Category Archives: Shopping

A Busy Family Weekend (or Continuing To Set Up My Home)

Posted on May 17, 2022 | Comments Off on A Busy Family Weekend (or Continuing To Set Up My Home)

This past weekend, my parents were in LA to see me. This was their first time here in a while and they hadn’t seen almost any of the work done to the condo in person. They had seen plenty of videos and photos, but the last time they were here things were still pretty much in the demolition and rebuilding stage. They saw the new opening in the kitchen, but the kitchen was a blank space with nothing there. They saw the bathroom torn down, but the walls only had the first moisture barrier on them and there was no tile or anything else. This was really their first chance to see what it’s going to look like when everything is all done.

There are still a few things that are being redone or worked on, but the current look is basically what it will be. So I was excited for them to finally get to see my new home. Plus, we had a bunch of different random things we wanted to get done while they were here.

My parents got here after I was done with work on Friday, so that day was just to give them a tour of the condo, for them to give me a few things, and for us to have dinner. Our busiest day was on Saturday. After my dad and I had our workout, we got to work at my place. My parents took a few notes of things we want to tell the contractor about to add to their touchup list first, but there are only a few little things that just need to be fixed (like tightening a fixture or fixing the slide on a drawer). Then, we did the big project which was hanging up the artwork that I have.

I don’t have a ton of artwork, but I do have a few pieces I love. I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to put everything, so we only worked on the ones I was sure about. So that was a painting in the hallway, another painting in the dining room, a mirror in the entryway that my parents brought for me so it was new to me, and a painting over my fireplace.

My dad is a perfectionist with all this so we were measuring and using my laser level to make sure everything was hung up perfectly, but we wanted to only have to do it once and then be done so I was ok with that. And even though some of my things aren’t on the walls yet since I still am unsure of where to put them, I am so much happier with the things I have up now. And it makes it feel even more like my place since these pieces are on the walls and not just leaning on the ground.

They also brought me a few other things for me to put around the place, such as the vase that I put on my fireplace. I have a lot of things I want to display, but I think I’ll be buying some display cabinets soon for my living room so those things are staying in boxes for now. But I like that I have more things that give my place some personality and it’s not quite as plain.

After the art was done, we had another mission. Originally, my plan was to keep my couch and get a new chair for my living room since my couch looks so tiny in the new space. I love that couch so much, but it’s really not right for me anymore. The color looks off with everything we designed, and even if I added a chair to the living room the couch would still probably look small and weird. So we decided to go to a furniture store near my place just to look around and see if we get any ideas.

Originally, I was thinking if I got a new couch I would want one that has the pullout that is under the seats to make it almost like a bed so you can stretch out more. But the store we went to only had one of those and I really didn’t like the way it looked and it wasn’t the right dimensions. So we kept looking around and we found a modular sofa that we could buy additional pieces for so it could be the right size for the space. And if I wanted a slightly smaller couch, one of the couch pieces could be moved to the side to be a chair. And while it doesn’t have a pullout to make it feel like a bed, the ottoman it comes with fits in nicely to make it have a bit of that feeling.

We didn’t want to make any rash decisions and we hadn’t really done all the measuring we needed to do at my place to make sure this was right, so we said we’d be back the next day if it would all work out. And when we measured, it would be perfect! So we went back on Sunday to order it!

The couch is going to be held for me until we are ready, and we aren’t exactly sure when that will be since we are waiting on the contractor to get back to us with some timelines for the work. But hopefully, that will be done soon and I can get the couch delivered (after I sell my old one).

I know I’m trying to not spend as much on new things, but the more I looked at my current couch, the more I knew I needed an upgrade to make my place what I wanted it to be. I’m still waiting on buying a lot of things that are on my list, such as the bookcase murphy bed I want to put in my office. And soon, I’ll work on some budgeting stuff to be able to figure out how long I will need to save until I can get that. But it is exciting to have some more new furniture coming soon!

The only negative part of our full weekend was that I was feeling really awful on Sunday. My pain and anti-nausea meds really weren’t working and I was having moments where I was in so much pain that I was in tears. So we had planned on spending more time together on Sunday before they left, but by the afternoon I knew I just needed to sleep off the rest of the day and hope things would stop hurting for me. So we had to say goodbye without getting to have dinner together on Sunday.

I’m not sure when my parents will be back in LA, but it probably won’t be for a little while. By the time they are back, I should hopefully have everything done here and my new couch! And maybe even more new things that I find to keep making this place feel like mine! But for now, I’m so glad we got the things done that we did and it’s coming together even more.

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My New Computer Is A Game-Changer (or The Stress Of Buying Was Worth It)

Posted on March 17, 2022 | Comments Off on My New Computer Is A Game-Changer (or The Stress Of Buying Was Worth It)

When I ordered my new computer, it was both a thought-out and rash decision. I had planned on buying a new computer for a while, but I had been putting it off for a variety of reasons. And the reason I finally went for it was a sudden decision when I was fed up with some recurring issues I was having with my old computer. I still planned out the purchase and made sure I was getting the right machine, but from the time I decided I was finally going to buy the new computer to pressing purchase online was within an hour. I usually don’t do purchases like that so quickly, but since I already had a good idea of what I would be getting it was still something that felt like a very quick purchase.

Because I was customizing a few things for the new computer, I couldn’t go to a store and just pick it up. Plus, I wasn’t really wanting to go to the Apple Store or the mall. So having it shipped to me was what I was planning on doing no matter what. And while I was antsy to get the new computer and really fed up with the issues with my old one, I didn’t want to pay more to have expedited shipping. I got a shipping estimate and it was going to take a few weeks, and I just accepted that I would have to wait a few weeks longer.

So I was very surprised when it actually arrived almost a week and a half sooner than expected! I immediately started trying to set it up, but since I was also working I had a bit of a crazy setup on my desk using one computer for work and setting up the other.

I got a lot of things set up quickly for the new computer so I was able to spend most of the workday that it arrived working on it. And there were other things I couldn’t shift from one computer to another during work because I needed both computers to be off. But even with the limited stuff I had on the new computer, it was such a game-changer using it. Obviously, having a working keyboard is huge and makes things so much easier on me. I can type quickly again, although not quite as fast as I used to since it is a slightly different keyboard. But I’m sure I’ll be used to it soon. And the new computer is so fast and can do the work I need to do without a lot of delays. Since I have to multitask even if I’m just working one of my jobs, not having delays is so nice since I can actually get through each thing without sitting and waiting for the computer to catch up.

Even though I had a chance to finish doing some of the updates to my new computer after work or another day, I still haven’t done it. I will do it soon, but I’m looking at this time similar to my move. I know I had a lot of stuff on my old computer that I really don’t need. I’m seeing what I actually want to move to the new computer and what was just taking up space and I wasn’t thinking about it. I do have things I need to transfer over that I don’t use that often just because I need to have them, but I’m not in a big rush to do that. I also don’t know what I want to do with the old computer since it does have a broken keyboard. I haven’t looked into selling it to see what I could get and I don’t have anyone in mind that I would want to give it to.

And yes, I am thinking it was silly how long I waited for a new computer because having the new one has really made my life easier. But it’s always tough when I have to spend a lot of money and it is stressful. But it really is worth it and I’m so happy that at least for the next few years, I shouldn’t have any more computer issues. And then when I do, I’ll be buying another one and probably dealing with the same stress I had this time.

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Being Pushed Into Splurging On Myself (or Time For A New Computer)

Posted on March 3, 2022 | Comments Off on Being Pushed Into Splurging On Myself (or Time For A New Computer)

It feels like it wasn’t that long ago that I was buying a new laptop. But it was about 5 1/2 years ago now that I bought the laptop I have now. And I use it a lot every day. I work my jobs from my computer, and that can require having a lot of different windows open at once. I know I could probably do things on two screens to be a little less hectic, but I’ve gotten used to how I do things.

But as we all know, technology doesn’t last forever. And my laptop has been having issues for a little while now. It started with a few software issues, but everything was something I could find a way to work around. It might involve a few extra steps to do things like using my printer, but it wasn’t that bad and I could manage it. Then, the keys on my keyboard started to break. It’s been almost a year since I started having keyboard issues, but most of them were able to be fixed. But I couldn’t fix everything so there are 2 keys that are not technically attached anymore but I can still type if I’m careful. I also have a second keyboard I can use as a backup, but I prefer not to use it. And for the past few weeks, my computer has started to freeze as I work. I know it’s a memory issue and I’m trying to do too much. But I also need to do all of that in order to work.

I had told myself originally that I was going to get a new laptop when they were released. But when the new MacBook Pros came out, it was while I was in the middle of a lot of stuff with the condo and my focus wasn’t on spending money on other things. And the past few months, I have just told myself I would get a new laptop soon, but I could keep waiting on it. But this week, things started to get really bad with my computer freezing and how often I had to restart things. So I had to just accept the fact that I needed to spend some money to fix this.

Fortunately, I had the money saved for a new laptop so I had the luxury of being able to do this. Computers are not cheap, but I do get a lot of use out of them and I know having a computer that isn’t having all these issues will make my life easier. I did ask a few friends who work with Apple or in technology to make sure I was picking the best laptop for my needs. I had one friend recommend upgrading one thing since I work so much on my computer, but I was pretty close with what I was thinking I would buy. And earlier this week, I bought my new laptop.

Because I am upgrading the base laptop, I can’t just go to the store to buy it. I ordered it online and will be having it shipped to my house. It is nice that I work from home and it will be easy for me to make sure I’m here when it’s delivered since I will need to sign for it. I could have picked it up in the store after it was ready, but the pickup date was later than the delivery options and I would prefer not to have to go to a shopping center if I can help it.

It will be delivered in about 2-3 weeks (according to the timeline right now) and I know I will still have to deal with the issues with my current laptop until it’s here. But I do feel better knowing that I will be using technology that works very soon. And I think it will be nice to have it all set up before I move because I don’t need to add any additional stress to moving and I know I will have to figure out setting up things in my new place quickly so I can work.

Yes, this is a big splurge and it’s expensive, but I know it will be worth it. And if you break down the cost with how long I typically keep my laptops, it’s cheaper per month than a lot of streaming services that I use. So it’s just the shock of the upfront cost that is making me feel a bit anxious. But I know that once it’s here and I’m using a super fast computer, I will feel so much better about this and I will probably not think much about how much I just spent on a single purchase.

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2 Busy LA Days (or Getting More Renovation Planning Done)

Posted on February 23, 2022 | Comments Off on 2 Busy LA Days (or Getting More Renovation Planning Done)

After my parents were in Santa Barbara, they came to LA next to help me with some things with the condo. Even though the contractor we hired is really great at being in communication with both me and my parents, I know it’s been tough for my parents to help as much as they would like to without being here in person. Plus, I think they both enjoy seeing things come together and they wanted to see the progress in person.

They were only going to be in LA for two days and we had a lot of things to get done. The first day they were here, we started at the condo so my parents could see everything that has been done so far. It’s very different seeing it in person compared to photos and on FaceTime, so it was exciting to see how happy they were with everything that has happened. And we had a few little projects we wanted to get done at the condo that the contractor wasn’t going to do, so we worked on those. Then, we had another trip to Home Depot to get a few materials we needed. Fortunately, everything we needed were things we already had planned on, so we could quickly go and get the exact items we needed. We did decide to change the hardware in what will be my bathroom to match another thing we picked, but those were easy to find too. I know there are always a few more things to add to the list, but I think we’ve made pretty much all the decisions we need to make related to the remodel (just not the decoration) phase).

The next day, we started at my current place. I have made my current place my home over the past 12 years, and part of that includes putting holes in my walls to hang paintings or other decor. So my dad and I went through the things that were hung with screws (since nail holes will be easy for me to spackle over) and we took them down and worked on covering up the holes that were left behind. I will need to keep working on this to finish the project, but we at least got started. We also took down the window a/c unit that I have really loved since I got it. I’m working on selling the a/c and a few other things in my place right now. I’m not asking for much since I’m not trying to make a profit. But there are things I have that I won’t be moving with me and I’d like to find people who could use them.

After the work in my current place, we went back to the condo to meet with the contractor. We had a few things we wanted to go over that we had questions about, but they were all easily answered. We also had to go over how we wanted each type of tiles to be laid, but that also was pretty easy to figure out. I won’t be able to move in as soon as I was hoping, but it should still be pretty soon that I’ll be moving in and out of my current place. We’ve had a few delays, but nothing too bad. And it should still be completed within the timeline we were originally given.

And the last condo task we had to get done was to get some ideas for some furniture that I knew I would want. We went to one store that was a bit overpriced, but we got some great ideas of what I would like and what would fit into different spaces. I knew I wanted to find a chair for my living room, but I couldn’t find options that I liked that were within my price range. Then we decided to go to the store where I got my couch 8 years ago. While I didn’t find my dream chair like I found my dream couch, I figured out exactly what I want. I’m going to go back with a friend later to double-check the color, but we are going to order a chair that is in either teal or blue velvet that has a slightly different arm shape than my couch and then also order a matching ottoman. It will be significantly less expensive than a lot of other places I looked at and I already know I like the quality of their products. I don’t know why I didn’t think of looking there earlier, but it seems like a no-brainer now.

The two days my parents were here were pretty busy and full with things we needed to get done, but it was a lot of progress toward me being able to move out and that’s one of the biggest focuses in my life right now. And the next time my parents are here, the condo might be done and I might be moving in!

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Putting Off A Planned Purchase (or I Don’t Know Why I’m Waiting)

Posted on December 23, 2021 | Comments Off on Putting Off A Planned Purchase (or I Don’t Know Why I’m Waiting)

I’ve been saying I wanted to get a new computer for several months now. And there are a few reasons why I want to do this. First, my computer is starting to really slow down and have trouble with all the different things I need to do for work. It’s not a super old computer, but it’s 6 years old which isn’t that new either. And I know I probably use my computer more than many people, so getting a new one every 5-6 years doesn’t seem too bad to me.

Also, my keyboard is really starting to break. I have needed to replace multiple keys so far. I’m glad I found a site I can order new keys from and it’s not too expensive, but spending $20 for each key replacement adds up when you replace a lot of them. Right now, I have 4 keys that are broken and aren’t fully attached to my computer. I do have an external keyboard I can use when it’s really bad, but it’s not my favorite and I’m not used to typing on it so I have a lot of errors.

If things weren’t running slowly and if my keyboard was fully functional, I still might be looking at getting a new computer for an upgrade, but I think I would be less serious about it than I am now. I was waiting for the newest computers to come out before buying one, and the most recent MacBook Pros did come out earlier this year. I was slowly saving up money from each paycheck so I would have the money to buy it when I was ready, and I do have the money now. But for some reason, I’ve been very hesitant to go and get it.

I think some of my hesitation is about going to the store to get a new computer. I’m still avoiding most stores and public places to stay safe and I know this time of year the Apple store would be very crowded. I do know that there is an option to ship a computer to me, but for some reason I keep telling myself that I will just go to the store so that would be faster. But if I had ordered it online when I originally thought that, I would have had the computer several weeks ago. Also, even though things aren’t great with my computer, they aren’t horrible either. I could wait a bit longer and just push through the issues I’ve been having. But there is no reason for me to do that to myself.

But I think one of the biggest reasons I’m hesitating is because it is a lot of money and I am worried to spend it if I might need it for something else. For a while, I had money in a savings account that felt like a bit of security for me. If for some reason I lost my job or had a crazy expense, that money was my cushion to be ok. But I put all that money into the condo, so I don’t have that anymore. I know I need to redo my budget and make a new plan to start building up some emergency savings, but I wanted to wait until I was moved into the condo so I didn’t have double the expenses. But maybe for peace of mind, I just need to do it so I can feel ok about spending money on what is honestly a business expense for me.

I do know I need to get a new computer soon, and I know I will buy it in the somewhat near future. I just don’t know exactly when I’ll be doing it because I want to feel better about spending that money before I do it. But I also know that when I do and I have the new computer at home, it’s going to be awesome and I’ll probably be wondering why I didn’t do it sooner.

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A Busy Family Visit (or Making Some Choices For My New Home)

Posted on November 19, 2021 | Comments Off on A Busy Family Visit (or Making Some Choices For My New Home)

When I started looking at condos again in September, we had no idea how quickly I would find a place I liked. It would have been amazing if I had found a place when my parents were in town, but I also knew that was going to be very unlikely. Then, I started to hope that maybe the timing of finding a place would be when my parents were going to be in Santa Barbara for our early Thanksgiving. What ended up happening was finding a place before my parents were here this month, but I think it worked out better. Because the condo is officially ours now, my parents were able to visit me after the early Thanksgiving so we could focus on the work we want to do before I move in.

Technically, I could move into the condo in the condition it is in now. Not everything is working perfectly, but I could do quick fixes to make them work. And some work could have waited until after I was living in there. But it’s easier to do the work before I move in, so that’s what we decided to do. There aren’t really any structural changes we want to make, but we want to fix up things that are outdated or broken and make the condo really my style. Fortunately, the ideas my mom and I had were not too different, so deciding what projects we wanted to do wasn’t too hard. But that was the easy part.

So for the past few days, my parents have been in LA helping me plan out fixing up the condo. They have been doing most of the work because I have had to be working while they were here. So they interviewed contractors and discussed bids, which was better for them to do since I’ve never done this before. They also took a look at a few things that we might be able to fix ourselves and what little projects we might want to add or remove from the plan.

They also made some decisions on a few things like if we should try to fix up something already in the condo or if we should remove the broken thing and put something new in. We are mindful of a budget, but it would be easier to do this all at one time and not have to wait until later and do another big project. And we don’t want to do something that might break in a few years so we want to find a good balance of low price but good quality. Again, I’m glad my parents are helping me with this because I don’t know what to look for or even what prices seem reasonable.

Since I was working most of the time they were visiting, I only saw them in the evening after work. But I did take one day off work so we could do a lot of design planning. We went to multiple stores to try to see what styles I was interested in and to pick out a lot of materials we would be using. The main materials we needed to find were for the kitchen for the counter and backsplash. I had an idea of what I wanted, but I also hadn’t looked at counters and tile together and I knew that would be important. I originally picked out a tile I loved for the backsplash, but it was 4 times the price of almost any other tile. So that had to be replaced. But I think I found the perfect combination of counter and tile for my kitchen.

I also had to find tile for the bathroom and there were so many ideas of what we could do. I think my mom and I decided on something a bit more unique with a textured tile for the walls so it has a bit of character. But for a lot of what we are looking at, we are just trying to keep things clean and somewhat neutral. I can add a lot when I move in with art and my furniture. To me, moving somewhere that is fresh and new will feel amazing, so I don’t think I am too worried about things like what style handles are on a cabinet. Most of the things I ended up liking as we went from store to store were the most basic and generic models. Fortunately, that meant they also tended to be on the lower price side. But we are still shopping around since I do have time before I need to have everything figured out.

My parents might not be back in LA until after the condo is done. That depends on how long things take to finish and if I need more help. But we did make a lot of progress on this project and I’m excited to start getting things moving! The point of my parents visiting me this time was to get work done and not to have as much social time, and I think we accomplished just that!

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Letting Go Of The Old Me (or This Was Very Overdue)

Posted on November 11, 2021 | Comments Off on Letting Go Of The Old Me (or This Was Very Overdue)

For quite some time, I have said I needed to go through my closet and dresser and get rid of clothes I don’t wear anymore. I also needed to see what things might have holes or other things that needed to be repaired so I could decide if they should be tossed or fixed. I’ve gone through my clothes from time to time and have gotten rid of a lot that was just taking up space, but I know I need to do more work with this because there are things that I’m convincing myself I will wear again.

But there is one part of my wardrobe that I didn’t look at any time I did a closet clean. I think a lot of people who have lost a significant amount of weight do this, but I had a small collection of my favorite skinny clothes. This wasn’t in my closet but in a storage bag under my bed. So I didn’t have to look at them and be reminded of my skinny clothes that often, but I always knew they were there.

When I lost weight, I was more than happy to get clothes that fit me better. I would try smaller sizes as soon as my current clothes felt even a little baggy. When I gained weight, I held on to those smaller sizes until it was painful to wear them anymore and then I would size up. I haven’t been my skinny size in well over a decade, but for some reason, I still held on to my favorite pieces.

So the other day, when I was doing a big clean to really look at what I want to move and what I don’t need, I decided to finally open up those storage bags and see what I could get rid of. Most of the items in there were things I kept for sentimental reasons. There was one thing that wasn’t skinny clothes, but only sentimental. I had my high school prom dress in that storage bag. I did like my prom dress, but it wasn’t like it was a dream dress or anything. I struggled to find something in my size but I was glad I found something that fit me and was pretty. I only wore it one other time for a costume party, but I was holding on to it. And I figured it was time to let it go so it went into the pile of things to get rid of (which was going to be donated).

And then I started going through the rest of the clothing from the bag. I had 2 pairs of jeans that were the smallest jeans I wore as an adult and they really fit me well when I was that size. I had a few different dresses that I kept for random reasons. One was a cocktail dress that I lucked into finding and wore quite a bit when I was that size. Another I never wore but I bought because it fit perfectly, was a color I loved, and was on clearance when I found it. The only way I knew it was on clearance was because the tags were still on it. I also had a few different shirts that were a mix of fancy dress shirts and silly t-shirts that reminded me of something specific. I thought I had a lot more in that storage bag, but it was under a dozen things.

I thought about keeping a few of my favorites, but honestly, there isn’t really a good reason to do that. I will have more closet space at my new place, but I don’t need to hold onto these things. Even if I fit into them again, they aren’t really in style or my taste anymore. And while they do remind me of a good time when I felt much better about my body than I do now, I don’t need to be reminded of what I used to have. I try not to think about how my life might be different if I never gained weight again. And looking at that clothing did make me wonder about the alternative life I could have had. And while my life would likely be different if I was still skinny, I have no way to know if it would be better than my current life. So I’m choosing not to think like that too much. And the easiest way to do that is to not have any of my skinny clothes in my house anymore.

It was a little tough to get rid of things I have held onto for over a decade, but I did feel a sense of relief when they were gone. I don’t have a reminder of the old me anymore and I don’t need to reflect on my past in terms of my body, weight, or size. I know that I have some clothes in my closet now that probably don’t fit and are the wrong size, but they are things that might just be a size or two off. So I’ll need to do a day where I try on what I own and consider getting rid of what I don’t want to hold onto even if it’s almost the right size.

One day, I might be that skinny size again and I’ll need to buy clothes if that happens. But for now, I want to focus on my size right now and make sure I have clothes that fit who I am now and not who I used to be or who I might be in the future.

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Default ThumbnailA Major Cleanup (or Saying Goodbye To The Old Me) Default ThumbnailHolding On (or When Is It Time To Donate Old Clothes?) Default ThumbnailAnother Rut In My Life (or Time For Some Shopping) Default ThumbnailRenting A Dress (or Testing Out Gwynnie Bee) Default ThumbnailIs It Too Early To Be Spring Cleaning? (or Out With The Unused) Default ThumbnailGetting Rid Of Extras (or Cleaning House)

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Tired Of Online Shopping (or There Aren’t A Ton Of Great Options For Me)

Posted on July 15, 2021 | Comments Off on Tired Of Online Shopping (or There Aren’t A Ton Of Great Options For Me)

Ever since I’ve been an adult, I’ve done some of my shopping online. Sometimes the store I want to order from isn’t near me or the local one doesn’t have something in stock. Sometimes the store is online only. And sometimes it’s just about convenience and I’d rather order online than go to a store. I’ve done this for so many things in my life. I can’t think of much that I use that I haven’t bought online at one point or another.

And I went from doing some of my shopping online to all of my shopping online when the pandemic hit. Anything I needed could be ordered online and delivered to me. I didn’t love doing this, but it felt like the safer thing for me to do. And the few places I did go in person to were limited to grocery stores and drug stores. Nothing interesting or exciting, only places to get things I needed. That doesn’t mean I haven’t bought a lot of fun things over the past year and a half. It’s just that everything else has been purchased online. And I’m really starting to feel over it.

I recently found some new bedding I wanted to get for my room. My comforter has been torn for a bit and I was excited to have something new. I took my time to look at a few different places and did price comparisons and looked at reviews. Even though I knew I could return something, I’d rather not do that so I wanted to pick the right thing the first time. And when I got it, it was nothing like what I thought I got. The color was wrong (I ordered something that was supposed to be green and this was more of a yellow) and the fabric was very thin and not soft at all. If I had bought this in a store in person, I wouldn’t have gotten it because I would have known right away that it was wrong. But online, I had no clue until it arrived.

I know that returning things isn’t a huge deal and it’s actually easier now than it used to be. When returning stuff to Amazon, you don’t need a box or anything. You print out a return slip and take the item and the slip to the UPS store and they handle everything else. So that is nice to do, but I’d prefer to not have to do that at all and have the items be right.

It’s even more frustrating with clothes. I look at the size charts and take my measurements to make sure I’m ordering the right size, but that’s not always enough. The fit of items can vary so much. And sometimes, I do end up ordering multiple sizes so I can test them out and return what doesn’t work. Even if I felt comfortable going into stores, I still have to order so much online. Some stores that sell plus-sized clothing only sell it online and not in their stores. And there are a lot of stores that are only online. So trying things on isn’t an option for me. I’m really trying to find new things for my wardrobe, but so far everything I’ve ordered online this month has been returned. I do try to see if I could do some alterations and make the items work, but that isn’t always easy or cheap. It would be so nice if I could just find things that fit me, but I haven’t had any luck. I haven’t given up yet, but it’s hard to feel excited about getting new things when lately everything I get goes back.

I’m trying to be a bit more adventurous with the stores I shop at. I see things online and seek out where they got them and I have discovered new stores I didn’t know about before. Most of the time, I still have to order online, but at least I’m not just shopping at the same places over and over again. And I know that eventually, I’ll have some luck and some new things that I can wear on the random adventures I have now going out of my house and feel awesome and comfortable.

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Default ThumbnailNo Shopping September (or At Least No Online Shopping) Default ThumbnailOnline Jeans Shopping (or Accepting I’ve Gained Weight) Default ThumbnailThe Most Impossible Shopping (or Thank Goodness For Online Stores!) Default ThumbnailLunch And Shopping (or Proof My Work Is Paying Off) Default ThumbnailBuilding Upon My Monthly Challenge (or Continuing To Work On Shopping) Default ThumbnailThis Weekend’s Shopping Adventure (or Still Trying to Find Some More Cute Dresses)

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Even More Redecorating (or One Planned Change and One Due To Being A Klutz)

Posted on June 10, 2021 | Comments Off on Even More Redecorating (or One Planned Change and One Due To Being A Klutz)

I have done a lot of redecorating around my house recently. There have been a few reasons why, but boredom has been a big one. But I think I finally have some of the boredom feeling out now that I’m able to go out and do things again. But that hasn’t brought me to the end of my redecorating in my house.

But there are also other reasons why I changed things up in my house. Sometimes they are planned and I just needed to be motivated to do it. And right now, my planned change is with my home gym setup. I’ve been so grateful to have all the workout equipment I was able to get for my house while Orangetheory was shut down. But now, I’m not using it anymore. I know I could add more workout days to my week if I wanted to, but I’m feeling good about working out 4 days a week right now. But I am not getting rid of what I have. One day in the future, when I own my own place, I would love to have a little home gym setup. But for now, there is no reason for me to have everything in my living room where it has been set up since I created my little gym.

I’m torn between just getting a giant storage container and putting it in my garage or getting a cuter decorative storage piece (like a storage bench) and putting it where my home gym setup is right now. I’m looking at some options and taking my time since there is no rush for me to do this. I don’t need the little space my gym takes up now for anything else. So I’d rather spend the time looking for something I like.

And then there are reasons I redecorate that are not planned and feel a bit more rushed. The other day, I was walking next to my bed and my hip went out. This is a normal occurrence for me and I don’t always fall down. But this time, I did fall and somehow managed to trip on my comforter while also holding onto it. And when I got up off the ground, I discovered that the seams of my comforter had split. I’m still impressed that I was klutzy enough to make this happen because it almost doesn’t make sense. But it did and now I need to get a new comforter or bedspread for my bed.

I’m planning on throwing out the ripped one this week when it’s trash day, and I’m lucky that it is summertime because I don’t need to get a replacement right away. But I am trying to find something soon because I don’t like the look of just having a sheet on my bed. So I’ve been looking online at a few different places to hopefully find something I like. But I also don’t want to buy something just to have it. It’s weird because this does feel rushed, but also I want to take my time.

Sometimes redecorating is fun and carefree and sometimes it is stressful. And I seem to be experiencing one of each right now. But I also know that this isn’t a life or death decision and it’s going to be fine no matter what. So I’m trying to have fun with this when I can.

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Default ThumbnailDoing Even More Organizing and Redecorating (or Continuing To Change Things In My House) Default ThumbnailFeeling Jet Lag Without A Time Zone Change (or Back To Home) Default ThumbnailNot The Family Visit I Planned On Having (or An LA Afternoon) Default ThumbnailMy Cold Caught Up With Me (or I Guess I Was Due To Get Sick) Default ThumbnailStill Doing More House Projects (or Just Trying To Find Busy Work) Default ThumbnailNot The Workout Week I Planned On (or Starting To Prepare To Go Back)

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I Might Have Overreacted A Bit (or A Temporary Fix For My Computer)

Posted on May 26, 2021 | Comments Off on I Might Have Overreacted A Bit (or A Temporary Fix For My Computer)

Earlier this month, my keyboard on my laptop broke. It seemed like it broke in a pretty dramatic fashion. Multiple key covers fell off, one bracket was broken in half, and multiple keys stopped working. After writing the post about the broken keyboard, I first ordered another keyboard that I could use since I needed to be able to type. And I also tried to see if there were any repairs that I could do.

After I calmed down a bit, I realized that it looked like the bracket for only one of the keys was broken. The other keys were able to be snapped back into place. They still weren’t working the way they should be, but at least all the parts were back where they were supposed to be. And I decided to do some more research about fixing the one that was broken. I had asked a friend who knows more about computers and that’s where I had gotten the information that the entire thing would need to be replaced (and would be expensive). But when I talked to them again, I mentioned the broken brackets and sent some photos, and they let me know that there was a chance that I could actually fix things.

I got the information for a company that sells replacement key covers and brackets and tried to order a key from them. They were all sold out so I put myself on a waitlist and did some more searching. Then I found another company that had good reviews so I tried to place an order on their site. I was able to order it, but soon after got an email saying they were out of the key that I needed (which was the “a” key). They gave me a few options, and one option was to fully replace the keyboard which was as expensive as I originally thought. But they also said they could sell me a key that didn’t have the “a” on it and they could put a sticker on it too. I would have been fine with just a blank key since I don’t need to see the letters when I type, but I decided to get the one with the sticker so it looks a bit more like the original keyboard.

Before the replacement arrived, I watched some videos online about how to make this repair. I’ve never fixed anything on my computer like this, and while I knew I couldn’t necessarily make things worse I still wanted to give myself the best chance for success. It didn’t seem too hard, but I know those are famous last words and things aren’t always as easy as they seem in an instructional video.

The key arrived the other day and I got the tools I thought I’d need plus a few extras. I ended up using needle nose pliers, tweezers, and a few different mini-screwdrivers that my dad got me in a set a long time ago. And I turned on the super bright light I have on my desk for self-tape auditions or Zoom meetings. And like I guessed, it wasn’t as simple as the video made it look. I was so sure for about half an hour that they sent me the wrong size bracket. I couldn’t make it fit even when I was sure that I was following the instructions properly. I still don’t know how I got it in there, but eventually the bracket clicked in. And putting the key cover on top was pretty simple. I just had to press it down and it fit on there.

You can tell from the photo that it’s not a perfect match, but it looks good. And once I got the bracket and key cover replaced, the other keys that weren’t working started working again. Maybe it’s some sort of fail-safe that they don’t work when there is a key without a key cover on it? Or maybe it was random luck that they broke at that moment and started working again. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter because I have a working keyboard again.

Even though I was able to fix things, I am still looking at getting a new computer later this year. The keyboard wasn’t the only issue I was having with the computer. And while I can make things work for now, I also don’t want to wait until things are really bad. There are supposed to be new computers released later this year, so I’ll be seeing what those are like and figuring out if those new ones will be right for me.

But at least for now, I have a working keyboard and don’t have to use the external one (which was fine, but I didn’t love it). And I know that if another one of my keys breaks off, there is a chance that I can fix it myself and not freak out too much.

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Default ThumbnailMore Tech Issues (or This Was Typed On A Phone) Default ThumbnailHoping To Fix My Computer (or Can The New MacBook Pros Please Come Out Soon?) Default ThumbnailRestoring My Computer (or Glad For A Backup) Default ThumbnailA New Computer (or Out With The Old And In With The New) Default ThumbnailMore Computer Frustration (or Trying To Let It Go) Default ThumbnailTrying To Cut Back On Clutter (or Why Won’t My Computer Do What I Want It To Do?!?)

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