Comparison of Lifestyle

Just thought I would summarize a lot of research I've done for this blog (some entries haven't been made yet, they are in draft). You pick which lifestyle you have, and maybe you can get some advice from the ramblings of my mind...and the research I've turned up.

I've decided that there are 3 basic types of lifestyles out there and I'm going to share MY perspectives about them. Again, these are MY perspectives, so don't waste time telling me that I'm wrong just because YOUR perspective may be a little different from mine. Know also, that I am a bit of each of these, depending on my mood that particular day, the experience I am having, and what amount of time I have to expend.

• Efficient - defined on Dictionary.com as "performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort." My perspective: very busy people (work, school, family, hobbies, etc), that strive to be efficient in experiencing life by simply purchasing objects or hiring others to do the personal projects because they don't have a lot of time or experience.
• DIY - My perspective is that they too are busy people, but strive to experience life by using some of their time & skills as a hobby to save money to create what they want, and will solicit friends to assist if needed on a personal project.
• Hippie - My perspective is that they stay busy by floating through life by finding ways to recycle things they use, collect, and obtain; which is inspired by the things that sift through their minds, how they can use them, give life to something, is a "green way" to live, and yet also reduces the costs of their out-of-pocket costs.

So, what am I "really" getting at in this entry. I had to explain some things, so you can understand the table below, where I share a topic and then compare how each of the 3 will deal with it, IMHO. If the entry is a link, it is to an entry on my blog about it. Yeah, I've lived through this...

Topic	Efficient	DIY	Hippie
Colored flames in the fireplace	Duraflame Colorlog	DIY Colored Pinecones	Newspaper Logs & Colored Pinecones
Reduce costs due to cooking	Eat out more!!!	Use a Toaster Oven & Crock Pot vs. a Full Oven	Hobo Pies in the backyard, Newspaper Logs & Collected Firewood
Driving	Limo!!!	Carpool & work local	Walk, ride bike, or work at home
Stay warm in winter	Fire up the furnace!!!	Set thermostat to the recommended settings & layer up a little	Set thermostat to the recommended settings, layer up a little, find a Snuggle Buddy
Stay cool in summer	Warp drive on the A/C all the time!!!	Set thermostat to the recommended settings	Set thermostat to the recommended settings but what are these "pajamas" you are saying are needed?
Media Entertainment	Opera	Movie theater once in a while, Netflix, video store	DVD from the library, read a book, swap movies with friends, look at the stars...
Saving water in the toilet	I use the newest toilet at 1.6 gpf	Install a Dual Flush Kit or use an 1/2 gallon milk carton	"If it's yellow, let it mellow... If it's brown, flush it down..."
Furniture	Arhaus, they deliver & set it up	IKEA, I'll put it together myself	Dumpster Diving!!!
Popcorn	Commercial brand & at the theater	Air popper	Kernels in a brown bag, and I can recycle the bag after.

Microwave Popcorn - From SCRATCH

Via Burp Rags & Bustiers

A similar-minded friend of mine shared something on Burp Rags and Bustiers (BR&B) that I had to re-share here. Of course, I did some research and learned more about popcorn than I ever thought possible. If you want to learn more about popcorn, Wikipedia-Popcorn is an awesome reference. But I digress, I am going to share the process first (to prevent you from having to scroll down too far), but then going to share some of the information I've learned in my research.

You can make "microwave" popcorn simply by having kernels and a paper lunch bag. Wow, I didn't know that. By doing it that way, you aren't subjected to all of the added chemicals of the commercial versions of "microwave popcorn" and the increased nutritional factors when using oils.

Via Burp Rags & Bustiers

On the BR&B site, she recommends a smaller amount of kernels because using too much can cause a bag explosion in your microwave. The image at the right exposes that. Further research shows that 2 to 3 Tablespoons per bag are suggested. But, you need to experience this to determine what works for you. I can't give you ALL of the answers cause I don't live with you.

Next, fold the bag top down 2 or 3 times (you need to leave some room for the popcorn to expand.

Microwave for 2:50 mins on high. You need to be aware of YOUR microwave, because the amount of time might depend on the wattage that you have. You might need to decrease or even INCREASE the time, depending on what you have. Do a "science fair project" to discover what works for you. Hope you get the blue ribbon.

When done, season with the flavor you want (chili powder, melted butter, shredded cheese, etc.), add them and shake the bag, and serve. Oh yeah, as a hippie dude, save the paper bag to fuel your next backyard fire in the fire bowl.

Now, since you were kind enough to scroll down this far, some findings and perspectives, due to my research:
♧ White popcorn is more nutritionally beneficial to you than the yellow or "normal"
♧ Don't add too many seasonings if you are concerned about nutrition
♧ The FDA recommends 3 cups of popcorn per day to meet your "grain input" per day (for a 2,000 calorie input)
♧ Don't feed popcorn to children under 4 years of age (due to choking)

Pop on...and good luck...let me know what you find out if you actually try this...