May 8, 2020 | Am I still here?
It’s been almost seven weeks since I was hit by a car on my road bike, and ironically, one day after writing a blog post about riding safely during COVID-19. I was following all road cycling laws and safety rules, but unfortunately that wasn’t enough. With...
Mar 22, 2020 | A better way, Cultural chaos, Culture, Just plain good, World |
I’m a cyclist. Not a race-winning, super fast, well-known cyclist, but an average-pace, somewhat normal human being that loves to ride a bike. In fact, I love to ride so much, I’m planning to ride the Southern Tier in September this year. I need to practice a lot to...
Nov 19, 2016 | All gone for good, Giving something back, Just Jody, Sharing, Trying to matter
Last night was our first bout of cold weather in the North Texas area, and with an overnight freeze warning. I chose to sleep outside. I’d like to say I slept outside as one of my social experiments to try and help people in some way. No, this time it was to...
Nov 17, 2014 | Featured, Giving something back, Lost & Found, Sharing
I awoke this morning to a long feed of social media posts about snow in the North Dallas area this morning. Most people think snow is beautiful. I lived a portion of my childhood in Wisconsin and I see snow a little differently. Yes, it’s beautiful, but I only...
Dec 20, 2013 | Featured, Just for fun
Getting rid of the Infiniti Sleigh was one of the most difficult things we’ve ever had to do. Our 1997 QX4 served us well for 14 years. We were about to get $1,200 for it, money that would go toward our new car. Considering the $7,128 price tag to get everything...
Dec 13, 2013 | Featured, Giving something back, Trying to matter
I wrote a story about Tom four years ago. As part of NaNoWriMo, I decided to rewrite it, applying some of my new writing skills. The stark cold stung my face as I left my warm house. The gloomy Texas day should have been for sleeping in and sitting by the fireplace,...
Nov 30, 2013 | Am I still here?, Featured, Mini challenges
To do the writing challenge, I decided to give up social media for a month. I gave up iPhone games as well. How did that go? Day 1 Yes, I’m 28 minutes into it and all is well. No Twitter. I could care less. I’m visual, so Twitter is a secondary social media...
Mar 6, 2013 | Creative weirdness, Cultural chaos
I wrote this a few days ago. It goes to the tune of Madonna’s song Material Girl. I think I might need to do a music video with it. :) Not a Throw-Away Girl Some stores discount, some stores ship stuff I think they’re okay If they don’t give me...
Mar 4, 2013 | Cultural chaos, Just plain good |
Please vote for me!! Voting takes place from March 4 to April 12. I submitted an entry on toms.com to win a Giving Trip. I want to win this! A TOMS Giving Trip is on my bucket list. Here’s my entry (click on it to vote for me): Here’s the scoop: My...
Jan 21, 2013 | Just for fun, Just Jody
Yes, I’m digging through the archives on this one. I wrote this letter to my grandma as an assignment for a part-time blogging gig a while back. The assignment was to chose a technological photography item and write a letter to your grandma about how to use...
Sep 24, 2012 | A better way, Am I still here?, Creative weirdness, Downsizing |
The garage (cleaning) art project. My garage is always a diaster area. I couldn’t fit a car in there if I tried. Heck, I’m not even sure a bike would fit. Now let me be clear. Even if I could fit a car in my garage, I wouldn’t put one in there....
Jul 12, 2012 | Am I still here?, Cultural chaos |
Let me start by saying I’ve never been homeless. Rethinking homelessness for me is knowing there are people in really tough situations without a home, and knowing I’m a few paychecks away from the same thing. I’m a middle-aged single mom, living in a nice suburban...
Jun 28, 2012 | Cultural chaos |
Recently, I was a guest writer on singleroots.com and wrote a post about friends with benefits. There are many good things about being single, and friendships are first and foremost. I have married friends and single friends. I have male friends and female friends....
Jun 21, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos |
I sometimes say to my kids, “We’re having no electronics night.” Inevitably, one of them will start down the ‘electricity’ path, saying, “Oh, so we can’t use lights? How are you going to cook dinner without the stove?...
Jun 19, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos, Mini challenges |
Why wouldn’t anyone believe me when I said an ice cream sandwich, left at room temperature, would still look like an ice cream sandwich a day later? Well here it is. Almost 24 hours later, a little puffy in the center, but still very much intact. What is...
Jun 9, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos |
While grocery shopping a couple of nights ago, I found myself in a quandary. I’m a frugal shopper, although I dislike calling myself anything with the word “shopper” in it. I’m also a bit of an activist against plastic waste. I’m not a...
Jun 8, 2012 | Am I still here?, Book reviews |
I don’t read a lot of magazines. Not because I don’t like reading them, it’s more about buying a pricey publication that I’m supposed to throw away (recycle) once I’ve finished reading it. I’m not sure if it’s my hoarder...
Jun 6, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos
Rethink shopping. I really am not a huge fan of shopping in most situations. We practice the ‘no impulse buys’ philosophy. If you see something you want, and you remember it 24 hours later, then you can go back and get it. This saves us HUGE amounts of...
Jun 2, 2012 | Cultural chaos, Recycle, Repurposed
I decided to go to the Frisco Farmers’ Market today. As the words farmers’ market suggests, I expected to find lots of local produce vendors and maybe a few other food-type vendors. Since the name starts with Frisco, maybe my expectations should have...
May 26, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos, Flashback, No retail shopping
It’s the one year anniversary since I finished the no retail shopping challenge. Why did I do the challenge? Straight from my original blog post: I wanted to live differently, meaning finding creative ways to not buy stuff I really don’t need, to share stuff...
May 17, 2012 | Am I still here?, Cultural chaos |
I decided to participate in the aday.org project on May 15th. Here’s the project description off the aday.org website: On this one single day we ask you to pick up your camera and help us photograph daily life. What is close to you? What matters to you? We will...
Apr 9, 2012 | A better way, Cultural chaos |
Tomorrow is TOMS “one day without shoes” event. An event to create an awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child in need. Yes, I’ll be barefoot tomorrow. So will my son Joe, who has school tomorrow. I’m thinking his...
Dec 5, 2011 | Abandoned places, Book reviews, Cultural chaos, Dumpster diving, One year of downsizing
I wasn’t going to do much blogging on holiday shopping, but people keep asking me what kind of stuff I’m buying for Christmas gifts or what are good gifts to give that give back to people in need? So here it is… my brain dump on Christmas shopping. Yes, I call it...
Nov 26, 2011 | Cultural chaos, Flashback, Read the fine print
I love reading and making fun of the Black Friday ads, but better than that, reading the fine print can be quite entertaining. I started this last year on black friday. I got to do it this year with my friends Jason and Carrie. You can read last year’s post...
Nov 26, 2011 | A better way, Cultural chaos
Black Friday: So I didn’t go out for Black Friday like I did last year… to make fun of people shopping. Here’s the video from last year. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cPc36tqraw Small Business Saturday: Why is this after the big retailers get...
