What new things are you learning and doing?

I am a SAHM with 3 really young kids and a husband with a very demanding job, so this has been a...I don't even know how to put this...a trying time for me. I don't have time or energy or space to learn new things, so my list of what new things I've done or learned will not be very scintillating... :smile:

- I learned how to to get library books on my Kindle, which has been a lifesaver during the pandemic.
- I learned two new dishes to feed the children, and got comfortable with them enough to add them into my rotation.
- We decluttered our house and basement - we have one room left and it feels like my mind is enjoying a deep tissue massage every time I look around.
- We social distance bubble with another family on our street, and I get along really well with the mom.
- My kids and I learned how to play chess and make jewelry with those little rubber bands.
- We potty trained our youngest - no more diapers in this house!!

Next on my list are

1) Do yoga with the kids. More family walks and jogs.
2) Unearth the Instapot and finally try it out.
3) Start writing again.
4) Relax. Don't put so much pressure on myself as the school year starts. Enjoy the kids.
5) Keep in better touch with family and friends. Send actual snail mail.

This thread inspires me to lift myself out of my downswings, so thank you for starting it and please continue to contribute!
 
I'm actually pretty busy with working from home but here are some new things I'm trying and old things I'm making more time for:

New:
(1) cutting my own hair
(2) home pickling radishes
(3) Marie Kondo...man so much stuff I'm giving to friends, donating, and recycling! Some cool resources I found:
(a) TerraCycle for hard to recycle things like pens, candles, razors, toiletries and cosmetics, etc
(b) Knickey: for recycling bras, underwear, socks, and tights! Can be torn or stained and it's free!
(c) local running store takes all old shoes for recycling
(4) looking forward to trying out a Dremel tool gifted to me! :love: I'm ordering some new attachments
(5) switching to reusable products like cotton balls, towels while I'm home and can do laundry more often.
(6) ordering plastic free toilet paper! Trying to reduce my plastic waste

Old:
(1) crocheting more
(2) cooking more and new recipes and genres of food!
(3) actually taking more exercise classes online than I used to in person!

Watching Marie Kondo and Tiny House nation on Netflix inspiring me!
 
I'm actually pretty busy with working from home but here are some new things I'm trying and old things I'm making more time for:

New:
(1) cutting my own hair
(2) home pickling radishes
(3) Marie Kondo...man so much stuff I'm giving to friends, donating, and recycling! Some cool resources I found:
(a) TerraCycle for hard to recycle things like pens, candles, razors, toiletries and cosmetics, etc
(b) Knickey: for recycling bras, underwear, socks, and tights! Can be torn or stained and it's free!
(c) local running store takes all old shoes for recycling
(4) looking forward to trying out a Dremel tool gifted to me! :love: I'm ordering some new attachments
(5) switching to reusable products like cotton balls, towels while I'm home and can do laundry more often.
(6) ordering plastic free toilet paper! Trying to reduce my plastic waste

Old:
(1) crocheting more
(2) cooking more and new recipes and genres of food!
(3) actually taking more exercise classes online than I used to in person!

Watching Marie Kondo and Tiny House nation on Netflix inspiring me!

Thanks for the post! I had a couple of questions:

What are you going to do with the Dremel tool?
What is the difference between knitting and crocheting and why did you choose crocheting?

I love the idea of using this time to be more cognizant about waste/plastic use. Let me know if you have a recommendation for paper towels - I use so many as napkins, cleaning up spills...feels so wasteful. I had no idea toilet paper had plastic in it?!
 
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I recently started writing my own blog. I write various articles on the topic of teaching students https://writemyessay4me.org/blog/essay-writing-tips, I write tips for writing essays, cheat sheets for examinations. This is how I try to be useful in my retirement, as I have been a teacher for 30 years.
Other activities: this is a trip every year to a different country, which I have not been to before and I bake a cake for my family every Sunday.
 
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Thanks for the post! I had a couple of questions:

What are you going to do with the Dremel tool?
What is the difference between knitting and crocheting and why did you choose crocheting?

I love the idea of using this time to be more cognizant about waste/plastic use. Let me know if you have a recommendation for paper towels - I use so many as napkins, cleaning up spills...feels so wasteful. I had no idea toilet paper had plastic in it?!

Lol, ok such a long response, but here we go:

Oh, I meant like most toilet paper at the store comes wrapped in plastic, so I ordered a box of toilet paper online that comes only in cardboard (which can be more easily recycled). This toilet paper is made from bamboo!

The dremel tool: I plan to use it to drill a slot into lids from old glass jars to put coins in, like a piggy bank. One type of coin per jar!
I also plan to order the glass drilling attachment for drilling holes into seashells to make jewelry (I have been making earrings for around 20 years or so, just for personal use and gifts). Another idea I'm thinking of is making garland from old marker caps, but I haven't thought it through yet. I need to get safety goggles (and a mask since not 100% sure if anything toxic in the plastic), but having trouble since these things are in demand for covid-19.

Paper towels: I'm trying out using cloth ones this week. I have some old white terry cloth face cloths and dish towels from Target that I'm now using for cleaning up spills. I am keeping a mini trash can in the bathroom just for these towels and for when my reusable cotton pads for removing makeup arrive. This will use more water, but I'm thinking it's still less water than in the cotton fabrication process. I think it's best to let them dry out before putting them in like a hamper or they smell. I don't have kids or pets so this might be easier for me. I'm checking out some other zero-waste options from a company called Earth hero. I keep clean towels in the drawer under my oven.

Crochet: My great grandmother crocheted, so when I was younger I was inspired to learn. A family friend taught me the basics, but I never had the right technique. When many of my friends began having kids I decided to learn for real and I learned from tutorials on YouTube. I liked how with a single strand of yarn one could make something and crochet is easy to unravel if you make a mistake. I also like to crochet lace patterns and circular items like snowflake ornaments, which usually can't be done with knitting. I'm trying to learn visual patterns for crochet, like the entire pattern is symbols so that visually it looks like the finished product, but it's hard for me! Knitting uses two needles whereas crochet uses one hook, so I would say it is mostly preference. Because I like to crochet in a circular way, it's a better choice for me.

I have 2 blankets made by my great grandmother that are very precious to me and thought how cool it was this these will bring me comfort for many years, long after she passed away.
 
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My neighbor got a new 3D printer and gave me her old one. I had to replace a part (that she gave us) and I had to do some troubleshooting but I finally got it to work. Printed out this stencil for my coffee. It didn’t come out perfect but will work. Yep nerding out over here. Currently printing an LV version.

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More pictures of the stencils. Made some adjustments to print the LV one and it would have come out perfect but I accidentally pried some of the filament apart and away on the handle. Nothing a lighter couldn't fix.

Now I guess I'll be learning how to dust the perfect cup of coffee. I have a bit of a heavy hand. May need to try it with a heavier dust than cinnamon next time.

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