I haven’t been getting the best rest lately and I really treasure my sleep. I keep trying to get to bed early (midnight) but somehow an hour slips by without me noticing. It’s been harder and harder to get up in the morning and I don’t know if it’s because I need more sleep or if I might even be getting too much? It might also be that my timing is off, since I tend to wake up about an hour to half an hour before I get up, so waking up again makes me feel worse. Whatever the case, sleep is one of those things that most people don’t get enough of and something I’d certainly like more of. If only we could all sleep like cats, whenever, wherever, however… just look at Missy, who doesn’t mind if she’s all twisted, if it’s super hot/stifling, if the lights are on or noise is blaring. She can sleep no matter the situation. When I was self-employed, I got a ton of rest at just the times I needed. I think sleeping 1-7 is a lot less restful for me than sleeping 4-10, even if time-wise it’s identical. Too bad getting up at 10 means I won’t arrive at work until 11, which is rather late. So here’s to sleep, which is great when you can get it!
365great Day 215: sleep
365great Day 214: Best Buy/Geek Squad
I’ve recently been pleasantly surprised by Best Buy’s service, at least at the Reston location. When I went in looking to buy a laptop, I was helped by two guys who were helpful but not pushy. They got me the device I wanted and I decided to opt for the Best Buy credit card since they’ve got a 0% financing for 18 months offer. Then when I took it back two days later to get it exchanged, we got that taken care of easily. Geek Squad helped me pick out a solid state drive and took in my laptop and the hard drive to install it for me. There was a hiccup along the way when they didn’t have the turnaround I was hoping for, but once I learned of the complexity of trying to get Windows 8 onto a SSD, I understood. I got my laptop back not long after that and I’ve been playing around with it to see if it’s what I want. I have 15 days to decide and if I don’t like it, I can return it and the hard drive for a full refund. With convenient policies and people offering friendly service, I’m impressed and that’s great.
365great Day 213: bamboo
Bamboo is such a cool plant. It grows like weeds, but it’s so much more useful. In fact, part of why it’s useful is because it grows like weeds. As a renewable resource that can replenish itself at a rate far more fitting for human consumption, it’s a fantastic alternative to a lot of the other materials we may be using. You can make everything from furniture to super soft cloths with it and – oh by the way – you can eat it too. Since it’s so fibrous, it holds together well in many forms. I’ve certainly written about it plenty of times over the years… like my amazing super-flex skateboard, my crazy soft wash cloth, the time I went floating on a raft in Thailand, the time I nearly got myself a bamboo laptop, my set of bamboo chopsticks from my To-Go Ware set of reusable utensils, and of course that visit to the zoo where I watched a panda chowing down on some stalks. Anything that versatile and easier on the planet is pretty great.
365great Day 212: lip balms
I treated myself to a Baby Lips lip balm today, after eying them for quite some time. While I liked the original ones they have, when I saw the neon line I really wanted one. You’d think at $3 that that wouldn’t be a big deal, but I was really hoping for a coupon or other discount to come around. When Panda showed me a 20% off anything at CVS, I figured it was the perfect opportunity to get the Baby Lips I wanted! But then I went and found that they sell them for $4.19! Sooo it was back to Target where I originally saw them, to get them for the cheaper price point and 5% off for using my RedCard. I am now the happy owner of quite a few types of lip balms, all of which I’m enjoying. Now I can ensure my lips never feel dry by keeping one accessible no matter where I am! Each brings me a little joy when I use them, which is a great feeling.
365great Day 211: heating
We’ve had quite a few wet days this week and a few more to get through before the skies clear. Temperatures have fallen and I find myself very happy I have heated seats and steering wheel in my car. It’s allowed me to thaw out much faster as I start my drive to work and I know it’s going to be fantastic come winter. It’s so satisfying to have heat exude from the steering wheel and seat rather than just waiting for the hot air to bring up the cabin temperature. I love getting all toasty, whether it’s using special heating equipment like those or things like heating fans, electric blankets, and heated pads. There’s nothing better than being dry and warm in cold weather; it feels so great!
365great Day 210: face masks
I’ve really gotten into face masks recently. They’re a nice way to get a deep clean and intensify your normal routine. I tend to get ones that are detoxifying and help draw out impurities, with ingredients like kaolin clay, mud, etc. Then I got a couple of paper masks from Ipsy in the last Glam Bag and I loved those! They’re drenched in a serum solution that made my skin so soft and very well-hydrated afterward. I totally took advantage of the deal being offered on the whole line of those face masks and got two each of their 16 types (plus one free as a bonus). While it’s not the most cost-effective to get the individual packs, this will allow me to try out all the formulations and see which ones I like the best. Variety is the spice of life, no? So over the next couple of months I’ll be testing these out and looking silly most nights. It’s totally worth it for the relaxation and skin conditioning I get from them. It’s a great feeling.
365great Day 209: new
That fresh out of the box look of any product is quite satisfying. We have an obsession with new in many cultures and I’m certainly not immune. Still, there’s something wonderful about opening a box and taking out new items for the first time, treating them so gently in those initial encounters. Tonight I spent most of my time setting up my new laptop to keep everything I still want about how I did things on my old laptop while discarding some things I had accumulated without intending to. New is the perfect opportunity to transition to another phase, carrying over what you want to preserve and letting go of what you don’t want anymore. It’s a fresh start and a way to alter your course. That’s why I liked moving a lot as a kid, because each time I got a chance to rework my room and find some things I’d been missing. New is also a chance to discover what you haven’t encountered yet for a great learning experience.
365great Day 208: clouds
Oh what a brilliant skyline we had this evening as the sun was setting. The light came at just the right angle to create an amazing hue on the clouds lingering overhead. You could see everything from golden yellow to deep purple and it was stunning. If the clouds weren’t there to reflect the light, we wouldn’t have nearly as cool a view. I also enjoy thunderstorm clouds, with their deep grey menacing look bringing thunder, lightning, and rain. It’s the perfect time to curl up with a hot drink and get cozy as the pitter patter of the rain and rumbling of thunder create a symphony of sound. On the flip side, those super fluffy white clouds floating ever so peacefully overhead is striking too, especially against a rich blue sky. It’s always fun to look up and see what sort of clouds are blowing by; it’s great entertainment.
365great Day 207: the tropics
Who doesn’t enjoy a vacation to a tropical paradise? I’ve visited many a palm tree-covered region like Florida, Hawaii, Australia, Hainan… each of which had its own draw and gorgeous sunny days. Some people may prefer the dry California climate, but I quite enjoy a nice humid place. The colors seem brighter in those places and the sky is such an amazing hue. Oftentimes you get the most brilliant white sand that is so fine it soothes your feet. Ah, and those crystal clear waters that are home to friendly dolphins, sea turtles, and all sorts of funky fish. It’s such a pleasure to go relax in those places, but it’s a good thing I don’t live there or I may never get work done! Maybe down the line when I no longer work I’ll consider moving to one of those regions – wouldn’t that be great?
365great Day 206: pore strips
These are such a useful way to get rid of nasty blackheads and whatever else is lurking in your pores. For someone like me with an oily t-zone causing all kinds of issues, they’re pretty amazing. It’s just what I need to stop picking at my face and feel better about my skin. Plus, there’s a morbid satisfaction in seeing the gunk that gets pulled from my pores. It’s really rewarding to see how much smoother my skin looks afterwards and not feel the need to try to squeeze out the blackheads. Certainly not pretty business, but great when it comes to functionality.
