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PaperclipPerfector  4mo ago (text post)   2827 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for December 31, 2023

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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It's december 31- I'll start a New Year's resolutions thread. For myself, I'm going to seriously cut back on fast food by eating at home whenever possible. I expect to facilitate this through better meal planning and prep, specifically by having an under-20-minute meal in the fridge available so that working late doesn't result in a run for a burger or fried chicken, and planning a menu every Saturday.

An aside on new year's resolutions- almost all of them fail. My view on the matter is that this is because they are vague and don't actually have goals or mechanisms. "I'm going to get in shape" is not a plan, it's a vague sentiment. "I'm going to go to the gym three times a week and skip deserts except on Sundays and special occasions" is a plan, and unlike the previous version, might actually happen.

So, Motteizeans, what are your New Year's resolutions, and what are your plans to accomplish them?

I want to make the yard a hospitable place, where the children want to spend time this year. Ideas:

  • Buy a gas powered weed whacker, cut down most of the vegetation in early spring, and trim along the paths every couple of weeks, so the toddler doesn't feel like she's pushing through a jungle when she follows me outside.
  • Replace the guinea fowl with chickens; preferably cute, fluffy chickens the kids enjoy watching.
  • Finish the path through the yard. Currently we're wading through thorns in jeans and boots in some areas.
  • Dig in some fertilized soil and grow a few vegetables.
  • Plant a new fruit tree. Last year we planted a fig, so if it does well through the winter, it might be another of those.
  • Put up a swing set?
  • Line the seasonal pond so that the kids can splash in it without getting covered in mud

I've always wondered if it was possible to rent a goat for a couple of weeks in the spring. Have a back yard petting zoo. Return it when all the plants are trimmed.

Depending on where you are. I knew some teens who were doing that as a fundraiser once, though I think it was just during daylight hours, and the goats would go home at night.

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