Pet your pet. Petting cats and dogs has been proven to lower your blood pressure.
6. Do yoga, go on a run, or work out. Yoga has been shown to cause relaxation, while a good run or work out causes your body to release feel-good hormones.
This might have to do with getting into arguments/discussions a lot.
There are some ways of using the internet that aren't tiresome, such as looking at cute pictures of animals, blogging, or posting pictures of cool fungi. However, I almost inevitably end up in the non-relaxing parts of the internet.
So how to actually relax after a long day?
1. Take a walk (even if it's raining). Walks allow me to process what happened during the day, and it's also physical movement which our bodies need.
2. Journal/blog/draw/photograph. Another way to process the day while doing something innately enjoyable.
3. Drink a cup of tea. Don't do anything else while drinking the tea. Just sit, and think, and be in the moment.
4. Meditate.
5. Pet your pet. Petting cats and dogs has been proven to lower your blood pressure.
6. Do yoga, go on a run, or work out. Yoga has been shown to cause relaxation, while a good run or work out causes your body to release feel-good hormones.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Wordless Wednesday: Wood and Mushroom Walk
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| Viola sempervirens |
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| Trillium ovatum |
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| Possibly Microporellus obovatus |
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| Good question |
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| Fomitopsis pinicola |
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| Leucojum aestivum |
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| Guepiniopsis alpinus |
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Positives of the potentail new appartment:
1. The cat will be allowed throughout the house.
2. A whole kitchen all to ourselves.
3. Lights will actually be off when not in use.
4. Playing my music without headphones.
5. The temperature of the house will be at the level we like.
6. No stompalompagasses while I'm trying to sleep.
7. Room to do acroyoga comfortably in the living room.
8. Only our stuff to clean and neaten.
9. No one making snide comments about my food.
10. No one stinking up the place with their food.
2. A whole kitchen all to ourselves.
3. Lights will actually be off when not in use.
4. Playing my music without headphones.
5. The temperature of the house will be at the level we like.
6. No stompalompagasses while I'm trying to sleep.
7. Room to do acroyoga comfortably in the living room.
8. Only our stuff to clean and neaten.
9. No one making snide comments about my food.
10. No one stinking up the place with their food.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Moving out on our own
My partner and I have been together, well, for a while now, and for nearly the entire time we've lived with room mates. Granted, there was one summer where we lived together by ourselves during college, but since I graduated college in 2008, we've always had room mates.
Now, I'm very excited to be living just by our selves, but at the same time, I'm not exactly happy about what that means for our rent. I'm not going to say that we deserve it, or we need it, but I think just living by our selves while I finish the rest of my grad school program will be beneficial.
Besides the amount we've saved over the years by renting out rooms is... significant. And by significant, I mean we've never had to pay as much as our peers and at times it was less than half what other's have paid. This is the benefit of having your name on the lease of an house, and sub letting to three people. Mwaahahahahaha.
Anyway, as it is a step up in our housing costs, I'm going to be looking for ways to reduce costs as much as possible.
Obviously, the first idea that springs to mind is to keep the heat low in winter, and not using A/C in the summer, which we do anyway. But it's easier to keep the house cool during the winter when you don't have room mates who want the living room at 75 degrees. This goes along with using windows judiciously during the summer, and insulating the windows when it gets really hot/cold outside. It's amazing how much cooler your living space can stay if you've turned off all unnecessary electronics and have the currants drawn.
Next, actually having lights off, and electronics plugged into power strips so they can be shut off when not in use. Here again, renters are never as conscientious as we are.
I'm also considering not paying for internet at the new place, as there is free wifi in the apartment center. I definitely don't need it over summer, so it will definitely be cancelled for those months at a minimum. Definitely not something you can do when you have a renter.
I'm sure as the moving day comes nearer I will think of other ways to reduce the cost. Efficiency with money is one of my hobbies.
Now, I'm very excited to be living just by our selves, but at the same time, I'm not exactly happy about what that means for our rent. I'm not going to say that we deserve it, or we need it, but I think just living by our selves while I finish the rest of my grad school program will be beneficial.
Besides the amount we've saved over the years by renting out rooms is... significant. And by significant, I mean we've never had to pay as much as our peers and at times it was less than half what other's have paid. This is the benefit of having your name on the lease of an house, and sub letting to three people. Mwaahahahahaha.
Anyway, as it is a step up in our housing costs, I'm going to be looking for ways to reduce costs as much as possible.
Obviously, the first idea that springs to mind is to keep the heat low in winter, and not using A/C in the summer, which we do anyway. But it's easier to keep the house cool during the winter when you don't have room mates who want the living room at 75 degrees. This goes along with using windows judiciously during the summer, and insulating the windows when it gets really hot/cold outside. It's amazing how much cooler your living space can stay if you've turned off all unnecessary electronics and have the currants drawn.
Next, actually having lights off, and electronics plugged into power strips so they can be shut off when not in use. Here again, renters are never as conscientious as we are.
I'm also considering not paying for internet at the new place, as there is free wifi in the apartment center. I definitely don't need it over summer, so it will definitely be cancelled for those months at a minimum. Definitely not something you can do when you have a renter.
I'm sure as the moving day comes nearer I will think of other ways to reduce the cost. Efficiency with money is one of my hobbies.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge 3/20/14
The Nisqually delta has recently (as in 5 years ago...) been allowed to flood and return to it's original state as a really big, wet mud puddle with a range of aquatic to semi-aquatic habitats. It's a really great spot to watch birds, and see western Washington in all it's muddy brown, green, and blue glory.
Though the dike that had been holding back the tides was removed in 2009, it still looks to me like nature has a ways to go in reclaiming the land, and it will be interested to watch over the years as the habitat shifts and develops. I expect that there will be more erosion of the sediment/sediment, and I'm curious to see how the vegetation coverage shifts as conservation groups get more or less funding.
There is currently a trail + boardwalk that is about 2 miles long, depending on how many of the side trails and loops you take. For only being 4 miles round trip, it sure seems like a long trail, but perhaps that's because it's so flat. Also, if I were more of a birder and less of a hiker, it'd probably seem more interesting overall. I bet if I were a birder it would seem like one of the more awesome places in Washington state.
For the time of year, it was surprisingly warm and sunny. Some of the deciduous trees have started to break bud, but most of the vegetation we saw was non-native reed canary grass. We were able to see lots of Canada Geese, Common Mallards, a wealth of Sea Gulls, and some less common duck species, tree swallows, and many sparrows.
Personal rating of the trip: 3/5, with probable improvement depending on the time of year and one's interest in birds.
Though the dike that had been holding back the tides was removed in 2009, it still looks to me like nature has a ways to go in reclaiming the land, and it will be interested to watch over the years as the habitat shifts and develops. I expect that there will be more erosion of the sediment/sediment, and I'm curious to see how the vegetation coverage shifts as conservation groups get more or less funding.
There is currently a trail + boardwalk that is about 2 miles long, depending on how many of the side trails and loops you take. For only being 4 miles round trip, it sure seems like a long trail, but perhaps that's because it's so flat. Also, if I were more of a birder and less of a hiker, it'd probably seem more interesting overall. I bet if I were a birder it would seem like one of the more awesome places in Washington state.
For the time of year, it was surprisingly warm and sunny. Some of the deciduous trees have started to break bud, but most of the vegetation we saw was non-native reed canary grass. We were able to see lots of Canada Geese, Common Mallards, a wealth of Sea Gulls, and some less common duck species, tree swallows, and many sparrows.
Personal rating of the trip: 3/5, with probable improvement depending on the time of year and one's interest in birds.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Food, planning and shopping
One of the things I would like to do better in my life is the procurement and production of food. Right now, I have a load of recipes that all taste quite good, aren't too hard to make, and yet I find myself eating bowls of potatoes and stacks of sandwiches.
I think what I need to do it create a rotation of meals, that is quite limited, very tasty, cheap, and easy to make even when I am crushed under a pile of papers. We tend to eat one big meal per day, and eat the leftovers the next day as breakfast. I want them all to be very filling, and pretty easy to take to work/school with me. I also don't want to eat the same base protein 2 days in a row if I can help it (monotony in high doses gets to me). Here are some of the meals I can think of, off of the top of my head:
Black-eyed peas:
Black-eyed pea burrito with potatoes
Black-eyed pea salsa salad
Black-eyed pea kale and lemon tahini sauce salad.
Lentils:
Lentils and kale with tahini sauce
Lentil and Potato salad
Lentils, kale, and mushroom salad
Tofu:
Sautéed tofu and spinach with peanut sauce
Tofu and Avocado curry with kale
Tofu, tomato, brewer's yeast, mayo, lettuce sandwich (optional avocado)
Others/extras/snacks/breakfasts:
Oatmeal with apple, rasin, and cinnamon
Potato with green onions, olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar
Seitan, tomato, lettuce, mayo, brewer's yeast, pickle sandwich
Smoothie with cocoa powder, peanut butter and bananas
So, theoretically, if I did a black-eyed pea meal followed by a lentil meal followed by a tofu meal, I have nine days of meals, plus 4 breakfasts/snacks to break it up. Also, since I soak/sprout my lentils for 1 day and black eyed peas for 2 days, if I start both the lentils and black eyed peas soaking on the tofu day, they will always be ready for cooking on the right day. Plus, most of these meals include a good share of vegetables, and I can eat fruits with my snacks. I'm going to try it out and see how it works.
I think what I need to do it create a rotation of meals, that is quite limited, very tasty, cheap, and easy to make even when I am crushed under a pile of papers. We tend to eat one big meal per day, and eat the leftovers the next day as breakfast. I want them all to be very filling, and pretty easy to take to work/school with me. I also don't want to eat the same base protein 2 days in a row if I can help it (monotony in high doses gets to me). Here are some of the meals I can think of, off of the top of my head:
Black-eyed peas:
Black-eyed pea burrito with potatoes
Black-eyed pea salsa salad
Black-eyed pea kale and lemon tahini sauce salad.
Lentils:
Lentils and kale with tahini sauce
Lentil and Potato salad
Lentils, kale, and mushroom salad
Tofu:
Sautéed tofu and spinach with peanut sauce
Tofu and Avocado curry with kale
Tofu, tomato, brewer's yeast, mayo, lettuce sandwich (optional avocado)
Others/extras/snacks/breakfasts:
Oatmeal with apple, rasin, and cinnamon
Potato with green onions, olive oil, salt, and balsamic vinegar
Seitan, tomato, lettuce, mayo, brewer's yeast, pickle sandwich
Smoothie with cocoa powder, peanut butter and bananas
So, theoretically, if I did a black-eyed pea meal followed by a lentil meal followed by a tofu meal, I have nine days of meals, plus 4 breakfasts/snacks to break it up. Also, since I soak/sprout my lentils for 1 day and black eyed peas for 2 days, if I start both the lentils and black eyed peas soaking on the tofu day, they will always be ready for cooking on the right day. Plus, most of these meals include a good share of vegetables, and I can eat fruits with my snacks. I'm going to try it out and see how it works.
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