Lessons learned from a life long lived

Where did February go? Oh yeah, it's the shortest month. I want to keep pace with my promise to post twice each month. The Valentine's Day (well, VD Eve / Friday the 13th) post took me forever to write and, thus, took a lot out of me, so I haven't returned to my writing until now. Fortunately, I had edited out some content from my first post about lessons learned in 2025. That content reflected lessons that I had already learned, so I decided to use them at a future date. That time is now. I do intend on writing a library-related post in March, to keep in line with the "some library" promise of this blog. Until then, here are some truth bombs. You're welcome.

• If something feels wrong, trust it. Your nervous system knows and is always right.
• Timing is a big part of love. Like, I've shopped at Costco off and on for years, but this time it's for real.
• You can find healthier alternatives. We keep doing things that feel good even when we know they aren't good for us. Diet Coke is my jam, but it now makes me feel like shit. I haven't fully mastered this swap, but I'm trying. It has been difficult since my old swap of San Pellegrino with a splash of grenadine has a similar effect on me. What's a world without bubbles? A boring one, that's what.
• Authority figures of any kind (e.g. politicians, healthcare providers, religious figures, etc.) can be wrong and they aren't the boss of you. Even bosses. Speak up. I want to burn down part of my world before I retire. Too much lip service on the topic.
• Does your bathroom sink have a slow drain a couple times a year? It's your hair, probably from when you blow it dry. Call a plumber, don't use Drano, and get yourself a hair catcher or throw a towel in the sink, as my plumber suggested.
• Meal prep less often. Shop in bulk, prepare in bulk, buy a deep freeze. You might save money and you will have more of your time back. Capitalism has robbed us our lives with the 40+ hour work week. Gotta cut corners where you can, until we dismantle the system.
• Make your own applesauce and leave the skins on (you need more fiber). A small amount of water in a sauce pan with sliced apples (I use honeycrisp) until soft, then puree in a food processor. Voilà! Visiting an apple orchard is on my list for Fall 2026.
• Mix up your cheeses. Step out of your rut and get Swiss sometimes. Speaking of Switzerland, you should also check out Proton's products, a more ethical alternative to Google.
• Speaking of cheese, I know that pre-shredded is easier, but cheese bricks can be cheaper and easily grate with the grating attachment on your food processor. Well, maybe except mozzarella. It's a bit soft, like the patriarchy.