On going to the mechanic

February 28, 2021 ~ afledglingadult ~ Leave a comment

So I have only been going to the mechanic/garage on my own for about two years since moving out of my parents house. Honestly, I feel like I was made to be more scared of it then I needed to be. Since I started driving and was taking drivers ed (9/10 years ago), I was told that mechanics would surcharge me, try to sell me on add-ons to every service, and lie to me. However, for the most part, that has never been the case.

Tips:

Know exactly what you are going in for (oil change, part replacement, state inspection, tire rotation, etc.)
Understand that unless they say ” To pass inspection” or “This is broken” you can probably wait to look it up yourself or get a second opinion.
Go early. Most people don’t make appointments for the morning they make it for the end of the day or the weekend.
Understand that the parts/fluid cost less on their own but you don’t know how or don’t want to do this labor. That is the extra cost,
It’s not that scary.

My Favorite Salad Dressing

February 18, 2021 ~ afledglingadult ~ Leave a comment

My partner and I have made a new commitment to vegetables. Actually to try to attempt a pseudo-Keto diet and actively reduce the number of carbs we are consuming. In the past month or so we have started actively eating vegetables almost everyday. It has been hard. I personally don’t really like leaves and require a lot of seasoning on really any vegetable (or for them to be a spoon for dip). In our experience, the least amount of work is a quick salad. Here’s the dressing I like best:

Servings: up to you and depending on size of salad

4 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
Couple shakes (2 teapsoons) dried Dill
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients well – shake in closed container if possible. I find this dressing to be really fresh and tangy. It helps to hide the bitterness of the leafy vegetables as well as a delicious complement to any savory or sweet add-ons!

Work boundaries

February 7, 2021 ~ afledglingadult ~ Leave a comment

I am quickly approaching a year from working from home full time. There is still one thing I have a really hard time with and that is separating work time and home time. While I did work from home on occasion there were clear borders in my day for work time and home/life time. There were clear lines, when my partner came home from work or when I left the house for events.

Working from home full time, I don’t have the same time boundaries. I just want to another room in my apartment. My work computer is always out because I don’t need to back it away to be ready for the next day. My work phone is always on and I don’t have any time that I am apart from my work or anything to physically and mentally distance myself from my job.

I do want to clarify that I really like my job. I really feel good about the work I put into the world and the people I work with. But my brain in all its anxious and attempts to be perfectionists glory really needs the separation and genuine switching of modes to do other things. On average I have been working over 10 hours a week more since we switched to working from home. When we had to transition and do a lot of work to make our jobs work virtually it made sense but know I am just doing too much, beyond what I need to and beyond what I am paid for.

Currently, there is no way to fully recreate these boundaries, but I have started noticing and actively trying to put pseudo ones in place. I am still working on the rest of in place and hoping to improve the work-life balance, as well as this general. As for the most part I will continue to be working from home moving forward I want to make sure I can actually create a healthy balance.

One: I am actively taking lunch everyday to take a break from the computer and eat food and not just coffee and snacks.

Two: I am turning on my work phone after 7 PM and turning it on when I wake up.