Make Your Own Garlic Honey and Pour It Over Everything
The last time we checked our staff’s weekly updates , our editors were busy putting together to-do lists, implementing Twitter bots, and enjoying quality house slippers.
This week, our self-improvement efforts span the gamut, from providing food subscription services, investing in better technology, enjoying the classic radio delights, and adding garlic honey to everything.
What updates have you made this week? Let us know in the comments.
Michelle Wu, staff writer
Our weekdays were so busy that my husband and I started the “Suck It Up Sunday” program, in which we do everything that we put off during the week – washing, cleaning the refrigerator, shopping for groceries, paying bills. (I won’t say “grown-up” – damn it!) It takes intent – we’ve had to turn down some fun invitations, but well, it’s always Friday and Saturday for that. I like it when it has a name (which I borrowed from Apartment Therapy ). It makes you feel like you are on a mission.
Beth Skorecki, staff writer
I have a new laptop.
I still track my day to day tasks in the same flawed journal system I wrote about last year . Maintaining any habit for a whole year is a big deal for me, and I’m really shocked that more than a year has passed. Anyway, I went through one Moleskine and two Leuchtturms, both of which were great, and I just started a new notebook that I adore too: Muji notebook with A5 spiral grid. (It’s pretty much the same as this A6 model .)
The cover has a built-in pocket for me to stuff receipts, postcards and other rubbish, and the paper is smooth as silk. The only problem is I bought it on vacation and Muji doesn’t sell this laptop in the US, so I just have to enjoy it while I have it.
Virginia K. Smith, Managing Editor
I still live in my new apartment, and this week I finally set the table and made room for my turntable in the living room. I pretty much never use it to listen to recordings these days, I use it to listen to the radio and I forget how much I like channel surfing between various local stations when I’m just driving around at home. Something much more social about it than just pre-selecting a podcast or whatever on Spotify. Also, I can now leave the radio for my cat when I’m not at home, although it’s unclear if this is really an upgrade for her or just white noise.
Nick Douglas, staff writer
I spend too much on lunch every day and too busy to cook my own dinner at home. I joined MealPal this week to share the difference. For $ 6 for lunch, I can dine at a nearby restaurant. MealPal only offers certain dishes, not entire menus, but for me this is a feature – it limits my options just enough to spare me fifteen minutes of daily agony over all my choices.
Patrick Allan, staff writer
My update this week is The North Face’s All-Weather Gore-Tex Jacket . It’s waterproof, comfortable and has a lot of zip pockets that I love the most. These jackets are usually quite expensive, but I caught mine at the sale and saved a ton. It will be useful to me in many future adventures. Yes, it’s perfect for walking and travel, but it’s also just a great raincoat (which I haven’t had yet)
Claire Lower, staff writer
I made this garlic honey and I applied it to everything – it enhances every savory food it touches. Put it on the meat! Add it to your salad dressing!
Patrick Austin, staff writer
A complete storm of technical disasters and lost hardware left me without a mouse for my Windows PC, save for the poorly designed Apple Magic Mouse. Needless to say, I ordered a new mouse, namely the Logitech Master MX. I’ve only used it for a day, but the difference is staggering. Not only is it more reliable and comfortable than my old computer mouse (some cheap vertical model), it can connect to three devices at the touch of a button and has a suite of thumb buttons as well as a thumb scroll wheel. perfect for my casual gaming habit.
Melissa Kirsch, Editor-in-Chief
I grit my teeth. I have a custom dentist nightcap that I usually wear obediently, though not nearly as comfortable as napping with an empty mouth. Sometimes I rebel and fall asleep without it, and after a few days I pay for my wrongdoing when my head pounds and my jaw hurts. To relieve the pain caused by bruxism , I recommend locating the masseter muscle and giving it a very light pressure massage. The massager is often touted as the strongest muscle in the body, pound for pound, which is not hard to believe if you, like me, grind your teeth into dust.
You can find a chewing massager by feeling under the cheekbone for a flat, almost spongy area that appears to extend from the jaw to the ear. You will know when you find it – press gently and you will feel sweet relief. The relief is temporary, of course, but I’ll take it this week. It goes without saying that I am not a doctor, so if you experience severe jaw pain or suspect that you are grinding your teeth, see your dentist.