Anime and ice cream... ( An awesome combination. )

Before I sign off for the evening, I'd better present you with today's "one thing". So, here it is:

"Did you know you can transform any paint into chalkboard paint in one easy step? Recycle leftover household latex paint by mixing in a few tablespoons of powdered grout (available at any home improvement store). Mix it really well, paint a wall with two coats and you can write any messages right on the wall with chalk. Wipe it down and repeat. A great way to get a custom-colored chalkboard in one easy step."

Since chalkboards seem to be going the way of the dodo bird, you might be able to use this idea to make yourself some inexpensive chalkboards -- IF you didn't want to have a wall-sized chalkboard. Hmmmmm..... Now that I think about it, this might be a good idea for that "anime-and-ice-cream-loving" friend of mine... You can thank me later. :P

Current Mood: deliciously devious
Current Music: "Trust You"

As I mentioned in a recent entry (01/31/10), I'm now getting serious about getting fit/losing weight -- enough to commit to giving "The Best Life Diet" by Bob Green a try. In order to keep myself accountable, I'm going to be posting periodic updates, and this entry will be the ( first of these. )

Before I close this entry, I'd better share with you the "one thing" for today. So, here it is:

"Show your love to someone by giving little love to the world. Ten Thousand Villages sells heart-shaped cards, ornaments and candles perfect for Valentine's Day. Your purchase supports local artisans from all over the world that thrive and live off the proceeds from their handiwork. A great way to show love for the world, isn't it? For store locations, visit www.tenthousandvillages.com."

That reminds me... I need to figure out (and either make or purchase) what I'm going to be giving my loved ones so that I can, hopefully, be like my mother who's known for getting her birthday/holiday cards to their intended recipient on or before that "special day"! Now, if you'll excuse me, I must make my "To Do" list for this weekend: 1. find watch manual on-line; 2. buy tall bottles of water; 3. ............

Current Mood: determined

... a removable boot, that is. At this afternoon's appointment with the doctor who performed my foot surgery (two months and a day ago), I had my fifth (and final) cast removed. After viewing the x-rays, my doctor told me some good news: I wasn't going to have to wear another cast. Instead, he was going to order a special wrap AND a removable boot -- so that I can start doing range-of-motion exercises for my foot and ankle! Although I still need to keep weight off my foot for the next three weeks, I'll have more freedom -- I can even start taking showers again! In addition, I've got another month off work (IF I've got enough "time on the books", that is). I just hope that I'm able to make this month A LOT more productive than the last one!

The "one thing" for Thursday 4 February 2010 is as follows:

"Remove the screen saver off your computer; when the flying toasters are activated on your screen, it's still running on full power. Instead, put your computer in "sleep" or "standby" mode, so the stroke of a key will wake up your PC right away. P.S. Make sure your coworkers aren't leaving their computers on all night long; make it a corporate policy to have all computers shut down at the end of the workday."

Current Mood: ecstatic

I'm pleased to announce that my origami iris (from last night's origami lesson) now has a home. Today, Nomad gave me the link to a number of vases (four, to be exact). After deciding that the last one (a weighted vase) was WAY TOO HARD for me, I opted to make the first one (the one Nomad recommended). After a bit of "trial and error", I managed to make my flower a vase in which to sit. Despite not doodling on it, it suits my iris well.

Because it's getting late and I've still got several things to do before I sleep, I must cut this entry short, but NOT without sharing today's "one thing" with you:

"Wouldn't it be great if you could just touch dusty surfaces in your home and they'd be sparkling clean? Well, here's the next best thing. Stick your hand in a clean cotton sock and dust away; you can even spray on a non-toxic all-purpose cleaner and use the sock to clean up. All the dust will go onto the sock. The best part? Throw it in the washing machine and use it over and over again."

As I was typing that last sentence, a thought popped into my head: That would be an excellent use for those socks that have lost their mates to the pandaboogeyman (I know him personally!) or... ! I'm sure you've probably got at least one matchless mate floating around your house somewhere. So, give this idea a try!

I'm in a ( creative mood this evening, )

Current Mood: accomplished!

Without further ado, here's the "one thing" for this, the first day of February 2010:

"Leftover latex paint is often hard to recycle or give away, so it's best to use it up at home. But if that's not possible, here's the next best solution: let it dry up. Just open the can of paint and let it slowly air-dry over time until it becomes a rubbery, dried-out disc. Throw away the disc and then safely dispose of the steel can in your recycling bin. If you're in a hurry, you can speed up the drying process by stirring in kitty litter, too."

The first thought I had when thinking about leftover paint was to use it to paint some furniture (like a girl's bedroom set), some chairs or even a few picture frames, but then I don't have any of these items to paint. Of course, I don't have any leftover paint either, so I guess it's a moot point. I'm rambling -- probably because I'm tired. However, the bottom line is that it seems like such a waste to let "perfectly good" paint dry out! Hmmm...... wonder if that rubbery, dried-out disc will fly like a Frisbee? If you've got some leftover latex paint you don't need any more, let it dry out and then tell me if it'll fly!

Enough nonsense! I'm going to bed!

EDIT: 12:25 a.m. Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Before going to bed, I decided to check all of my G-mail accounts (still need to figure out how to consolidate them into just one, but that's a different story!), and found one from the newsletter editor for the HD-CWC's publication, the "Inkslinger". She asked me to write an article about the February 2010 guest speaker's presentation. Because that's more "up my alley" than, say, meeting and greeting members/guests at the door, I readily agreed to do this request. Now, I need to get out that new (expensive day planner I purchased and put deadlines -- hers AND mine -- on it so that I do NOT forget!

Current Location: Steps away from my bed.
Current Mood: tired

Yep! The Best Life Diet, that is. After ( crunching some numbers )

Current Mood: excited

"Stop wasting heat. If your home runs on a central heating system, close the vents in little-used rooms like spare bedrooms or the dining room. By restricting the flow of warm air into unused rooms, it'll be diverted into rooms that need to be heated. The warmer those rooms get, the more you can lower the thermostat."

Gee! Why didn't I think of that?! (Wait! Don't answer that!) Well... That's "one thing" I WILL do -- for sure! Hope you will, too.

The headache I had last night is gone -- OR at least I think it's gone. I didn't notice it when I woke up this morning (though I sure didn't want to get out of bed!), and I haven't felt it at all this afternoon -- even when I was trying to tutor someone in algebra (ugh... the quadratic formula). However, when I started to write today's entry and thought, "It's gone...", I noticed that it was back. So, it must have something to do with the rumbling in my tummy! Lately, it seems as though I get so caught up in whatever it is I'm doing throughout the day that I don't stop to rustle up something to eat. I usually don't think about being hungry until I sit down to write my LiveJournal entry during the last hour of the day.

The other day, I took the neighbour to the grocery store (when I was SO in the mood for a Fudgsicle), and the first thing out of her mouth after she got into the car was, "You've lost weight!" Then, she asked how I'd managed to do that. My first response was "By not eating." So, then I had to explain what I meant by that. She (and another dear friend of mine) told me that I needed to lose weight "the right way". So, I've been Googling (like other friends have told me I need to do) in order to find "the right way" for me to lose weight. There are SO MANY different ways people claim that one can lose weight that I'm having a hard time figuring out which is the "right way".

Since one of my "New-Year's-Resolutions-Disguised-as-Goals" for 2010 is to lose weight, I think I'm going to "go public" with this resolution/goal and spend some time in my LiveJournal documenting my progress. Accountability seems to be a motivating factor in helping me accomplish my goals.

Before I get carried away with this topic, I'm going to present the "one thing" for Thursday, 28 January 2010.

"Buy energy-saving products in bulk to save money. Ask your coworkers or neighbors if they want to buy pricier green products together -- compact fluorescent lightbulbs, surge protectors, outdoor solar lighting -- and then purchase items through an online wholesaler to save money. The more you order, the lower the per unit cost will be. Be sure to gt everything shipped by ground; it uses less fuel than overnight shipping."

So, there you have it: My resolution/goal to lose weight "the right way" in 2010 AND the "one thing" you can do today to help save money and the environment. Now, I'm off to the kitchen to get a bite to eat OR to the medicine cabinet to get one of my Vicodin before I "hit the hay"!

Current Mood: hungry

Since I've got a headache (and today hasn't been a very good day), I think I'll just share today's "one thing" with you and then "hit the hay" early. So... Without further ado, here it is:

"Bulky recycling! If you live in a neighborhood where your neighbors are nearby, why not join forces and get rid of your hard-to-recycle items together? Gather your old appliances -- a refrigerator, washer/dryer, dishwasher -- and have 1-800-GOT-JUNK pick them up. Gather everything together at one collection point and split the cost of pickup. 1-800-GOT-JUNK will safely and securely recycle all the items for you."

I could have used this hint last year, but now that it's now within the pages of my LiveJournal, I'll know where to look for the info should I need it in the future. If any of you ever try this "one thing", please let me know about your experience.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to "pop a pill" (or two) to see if I can get rid of this headache and then go to bed. 'Night, y'all!

Current Mood: blah