If your whole schtick is about decluttering, you should be able to differentiate between “less” and “fewer.” Getting things down to a countable number achieves “fewer”-ness.

Also, looking at walls of books sparks joy.

As an old woman myself, I’m sorry to you and your little cat too. Sounds like you got stuck with crappy old losers. I hope you meet other old people who treat you nicer.

I am angry a lot, but it’s because as a kid I thought the world was getting better, more tolerant and caring etc. and instead it keeps getting worse, more fascistic and hateful and filthy and destroyed. Every time we take a step forward we get smacked down backwards about six. It’s exhausting. But we do still have to keep trying to take those positive steps every day.

If your problem is you buy ingredients but can’t be arsed to turn them into food? Resist those beautiful fresh veggies and go get the frozen bag of the same thing. Not only will it keep until you really want to cook, it’s already washed and cut, and it has all the same vitamins. Since you’re already saving money, splurge on the better brand.

Also, go ahead and get some prepared food for no-cook days that are still cheaper than delivery. If you’re inspired to cook that very day by a particular ingredient, make it a simple way, because shopping and stowing is also a whole chore.

I’ve never had a geese-observation opportunity but now I know they eat grass and the bugs in it, so thanks!

I set a perpetual calendar reminder for cleaning the dishwasher filter every month, the HVAC filter every 3 months, the water filter every 5 months. My husband’s calendar reminders are to refill his meds every 24 days. Those days add up to one extra refill a year.

In California we’re all mailed paper ballots, which we can return by mail (no stamp needed) or designated ballot box, or in person at a polling place up to closing time on Voting Day. My ballot (in a westside Los Angeles district) had 37 items, (on about 7 pages iirc) some of which were yes/no on propositions, others of which had a choice between 2 to 15 candidates for various offices. From school board to US President. It was very clear, just needed a black pen to fill the circles, and I could have gotten it in a dozen different languages. It’s also accessible for my quadriplegic husband, who can’t get to a polling place. But it took time and thought. It wasn’t like the pictures I’ve seen of French ballots which were just a single name on a sheet of paper, take the one from the stack of your choice, I guess? So counting them takes more time. Plus counting ballots that were mailed and postmarked by the deadline, those are allowed 2 weeks to arrive.

*(A couple of edits to clarify details)

If you think you need a phone, it should be a burner.

Goddammit, now I want to get out my box of washable markers and color myself from toes to nose! I’m going to be a grownup and remind myself it would use up all the markers.

“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the sidewalk before it stops snowing.” Phyllis Diller

Look Mommy, I’m a kitty! I have whiskers! 🕸️☺️

I believe it’s turkey carcass that makes turkey stock for soup.

The Turkey Caucus makes legislation.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Caucus_on_Turkey_and_Turkish_Americans

Cut off the base and the tips, rinse it all, cut scoop-sized pieces of the perfect stalks or parts of stalks and pop them in some ice water until you can try the suggestions. Chop all the rest, leaves and too small inner bits and strong-flavored rough outer stalks. Put the chopped pieces in the freezer. Perfect for chicken soup, or in almost anything that starts with “chop an onion.” (Not instead of the onion, in addition to it!)

TIME FOR DRINKIES!

It was his first day, he only had the pen in his pocket.

And what have we learned, kids?

Always carry a pocketful of googly eyes!

I super believe in you, Tad Cooper!

If you had it on “sanitize” the surfactants in the softener would probably loosen enough of the food and the extra-hot rinse would get it all off and kill the germs so you’d be okay except maybe for burnt lasagna.

More microplastics?

She’s frantically busy saving/trying to save lives as a doctor in the same hospital, one of very few still running.

Iirc, it’s the same hospital his mom, who is also a doctor, works at. So they have each other at least.

I got that, you started your comments in direct reference to OP’s post. I just figured, since people replied to you with comments about the Guardian (which has since revised their headline 3 times btw) you might want to know where that was coming from.

The BBC headline right now is even worse: “Israel denies firing at civilians after Hamas-run ministry says 31 killed in Gaza aide centre attack.” I’m typing it out myself because it keeps changing every update.