Monthly Archives: July 2017

#90sinJuly – July 2 – Tearin Up My Heart

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“It’s tearin’ up my heart when I’m with you
But when we are apart, I feel it too
And no matter what I do, I feel the pain
With or without you”

So here’s an interesting tidbit I’m not sure I’ve mentioned: I’m polyamorous. That means my husband and I have multiple romantic relationships at the same time. We’ve been married ten years (on the 11th!) and he has a girlfriend of 3 years. I do not yet have a boyfriend, though there have been a few flirtations over the last few years. (We opened up shortly before he and his girlfriend started dating.) So this lyric made me think of something he’s said about poly – that no matter who he’s with he’s always missing someone, so it’s kind of bittersweet.

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So I’m posting More Than Two today, which is a magnificent, and fairly recent, addition to books about polyamory.

Other excellent books include Opening Up, The Ethical Slut (though I’ve found that to be more about ethical non-monogamy than poly – it’s a small difference but significant – often more casual sex involved) Polyamory in the 21st Century, and The Jealousy Workbook, for people that struggle with that. (Which I do sometimes.)

 

The 90s in July Index post can be found here.

The 90s in July!

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I’m actually doing TWO Litsy challenges this month! The second is a music+book challenge! This is the index post, where I will add links to the posts as I make them. Here is the day-to-day guide for the 90s in July!

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July 1 – Insane in the Brain
July 2 – Tearin Up My Heart
July 3 – Whatta Man
July 4 – No Rain
July 5 – Aliens Exist
July 6 – Where the Wild Things Are
July 7 – Wannabe
July 8 – Heart-Shaped Box
July 9 – My Own Worst Enemy
July 10 – Beautiful Stranger
July 11 – My Hero
July 12 – (You Drive Me) Crazy
July 13 – California Love
July 14 – Scar Tissue

Jubilant July!

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Today starts a new Litsy challenge! This is the index post for the month, I will add links to posts as the posts go up. Here is the day-by-day guide!

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July 3 – Stars and Stripes
July 4 – Reds Whites and Blues
July 5 – Workaholics
July 6 – A Whole New World
July 7 – Starts with M/N/O
July 8 – Family
July 9 – Shoes on Covers
July 10 – Onomatopoeia
July 11 – Style
July 12 – Cheerful
July 13 – Lost Loves

Book Review – Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook

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MSHomekeepingMartha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook
744 pages
Nonfiction – encyclopedia
Published 2006

So first off, this is NOT a read-cover-to-cover kind of book. This is an encyclopedia. This is a you-spilled-red-wine-and-barbecue-sauce-on-Grandma’s-handmade-lace-doily-tablecloth-and-need-to-know-how-to-get-the-stain-out kind of book. And it’s AMAZING. If you have a question about homekeeping, the answer is in here.

 

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How to take care of 12 different possible kinds of countertop materials? It’s in here.

What is this weird shaped scrub brush and what is it used for? In here.

Components of a staircase, pros and cons of carpeting a staircase, and how to do it if you choose to? In here.

How to read a Consumer Confidence Report provided by your water supplier? Different kinds of heating and cooling systems, and how to maintain them? Need to know all sixteen types of spoons? How to clean and maintain most small (and large) kitchen appliances? All in here, along with so much more.

It’s a huge book, with an incredible amount of information. It also features lots of pictures, charts, and the occasional inspirational quote. I checked this book out from the library once and immediately put it on my wish list to own, because I wanted a reference copy in the house! (I finally bought my copy almost a year ago.) If you have a passion for housekeeping (or even if you don’t but it’s still a responsibility of yours) this is a fantastic book to have in your arsenal. Yes, you can find most of this information through Google – but it can be hard to decide how reliable that information is. Martha’s not going to lie to you! You know she’s tested this stuff.

20170625_154450There’s more than just cleaning and maintenance – there’s also suggestions for home layout, how to make a house more convenient and comfortable for everyone living in it, hints for storage and workflow. This book really has everything.

I 100% recommend this book for homeowners, and renters can get a lot out of it, too.

From the (plastic) dust jacket (to keep the book protected!):

Whether your home is small or large, an apartment in the city or a country cottage, it is a space that should be at once beautiful and livable. The key to that is managing the upkeep without feeling flustered. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive resource that not only tells how to care for your home and everything in it, but that also simplifies the process by explaining just when. With secrets from Martha Stewart for accomplishing the most challenging homekeeping tasks with ease, this detailed and comprehensive book is the only one you will need to help you keep your home looking its best, floor to ceiling, room by room.

In Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook, Martha shares her unparalleled expertise in home maintenance and care. Readable and practical – and graced with charts, sidebars, illustrated techniques, and personal anecdotes from Martha’s decades of experience caring for her homes – this is far more than just a compendium of ways to keep your house clean. It covers everything from properly executing a living room floor plan to setting a formal table; from choosing HEPA filters to sealing soapstone countertops; from organizing your home office to polishing your silver and caring for family heirlooms.