I Aten't Dead
Oct. 27th, 2025 09:39 pmI am finally re-employed! It took a good long while, but I've been working away since earlier this month. It's a challenging job (in a good way!) with an interesting company, and it's located in a city I like quite a bit. Best of all - it's a hybrid position. I somehow managed to get everything I wanted. And the money is good, too.
I've been moving ahead full steam with Bookcrossing and Bookcrossing Zones. I've established two so far - one at a farm stand, the other at a Family Center near me. Both are going well, I think. The Zone at the farm stand happens to be in the same town where I'm working, which means I'll be able to tend it on a fairly regular basis. The Zone at the Family Center is slightly more hands off, but the woman who runs the center seems thrilled with![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aseanchai and I have been able to do. (I've roped him into helping, poor thing.) The Center needed cookbooks and DIY books, so we reached out on social media and via Trash Nothing. I was FLOORED by the response. We've donated over a hundred books to them, and we have even more to give them as well. I just need to get them registered on Bookcrossing. (A project for Thursday night, perhaps - it's supposed to rain here.) While we've never asked for anything from the Center (and fortunately never needed to avail ourselves of their services), we've received both books and bread from them. The bread was given to my brother, since he has a couple of kids. The books were overflow items that had been donated by others and had to be removed to make room for the cookbooks and DIY books we brought in. We are sorting through them (some are tattered, others are DEFINITELY not family friendly); the plan is to recycle the copies that are too worn or damaged and give away or donate the ones that are not. There are a good number of kids books in the lot, and fortunately most of them are in good condition. They will be part of our Halloween treat selection.
Don't worry - we aren't total monsters. We are giving away candy, as is tradition, as well as dice left over from my previous job. We'll have mini potatoes (gotta have your Halloween potatoes!), the aforementioned books, and some packs of ramen. That last one makes me rather sad. With SNAP benefits slated to come to a halt on November 1, a West Virginia group suggested giving away shelf-stable foods to help kids and families. We got 24 packs of beef ramen; I wish we could do more. I think the plan is to have them available as a free choice, possibly mixed in with the candy and potatoes. Any ramen that isn't taken will either go to the family center or the food pantry that my aunt helps run at her church. We can afford ramen if we want it, along with a lot of just about any other food we want. It's more important than ever that we remember that and do whatever we can to help people in need.
Of course, I say that while at the same time delighting in the fact that we're a double income home again. We did pretty well in saving money while I was unemployed, but we did have to put a few purchases on hold. Chief among these delayed purchases is a new couch. We were gifted ours by my parents, but unfortunately it is showing its age. It's uncomfortable to sit in no matter what position, and it's high time we do the adult thing and *sigh* buy proper furniture. Next up will be a new bed and mattress - that's another comfort issue, as well as a sleep quality one.
For now though, I'm going to indulge in the purchase of fancy spices, fancy beans and fancy hot chocolate. Because sometimes you just have to celebrate small successes with small joys. But before that - I'm going to help a local charity by picking up some items from one of their wish lists.
I've been moving ahead full steam with Bookcrossing and Bookcrossing Zones. I've established two so far - one at a farm stand, the other at a Family Center near me. Both are going well, I think. The Zone at the farm stand happens to be in the same town where I'm working, which means I'll be able to tend it on a fairly regular basis. The Zone at the Family Center is slightly more hands off, but the woman who runs the center seems thrilled with
aseanchai and I have been able to do. (I've roped him into helping, poor thing.) The Center needed cookbooks and DIY books, so we reached out on social media and via Trash Nothing. I was FLOORED by the response. We've donated over a hundred books to them, and we have even more to give them as well. I just need to get them registered on Bookcrossing. (A project for Thursday night, perhaps - it's supposed to rain here.) While we've never asked for anything from the Center (and fortunately never needed to avail ourselves of their services), we've received both books and bread from them. The bread was given to my brother, since he has a couple of kids. The books were overflow items that had been donated by others and had to be removed to make room for the cookbooks and DIY books we brought in. We are sorting through them (some are tattered, others are DEFINITELY not family friendly); the plan is to recycle the copies that are too worn or damaged and give away or donate the ones that are not. There are a good number of kids books in the lot, and fortunately most of them are in good condition. They will be part of our Halloween treat selection.Don't worry - we aren't total monsters. We are giving away candy, as is tradition, as well as dice left over from my previous job. We'll have mini potatoes (gotta have your Halloween potatoes!), the aforementioned books, and some packs of ramen. That last one makes me rather sad. With SNAP benefits slated to come to a halt on November 1, a West Virginia group suggested giving away shelf-stable foods to help kids and families. We got 24 packs of beef ramen; I wish we could do more. I think the plan is to have them available as a free choice, possibly mixed in with the candy and potatoes. Any ramen that isn't taken will either go to the family center or the food pantry that my aunt helps run at her church. We can afford ramen if we want it, along with a lot of just about any other food we want. It's more important than ever that we remember that and do whatever we can to help people in need.
Of course, I say that while at the same time delighting in the fact that we're a double income home again. We did pretty well in saving money while I was unemployed, but we did have to put a few purchases on hold. Chief among these delayed purchases is a new couch. We were gifted ours by my parents, but unfortunately it is showing its age. It's uncomfortable to sit in no matter what position, and it's high time we do the adult thing and *sigh* buy proper furniture. Next up will be a new bed and mattress - that's another comfort issue, as well as a sleep quality one.
For now though, I'm going to indulge in the purchase of fancy spices, fancy beans and fancy hot chocolate. Because sometimes you just have to celebrate small successes with small joys. But before that - I'm going to help a local charity by picking up some items from one of their wish lists.
