Yep, this is the beginning of a month-long effort to ditch your addictions. I hope everyone has made it through the first day without too much trauma or drama. Remember to give yourself a bit of extra breathing room tomorrow to stay calm. Once you get to work, you don't want to be so stressed you rip the head off one of your co-workers.
"Give me a paper towel, dammit! I spilled a soda."
"Snack foods, I need snack foods! Gimme that chip!"
"Huh? Wha'? Sorry, I haven't had my caffeine today..."
"Why, yes, my clothes are rather stiff and crunchy. I'm not using my dryer this month. Thanks for noticing!"
"Tomorrow? I'm already done this morning. No more procrastinating here, no ma'am!"
I've noticed many of you have grabbed the little doodad for your sidebars. Looks great! I'd like to also suggest that each of you publicly commit, on your own blog, to your plans to give up your addiction. That way your readers can help keep you accountable. If you notice someone on the list here giving up a similar addiction to yourself, check out their blog posts, too, for ideas and support.
Lastly, decide if you're going cold turkey or weaning yourself from your addiction. For instance, from a physical standpoint, giving up paper towels or plastic bags will be easier than caffeine and it will probably not be necessary to reduce gradually. If you forget, though, and "use" a paper towel or plastic bag, don't beat yourself up. Remind yourself of your commitment and keep going.
Independence Days Challenge: My update for this past week on Sharon's challenge can be found in the comments on her latest post about it. It's interesting to read everyone's accomplishments there, too.
Bookworm Challenge, Month 2: Green Bean is continuing her challenge to read and review at least one "ecologically-relevant book." Now, I'm not sure whether the following review qualifies for last month's bookworm challenge or this month's since I read it in May but am reviewing it in June.
When a blogger mentioned another peak oil-type book in the comments over there, I hopped on my bike and picked it up at the library. (Of course, it just had to be a branch five miles away instead of the near one.) The book is Black Monday, written by R. Scott Reiss. Having just read Last Light, I was struck by the similarities between the two books.
Both dealt with the sudden lack of oil world-wide, caused by different methods. In this book, a GMO oil-eating bacteria introduced into the system causes havoc with machinery. In each book, an unknown person, or persons, is responsible for cutting off the supply of oil artificially for unknown reasons. Both books feature riots in the street, marauding hordes, starving people, an assassin out to kill anyone with knowledge that might bring down the party or parties responsible, and the hero trying to solve the mystery and protect his family.
A distinct difference between the two books, however, was in the perception of the problem and whether there was a solution. While both illuminate that modern life is totally dependent on oil, this one didn't introduce peak oil concepts and resource limitation in a scope broader than the immediate problem. It also constantly moved towards finding the "cure" whereas the infrastructure was so badly damaged in Last Light, a quick fix was impossible.
Strangely, other than the quick descent of the masses into lawless behavior illustrated by this book (like the other), I didn't find it quite as scary. The ending seemed somewhat predictable and wrapped up all the problems nice and neat, with life expected to return to "business as usual." It was like a roller coaster ride: scary as heck while you're on it, but you know you'll be fine as soon as you step off the ride. Last week's book ended with no foreseeable exit from the roller coaster.
25 comments:
Chips have left the building. Izze pop remains but will be fed to realtors and their clients. So far, so good.
I had my last avocado on Saturday, I should get around to posting about it sometime soon. Thanks again for doing this! My partner Brett, is going without avocados too, and we've both started to look for any other ways, no matter how minimal they seem, to try to use less, not for any challenge, but because we feel that is what we should do, and this challenge just reminded us that there is more to be done.
Those books sound really interesting. I read TC Boyle's 'A Friend of the Earth' and was a bit frightened by that book, as some of the outcomes seemed quite plausible and they aren't pretty.
It was weird this morning not having a hot beverage, so I found some mint tea at work. Not procrastinating will be the hardest. I guess I should get back to work...
Any tips on getting out of bed when my alarm goes off? :P
Sharing is good.
I went and read about that book. Sounds like an interesting read, but I think I need to go for something more positive after two peak-oil fiction books in a couple weeks!
Hm, procrastinating in the morning in bed...well, the first thing that comes to mind is a scene from an old movie called "Creator." A young man, with a similar problem, is a tinkering type of guy. He builds a little robot that gives him a countdown after the alarm goes off. If he doesn't get out of bed by the time it's done, it comes over and sends an electric shock through the metal bedframe. It seemed to give him a little motivation to get moving. ;-)
I found myself wishing the month had started on a weekday -- it's much easier for me to limit my internet time on a day when I leave the house in the morning and don't return until late afternoon! So I had to be very diligent yesterday -- one hour in the morning, a half hour check at lunch, another hour during dinner, then an hour and a half in the evening. Still, I had to shut down at 9:30, at least an hour earlier than usual! On the plus side, I got mega garden fence building done yesterday! Boy am I tired today!
The chips and carbonated drink things I didn't expect to be hard for me, I don't eat those on a daily basis, but over the course of a month I usually would have had some several times. However, I did have a dream last night that I started to eat some potato chips and in the midst of the second chip, I "remembered" (still in the dream) that I wasn't allowed to have them. Reminds me of when I quit smoking years ago. The technique that worked for me was "haven't had one in X days, you're on a roll, don't break it." So when I occasionally dreamed that I was halfway through a cigarette before remembering, I would feel horrible, like I had to start over. Then I'd wake up and realize my "roll" was still intact!
Anyway, thanks, Chile, I think this challenge is one that will actually help me change some long-term habits by removing the internet as my primary "vegging" activity. Maybe I'll get back to reading books and magazines for a longer span than a bath-soak time!
P.S. I remember reading that John Muir invented some contraption that, when touched by the morning sun, would overturn the bed to get him up! I've searched and pondered but I can't seem to find out details of this, or to figure out on my own how this worked.
I ate too much yesterday, but it was at a party and wasn't mindless - I wanted to sample everyone's great stuff. Today I've been good so far, but as I usually cave from 4-5pm and 8-9pm that isn't saying much!
Why oh WHY won't the midges here give up Killi snacks for June? I'm being eaten alive ~ I hate going outside as the get everywhere & clothes make no difference at all. I feel them on me & biting. I react badly to insect bites, sometimes swelling up badly & the bite itches untill ALL the poison leaves my body. The itching is so severe that I'm now covered in sores as I can't stop scratching. So please Irish midges, stop eating Killi & join Chile's addiction challenge.
Have you seen William Cobbett's book: Cottage Economy? It's an old, old book with ideas & remedies for stock & gardens from the 1800s. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my TBR mountain range. There's also a lovely American repurposing book from the 1920s that I can't see to get you the title & author that I have started reading & put down & buried
Okay, I'm not giving up or quitting but have a totally unrelated question to starting something new. We have a vegetable garden at home and this year I want to try to preserve as much as possible for over the winter months. (Well I guess in a way that might count on giving up store bought produce, maybe??) You always have so many interesting things you make, do you have any suggestions for really good book on canning and preserves?
Wow, Sue, that's weird to be dreaming about this stuff. Better than blowing it IRL though.
JAM, sounds like you were fine.
Ow, Killi! I'll be whimpering here once mosquito season gets going. They looove me. Thanks for the book recommendations - please post the title of the repurposing one if you find it.
Maryann, for the most current up-to-date canning guidelines, I refer to the latest edition of the Ball blue book. I also like the National Center for Home Food Preservation; it's linked on the sidebar under Food & Health. I actually find a lot of the preserving ideas online; if I'm going to can, I check with the above guides to make sure I do it safely.
I said that I would stop using my dryer this month. Woefully equipped with clothe lines, I had to put 8 chairs out on the backyard and drape clothes on them. My kids thought it was funny, my husband thought I was crazy. My dog at one point jumped on a chair and took a nap on my sweatshirt! So not only is my shirt stiff and crunchy, it is also furry. See what you've done to me?!
Um, how is it my fault if your dog loves the smell of your clothes, even when clean?
I would recommend picking up a couple of racks or clotheslines. You can get the pull-out clotheslines relatively inexpensively, as well as a wooden rack for drying. They can be put outside or used inside.
I think I'll do a post with pictures to show you what I use.
So far no comfort eating after 7:30pm in the evening but my regular routine starts on Tuesday this week. My fingers are crossed.
3rd of june and no restaurant lunches. Had some bean suop that went into one of my 1/2 pint jars for lunch. I am getting a lot of use out of my lunch box. Didn't even go to restuarant this weekend and went ot movies and no popcorn or drinks! Movies are a hell of alot cheaper when you don't spend $6-7 on popcorn!
Way to go, people!
I thought Black Monday was ok, but not really a survival story. I think it is a good starter book, my DH is reading it now. I preferred Dies The Fire. The 2 online that I read are:
http://www.survivalmonkey.com/Lights%20Out.htm
and
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=192640
Both of these were pretty good, but not professionally written.
Can't remember if I officially signed up, but I am also giving up the use of my dryer. I've gotten down to one load of drying a week (socks and underwear), but want to give it up completely. However, my 22 year-old daughter has just moved home after college and will be with us while job-hunting, and she's pretty adamant that she wants to use the dryer for her stuff. She's a good kid, and basically has to be here anyway, so I'm not going pull her into the challenge. Just my husband's and my clothes will be line dried.
Thanks, I think, Christy. Just what I need - ways to spend more time online. ;-)
Joyce, you were already on the list. (See sidebar under the logo thingie.)
I thought I'd let you know that I went all the way and am now on day three of no coffee at all. No Starbucks, no coffee anywhere. But I'm drinking as much green tea as I want. The first two days were fine, this morning I thought I might be sick. I remained calm, took two aspirin and drank tea. I'm fine. The green tea is no more local or easier to get than coffee but it feels better. I do love coffee but it owns me after the first cup.
Congratulations! So noted on the sidebar.
I love hanging out the laundry! Last year I bought an umbrella clothes dryer on sale & finally got it put up, albeit at quite an angle. (g) Fixed that at the end of the summer - still has a slight tilt but works just fine.
I use wooden racks & plastic (ugh) hangers during the (long, long) winter. I have an old rack that belonged to a friend of my grandmother - it's taller than I am!
During the summer, I still use the racks for small things - underwear, sox, etc. It's just easier. The only thing I use my dryer for is 'fluffing' & 'de-hairing' large items (w/ the addition of a damp rag) - both using just the air setting.
As for the new challenge, well, I'm working on it, & getting better. Still fell asleep before the program I WANTED to watch finished last night...(sigh) On the bright side, my kitchen has not looked this good for this many days in a row for a long time!
Carla in Idaho
I've felt miserable for three days now. I know it will get better but the caffeine withdrawal is vile. I would really like to stick with it this time because I don't want to be feeling like this when everything else is awful.
The added advantage of cutting the caffeine is that it cuts unnecessary milk and honey not to mention biscuits (cookies) which just seem to go with coffee.
I've bought peppermint tea but will try not to use it as a complete replacement for coffee & tea because I get *so* fed up with it so quickly.
hey there chile. i am ditchin' my online shopping addiction. i will not buy anything online this month unless it is absolutely required and no other way can i purchase this necessity.
thanks for the challenge.
Glad people are hangin' in there.
Thanks for the book review, Chile. Looks like this one didn't leave you with as many nightmares. We'll have to find another book for ya!
I am reading another book right now, Green Bean. However, it might be stretching it to say it's "ecologically-relevent" since it's a sci fi. I'm working on rationalizing it though. This society does have to deal with resource shortages ... and you know I'll glean information from anywhere!
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