Beauty

[just bee]

Since the fire and having to part with so many items -- a huge chunk of my personal history -- and now my house as I knew it and the landscaping I've watered for 25 years, I've decided to part company with some other things.  As I said, I'm not sure I'll continue using PC facial cleanser if Cerave works out.

I'm done with pure grace.  In fact, I'm done with spraying fragrances on myself.

I don't think I want to go back to the person who was cutting my hair.  And I probably desperately need a haircut at this point.

I'm done with Acure.  I had to pitch all my oils -- some still unused -- and all my shampoo and conditioner.  I bought that Suave shea butter and almond oil and it does the job for a lot less $$$.

I was perusing some websites for new products and, frankly, I'm just about gagging on the political correctness.  I just want a competent item at a fair price.  I don't want a lecture.

Yes, I'm getting old and cranky.  But I don't really care how woke your company is.  Does your product work?  Is the fragrance non-offensive?  Can I live with the price?  That's all I need to know.

Told you I was cranky.

[just bee]

So is anyone having fun this month?

I am.  I like walking the dog around this neighborhood because there are so many critters.

Today he chased a squirrel and we saw chickens walking down the street.  Along the trails there are very vocal squirrels and these little chipmunk creatures.  So many different birds around here.  There are toads next door that emit a wake-up call in the morning.

Water at the neighborhood park attracts ducks and geese.  Tons of bunnies and dogs around here.  Lots of hawks.

People seem friendly.

So that's the fun part.  Exploring the new neighborhood.

[geezerette]

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@just bee wrote:

Since the fire and having to part with so many items -- a huge chunk of my personal history -- and now my house as I knew it and the landscaping I've watered for 25 years, I've decided to part company with some other things.  As I said, I'm not sure I'll continue using PC facial cleanser if Cerave works out.

I'm done with pure grace.  In fact, I'm done with spraying fragrances on myself.

I don't think I want to go back to the person who was cutting my hair.  And I probably desperately need a haircut at this point.

I'm done with Acure.  I had to pitch all my oils -- some still unused -- and all my shampoo and conditioner.  I bought that Suave shea butter and almond oil and it does the job for a lot less $$$.

I was perusing some websites for new products and, frankly, I'm just about gagging on the political correctness.  I just want a competent item at a fair price.  I don't want a lecture.

Yes, I'm getting old and cranky.  But I don't really care how woke your company is.  Does your product work?  Is the fragrance non-offensive?  Can I live with the price?  That's all I need to know.

Told you I was cranky.

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@just bee 

If it were a year from now, I would say that getting cranky is what happens when you’re over sixty.   But given your recent experiences, I suppose you’re entitled to jump the gun a bit.

Funny you should mention the CeraVe cleanser.  I’m using it now too.  I had used it in the past, but stopped.  The last WEN formula I use as a facial cleanser seemed old.  Really old.  I’m not thrilled about spending an arm and a leg and end up with ancient product.  Part of using luxury items is, well, because they're supposed to be luxurious.  I didn’t want to pay shipping for just one item, so I just bought the CeraVe at Walmart.  It’s working pretty well.  I think probably because its hot and humid, so its not as drying now as it seemed when I used it before.

But, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.  Well, for quite a while actually.  I’m kind of coming to the conclusion to go back in time.  Years ago, we didn’t have all these choices, or money, to buy and own so much stuff.  So, we bought locally, used what we had until it was gone, and if we couldn’t find replacements, we did without until we could.  Seems like it might not have been as much fun, but I do remember it was less stressful.  I’m not liking being a slave to stuff.  Which is how I’ve come to feel.

Like the Konjac sponges.  (Oh, by the way, I forgot to say that one of my EcoTool sponges also got moldy, which never happened before either.  Another reason not to become wedded to a product.  Not enough consistency in anything anymore.) 

When it comes down to it, none of this stuff is that important in my life.  At least, I’d like it to not be that important.  I’ve made it that way.

[geezerette]

Y

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@just bee wrote:

So is anyone having fun this month?

I am.  I like walking the dog around this neighborhood because there are so many critters.

Today he chased a squirrel and we saw chickens walking down the street.  Along the trails there are very vocal squirrels and these little chipmunk creatures.  So many different birds around here.  There are toads next door that emit a wake-up call in the morning.

Water at the neighborhood park attracts ducks and geese.  Tons of bunnies and dogs around here.  Lots of hawks.

People seem friendly.

So that's the fun part.  Exploring the new neighborhood.

@just bee 

Good to focus on the fun part.  Your new neighborhood sounds delightful!

I’ve had a little fun myself lately, in between the ice packs, physical therapy exercises and doctor visits.  

Carla’s Auntie has been fostering for our local animal shelter.  Lately, she’s had several litters of abused puppies.  The last bunch were so bad off they had been one of those stories they put on the news. A horrible situation.  A Golden Retriever mix mother and eight puppies all left in a small crate in deplorable condition.  So bad that even after round-the-clock vet care only three of the puppies and the mother survived.  Puppies were three months old, but you’d never know they were Retriever-Shepard crosses.  Tiny and malnourished to the extreme.  And the poor things didn’t even have the instinct not to poop and pee in their crates.  They had to be taught even the rudiments of being dogs.  

But they learned and grew quickly with the proper attention and food.  Some of both I was happy to volunteer!  Oh my gosh, were they cute!  So much fun to watch them blossom and bloom into happy and well-adjusted little pups.  By the time they were ready to leave, no one would have ever guessed the horrible way they started their lives.  They were transported out of state for adoption, because—unbelievably—the owner wanted them back!  The shelter didn’t want to take the chance that she might get them.

So, that’s my fun story.  Somehow animals can always make you feel happy.  Or totally frustrated.  Or completely stupid. 😉

[geezerette]

I’m also going to quit stocking up on everything, like many of you have already mentioned.  An extra one or two, but that’s it.  But no longer having so much of ‘whatever’ that I can’t fit it in a drawer or don’t have room in a closet.  

It’s all connected.  And I’m just getting tired of dealing with all of it.

Seems like I’ve been here before.  Deja vu all over again.  Maybe one of these days I’ll actually follow through on my rants.

[Squirrel Lover]

Deja vu is right. I just purged a garbage bag from my closet and donated it this afternoon. All the stuff was barely worn but I didn't like the material and the bright colors. 

I MUST stick to my color palette!!!

I get so frustrated with myself sometimes. I have reduced everything in my house and life that I don't need, but I still struggle with clothes. I think it is a scarcity issue for me. I fear not having enough, which is stupid because if I needed something I can always order it!

[geezerette]

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@Squirrel Lover wrote:

Deja vu is right. I just purged a garbage bag from my closet and donated it this afternoon. All the stuff was barely worn but I didn't like the material and the bright colors. 

I MUST stick to my color palette!!!

I get so frustrated with myself sometimes. I have reduced everything in my house and life that I don't need, but I still struggle with clothes. I think it is a scarcity issue for me. I fear not having enough, which is stupid because if I needed something I can always order it!

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@Squirrel Lover 

Me too.  I’m a neutral person.  I have my “wardrobe” (I use the term loosely) planned and set up.   But everyone says as you age you need color, so I succumb, buy something colorful and realize either I don’t like it or think I look stupid in it—or both!  Then, of course, I never wear it again.

Or if I do get something I like that is out of the norm for me, I end up getting it soiled the first or second time I wear it and then it’s in the around-the-house category.

[rnmom]

@geezerette - I love what you said about buying locally, using what we had until it was gone, then buying a replacement or doing without. I think I vaguely remember those days and yep, it was probably less fun, but definitely less stressful too. You ran out of something, you picked up another one at the grocery store or drug store. Sounds simple enough right?

Part of my problem is now that I am trying to shop cruelty free I'm finding almost all of the big brands that I find in the grocery stores and drugstores are not cruelty free. I am finding a small selection of some brands that are, and I need to check them out closer.  But because of that I've been ordering most of my items online from Ulta or Vitacost, even Amazon, and that leads to "stocking up" so that I'm not ordering 1 or 2 items every week. 

But like you, I have made "stuff" way more important than it ever should be. There is absolutely no reason why I should be wasting any time or mental energy planning what my next Ulta order is going to be, what I want to buy, replace, try new, etc. It really is silly. When I run low on 1 or 2 things then I should evaluate what I need. Sounds so simple in theory, but retraining my brain to think different isn't so easy. 

[rnmom]

@just bee -I agree with you too about sticking with some inexpensive products that work. I also use the Suave Almond and Shea butter shampoo and conditioner and I really like it, even more than the expensive, professional brands that I've tried. I actually picked up a bottle of Salon Selectives from the dollar store the other day to try, but I haven't gotten to it yet though. 

Like I mentioned, I've been trying to shop for cruelty free items and some are very reasonably priced, and some are not. I will always opt for a cruelty free item when the price is comparable to a non cruelty free brand, but I'm finding so many times that the "cruelty free" item costs 3-4 times as much as the non cruelty free item. That's where my dilemma comes in. I want to support cruelty free, but I cannot justify paying some of the outrageous prices some of these companies are charging. 

But I do definitely want to start shopping more locally and ordering less online. I need to pay more attention at the dollar store and the local stores to see what items are available. 

[rnmom]

@just bee -I'm not really having fun yet this month, no. I tried to plan for fun, but it's not working out. I actually got tickets to a festival for this weekend, the Tall Ships are coming to town and I thought all my boys would get a kick out of seeing them. However, now the heat index is supposed to be close to 110 the day we were going to go. Temps that high here are killer because the humidity is so high. We're all going to be dripping sweat all day. So something that I was really looking forward to is now going to be an exercise in misery. I'm so disappointed. There is just no fun to be had over here.