Gadgets

     I love gadgets! I am intrigued by the versatility of most gadgets. I have a plethora of gadgets at home, at work, and in my vehicle. The best kinds of gadgets are the homemade ones, ones that replace a forgotten or misplaced item.
 
     My latest gadget-invention happened at work a few weeks ago when I ran out of large paper bowls. I use these particular bowls to put salad in. Despite adding large paper bowls to my work-week grocery list, I still forgot to buy them. Each Monday afternoon, I go to the local grocery store  and buy lunch for the week: a box of baby spinach and baby kale leaves, a rotisserie chicken, a bag of shredded or small-chunk cheese, and, if need be, a bottle of salad dressing and a bag of croutons. This list is so ingrained in my mind that I habitually add the items to my basket and head straight for the cashier without giving any other item a second thought. Just because I add something else to the list does not mean I’m going to be mindful of that item while I’m at the grocery store. This was exactly the case with the large paper bowls a few weeks ago.

     When supper time rolled around and I opened the file drawer to take out a large paper bowl for the salad, I realized I had forgotten to buy that item. What was I going to do then? I didn’t really want to put the salad on one of the paper plates I have; I really wanted a bowl.

     Thankfully, I’m blessed with ingenuity (inherited from my parents). I grabbed a paper plate and folded the sides inward so that I could create a paper bowl. I added the spinach and kale and then added some pieces of the rotisserie chicken, a few sprinkles of the cheese, ample amounts of salad dressing, and topped everything off with a bunch of croutons. The paper-plate-bowl held up for the duration of eating the salad. For the rest of that week, I simply made paper-plate-bowls and added the salad fixings to them.

     I have since bought a package of large paper bowls, but, I think that when I run out of them, I’m not going to buy any more packages. I’m just going to restock the paper plates and make bowls from them. Ideally, for those readers who think I’m wasting paper and killing trees, I guess I could probably bring in a standard bowl and fork from home and use them for salads. However, I’m not that type of person. I’m the kind of person who relishes convenience and who doesn’t have very much time from the end of supper to the start of my evening class, so the act of throwing away the bowl and fork on my way out the door helps me get to class on time.

     In the realm of gadgets, if I can make them so that my life is a bit easier, I’m going to do my best to construct them. Especially this semester, convenience is key, and gadgets that make it more palatable are a definite plus.

Normal

     What is normal? Is anything normal? Is anyone normal? A common question I’ve heard people ask is, “Why be normal?” This query is usually asked because normal sometimes gets a bad rap.

     I think my definition of normal is different from most people’s views of normal because I teach. I interact with all different kinds of people, and, in my opinion, there is no real definition of normal. To me, normal means individuality. Everyone is different, and normal doesn’t have a well-defined meaning for every individual. The societal definition of normal is generally what a majority thinks, but I just don’t think that normal can be confined within any constraints. Whatever I think is normal is normal for me; it is not necessarily normal for anyone else. What does normal mean to you?

Cleaning

     Like most people, I do not enjoy cleaning anything, and like most people, cleaning is a chore that must be done. My least favorite chores are cleaning out the litter boxes, washing the dishes, and all of those general housekeeping duties: washing windows, dusting, vacuuming, etc. My favorite chores are cleaning the computer tower, doing the laundry, and organizing various items.

     I’m a bit of a pack-rat, and my motivation to organize is very low for some items and very high for others. Currently, my garage has become a graveyard for Amazon boxes, so I’ve been slowly, but surely, tearing them up and throwing the pieces into black garbage bags. However, because of a very heavy teaching load this semester, I can only do this task on weekends. It’s not a favorite task, but it does need to be done. A task I enjoy doing is organizing my crafting supplies. A not-so-pleasant chore is re-organizing my living room. I think that if I consider it as a way to organize my crafting supplies, maybe I can convince myself to take on that task and actually get it done.

     Whatever cleaning chore I have to do, I know that I’ll feel better after getting it done. That thought alone may be enough to motivate me to do it. If I add my favorite music to the mix, cleaning may not be as horrible a chore as I think it is.

Coffee & Tea

     I have a friend who cannot live without her coffee. Her favorite is Starbucks, but she’ll drink any available coffee if need be.

     She and I have different coffee habits. I drink one cup of coffee a day; she drinks at least three or four cups a day. I drink cold-brewed coffee; she drinks heat-brewed coffee. I have very little trouble with acid indigestion; I can’t say the same for my friend. Even if I drank more than one cup of cold-brewed coffee a day, I would still have very little acid indigestion because cold-brewed coffee removes at least 66% of the acid that coffee contains. Coffee has a lot of acid in it.

     I can start my day without a cup of coffee; that is, I can putter around a bit before needing that cuppa Joe. My friend needs that morning jolt to start her day, which is extremely early (around 5:30 am); heck, if I got up that early, I’d probably need coffee, too.

     My friend and I also drink tea for various reasons. At night, I drink ginger and lavender tea because it’s soothing, and it keeps me healthy. My friend drinks lavender and chamomile tea to help her fall asleep faster.

     Coffee and tea are two drinks my friend and I enjoy drinking. We just have different tastes when it comes to these beverages.

Great Minds

     Several years ago, while I was attending college, I had the pleasure of talking to and later befriending a woman that saved my life, in a way. She was very friendly and very patient with me. I was a mess during some of my college years. This friend, Eldora, helped me cope with life’s troubles. She was an art therapist, and she helped me see how art and my creativity could soothe the savage beast that seemed to dwell within me.

     She introduced me to the joys of doodling. It was through that method that I was able to tame the troubles and concentrate more on my studies. At one point, I had considered changing my major to art therapy because I knew that if it helped me, it helped others, too. I did extensive research, at that time, on art therapy. I was going for my education degree, and I figured I could add art therapy to the mix.

     I didn’t go after that major, and I don’t really remember why I didn’t pursue it. I did graduate with a B.A. in Education, and a concentration in art and English, so I did take something positive from my counseling sessions with Eldora. Another benefit from speaking with and working with Eldora was showing my artwork at the college library. I also dabbled in literary efforts, submitting my work to the college’s literary magazine. I owe many thanks to Eldora because she helped me see the true gifts and talents that had been hidden within me.