glorified malcontent's Profile

$2 for a medium size cup-o-joe-on-the-go is my limit (though $1.50 is more my style), though most places around here (san antonio) don't cross that threshold. though, probably because most places around here can't make a decent cup.

at home, i am the only coffee drinker, and only like drinking coffee fresh brewed, so i've foregone large carafe systems that make a lot at once. i have owned a keurig system (christmas present), and loved it. by the responses here, they are largely unpopular because of the waste they make using the disposable cups. i avoided those like the plague, and used reusable filters or individual paper filters (composted) and used my own coffee. it was fast and easy. the cups i got from it were some of the best i've made at home, but i gave it up after several years because it was fairly tedious, took up space and i really couldn't control how much coffee i wanted to brew.

i now use a pour over method similar to the one in the picture, though i use a paper filter and simple funnel, and get a great cup of coffee. i never cared for the siltiness of mesh systems, like the french press. it's hard to estimate what it costs per cup, but if i had to guess... probably $0.30 a cup, as calculated by a rounded number of cups a day + usual price per bag of coffee, etc.

i am a sucker for dog friendly home design :)

going to have to jump onto the wagon of "who cares, what's the point of this post?"

maybe i'm just not peeved by much in the way of yard care, but if there's anything i've learned moving out into the neighborhood i'm in, it's an appreciation to any for of upkeep to one's yard regardless of what it looks like. red mulch? picket fences? gnomes? man, who cares! mow your lawn and water your plants and you can put a tin tiger in a top hat in the middle of your yard for all i care.

that actually sounds pretty rad, haha! i know we all have preferences, and maybe posts like this affirm our personal choices, but i agree with others: it's not helpful and stifling.

crock pot and food processor.

there's a brass trend? oh lord...

to me, brass is only good for steampunk ensembles and that's it. everywhere i've seen brass (including growing up in my own house) it's always been tacky and dated and gross. like a cheap ploy to have an elegant look that always falls flat on its face. yuck.

but yeah, it's a matter of preference and if you're into brass, this lamp probably looked better before. but i'll put the after version in my house any day of the week. it wouldn't match our decor, but i'll take it over brass!

being a fairly utilitarian family when it comes to our clothing and such (we have no accessories, jewelry, etc) i can't comment about that specifically, but i can mirror certain sentiments. i will often not use items that are stored away, especially if they are superfluous or inessential. this goes for just about anything, including kitchen items, hobby items, dog items, etc. on the other side, thing i use frequently or daily will never be "put away".

i am all for the designated area/station idea for items you intend to use a lot. i have only three pieces of footware, and my work boots are rarely used, so in the closet they go. sneakers and sandals? stowed, but accessible. be brutal about what you want to keep around, even if it's just for a week before you rotate it. i definitely live in a home where methodical madness is king, and unless you are really on about everything in it's place, having a few well loved items at the ready, in meaningful places, is the way to go in my opinion.

i thought i would never need the phone book again, but i always find a need. even as heavily connected and technologically advanced as i am, i am not always in constant connection to the internet (i am probably one of three people left in the world who still has a "dumb phone" and likes it that way). as an artist though, i am always finding uses for the old ones, including papier mache, print projects or cleaning up/preventing messes.

i am all for this campaign, but what i would also like to see a running list of alternative uses for expired phone books, for those that do still use them or might take extras off of people's hands.

how adorable is zion in his completely awesome room? it almost has that fairly tale peter pan feel, and i can almost imagine what's going on in his imagination.

elegant circus is right, what a whimsical space! the living room is my favorite, but the whole place just screams personality. and being a big fan of circus kitsch, it feels like a space filled with my own memories. the folk art and nicknacks and catholic iconography. to die for. probably one of my favorite house tours.

purging is what i would recommend. bad feelings carry weight, and a good way to start getting rid of emotional weight is get rid of some physical weight, by way of clearing your space of physical reminders and general clutter. pretty much what kelli and yurko said: if smudging is your thing then go for it, but i think there's more real and tangible ways to take charge of your mood and how you perceive the "energy" in your own space.

also what surfjack said. we tend to give license to "negative energy sticking" around while one could just as easily give equal weight to the positive.

i would like to say that in addition to the house being gorgeous (i love that kitchen! nice storage solutions in there), i love home tours that include the residence in the photos. it really "pulls it all together". i think a room really shines when i get to see folks enjoying it.