I have a fairly small house. At just under 1000 square feet, there are two bedrooms, one bathroom, and an all-in-one living room, dining room, and kitchen that blend together at the center of the house. The living room is right up by the front door and you pass through the dining area as you…
Balancing out energy resources and consumption against energy waste is one of the fundamental problems of the human condition. Extremely wealthy companies spend upwards into hundreds of millions of dollars into maximizing output to make the most money, no matter what venture it is. On a small scale, this is a regular challenge as a…
I received an unexpected, surprise bonus at work last week. My boss told me that he had been silently monitoring my performance and was continually satisfied with the results. I just try to work as hard as I would on my own time doing things for myself, let alone for someone paying me for labor….
My cousin and I don’t exactly see eye to eye regarding most things. He is two years older than I and teased me relentlessly growing up, fostering a deep seated resentment for him that only worsened with time. We were competitive in sports, at family celebrations, and even with dating as we got older. These…
Nice as that is, I’m still living so far inland that I never get a pleasant ocean breeze! I’m surrounded by forests in a swampy region, and that means it’s always uncomfortably hot. It was a beautiful day when I finally saved enough money to afford moving out to the mountainous American west. The privilege…
When I first signed my lease, the administration for the apartment complex kept me from seeing my own unit. They claimed this was to allow a few days in between for cleaning in addition to painting. To be honest though, I can’t help but expect that this wasn’t the only reason. My air conditioner is…
The warm pleasant scents of essential oils cannot be beat. Candles, natural beeswax, and natural spruce have their pleasantries, but I can never get enough of the oils to satisfy my nose! My coworker gifted me a bottle of lemongrass last year, which started a chain reaction of buying more varieties of essential oils and…
The job that left the worst impression on me of all the dirty jobs I’ve done was simple: I had to haul and toil for this small property management company in town. It doesn’t sound bad yet, but just wait. See, if someone in neighborhood wants to rent their home or duplex out to potential…
My parents have carried on through their old age like champions, but I still lend my hand around their house whenever I’m available. See, it all started out with stringing lights and other decorations for Christmas. This ritual was something the people I was with and I did since I was a teenager, and my…
My ineptitude with technology is scary. I know practically nothing about how to handle any repair, no matter how simple. I couldn’t be any worse with my hands either, as I couldn’t hammer a nail into a plank of wood without smacking my thumb! That’s why I work in a cozy little call center here,…