It’s been a long time since I’ve done a serious, non-lifestyle themed post.
But after reading the news of Aldi’s foray into organic foods, the $3 billion/500 stores growth plan and the many ways in which they keep their items cheap, I felt the need to highlight what those rock-bottom prices actually cost us – lest we forget. We’ve got to remember that fundamental Economics 101 fact – “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Continue reading
Traffic in Atlanta is horrible. Debilitating. Life-altering. I remember giving myself an hour to go ten miles. Surely, that would be enough time. It usually took 45 minutes in rush hour. On that day, it rained. So it took me 90 minutes to go what would have taken me 15 without traffic. It’s stressful and it’s a mess.
The suburbs aren’t any better as surface streets become clogged by quickly-expanding and pooly planned communities, the new residents fighting to get onto one of the few highways. They inch along tens of miles of concrete towards a desk and a laptop in a tall glass building.
Are there solutions? Continue reading
An item on every self-help list and one I struggle with on a regular basis says “Don’t compare yourself to other people.” It’s very difficult for most of us to do – we feel we should be at a certain point in life based off of our peers or those we aspire to be like. I thought about where these feelings come from and how they are fostered in us. Consumerism and the media are likely culprits and most frequently blamed. But for me there was another element that is less discussed in relation to comparison and that is competitiveness and competition. Continue reading
I grew up with phrases like “diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and “a diamond is forever” on TV, the radio, in magazines…pretty much everywhere. It was ingrained in me (and people everywhere) that a diamond ring is a requirement for entering into an engagement. I never gave it much thought until I started working in a jewelry store.
I learned about all types of natural and lab-created stones, and realized that many of these are more beautiful than the diamonds. Often, the diamonds were small with poor color and clarity – but with a hefty price tag. Stones like white sapphire, white topaz and moissanite often had more sparkle and shine, at a fraction of the price of a diamond. But, as just about everyone will tell you, a diamond is an investment.
As time went on and I moved to other jobs, the things I learned about stones stayed with me. I read an article awhile back from the Atlantic on the diamond industry and suddenly everything clicked. I knew I wasn’t going to get a diamond – and I tell you why in this article, as well as why moissanite was an obvious choice for us. It’s important to understand where your hard-earned dollars go. Continue reading
That’s right, I’m embarking on a “challenge.”
I’m often skeptical of challenges like these – after all, what really changes when it’s over? What keeps us from going back to exactly the way we were before? My friend Jesse, over at The Ripening, has been doing a series of 21-day challenges including going car-free, meditating, drinking only water, etc. This was very inspiring to me, especially when he described how the challenges DID stay with him. He rode his bike more often than before, would meditate frequently even if not daily, etc. Continue reading
I’m all about adventures – trying new things and seeing where life takes me. So far, this trust in taking advantage of things that come my way has not steered me wrong. And so, I’m off on another adventure… Continue reading
Voting with your wallet is hard because there is such an illusion of choice that makes it difficult to know where your money is actually going. Now, I’m not a “know-it-all”…but I strive to continuously learn new things. One area I’ve learned a lot about over the past year and a half is my food – where it comes from, who owns it, what’s in it, and the larger biotech industry that’s changing it.
I often talk to my friends and family about how to change their habits to be more aware and how to influence change by voting with their wallets. I also constantly mention that we’ll never know everything – nor will we know it all once. We can’t compare ourselves to others, or judge ourselves too harshly for not eating completely organic or grabbing the (likely GMO) corn chips at our favorite Mexican restaurant. Continue reading
I haven’t had cable TV for more than three years, and I recently cancelled my basic TV subscription. There are several reasons for this – one of them being that it’s all just too expensive as a result of not enough competition among cable companies.
While this has always infuriated me, I also admit that I don’t watch that much TV…anymore. But I used to watch a lot of TV, and I still love it as a diversion and a source of entertainment. A recent article I read on how many hours people spend watching TV each day (FIVE hours on average) got me thinking about all the things people could be doing with that time instead, especially when they’re complaining that they don’t have time to cook, exercise, grocery shop, etc…. Continue reading