Comments for Dog's Little Acre

Comment on How To Share Costs In A Stocked-Up Kitchen by Chile

Chile — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:34:38 +0000

If you're both happy with your solution, stick with it. I think negotiating an agreement that both parties are satisfied with is just as important as strict equitability. It's been so long since I've lived with roommates that I can't help more. I used to occasionally read a blogger that lived in a collective house with multiple roommates, though, and I vaguely remember her discussing how to do that: Liz Seymour.

Comment on A Start by sueb1997

sueb1997 — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:25:40 +0000

Thanks Hannah, I think you’re right about the onions. Pearl barley in soup sounds great! I have quite a bit of “past its preferred storage date” rice on hand, so I”ll be using that as much as I can, but one of these days I’ll try the barley too.

Comment on A Start by hannah

hannah — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:39:53 +0000

I think sauteeing the onion first always helps, then add the potatoes etc and just enough water to cover, simmer for a while, then add some pureed or diced tomatoes and my magic soup ingredient – pearl barley!. Some stock and white wine doesn’t go astray either. I make that soup all through winter, and sometimes put lamb shanks in too, depends on your meat eating tendancies I guess, it’s almost as good without it.

Comment on Restart: Reading! by sueb1997

sueb1997 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 05:11:03 +0000

Entirely understood, sam, and no offense or arrogance was taken!

I remain steadfast in my belief/hope that projects for which I have some natural enthusiasm (such as the two I’ve set out for myself this winter) will not suck energy. And if I do get too sidetracked or lose interest, I can simply declare the project postponed or even cancelled, since I’m the one in charge!

Comment on Restart: Reading! by mrsthrale

mrsthrale — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:53:02 +0000

By “slippery slope” I meant only to tease and kindly warn, referrent your Aug. 22 post, when you explained your planned hiatus from the blog: “As for the blog challenges, they were generally sucking more energy from me in the guilt of all that I’m not doing, than they were enlivening me with the accomplishments I was doing.” No offense or arrogance was intended.

Comment on Restart: Reading! by sueb1997

sueb1997 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:51:25 +0000

And thanks, Alisa, for the McKibben info. I’m reading (slowly) his “End of Nature” at the moment, and I’d heard of the 350 project, but didn’t know about the new book. Sounds like a good one!

Comment on Restart: Reading! by sueb1997

sueb1997 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:48:03 +0000

Oh yes, projects and rules — but these are MY projects, and MY rules! The things I *naturally* have energy for! There’s another one upcoming, be warned — but I do think 2 such projects will be enough for me for the winter.

I entirely agree about the memory of a book becoming my memory of the era in which I read it — but I don’t feel the same about needing to keep the book — keeping it doesn’t preserve the memory for me, in fact it can dilute it by ongoing interactions with the book. I think the only two books I have for that reason are “Ending Hunger”, which I sortof got to work on, though I’m not listed as a contributor, and — don’t laugh — my high school chemistry text. Bizarre, huh? And I certainly do have my “resource library” that will stay on my shelf. Beyond that, the only book I keep for sentimental reasons is “The World of Pooh”, inscribed by my grandparents for my 5th birthday… :)

And yes, having special privileges at the library (and first in line to see what comes in) is great!

Speaking of — we no longer have the space to hold a shelf or two of “buck a bag” paperbacks for sale. When they get donated, if I don’t want them for the shelf, they go immediately (soon as I can get to them) to the bookworm. But if I know that you are looking for certain subjects, authors or titles, I can always set them aside for you. So let me know your most-wished-for list — you never know, we get LOTS of donations…

Comment on Can’t We All Just Get Along? by sueb1997

sueb1997 — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:18:25 +0000

The answer is BOTH — she is indeed dealing with some external stresses that might make the hardiest of us grumpy and whiny. But it’s become clear to me that it’s ALSO her nature. Or at least, it’s her current MO. I like your approach of asking what she thinks she might do to become less unhappy — but I truly think she doesnt WANT to become (or appear) less unhappy; I think she complains in order to seek pity. This seems obvious when she takes no action to resolve even simple problems (D: “oh, my feet hurt, it’s been a long day.” Sue thinks, but doesn’t say: Your work shift is a known length of time — and you complain about your feet being tired Every.Single.Day — why don’t you just wear more comfortable shoes?). IMO her hurting feet (in this example) are not the real problem — she’s stumping for sympathy, which makes me think she’s not feeling appreciated, acknowledged, respected, challenged, something like that. I can only give her limited support without appearing to endorse her lack of actual work, but I think I can clue in at least one other person who might be able to give her the kind of respect she seems to need. Thanks, Sam, good insights!

Comment on Can’t We All Just Get Along? by samcandide

samcandide — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:38:29 +0000

So does D have personal life-stuff at home that’s keeping her so thin-skinned at work? Or is this just her nature? And remember your eggshells insight (below): sometimes it’s really worth just asking the complaining person what they think they might actually _do_ to stop feeling so unhappy. Having to listen to such constant venting, no matter how compassionate you want to be, is pretty unhealthy, maybe …

Comment on Restart: Reading! by samcandide

samcandide — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 06:32:12 +0000

Hm. Projects and rules again: slippery slope, dear heart.

Anyway, I find that because I read slowly a book can come to represent for me the period of time when I was reading it, and all its events. So that a book can stand as a mnemonic device, sort of, to trigger memory, and can be worth keeping on that basis alone. I also have the editor’s need to amass resources for future reference (hm, again–books as my past, books as my future …). But isn’t it great to hang out at the library where you get first shot at the NOW?