Bare Necessities: 6 essentials that make my life easier

 Assuming I have food, water, cute shoes and shelter this is my list of things I wouldn't feel right living without. Sure I could probably become a hermit (no offense) and abandon all of these things, but I do not feel compelled to make such a choice. You wouldn't ask Linus to give up his blanket would you?

1. Friends: They hear me cry, moan, complain and they laugh at my off witted (often sarcastic) jokes. They encourage me and shop with me. We lean against each other in tough times and we motivate each other to keep pushing. Where would I be without you?

2. Family: My mom checks me and my dad has been there to support me when no one else would understand. My grandmothers are the best in the world and everyone that knows me knows my maternal Grandmother can put me in place when no one else can. I'm very proud of that and I don’t know what I would do without them. Although they are sometimes the source of my frustration, they are also a place of solidarity. Their love is one of few things I am sure of.

3. My cell phone: Its windows enabled. It has internet access. It holds up to 2500 contacts. It has my 5 favorite apps including a calendar that has made my life so much easier. I once left my phone home by accident and I was sweating and convulsing by hour 2 (I feel you judging me). I wondered if I was missing meetings, deadlines or birthdays. I worried about missing phone calls and text messages from friends and family in distress.  Stick with me, I have a point. Oh yea, I can't live without it. I probably could if I tried though considering the amount of things I gave up for Lent. I'm going to try to live 1 day without it and I'll keep you all updated.

4. Google: Google rules my world. I give Google all the praise for the vast amounts of random information I have been able to uncover and digest. I remember life before Google and it included nightmares about volumes of burgundy encyclopedias, mounds of dictionaries and a 3 pound thesaurus. I've tried to block out those experiences. That is all.

5. My debit card. Because going to get cash from an ATM is soooo 2008. Using my debit card has also helped me track my spending and manage my budget more effectively as well. Confessions of a shopaholic in rehab.

6. Hope: Hope comes in many forms. My hope is always for a better tomorrow. When things happen beyond my control, I stop for a few minutes and evaluate the situation. I recite the serenity prayer and hold my head high.  Sometimes all I'm going on is hope for a better tomorrow. I've had my share of bad days and when I don't know how I will go on, I hang on to the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. It is my strong belief that everything happens for a reason and that eventually I will understand that reason. Sometimes the reason is not apparent (like when you're rushing out of the house to get somewhere and then 5 minutes later you're caught in traffic due to a fatal accident) but I proactively hold on for brighter days. 

Assume Maslow's Heirarchy of Needs is relevant in your life. What does your list look like? Do we have anything in common? Do share...

Photo source: http://kickinthepeanuts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/linus.gif

Bare necessities: 4 things you need when you're stuck inside

I've officially come to the conclusion that mother nature & old man winter (who I'm convinced must look like the photo below) hate us. The wind has made walking an Olympic sport and the snow has rendered many on the East coast immobile.

In the spirit of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, here are 4 things you need if you're snowed in:

1. Comfort food: Who wants to be stuck in the house AND eating bland granola? Unless you've given up junk food for Lent, I suggest you indulge in comfort foods. I think they help offset the onset of cabin fever. Trust me, I'm a blogger.

2. Heat: Just because you dont want your dwelling to be uncomfortably cold. If you're going to be inside, you might as well be comfy right? Enough said.

3. A good movie: One thing you will notice while trapped inside is that tv programming is mostly reruns & tomfoolery. I took me 3 hours to get tired of watching tv before I decided to pop in Season 2 of "In Living Color" (Don't judge me, Homie dont play that *giggles*).

4. A sense of humor: This is especially if you are stuck with someone else. You may or may not have had a moment where you thought you wanted to wrap your heads around said person’s neck. If you begin to have those thoughts, laugh it off. Let the annoying things roll off of your shoulder.


When you feel cabin fever setting in, take deep breaths and crack open a window.

I blame Punxsutawny Phil.

Did I miss anything? Are you stuck inside because of the weather? Share your thoughts...