Mystique
"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Team USA's Gymnastic Leotards
via Buzzfeed
Six Thinking Hats
"how Speedo created the new record-breaking swimsuit"
via Neatorama
Magic Arms (video link)
how duPont Hospital uses a 3D printer to help a little girl without the strength to lift her arms
via Neatorama
Security Cameras (video link)
cameras catch all kinds of good, silly, and kind acts too
via Etiquette Hell
07 August 2012
06 August 2012
Budget Allowance
When I was small, my mom would put a dollar's worth of nickels in a dish on a high shelf in my bedroom each week. There were certain chores that I was expected to do every day, like make my bed and put my clothes away. Whenever I would not do one of those chores, she would take away a nickel. At the end of the week, I got the amount that was left as my allowance, and the dish would be replenished with nickels to equal one dollar again.
That system worked well, but it was based on punishment. I did not get money as a reward for work, since I was expected to contribute to the household chores, but rather money was removed for disobedience.
When I was in fifth grade, my mom changed her tactic. I was still expected to do household chores, which had increased by then to include things like laundry and dishes and cleaning, but punishment would not be related to money. She told me that she would give me $40 each week, but I was to keep a strict budget. She glued envelopes to a poster to hang in my closet. Each envelope had a designation and an amount. I believe the breakdown was:
Category / Percentage / Amount
Tithe / 10.0% / $4.00
Savings / 10.0% / $4.00
Vacation / 10.0% / $4.00
Miscellaneous / 20.0% / $8.00
School Lunch / 22.5% / $9.00
Clothing / 20.0% / $8.00
Gifts / 7.5% / $3.00
[Total / 100.0% / $40.00]
*Tithe: I gave 10% each week first to God. Whether to my local church, a visiting missionary, or a Christian charity, I was giving the first 10% to God to thank Him and acknowledge that every blessing I have is from Him.
*Savings: 10% of my allowance went into a savings account in my name at the bank. This savings account is how I was able to afford a down payment on my first house 10 years later!
*Vacation: I saved 10% of my allowance in cash to take with me on our twice-yearly trips to see family in central Missouri and any other vacations that we took. This cash covered any expenses that come with vacation - souvenirs, car trip entertainment, and any other special purchases.
*Miscellaneous: This was my personal spending. I used this to buy things for myself or to go on outings with friends, like to buy a movie ticket or ice cream.
*School Lunch: Lunch at my school was $2, and my mom charged me $1 to take my lunch. Given $9 each week for this category, I had to take my lunch at least once a week. If I brought lunch more than once, I got to keep the leftover money for miscellaneous.
*Clothing: I had to begin buying my own clothes. I had no idea how much my parents spent on my clothes! This was a real eye-opener, and I discovered the beauty of buying second-hand and stalking sales at my favorite stores. My parents helped out with big purchases, like athletic shoes and winter coats, but I did not get new ones every year like some kids - I wore things until they were worn out or didn't fit.
*Gifts: I bought my own gifts to take to friends' birthday parties, and I bought gifts for immediate family (parents) for Christmas and birthdays.
My allowance was increased every couple of years, to $70/week by the middle of high school.
It seems like a lot of money up front, but I am pretty sure my parents ended up spending less on me this way, saving them money and a lot of whining and asking for things all the time from me!
I am so thankful to my parents for instilling the idea of a budget in me when I was so young, so that it was natural to me as an adult. The categories and percentages have completely changed now, but the basics are the same - give some to God, save some, spend on necessities first and personal second, and give some away.
That system worked well, but it was based on punishment. I did not get money as a reward for work, since I was expected to contribute to the household chores, but rather money was removed for disobedience.
When I was in fifth grade, my mom changed her tactic. I was still expected to do household chores, which had increased by then to include things like laundry and dishes and cleaning, but punishment would not be related to money. She told me that she would give me $40 each week, but I was to keep a strict budget. She glued envelopes to a poster to hang in my closet. Each envelope had a designation and an amount. I believe the breakdown was:
Category / Percentage / Amount
Tithe / 10.0% / $4.00
Savings / 10.0% / $4.00
Vacation / 10.0% / $4.00
Miscellaneous / 20.0% / $8.00
School Lunch / 22.5% / $9.00
Clothing / 20.0% / $8.00
Gifts / 7.5% / $3.00
[Total / 100.0% / $40.00]
*Tithe: I gave 10% each week first to God. Whether to my local church, a visiting missionary, or a Christian charity, I was giving the first 10% to God to thank Him and acknowledge that every blessing I have is from Him.
*Savings: 10% of my allowance went into a savings account in my name at the bank. This savings account is how I was able to afford a down payment on my first house 10 years later!
*Vacation: I saved 10% of my allowance in cash to take with me on our twice-yearly trips to see family in central Missouri and any other vacations that we took. This cash covered any expenses that come with vacation - souvenirs, car trip entertainment, and any other special purchases.
*Miscellaneous: This was my personal spending. I used this to buy things for myself or to go on outings with friends, like to buy a movie ticket or ice cream.
*School Lunch: Lunch at my school was $2, and my mom charged me $1 to take my lunch. Given $9 each week for this category, I had to take my lunch at least once a week. If I brought lunch more than once, I got to keep the leftover money for miscellaneous.
*Clothing: I had to begin buying my own clothes. I had no idea how much my parents spent on my clothes! This was a real eye-opener, and I discovered the beauty of buying second-hand and stalking sales at my favorite stores. My parents helped out with big purchases, like athletic shoes and winter coats, but I did not get new ones every year like some kids - I wore things until they were worn out or didn't fit.
*Gifts: I bought my own gifts to take to friends' birthday parties, and I bought gifts for immediate family (parents) for Christmas and birthdays.
My allowance was increased every couple of years, to $70/week by the middle of high school.
It seems like a lot of money up front, but I am pretty sure my parents ended up spending less on me this way, saving them money and a lot of whining and asking for things all the time from me!
I am so thankful to my parents for instilling the idea of a budget in me when I was so young, so that it was natural to me as an adult. The categories and percentages have completely changed now, but the basics are the same - give some to God, save some, spend on necessities first and personal second, and give some away.
02 August 2012
Linkage, Volume 157
30 Jokes
made me giggle, especially #2
via Modern Parents Messy Kids
---
1996 US Gymnastics Team
how the gold-medal-winning women's gymnastics team grew up
via Miss Cellania
---
Paulette Huntinova (video link)
comedy gymnast Paul Hunt demonstrates the women's balance beam event
via Miss Cellania
---
Gangnam Style (video link)
"hilarious, bizarre, and - dare I say it? - kinda catchy!" -Jen of Epbot
via Epbot
made me giggle, especially #2
via Modern Parents Messy Kids
---
1996 US Gymnastics Team
how the gold-medal-winning women's gymnastics team grew up
via Miss Cellania
---
Paulette Huntinova (video link)
comedy gymnast Paul Hunt demonstrates the women's balance beam event
via Miss Cellania
---
Gangnam Style (video link)
"hilarious, bizarre, and - dare I say it? - kinda catchy!" -Jen of Epbot
via Epbot
01 August 2012
Linkage, Volume 156
Greek Yogurt
are you eating authentic strained Greek yogurt, or standard yogurt with added protein and thickener?
via The Awl
---
Lamp Full of Memories
collection of a child's pocket treasures, displayed in a glass lamp
via TYWKIWDBI
---
Reach for the Gold
Twinkies Gold, that is...
via Miss Cellania
---
NBC Olympics Embargo
How the ‘Wall Street Journal’ Beat NBC’s Olympics Embargo
via The Presurfer
are you eating authentic strained Greek yogurt, or standard yogurt with added protein and thickener?
via The Awl
---
Lamp Full of Memories
collection of a child's pocket treasures, displayed in a glass lamp
via TYWKIWDBI
---
Reach for the Gold
Twinkies Gold, that is...
via Miss Cellania
---
NBC Olympics Embargo
How the ‘Wall Street Journal’ Beat NBC’s Olympics Embargo
via The Presurfer
31 July 2012
Linkage, Volume 155
Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews (video link)
"Professional actor Chris Kipiniak puts the full weight of his dynamic gifts behind this interpretation of an online restaurant review."
Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews 2 (video link)
"Award winning audio-book narrator and actress Therese Plummer (The Good Wife, Law and Order SVU) lends her expressive talents to this rendition of a Yelp review."
via Neatorama
I hope they make more of these!
my favorite desk toys are under fire from the CPSC:
Buckyballs Banned
via USA Today
Dangerous to Swallow
via Businessweek
Seven Things To Ban Next
via Wired
"Professional actor Chris Kipiniak puts the full weight of his dynamic gifts behind this interpretation of an online restaurant review."
Real Actors Read Yelp Reviews 2 (video link)
"Award winning audio-book narrator and actress Therese Plummer (The Good Wife, Law and Order SVU) lends her expressive talents to this rendition of a Yelp review."
via Neatorama
I hope they make more of these!
my favorite desk toys are under fire from the CPSC:
Buckyballs Banned
via USA Today
Dangerous to Swallow
via Businessweek
Seven Things To Ban Next
via Wired
30 July 2012
Linkage, Volume 154
Tangerine Trees and Marmalade Skies
Lisa Frank on her Wild, Wonderful, Billion-Dollar School Supply Empire
via The Hairpin
Resolving Ethical Issues
maybe he should have read the book
via Neatorama
Honey Hands
honey is the gymnast secret to sticking to the parallel bars
via Neatorama
Lisa Frank on her Wild, Wonderful, Billion-Dollar School Supply Empire
via The Hairpin
Resolving Ethical Issues
maybe he should have read the book
via Neatorama
Honey Hands
honey is the gymnast secret to sticking to the parallel bars
via Neatorama
29 July 2012
Pixyisms
Pixy: "Can I please have a drink?"
Nana: "You mean may?"
Pixy: "Yeah, may can I please have a drink?"
------------------------------------------
After using a porta-potty, Pixy exclaimed, "That bathroom didn't work!" because it doesn't flush...
------------------------------------------
Hearing a siren, Pixy said, "Uh-oh! Somebody's hurt!"
Me: "Somebody might be hurt somewhere, but not here."
Pixy: "Yeah. Somebody's hurt in the real life."
------------------------------------------
Pixy played with an empty shampoo bottle and cup after she was washed in the bath, and she said to Nana, "You're a good girl. You let me play!"
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "You know when dogs are happy, they wag their tails? Our cat doesn't wag her tail. The cat ain't happy."
Nana: "The cat isn't a dog..."
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "What are these en-uh-ems in here for?"
Nana: "M&Ms are to eat for snack!"
Pixy: "I love en-uh-ems! I could eat them all day!"
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "Did you hear me snore in my bedroom?"
Nana: "Ha! No, I didn't. Were you snoring last night?"
Pixy: "Yeah! Because I wanted to!"
------------------------------------------
Me: "The cat saw a fly! She wants to catch it!"
Pixy: "What will she do if she catches it?"
Nana: "If she catches it, she'll eat it."
Pixy: "That's disgusting!"
Nana: "You mean may?"
Pixy: "Yeah, may can I please have a drink?"
------------------------------------------
After using a porta-potty, Pixy exclaimed, "That bathroom didn't work!" because it doesn't flush...
------------------------------------------
Hearing a siren, Pixy said, "Uh-oh! Somebody's hurt!"
Me: "Somebody might be hurt somewhere, but not here."
Pixy: "Yeah. Somebody's hurt in the real life."
------------------------------------------
Pixy played with an empty shampoo bottle and cup after she was washed in the bath, and she said to Nana, "You're a good girl. You let me play!"
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "You know when dogs are happy, they wag their tails? Our cat doesn't wag her tail. The cat ain't happy."
Nana: "The cat isn't a dog..."
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "What are these en-uh-ems in here for?"
Nana: "M&Ms are to eat for snack!"
Pixy: "I love en-uh-ems! I could eat them all day!"
------------------------------------------
Pixy: "Did you hear me snore in my bedroom?"
Nana: "Ha! No, I didn't. Were you snoring last night?"
Pixy: "Yeah! Because I wanted to!"
------------------------------------------
Me: "The cat saw a fly! She wants to catch it!"
Pixy: "What will she do if she catches it?"
Nana: "If she catches it, she'll eat it."
Pixy: "That's disgusting!"
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