Environmental Challenge-a-thon: Day 2

Wow. I wasn't sure I would be able to complete my challenge for today.  I have to type fast before the baby wakes up.  So, this is a map of my current neighborhood.  It's upside down so that my one follower won't figure out where I live and come murder me.

Although I doubt she would do that because history tells me she's more likely to bring over fresh eggs from her chicken coop or or fresh salsa...or leftover hamburgers...or lemon pie...but you never know.

The blue dot thing is where I live.  The happy face is where I want to live; a difference of about a mile and a half.

I decided that I wanted to create a poster (my ex-co-worker calls them "vision boards) of my dream environment and put it up somewhere visible...

I printed out a map of my neighborhood and my dream homes are actually in the same hood as I am; just a few hundred thousand higher...I mean further.

Where I live, there is a definitive prejudice between the "East" and "West" sides.  I have my own prejudices; against the suburbs, or as I call them, "The burbs." Some say that someday suburbs will be the new ghettos.  And I agree.  They are isolated, un-diversified, cookie-cuttery, and lack history and authenticity (bring on the war of words).

I completely understand why Carrie in "King of Queens" always dreamed about living in Manhattan, versus Queens.  There's something comforting and energizing about the city.

As I was thinking about my dream environment I realized that it's impossible to find just one place to meet all the dreamy desires.

Where I live, my kids will never be able to bound down the stairs to open presents at Christmas in front of a large window, where outside it's snowing.  It would be akin to child abuse to even dress them in the cute, white, Heaven-like outfits the kids wear in the Pottery Barn catalogues.

Something in me has always dreamed of living in one of those homes where you go outside in the backyard, swim to the edge of the infinity pool and look out over the city lights...

My dream environment is also not in a small town like in "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton", where Kate Bosworth grows up and works at the "Piggly Wiggly" and (Spoiler alert) ends up with her childhood friend.

As it stands, once we win the lottery and move an inch and a half east, we won't be able to walk outside and feel a cool breeze, blowing in from the Ocean...although at work one time, I really thought I could smell the Ocean.  Wishful thinking...

No, my dream homes are nestled a stone's throw from the main street in the city; at least I consider it the main street. I could walk outside my front door and be at any number of Starbucks or Farmer's Markets or restaurants.

City life is where it's at and I know this may sound, obvious...but I could use a closer Starbucks.

365 Day Environment Challenge-a-thon

I'm embarking on a personal year long challenge to improve my environment; at least one thing, one day at a time. My rules are that the challenge cannot consist of general picking up and house cleaning.  It has to be something that is different, new, and that I believe will improve my living space.

I know it's common sense that our environment affects our mental health but I'm astonished at how myself and others neglect their environments and then wonder why they are anxious and depressed.

I have a high tolerance for environment chaos.  I just get used to things being inefficient, ugly, dirty, disorganized etc.

This table is my first example and will kick off my Environment Challenge-a-thon.  I'm excited to see how less neurotic I hopefully will become after it's over.

This table was given to us by a previous neighbor who of course was moving and didn't want it anymore.  We were also moving and are chumps for free things (not that that's bad), however, as other free-gans know, it can be dangerous when lines are not drawn.  This table served as our coffee table for a couple of years.  It's big, bulky, and reminds me of the Jetsons.  Futuristic is definitely not my style, at least for now.  However, we needed a coffee table because we didn't have one and so it served as a table for coffee...and trash, and Kleenex, and dirty dishes, and medicine, and gobs of my daughter's "journals", and books, and pens, and magazines, and DVD cases. It was a home for clutter and trash basically.

I made an executive decision that I wanted it gone.  Craigslist didn't want it, despite the price being dropped several times.  I wasn't surprised.  So, Savers inherited it and will probably try to sell it for $25, more than our lowest asking price.

As far as any immediate mental health results? Aesthetically, the TV room looks better, cleaner, freer, and now is not competing with baby's basinet. It helps my brain think more clearly....

My 6 year old keeps reminding me that I have no place to put my cup since I gave away the table...but I just nod, put it on the ground and know that the cup will go back to the kitchen now instead of end up on the table for the next millennium or until the dishes get done again, whichever comes first.

I'm excited to see what tomorrow will bring...or be discarded of...

"Perelandra" Art

I found this amazing work of high school art when I was purging clutter from my clutter-filled environment.  School papers have been a big culprit.  It's hard to let go of things that could someday be worth millions, once its value is finally recognized by the masses.  

In high school my English teacher would always have us do projects that involved artwork.  For those blessed with both writing and drawing artistic-ness, this was an easy and welcomed challenge.  They could both write like the wind and draw/paint like the wind.  I, on the other hand, could only write...that's why I took AP English, not AP Art. I hated how confused my teacher was about what should be the contents of class.  This  project was supposed to be a minimum of 24 lines of poetry accompanied by artwork.  

Again, I was screwed.  I never could draw and I found myself in an English class where my grade depended partially on my ability to express myself via artwork. I would always do my best and this is what would usually result.  Pictures with stick figures and awesome colored pencil shading work.  

Let it be said that I got an A on this project.  I think C.S. Lewis would be proud, as am I. 

It may contribute to my clutter, but it reminds me that I don't have to be an expert or perfect at something in order to get the job done.  

It also elicited some hearty laughs from my friends...especially the one with the dragon.  I like that one too. 

Blue Canister a la Target

I was looking for a Cereal Canister; one made just for cereal; like you see on TV.  Target had a small selection, all pretty expensivo. This was the only of its kind.  I was disappointed, hoping to find a plethora of these type of canisters in various sizes and colors...because it was the prettiest of course. It looks amazing on my kitchen counter, holding chocolate Chex or any other kind of cereal. I'm sure it would also rock snacks or a stack of brownies.  Hopefully Target will re-stock and I'll find more of its kind. Sometimes it amazes me how amazing stores like Target sometimes lack variety in certain items.  This is why the world has a variety of different types of stores, because in my humble opinion, it wouldn't hurt Target to expand its container inventory...Thank you to whomever left one for me...

Blue and White Pyrex Bowl

I found this cute blue and white Pyrex bowl at Savers I believe.  Pyrex is being snatched up like crazy these days.  The blue is such a pretty shade and has hardly any scratches; another Pyrex bowl I found at Savers is much more worn but still has its beauty.  I'll share that one later.  Can you imagine having the whole set of these? I'm not very well versed in Pyrex and the sizes and styles but I know this one is pretty (Sheepish emoji).  It makes me wish I had a nice kitchen to display pretty things like this; someday.  It doesn't really go well with the primary-colored Fiesta things in my kitchen so we'll see if she sticks around.

Fiestaware

I love Fiesta! I found these at Goodwill.  The OCD part of me is driven crazy that there is a gray plate missing from my find...but I guess that's part of the fun of Fiesta...random color combinations; no rules or color-mixing faux pas. I think these colors are Gray and Light Green at least that's what I gather from the Vintage Fiesta Color Guide.

When I was in line to purchase them, a woman behind recognized my fortunate Fiesta find and asked to hold them, promising she would give them back.  Reluctantly I let her hold them but watched her like a hawk.  She returned them unharmed...and bonus, I made it back to work on time...a lunch half-hour well spent.