Rocketbook, Millennials, Thriftiness, Stranger Things

Rocketbook 

I want to tell you about something that I bought for myself for work.

It's called The Rocketbook and it's awesome.  It's a reusable notebook, you write all you want in it, then use the app to send it to wherever you want, and then you microwave it and you have a fresh book.

It's available on Amazon (click here.) I'm going to keep testing it out and I'll let you know how it goes.

I write a lot at work, like, with an actual pen and paper.  A lot of people I work with just use their iPad or whatever device to take notes, but I don't have those things.  Anyway, it's a cool toy and I thought I would share.

Millennials

We had a silly webinar at work the other day... something about "working with different generations."  I was interested in taking the course because I am oftentimes stuck right in the middle of trying to bridge generation gaps at work.  Meaning, I am often trying to explain to Baby Boomers why Millennials won't put their cell phones down for 5 minutes, and I'm often trying to explain to Millennials why Baby Boomers do silly things like expect you to be at work at 9 AM, and work on Fridays.

I understand many parts of the spectrum (because I'm a Libra) but I sometimes have trouble communicating the differences to the different parties in order to keep the peace or helping to smooth situations out.

In case you are curious, here is a layout of the current generations in the workforce, and their viewpoints.

The webinar was not helpful at all for what I was looking for, but oh well.

I fall early into the Millennial category/late Generation X category, but however you call it, all I know is that I literally just stabbed myself with scissors less than 10 minutes ago, so I still need adult supervision. At least I know how to bandage myself up.

You're gonna start grouping everyone you know into these groups; I know you are.  

Judging you

Think of the best and worst traits of them all.  The more you think about it, the truer it gets. Also, who you were raised by or around plays a part in what stands in front of you when you look in the mirror.

My father was a Traditionalist, and, (as all of my siblings will attest) because he was a child of the Great Depression, he would do things like cut paper towels in half, wash and reuse saran wrap, and come up with his own cleaning solutions.

I AM NOT THAT GUY!

Girlfriend, I buy my cleaning products, and I waste food like crazy. (Of course, this is relative to what Traditionalists would think is wasteful.)  

However, it is true that I have a ton of plastic Ziploc bags hanging out to dry in my dish rack right this very minute to be reused, and I am hyper aware of waste and non-recyclable items.  Yeah, even if I am being wasteful, I am very aware of it. I live in a much different America than he did.  When he was my age, it was 1953-54.   Different, yet the same in many ways.

Stranger Things

Everyone I know is watching the Netflix series "Stranger Things," and I refused because I don't do horror or scary or aliens or anything like that (I do HALLMARK MOVIES, for goshsakes.)   

But, I caved in, and watched it.

I don't get what I'm supposed to do now.  Do we talk about it?  Do we talk about plot holes?  Do we just get together and play Dungeons & Dragons?  I really don't know - someone tell me.

Okay, well let me know, so I can plan what to bring.

Also, I have checked in with "Quantum Leap" on Netflix.  

Al is WAY more of a lush than I remember him being. 

Hallmark Channel & "The End Of August"

Oh Hey!!

Hallmark

I've started watching The Hallmark Channel movies already.  Usually, this doesn't start until about November and then through Christmas, so...  God help me. I don't want to like them, I don't.  But when The Golden Girls marathons are over (on the Hallmark Channel) and the next thing on is a cheesy, girly, Hallmark movie, God help me I can't seem to change the channel fast enough, or I am distracted, and before I know it, I'm invested in the movie.

Don't get me wrong- I am well aware that I should be embarrassed to admit that.  It is, of course, very difficult to overlook blatant horrible-ness of fundamental Hallmark movie traits, i.e. always girl-meets-guy, first world problems, lack of diversity in casting, and generally misogynistic. For Chrissake, look at this actual movie:

Yes, I actually sat through almost the whole movie.


What's encouraging about Hallmark movies is that:

1. You know how it's going to end 
2. It helps to stare at pretty people  
• Usually Candace Cameron-Bure, or Aunt Becky... I mean Lori Loughlin
3. Most of the movies begin with women who are celebrating their 30th birthday... so I find hope in my own life from this.  Maybe I, too, will be swept away by some incredibly wealthy and handsome and young and eligible bachelor and we will live happily ever after surrounded by our (much relieved) immediate family in our Crate & Barrel catalog-cloned houses along the picturesque seaside on holidays.  I will then maintain my successful, yet quaint bakery whilst my doctor Husband tends to the town's illnesses and ailments. Or, our relationship will start as I work at his huuuge company as an intern, and he wins me over by continuously reminding me that I am "not just an intern, you shouldn't sell yourself short."

This is what people want, correct?  I am trying to teach myself.

The End of August

This is a two-ferr!

If you have ever had to be around me for any length of time around this time of year, (shout out/apologies to alllllll of my colleagues) then you know that when plans start being made for the end of August, I will always interrupt whomever is speaking to say, "HEY! That's a Yanni song!"  Because "The End Of August" has always been and will always be one of my very favorite Yanni songs.  Here, here you go.  Yes, do this, do it.

I've enjoyed 2016 with all of my Yanni happenings.  I attended lots of shows and met lots of people and have just had a blast.  

I hope that you find something that you can get excited about.  Maybe it's your favorite chef, or your favorite author, or archery, swimming, darts, church, playing an instrument, singing loudly in your car, or gosh... I don't know... Bronycon.  Whatever you find that is uniquely just for your joy, I hope you find it and do the dang thing, shamelessly.

That's really not where I was going with this, but I couldn't help myself - had to do the Yannster reference.

 Annnywayyy...

The end of August (HEY! That's a Yanni song!) is upon us, and I have begun to appreciate what Yanni meant with the song.  He used to go to Greece to be at home with his parents for the month of August each year, and, now that I know that, I understand what it must have have been like for him to have the end of August approach.  For him, it meant, time to start packing up and heading back to work, to America, to the grind, the hustle and bustle of fast life - and that's the theme of the song...sad, peaceful, but happy.

It's bittersweet!

Everyone is taking their final glances of the summer sunsets, their final breaths of the warm summer breezes of 2016.  A few more weekends left of milking all you can out of the pools and beaches (or forests and parks,) until the leaves begin changing and you must accept that a new season is upon us.

You really aren't sure if you're ready to say goodbye to those sunny, fun days, until someone posts an article or photo about the autumn (LIKE THIS!!... Minus pumpkin spice stuff, because I'm not into it), and then it's easy to forget about summer and start thinking about fall harvest festivals and sweater weather.

The end of August means the end of the heat and intensity of the hot summer.  It means vacations are starting to wrap up, Labor Day is that one last squeeze-y of the easy/breezy, and the USA will go back into a routine, and we'll all be ready to party again together again by Halloween.

Are you doing anything fun this autumn?  I plan on living out a Hallmark Channel autumn movie.  

Obviously.