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5 Things I Never Did to a Rental But Probably Should Have
Renters Solutions
In the many rentals I've lived in over the years, I've never looked at any of them as permanent homes. I didn't plan on staying in any of them for more than a year or two, so there's many things I never did that could have increased my level of happiness and peace within the home. But there are five things I never did to any rentals I sure wish I had.
Quite often when we talk about the upgrades you can make to a rental apartment or home, I am the first to look at the list and balk, saying to myself that none of it is worth the effort. When the time comes to actually move out of your home, no one really wants any additional work, but with a little extra organization and coordination, I've come to realize that I could have had the home I wanted, instead of the home I was trying make feel like me without big impact ideas.
1. Paint, Paint, Paint: Everyone always talks about painting your rental and even though it seems like a great hassle to paint a space and then paint back over it, since paint can be done in a single coat these days, it seems worth your time. When the time comes to paint back over it, pay a friend or neighbor in snacks or cash to come do it for you while you're busy packing. It will keep you working as well!
2. Dealt With Sucky Lighting: There's bad lighting and then there's sucky lighting. Bad lighting means the place is dark and you obviously need a lamp. Sucky lighting is the kind that is enough light, but it's not great and even though a few extra light sources would have helped. You tell yourself you're not really home enough to worry about it, but think about how it would have improved the look of the room to add a few lamps or liven things up.
3. Put Heavy Things On The Walls: Now I'm no stranger to patching holes, but most of them are on the small side. It's easy to shy away from large artwork or heavy pieces because of the hole that they will leave. For the most part, you can patch any hole or paint over any surface with the coordinating color. Life would have been better with my amazing porthole mirror on the wall instead of sitting in the back of my closet for the day I didn't rent.
4. Bought Space-Specific Items: When you live with one foot out the door, buying things that are specific for a single space can seem like money spent unwisely. Sure you want to organize that closet and make your kitchen pantry exactly what you need, but buying things that fit in those exact spaces that might be the wrong scale for somewhere else means you make due with what you have and although "making it work" can be a badge of honor, having it be right creates peace of mind.
5. Looked At What It Was Instead Of What It Wasn't: Even though there's no act of buying, repairing or decorating in this last item, it can be an easy thing to forget when you have a less than awesome, but kind of ok apartment. Sure a space might be utilitarian, boring, or even cookie cutter, but a home is a home. Focus on the goodness that you bring to it, smile and laugh and play great music. Make it your own space without worry and don't wish for something else... until it's time to move anyway.
What would you add to this list?
Re-edited from a post originally published on 3.7.12 - AB
72 Comments
I especially like tip #5. Important to value life in the "right now" even as one's constantly looking toward the future.
I've painted my rental. Best thing I've ever done. It's worth the money, to me, to have them paint it again after I've left.
I absolutely love this....I've been working on DIY projects for the past few months to make my rental feel like home. There were times during the process where I was over all the work but the way that my space makes me feel when I open my apartment door has made it worth it!
I am not a renter but painting would not be a chore for me. I like colours and it is a fairly small price to pay for having walls in your desired colour(s). A good quality paint (and a good painting technique, nothing like what's shown in the picture) will give you coverage with just one coat.
I've painted every rental I've ever been in (and had to paint all but one of them back to the original colors), and it's always been SO worth it. I can't imagine living anywhere with nothing but white walls- I would go insane.
watch the typos, authors!
I painted my current rental when I moved in, and it made it feel so much better! I also installed wire shelving into the previously-empty pantry. The $100 and four hours were SO worth it! I also created a small removable fence on my patio so I wouldn't have to see (and hear) the AC unit.
I do wish that I'd replaced the blinds and thought more about lighting. With only a few months left to go, it doesn't seem worth it now.
I love this! I'm a renter and I hate that renting has gotten the "temporary housing" rap. You can make your home beautiful no matter if you rent or buy - it's all about creating a space that makes you happy. You can make your place your own, even if technically, it's not.
Couldn't agree more. I've been renting in various cities for years, and the work I've put in is always worth it. Not only do you improve your life on the day to day, but it's great DIY practice for if/when you own someday. If you have to learn the hard way about paint drips, at least let it be in your crappy rental than on your new home's hardwood floors!
And let's face it, creative types sometimes HAVE to rent for awhile. We would go nuts if we couldn't alter our spaces in the meantime.
Lighting...for sure. I put up with multiple buzzing fluorescent tube lit bathrooms/kitchens...when I should have just stuck on some under-counter lights, hung a swag or squeezed in a lamp. Also, I never invested in plants because I thought they were a pain to move, tend, etc...but now that I am a home owner--I realize a few lively specimens can be impactful in any space.
I'm guilty of not doing most things on the list. I first rented my place while I was on a temporary contract at work, and didn't know if I'd be there a full year or not. So, I didn't paint. Now I've been in the same place for 4 years!
I have started to make it my own in other ways though, with artwork on the walls, photographs, and custom drapes. I still can't buy space specific furniture though. I want an enormous antique dining table, and it won't fit in the space, so I've settled for something VERY cheap as I wait until I have a better dining space.
I always do as much as I can within the confines of the lease terms, without thinking about what a hassle it might be when I move, or how long I'll get to enjoy it before I move. I've lived in 4 places in 8 years and I haven't regretted any of it. That includes painting and hanging heavy objects with big wall anchors, swapping out lighting temporarily, buying furniture to fit the space, etc. A home is a home to me. I would go nuts if I had the mindset that where I am isn't my permanent home. I know a lot of people who ran out and bought a house asap after college in 05/06 on account of that mindset - "i hate renting I cant do anything to it, its not mine, renting is inferior" etc - and they've all since moved on or are under water now anyway! I don't think one is better than the other. I do think that when it comes to decorating, living in the moment is a good thing to do, particularly with the less expensive cosmetic things liek paint, curtains, etc.
It's nice to know that there are other long-time renters out there who boldly change it up!
A friend of mine recently moved into a gorgeous new place and told me her goal was "to really commit to hanging things on the wall." I thought that was funny - I am a life-long renter and have always hung shelves, artwork, large antique mirrors, etc., and painted every apartment I've ever rented. Come to think of it, the list above has been my punch list since my first apartment in college.
All or most of my favorite vintage furniture pieces and collectibles have traveled with me (and now, with me & my husband), and we've always found or made space. Sometimes I have had to say goodbye to pieces that worked well before and not after - but when that happens, there's the excitement of seeking out something new!
Love this. I'm a serial renter and I have found great joy in making my homes feel like homes. It can be things like window treatments or organizers for our entryway. In my last place I bought new knobs for the kitchen and bathroom cabinets.as long as I don't go overboard I've never regretted the purchases and sometimes they still work in the new place after moving
We recently sold our home (kids all grown) We are not sure if we will re buy or not. My husband asked me not to paint the walls, untill we were here for awhile; so I decorated with "POPS" of color in every room. We are going into our second year; if we renew again I am going to paint these deathly off white walls!!
I just painting my room from a yuck dark purple to a bright sunshine yellow. I had to do it for my own peace of mind. Rent is too f**king expensive for me to live in a dark cloud. So, whatever I need to do to keep me relaxed and at "home" in this space, even it's just for a year least (and a year is a long time)---it must be done!! Great article ;)
Definitely paint, especially if the existing color is terrible. In my last rental I took the place in a hurry and didn't realize how awful the paint in the kitchen was until I moved in. The room was dark and the colors made everything look muddy and dull, and I couldn't put anything on the walls without wanting to throw up. (Well, not literally.) I asked the owner to pay for the paint and I assured him I'd do a quality job, protect the floors, etc. What had been there was very customized for his own tastes and he agreed it was okay to repaint since he wasn't planning to move back in. Fortunately he saw my painting as an improvement and there was no mention of painting over it when I left about a year later.
In a previous studio apartment (c1907) I raised the bathroom sink to adult height and moved the kitchen sink and metal cabinet unit over about a foot to make better use of the space. (All I paid for was a little bit of pipe.) I had the building store the full-sized fridge and I purchased an under-counter fridge that I placed under a table I put up on cinder blocks as a nice-sized counter. I did not seek permission for these changes and never heard a complaint after I left.
This is why I prefer to rent from real people rather than apartment complex corporate jerks. A good landlord will see the value in modern improvements to their property and will sometimes even fund them! My current landlords have let us paint, renovate closets, put in under-cabinet lighting, change out all the light fixtures and do whatever we want to the yard. I've taken full advantage of their leniency to make the place look spectacular. We are very lucky!
I won't paint, because I know that the last thing I am going to want to do, after getting all my furniture out and the apartment deep cleaned, is repaint.
That said, I have installed a pseudo-built-in desk into a nook, hung a picture rail, large framed art, changed light fixtures, removed cabinet doors, and replaced hideous curtains with a rod and new curtains.
It doesn't feel like a rental anymore, but when I move, it's a simple patch-up job and getting my dad to change the light fixtures back.
A rental doesn't have to feel temporary!
I had wanted an autumn-themed bedroom since high school. I'm sure the wine-colored accent wall in my apartment bedroom will be a beast to paint over someday, but today and every day since I painted it, it has made me happy.
3M's Command Strips make hanging stuff on walls so much easier!!! No holes, no anchors, no hammers and no mistakes. Don't like it, remove it and start over. I LOVE them so much!
Count me in with the people who think painting in an apartment is worth it.
I've also bought rolled-up sheet vinyl flooring to lay over the existing flooring in the kitchen and bathroom in two of my apartments. (The one had this nasty yellowed flooring that felt dirty no matter how much I scrubbed it; so very worth it to cover that up.)
I just cut it out around the cabinets, fridge, bath and what not - and secured the edges with a bit of hot glue, which was really easy to scrape off when I moved out. Definitely money and time well spent.
I've lived in my share of rentals. The worst was when the carpet went right up to the front door. I installed a linoleum "landing" in that one, and the landlord was none the wiser. Either that, or he liked what I did and called it a day. I also changed lighting, removed vertical blinds and painted. Little things like that made the space much more liveable
I painted my last apartment when I signed I knew I was going to be there over a year. I moved a year and a half later, and it was hell painting my apartment back to the original colors. Paint is good, but one day you will move out and dread having to repaint.
I have always had good relationships with my landlords (before buying a home) and although I never painted (I'm not in love with white walls, but they don't bother me enough to change them for the short term,) I ALWAYS customized things with purpose-bought fixtures or furnishings. Sometimes I sold them when I moved, sometimes I moved them with me, and pretty often I talked the landlord into deducting the cost from my rent (with receipts, of course) and left the things for the next renter.
I think ownership is to be respected, and landlords OWN the properties so if they decree something forbidden, either you persuade them to change their minds or you live with that. (It really fries me how some people cavalierly do what they want without regard for the wishes of the owner. If you demonstrate responsibility and respect, many landlords will authorize the changes you want. And you get your deposit back.)
When I was growing up and lived in apartments, my mother always painted and kept up the place because it was home. We lived in two apartments in thirteen years before she bought a house (and then went really DIY nuts). Whether renting or buying, your home is your home. Painting, changing out light fixtures, even swapping out faucets are all part of making my rental my home. I will be here AT LEAST two years, and I'm going to as comfortable as possible.
It's funny--we were long term renters until we were 40 (academics and moved around a lot). We always made our places a home. While we usually didn't paint, we added lighting, hung pictures (and fixed holes) and did lots of other things to make our living space our home. Life is too short not to make the space you live in an escape from the rest of the world.
oh, bonnieprojects...here to correct our grammer again...dnt u hav anythng els to do?
I actually like white walls (I think it was because I grew up in a home that was constantly being redecorated and re-painted) and once lived in an all wood-panelled apartment (sounds nice to many, just as I thought in the beginning~then it feels like the walls are closing in on you). However, I could not live without putting things on the walls. I found white hooks that are backed with glue, you melt the glue with a lighter, stick it to the wall and stays until you want to take it off. After a while, just pull on it a little and it usually comes off without any indication it was there in the first place.
Changing the blinds and switching all the light bulbs to brighter energy efficient daylight balanced bulbs made my apartment so much more tolerable! I bought all new linens to match my pink and blue 1950's tile bathroom with handmade matching curtain. It is actually my favorite room now because I bought site specific items. Favorite item in the bathroom: vintage NYC worlds fair plate that matches perfectly in color.
"make due" should be "make do"
Funny thing is, the apartments I desperately wanted to paint were all the ones I wasn't allowed to. And I have a collection of light fixtures I use to replace the bland ones that inevitably come with recently rennovated mid-range apartments.
I am guilty of treating my apartment like a temporary stop, and not like a home. I'd love to paint and invest in space-specific furniture, but my husband wouldn't understand. He really doesn't care what color the walls are, and would see painting them as a huge waste of money and time. Meanwhile the white walls are irritating me.
I hope that in our next apartment, I'll take the plunge and really make the space my own. I'd like to see an AT post on what to do when your significant other doesn't appreciate or understand decorating.
3M is the the thing that lets me hang paintings on my wall. I baulk at putting holes in my walls because the lease specifically says not to. And breaking your lease agreement is not a good thing if you want to stay.
On the other hand - getting landlord agreement to do things can be easier than you think - never feel that you can't ask. My Landlord is letting me paint bathroom tiles, change flooring, and paint walls - all because I'm doing it for myself and not expecting him to pay for it, and I'm a good tenant who looks after my home.
A good long term tenant is worth a lot to a landlord.
I would just like to throw in an important life-changer: new aerators for sink faucets. Nothing says "New York City apartment" like an uncontrolled flow of water splashing and crashing all over a shallow sink. Pop out to the local hardware store, get a male/female aerator for two bucks, and replace (or add for the first time) your old crappy one full of gunk from 1973. I feel so strongly about this that I'm now traveling with a spare in my car trunk, ready to spring it on my next friend or relation with a terrible faucet.
I only wish I could paint my apartment. The owners have a no-paint rule due to the lovingly restored 100 year old wood work. I love my apartment despite the no-paint rule, but some wall color would be wonderful. Has anyone tried the Easy Change wallpaper from Sherwin Williams? Does it really come off clean? Let me know if anyone has feedback. Thanks!
I love this list. RIGHT ON! I was horrified (for real) when I first saw my boyfriend's apt, he had the mentality, "I'm saving for a house why should I waste my money to pimp this place out". UM NO EXCUSE YOU LIVED HERE FOR 8 YEARS ALREADY! It doesn't cost that much to invest in your own comfort. For 500$, spent on IKEA, Craigslist, paint and carpet cleaning the space is so much more enjoyable and he admits he is much happier being at home. Even his maintenance man complimented him on the dramatic makeover. Get in there and invest in your NOW!
When I moved in, my entire apartment has beige carpeting and all the walls were was painted brown (except the bathroom, which was painted blue but had a brown shower curtain) :-/. My landlord lets me paint as long as I okay the general color idea before moving forward. I've been doing one room at a time and it's made a world of difference as to how I feel about the place! He sees that my efforts are improving the space and making me a happy tenant, and has proposed some further upgrades, including painting the kitchen cabinets, redoing the vinyl flooring and switching out some light fixtures. I feel lucky that he's so easy-going and open to ideas.
Apartment dweller for 50+ years. Granted my parents rented apartments or houses before me. My mother preferred to rent and my dad preferred to own. Mom won out. I learned and the first thing I learned was that any abode is what you make of it. Here is how I make any box a home.
Moving in:
Buy a plant. It is the first thing that goes in. I tend not to spend a great deal of money on it since it may not live. The thing is, a plant is going to to be an investment in time. When I lived in a motel/hotel I bought a silk plant. Real is cheaper.
Buy a new welcome mat or mats for as many doors as the place has.
Place a chair or stool by the entry door and near that door place your home-shoes.
No curtains? Well sheets will work but why? I have made paper screens to do until I find something I like.
Set the table, or in one case a scarf on the floor. I don't know, but seeing a place setting ready is a great welcome home even if all the boxes stacked along the far demand to be unpacked.
Assign everyone to unpack their own boxes, and yes that does mean your partner, then don't fret. Simply place each individual's boxes in their assigned spaces and if they never unpack then there is that much less to pack next time.
Take as much time as you need to decided what to paint, if any, where to hang art work, what window covering you want... Let the space talk to you so that you can be comfortable.
I've had many people tell me that where ever I live it always feels to them that I have been living there for years. I attribute that to the plant.
As a landlord, I try to be open minded. my tenant has asked to do several upgrades at her expense. I not only agreed, I paid for them. I see it as a win-win situation.
An alternative to paint is to apply fabric to the walls with liquid starch. When you're ready to move, spray it with water and it peels off. Then clean the walls with water and a sponge to get the starch off....done! You could use pretty wrapping paper or book pages too. Giant posters can be hung with the stuff teachers use in their classrooms....it's like a putty and you can find it anywhere they sell teaching supplies.
I have painted, wallpapered, tiled, ripped out carpeting, refinished floors, installed mantels and mounted my flat screen tv on the wall in almost every rental. I've never had any trouble with my landlords.
They've even gone so far as to pay me after the fact for my good work.
Personally I think anytime a landlord has a tenant that maintains a property just as well or better than they do they are delighted.
Best advice though is live for today... Enjoy your home now!
I totally agree. We have put more heavy shelves directly onto the wall than you would believe and it has made all the difference - getting things off the floor especially when you have high ceilings is such a relief... and when we move we will take them all with us... and have a LOT of hole patching to do.
The comma in your first sentence in unnecessary.
I have always thought of my rental apartments as my home. I can't imagine waiting until I have a place of my own. I have painted the walls, put things on the walls, bought furniture for the space, replaced the mini-blinds.
I like classic black and white style in the kitchen and bathroom such as what you would find in the 1920's to the 1940's. I asked my landlord for a white subway tile back splash in the kitchen because it would be both classic and easy to clean. I backed up my statements with lots of pictures from magazines both old and vintage. He agreed and it looks great and is easy to maintain. Landlords are often willing to listen and pay for big upgrades if it will make maintenance easier and will appeal to other renters. The only reason they haven't done it before is because people have not asked.
Perhaps the grammar nazis could find another board to troll? Your unnecessary correction of posts on here is a drag. This isn't English class.
@Thorndale--Hi, Kairol! It's Nancy, the current tenant in your former Thorndale apartment. And I agree with you, the place is gorgeous and we love it.
Love it! One of my favorite things that I did my old apartment was to cover up the ugly ceiling light fixutre by using a shade that I made using fire resistant lampshade material.
First thing I did in my apartment is paint. I think its a NECESSITY in order to make the place feel like your own.
@thorndale: here in europe, everybody's renting. and a 100-year-old house is pretty young to us. yet everybody is allowed to hang pictures etc even on the most awful walls. your landlord seem just really really paranoid.
JAETEA..It isssssssss a necessity to paint! : ) To me, that is exactly what make it 'mine'...my walls of my color..even if a bright and fresh white!
This is all so helpful! I just sold my house and moved into a rental this week and I am totally inspired now. There are some things about it that are just awful, like a disgusting bathroom vanity and hideous bathroom paint and terrible lighting. I am totally inspired to ask my landlord if I can replace the vanity. I'm allowed to paint if I want. I've only had evil management companies in the past, so i think i am chary of asking for anything because of that, but my new landlord seems really nice and responsive. Other things about the place are so wonderful that it already feels a bit like home...
For those who changed blinds - what did you do with the old ones? Did you store them, return them, toss them and replace them when moving? I would love to change our blinds but have no idea what to do with the old ones.
Honestly, I'll need the replace them when I move out anyway (thanks cats!) so I should probably just toss them.
I'm moving out of an apartment where I painted the living room and found out that it needs to be painted back to a Sherwin Williams contractor-grade paint that's a custom color for this apartment complex at $60/gallon. I need two gallons of it. Next time I'll ask about re-painting specifics before I try anything like that again.
What is the point in correcting others grammar on a comment thread? We aren't authors here, were discussing a topic. I'm sure there are things that you aren't perfect at.
I had my 'own,' house, for years. It's a long story & I don't want to bore you all. So I'll skip to the end. I left my house behind. It was making me miserable. I'm now renting, and it's the best thing I ever did!
I feel more at home here, than I ever did 'owning,' a home that I couldn't truly afford. I decorate. I hang pictures. Why shouldn't I? It's my home. Nothing is ever permanent, everything is borrowed in life. Live for the moment. Be happy :).
I am!
I'm really loving all those who say that you should look at an apartment as your home, I agree wholeheartedly. For all intents and purposes, it is your home, and it should reflect that attitude. Too many people look at apartments as temporary and that's when they develope a "don't care" mentality. I love the fact that I have a place to call my own, yes, my own. I don't paint, because I'm not into that (I like off-white walls), but I have hung pictures, bought curtains, rugs and site specific furniture. I love my place, wild about it, because to me it.is.my.home. Sorry, don't mean to digress, but I could really go on about this subject. Thanks for listening (reading).
Don't forget the garden, containers, yard or window boxes! I love leaving my green thumb mark on my rentals. Why settle for an unsavory outdoor space at home...even for a little while?
You can do amazing things with free and inexpensive plant options: Split perennials from friends & families gardens. Forage the neighborhood for landscaping leftovers and thinned out plants. Purchase at markets and end of season sales. Planters, containers, window boxes can all be found second hand and even on the curb.
Even though it is sad to leave a home after I have put time and love into in the yard or outdoor space, I try to remember the next person who lives there will enjoy it.
I lived in 14 places in 13 years due to my husband's military career. I never painted (except once when we exchanged it for rent), but I did get a rotation of curtains, blinds, and wall art that worked in nearly every place. Light fixtures we took with us too, and plants are like a part of my soul, so of course I had a garden (all in pots so we could move them) that I lovingly called my "pot garden", lol. Now we just retired and started a business renovating homes for people...and these are SO easy! Great list.
As someone who just bought a new house, I wish that I had bought locking storage spaces. Like gym lockers painted in bright colors, or a giant trunk to use as a coffee table. In my town, landlords don't have to give 24 hours notice before walking in, and it's amazing how those 19 year old kids they hire to change the furnace filter end up coinciding with missing items. It was that, which inspired me to finally buy instead of renting.
How long do people spend renting apartments in America? With the standard lease here being 6 months (and having in the last few months seeing how little protection having a signed lease gives a tenant in Australia - you can still be evicted mid lease, with 7 days notice, if they need to do 'repairs') there's no way I'd do anything like painting. Why invest in someone else's house that they can get you to leave at any time?
I've definitely done #4, and it ends up being an expensive endeavour when you move every 12 months or so. You spend four months thinking 'oh I need a cupboard / chair / storage unit', buy it, and eight months later it's in hard rubbish collection because it doesn't fit into the next place.
not everyone WANTS to own & not everyone who rents has "one foot out the door".
I love white paint! I tend to like a mid century/industrial/touch of boho aesthetic, so clean, white walls work well for me... I definitely do not want to have to repaint while coordinating a move... I use 3m or OOK type products for hanging... I decorate with textiles, area rugs, art, plants and buy unit specific pieces that I can use again or that are reasonable in price... I come from NYC, where landlords tend to be more forgiving in terms of painting, hanging things, etc... So painting and hanging heavy stuff would likely not be a problem. Having said that, I lived in California for 4 years and heard many instances of people getting walloped with huge bills post move for hanging heavy things and unauthorized repainting... They lost their deposits and were presented with bills in the thousands! Just not worth it to me... I can make a place my own in other ways... As much as I love California! I find landlords there far more anal about everything. I got my deposits back, but I think that is because I didn't do anything permanent... At the end of the day if the lease says no painting or heavy hanging it is probably not a good idea to do it sans written permission...
Not only have I painted, but the landlord loved the resulting transformation so much that he even asked me to decide on colors for the rooms I hadn't painted... when I finally moved out years later.
Just NB: "I've come to realize that I could have had the home I wanted, instead of the home I was trying make feel like me without big impact ideas" - it seems like this sentence fell victim to some cutting and pasting and editing.
I completely disagree about painting. It is a real pain to repaint on the way out... And if you use a dark color, one cut probably won't do it! Same with heavy items on the walls... Unless you know you can repair, sand, level, oaint, etc... Don't do it!
Yes! Great recommendations. I bought a bunch of space-specific items for our previous rental. I'd like to add one thing: if it doesn't work for your next space, don't force it---sell it!! I'm in the process of selling off furniture that I've kept "just in case" I need it when I move somewhere else. All it does is clutter up the place and what are the odds I'll actually need it again? I got into this bad habit because I had an apartment with a massive amount of storage. I had room to keep anything I wanted. Even stacks of flattened moving boxes. :)
I think I'd be ok with white walls since I've had colorful walls for a long time now. But I hate the slightly dirty look of off-white paint, which is what a lot of landlords in my area seem to use.
Even if this is the third time this article has been posted to the site, I'm finding it useful. Just emailed my landlord to ask about swapping out a light fixture for a ceiling fan in the bedroom. Been meaning to do that for almost a year now and this was just the little kick in the pants I needed.
Yes a home is a home, something to make your own and be proud and happy that you live there. The most important person you need to make happy is yourself...and this will always put a smile on your face every time you walk in the door knowing you are "home". One can achieve this simply and inexpensively so it doesn't cost a fortune. I think paint is the best friend I have...I have painted everything...walls, furniture and if I don't like it, I just repaint it. And God is in the details!! And besides, it is good therapy!!
Whenever I move into a new rental (and that happened a lot in the past few years) I take it as a fresh start, a blank canvas to form into whatever strikes my fancy at that point. I love to paint - in fact my current living room has a wall looking very similar to the one in this article, a nice blue with a mid-century dresser - and the only reason my last apartment didn't get any colorful walls was the extreme high ceiling. We just didn't have a ladder high enough. So definitely YES to the painting, it just makes a place homier (is that a word?), warmer and gives it more personality.
And also YES to buying and installing custom things. For example, for my last place I bought blinds that fit my bedroom windows perfectly. They were much to large for my current place, but the girl who moved into my old place was happy to pay for them, so I got at least some of the money back.
Recently I put up custom wallpaper in my kitchen and living room. I certainly won't be able to take this with me, but I absolutely love it so it is definitely worth it.
You can't always find (or afford) the perfect place, but you have to move anyway. No matter where you live you have to work with what you got to make a place your home. If you don't feel comfortable or if you treat it like a temporary solution you'll never feel at home.
Big no on painting for me.
My apartment complex does inspections or at least maintenance once a quarter and in the contract it says something along the lines of painting = fee/eviction. Not worth it. This is because they charge you 10 dollars extra a month for them to put a accent wall in the apartment. 10 dollars a month for a painted wall. Yep. So for now I'm stuck with off white/yellow/beige walls will large art coving them. It's a great temp solution but I'm going to hate patching up the walls and getting the move out fee when I leave.
Interesting, there are things here I have no problem doing (just call us "the Hole in the Wall Gang") and things I need a little suggestion to do. After whining for years about this awful w/w, I just might get the inspiration to ask Mr. V if I can replace it. Any drawbacks to laminate?
Like numerous others who posted in this thread, I, too, am a lifelong renter by choice (61-year-old female). I would feel trapped in a home that I couldn't walk away from within a short time of deliberate choice or life circumstances warranting a move. So many of my friends are trapped in homes they now hate but can't leave because of underwater mortgage debt. No thanks!
But even though I am a gypsy heart, I still love to feel like my place is my home, whether I'm there for a few months or a few years, and whether it's a singleton unit just for me or someplace shared with a roommate (usually where the roommate is also the landlord who actually owns the space).
I always have a checklist of things I look for in new rentals, but at the VERY TOP of the list, always, is that the landlord must be flexible in allowing paint and other modifications to the apartment, some of which may or may not be removed when I leave, such as adding architectural elements, installing ceiling fans or light fixtures, landscaping, flooring, or other elements that are not easily moved. I try to choose paint colors that are pleasing to me but neutral enough that they might be left intact for the new tenants to enjoy as well, as has actually happened numerous times.
My overall attitude toward a rental is that it is important to make it feel like MY personal space, even if it's temporary. That's not always doable in the more expensive, but often cookie-cutter-style apartments. While there are time considerations as well, of course, I see the expense part is just part of paying the rent, because a lot of the apartments where the landlords are the most flexible are often the cheapest. Landlords typically do as little as they possible can to keep a place presentable and affordable. What landlord in t heir right mind is going to complain if you install a fancy new faucet in the kitchen or rip up the carpet to redo the awesome-but-neglected wooden floors or replace the crappy, cheap mini blinds with 2" faux wooden plantation-style blinds?
The expense does add up, of course, but the way I see it, I know what my rental budget is, and I just factor it in. For example, in the area where I live, in order to get a minimally "decent" place with nice fixtures or amenities, I would need to pay at least between $650-$750 (1-bedroom). But many places in that range would not come with the flexibility to paint and do other modifications.
But I can find plenty of places in the $450-$525 range that might be bare-bones and, while clean and presentable, have that "starter home" or "fixer-upper" appearance inside. So if, for example, I plan to stay there for at least a year, and spend even as much as $1,000 in modifications, I am still spending less in overall rent than I would be spending for an "okay" apartment that, yes, might be "nicer" in terms of interior fixtures and basic appearance for starters, but would not be me. But for less than that, I can take a place that has good bones and do a few modifications that make it my own and looks FABULOUS and is fun to hang out in. And even if I move every year or two years and do it all over again, that makes for a lot of FUN places with great memories. And a lot of happy landlords who benefit from the fact that I always leave a place in better shape than when I first moved in - clean and upgraded and fun to live in. A win-win for all.
~Karen :)


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Learning to make challah was frustrating but the sweet payoff has motivated me to continue baking it every week for the past six years. It's now the heart of my family's Shabbat ritual.
When I get angry at my two sons, I don't just lecture them. I filibuster. But if my rants were really working, why do I need to have them so often?
Want parenting advice? Yeah. So do I. You'll have to go elsewhere for that. But if you want to lighten your mood while reading about someone else's parenting issues, you've found the right blog. Read on for reflections on contemporary Jewish parenting through the eyes of a Philadelphia writer, wife and mother just looking to get a little shalom bayit.More from this author

subset: commoncrawl


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"He (McGahee) was coming off of a season-ending injury, we hadn't seen him since the end of the season so it was a pretty much a natural sequence there", Said Coach Fox.
Lastly it looks as if Denver's brass is looking toward a youth movement and they appear to have the utmost confidence in the remaining depth at RB, mainly 2nd year RB, Ronnie Hillman, Montee Ball, and 4th year veteran, Knowshon Moreno.
Fox stated, "it gives us a better opportunity to give some of these young guys more reps…It just came down to us having confidence we have in the three guys I mentioned."
Fox also benignly spoke of Jacob Hester, Jeremiah Johnson, and Lance Ball.
"There are still other guys in the mix that we feel good about as well", said the coach.
Reports out of Broncos' minicamp this week are that Hillman has put on an additional 10 lbs or so of muscle and has not lost any of the speed that he exhibited in his rookie year of 2012. That should make him a big-time asset in the backfield in 2013. In addition to better absorbing the punishment of a 16-game NFL schedule as a runner, this should help improve Hillman's ability to pass protect; something that really hurt the Broncos on January 12th (need I clarify this date which will live in infamy?). His hard work and improved physicality are a good sign of a guy who gets it. However Hillman seems to be keeping the whole running back competition in perspective and that is even more encouraging.
"It's always open," Hillman said. "I was competing with Knowshon, Montee, J.J. (Jeremiah Johnson), so there's still a lot of competition. Just because (McGahee) is gone you can't write it in but like I said, I'm just trying to compete and earn more playing time like the rest of them."
By all indications this will be a 3-headed running attack to support the Broncos' dynamic passing game. I believe that the bulk of the touches will be between Moreno, Hillman, and Montee Ball. Meanwhile the other three backs will vie for whatever scraps are left and spots on special teams. However if I was a betting man, I would say that when the dust settles, Ronnie Hillman will be numero uno on the depth chart.
Make sure to follow Predominantly Orange on Facebook and on Twitter


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On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her, despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town's founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.
I LOVE this book! Its a Must Read!!
''We read to know that we are not alone''
Paper Stacks, a collaboration by FiftyThree and ALLDAYEVERYDAY.


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Right up to the end Packers Hall of Fame guard Gale Gillingham gave it.
He died yesterday at the age of 67 while lifting weights at his home in Little Falls, Minnesota.
Anyone who remembers Gillingham as a player can remember his drive, determination, and grit on the field, thus earning him induction into the Packers Hall of Fame.
The following is a link to the Associated Press Story that was released this morning:
Remember, if you like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, we will be forever grateful!
Tags: Associated Press Gale Gillingham Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers Hall Of Fame


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Elegant Kids Furniture
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Size:Please Choose3'3 x 5'3 (RAN245233x53)5 x 7'6 (RAN24525x76) $(+135.00)7'6 x 9'6 (RAN245276x96) $(+367.00)
Ivory Damask Rug by Kas Rugs
The Ivory Damask Rug from Kas Rugs will bring a classic design to your child's nursery or bedroom. Part of the Rania collection, this rug features a stylish, timeless beauty. Features include:
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"These announcements are absolutely beautiful. I called and placed our order over the phone and spoke to a gentleman that was extremely helpful in placing our order. I am very pleased with the way these announcements turned out for our new beautiful bundle of joy!!! Thank you Tinyprints!!!"
"I love the bright colors and ability to showcase more than one photo. The delivery was so quick on both my initial order and my re-order. Thank you for your great customer service!"
"We love these announcements! I opted to add an additional photo on the back and it came out awesome! would definitely recommend these."
"We used a b&w picture and we absolutely love the result. We have already received so any compliments on the announcement! Tiny prints has a great selection of adorable cards it was definitely hard to pick the winner for our announcement. Easy to setup & personalize and I love the save to favorites feature. Great service and quick shipping! Received the cards faster than expected."
"I love the simple and modern lettering on this card. It was the perfect design to showcase my son's picture. I also love that it is gray and not your typical blue birth announcement. We use tiny prints for everything and have never been disappointed. I would highly recommend them!"


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Sometimes the internet is a fantastic place. Take you folks, for example. You're made of awesome and win, and I wouldn't trade any of you. Unless said trade involved alternate dimension you, who was also a cyborg, because that'd be cool.
Sometimes the internet is used as a forum. That's great. If you're talking about issues that are important, social justicey things, or trying to debate a point.
Sometimes the internet is full of anonymous trolls who hide behind their anonymity to lash out at large swaths of people for the perceived actions of a few. Not. FUCKING. COOL.
Such was the case last night, where someone who went to the Futurecon Calendar launch party made up an anonymous twitter account, and proceeded to bash everyone she had a hate on for. I say she, because I have a pretty good idea who this is from the clues, but I could be wrong. She named and then slammed people in the geek community, rather personally making rude assumptions about their character and their significant others.
She denounced Nerd Girl Pinups, saying they only let in a select few, and have no selection criteria. One, yes they do have criteria. Two, it's a site with limited resources, and they're already overtaxed with managing the profiles they have. They can't get a lot of photoshoots done at a rapid pace for the girls already on site with their in-house photographers, as their lives are busy, as lives tend to be. Just because you haven't had the opportunity to get on the site yet doesn't necessarily mean you won't. I personally know three girls who have been selected in the last year, and haven't been able to get their photoshoots in yet. It's scheduling. And it's life. It's a site that runs on practically nothing but whatever people buy in merch; it's not a lucrative job.
She calls the group out for "shameful high-school tactics". GUESS WHAT I SEE HERE. She's a bully, and hides behind her anonymity to prod at people for possible slights at herself. Here's a thought. Instead of bitchily sniping at someone behind their back, talk directly to that person. Explain your position. Don't cattily call someone out and say they got "knocked up on purpose" because you're angry. Don't make assumptions about events without hard numbers and facts. Don't insult my best friend because she's talented and getting what she wants out of life, finally, after fighting so hard to get it. Don't pigeonhole every Nerd Girl Pinup because you personally don't like two or three of them. There's a lot of us. And most of us weren't even at the event in question, because we're busy. We're all geeks and nerds. A lot of us have been bullied throughout our lives, and it's to the point that we're not going to take it anymore.
If anyone has anything to say to me, personally, about my behaviour, say it to my face. Don't hide behind the internet to snipe. I Fucking Dare You To Try And Find Out What Happens.


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February 10, 1902–October 13, 1987
MOST NOTED AS A coinventor of the transistor, Walter H. Brattain, an experimental physicist, spent the bulk of his professional career at the Bell Telephone Laboratories, first on West Street in New York City and later in Murray Hill, New Jersey. For the discovery of the transistor effect, he shared the 1956 Nobel Prize for physics with William B. Shockley and me. His main interests focused on the electrical properties of surfaces and interfaces, first on thermionic cathodes for applications to vacuum tubes and later on semiconductors for applications to diodes and transistors. Toward the end of his career, he became interested in biophysical problems in which electrolytic conduction plays an important role. Brattain was an initial member of the Bell Solid State Department, formed at the end of World War II to exploit the understanding of properties of solids made possible by quantum theory.
For some years before his retirement from Bell, Brattain taught on a part-time basis at his alma mater, Whitman College, and returned there to teach following his retirement. His research at Whitman was mainly on flow of ions through lipid bilayers in collaborations at Whitman and Battelle Northwest Laboratories.
Brattain loved the Northwest, where he had spent his


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Great fun, especially for kittens
posted 6 years ago
My 10 month old kitten Edgar had a blast with this toy. It is very light & easy for him to flip around, encouraging play. He really enjoyed chewing on the ring part - it made an appealing crackling sound - and had a great time pouncing & flipping. I liked the fact that the product was made with all-natural materials. The only down side is that Edgar is a fellow who plays very vigorously and he destroyed this toy in a matter of days. He had so much fun with it, though, that it was worth it.
Pros: Natural materials, vet approved
Cons: Easily destroyed if your cat plays vigorously
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Four Seasons Condo Rental Photos and Description
Condo, 2 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 2 Baths, (Sleeps 6)
We would like to invite you to come and enjoy our beautiful, lakefront, 1500 square foot, two bedroom, two bath condo, located on the 8 mile marker of Horseshoe Bend. It is just a short walk to H Toads, a large entertainment, eating complex that features an inside band and an outside band every weekend in the summer. There is also entertainment every weekend during the winter. The food is great and you are sure to have a good time. Another hot spot within walking distance is Shady Gators and Lazy Gators. The food and drinks are terrific, and you may want to wear your suit for the swim up bar. There are many other terrific restaurants, night life, golf courses, grocery stores, shopping and entertaining activities all within a short drive from the condo. There are so many things to do--in fact, you may have a difficult time trying to decide what to do.
The condo complex has two pools--one of them overlooking the lake--and a hot tub. The unit is located on the top floor (up 12 steps) and has a great view of Workman Hollow Cove. It has been recently updated and decorated. The large deck has a bar height patio set with 8 chairs to better enjoy the view. There is a new boardwalk along the lake for you to stroll along, and several gazebos if you just want to sit and relax.
The spacious, open floor plan was originally designed as a three bedroom condo, and was redone to make for a large kitchen and living area that is great for entertaining. The living room faces the lake and has vaulted ceilings with recessed lighting and a gas fireplace. The large master bedroom, with vaulted ceilings also, has a king size bed and a walk-in closet. Access to the deck is also available from the master bedroom. The master bathroom has a vanity and walk-in shower. The second bedroom has two full size beds and the sectional in the living room has a sofa-sleeper in case you need an extra bed. The California style bathroom with a tub/shower is connected to the second bedroom and the utility room with the washer/dryer. There are new flat screen TV's with DVD players in both the living room and master bedroom.
The kitchen is completely stocked with everything you need for cooking, and there is a gas grill available on the deck.
Sitting out on the deck at night is especially relaxing with the view of all the lights around the cove. A selection of board games and DVDs is available for your entertainment.
Towels and linens are provided. This is a very clean unit and the complex is family oriented. No loud parties are tolerated and security is present on weekends. No smoking is allowed, including on the deck.
Keywords: H Toads, Shady Gators, New furniture, Vaulted ceilings, Pools,
- Suitability:
- Minimum Age Limit for Renters
- children welcome
- non smoking only
- pets not allowed


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Annual and Endowed Scholarships With educational costs rising, scholarships are a win-win opportunity that enables Wake Tech to attract and retain bright students and makes pursuing an education affordable for those with limited resources. With most divisions administering at least one scholarship, students may apply for two types of scholarships, financial need and merit based. Merit scholarships give students the encouragement they need to continue their level of educational excellence while need based scholarships are often the only means for some students to continue their academic pursuits.
Faculty/Staff Professional Development The key to any organization's success is the development and retention of its employees and Wake Tech is no different. Tuition Assistance grants for continuing education and professional training enable Wake Tech faculty to stay on the cutting edge of their respective disciplines, advance the skills and educational goals of staff and assist those who require recertification or additional coursework for regional and national accrediting requirements. These grants of up to $1300/yr for coursework and up to $600/yr for licensure/certifications serve as an important tool in the retention of outstanding faculty and staff.
Institutional Priorities & OpportunitiesFrom time to time, private funds are used to meet appropriate institutional needs or opportunities that advance the college's community mission and elevate its service role to greater prominence in the community. These needs generally fall into capital improvements and include such things as land acquisition, building renovations and expansions, and furnishings for existing buildings.
Instructional Equipment The rapid pace and high cost of technology continues to challenge the college's ability to keep pace with the changing employment needs of companies looking to Wake Tech for graduates skilled in modern technology and equipment. This challenge, coupled with the limited equipment budgets affecting not only Wake Tech, but also the entire community college system, has raised the need for increased gifts in kind and cash donations, specifically for equipment, to a new level.
Instructional Program Support Program support funds provide seed money for research, materials, staff release time and conference/travel assistance to assist in the expansion or development of new curricula and training opportunities, which enable Wake Tech to respond to changing needs in workforce training. Wake Tech's ability to respond to changes in business and industry as well as changes within the community is critical to the college's success.
9101 Fayetteville Road, Raleigh, NC 27603 Phone: 919.866.6250 | Fax: 919.773.9105 firstname.lastname@example.com
Copyright 2014 Wake Tech Foundation


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Nokia recently released a new firmware update for its popular smartphone, Nokia N97. The new version 21.0.102 can be easily downloaded through Over-The-Air (OTA) update.Read More
MeeGo is a new OS being developed by Nokia and Intel together. MeeGo developers have released the first build for Nokia N900.Read More
Taiwanese mobile phone maker HTC, recently released a new firmware update for its powerful smartphone, HTC Desire. This is the first firmware update available for HTC Desire.Read More
HTC Desire, the powerful smartphone which was announced last month at Mobile World Congress is up for pre-order in the UK. If you pre-order this handset today itself, then it will be delivered to you by April 13.Read More
The Android powered LG GT540 is now available for pre-order in the UK. This is the second Android-based handset manufactured by LG. This device is currently listed on Play.com and it is expected to be delivered at the end of April.Read More
LG recently launched the Android powered GW620 in India. This handset comes with an amazing slide-out QWERTY keypad. This handset is LG's first Android powered smartphone targeted at the budget-conscious consumers in India.Read More
Firefox is available as a pre-release download from the Android Forum. Although not feature complete, it has the basic bookmarks and some add-on support.Read More
The Android based Motorola DEVOUR is now available for purchase on the airwaves of Verizon. This device has a slide out QWERTY keypad and a 3 megapixel camera. You can buy this handset easily from all the Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.Read More
A recent rumor of Apple iPhone arriving on Verizon's CDMA network has sent the sales of Verizon to an all-time high in the last four months.Read More
HTC Legend, the powerful smartphone which was announced last month at Mobile World Congress is up for pre-order in the UK. This handset will be available on the airwaves of Vodafone UK.Read More
A roundup of iPhone HD rumors including possible launch date and hardware specifications.Read More
HTC Corporation and Indian telecom operator, Bharti Airtel joined hands to launch the budget smartphone, HTC Smart in India. HTC Smart is the first smartphone powered by Brew OS.Read More
Samsung Wave, the Bada OS powered smartphone, which was launched last month at Mobile World Congress finally gets release date and pricing details. The release date of this handset is expected to be around May 14.Read More
Motorola recently launched the Android powered the Motorola Milestone in India. This handset is distributed as Motorola DROID in the US. It has a slide-out QWERTY keypad, 5 megapixel camera, 32 GB expandable memory and so on.Read More
Welcome to the Third Edition of Mobile Mondays. This week was amazing since many smartphones were launched and few of the most awaited handsets were available for purchase.Read More


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Can Philadelphia Eagles' Earl Wolff Improve on last year's performance?
At this point we can only speculate that Philadelphia Eagles' safety Earl Wolff can continue the trend he started last season. His rookie season ended abruptly with a torn anterior cruciate ligament or ACL during the game against the Green Bay Packers.
Wolff showed great promise in the first ten games of the season. In fact, the Eagles were almost giddy at their 5th round pick. During those ten games he had 45 combined tackles, five passes defensed and one interception.
At this point he is something of a mystery at the safety position. The Eagles acquired safety Malcolm Jenkins from the New Orleans Saints during free agency. Jenkins, a six-year veteran can mentor the young Wolff. With Wolff's ability and Jenkins' experience the two could be a much needed asset in the Eagles' secondary this season. Especially now that they have to contend with the very dangerous Washington Redskins wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Look for Wolff to rise to the occasion this season.
On the hunt for tickets to the top games on the Philadelphia Eagles schedule? Always check TiqIQ.com


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Please consider making a donation of any size to Operation Ava. Your generosity can make a big difference in helping to save the life of an animal who deserves it—from supplying food, treats, blankets and beds, to funding larger improvements to our facility like installing a fence in the yard to let big and small dogs play more safely in their own spaces.
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A few months ago, I really thought I was doomed. My mystery situation had reached a nadir: I couldn't run, new symptoms had cropped up and I was convinced it was the entrance into something very bad. MS to be exact.
During that time, I changed. A lot. I wish I had the nerve to write everything I thought of and planned for during that period because it would make great reading, but I don't have the guts. My closest friends got some major earfuls (and a barrage of tearfuls) for which I feel bad to have subjected them but am incredibly grateful for having such loving friends who allowed me to drown them with such depressing shit.
Eventually, after a couple months of wallowing, I chilled out and got used to the whole idea, focusing on work and taking a true "que sera, sera" approach. I stopped imagining a scary future and instead, devised a plan to move to Richmond and change this life that I've been thoughtlessly coasting through for far too long.
After months of the bad crap that seemed to build and build, I recently started feeling noticeably better. The ferocious itching bouts lessened to nearly nil and the numb white toes thing (Secondary Raynaud's) that had begun to accompany me during park walks stopped happening. In my previous theorizing, I had assumed – since hot showers, exertion and getting under the bed covers would trigger the itching – that heat was causing it. Due to that, I really dreaded the coming summer. So I was happily surprised to find that as the weather improved, so did these issues.
Today, when I went to my doctor to discuss the test results (which are all clear, yay!) I bounced the following idea off her and she said it could be. That it's not heat per se, but the change in temp from cold to hot, because I was seriously freezing in my apartment all winter, swathed in layers but never actually warm, so any heating up would have been a marked difference from my norm. Not that it makes a huge difference now, but maybe somewhere down the line, this delineation will matter.
Anyway, my doctor had me go over everything again and was very interested in the Raynaud's photos which, at the last appointment, I'd only shown to the resident. She says it can arise from an auto-immune disease or a vascular problem but since MS is currently off the list, my tests don't indicate the need for a Rheumatologist (which would be the next investigatory move), and since the itching and Raynaud's has chilled out for the time being, I'm to "wait and see" until I see her again in August. In the meantime, she encourages me to get back to running.
For once, I am totally 100% cool with waiting and seeing. Because even though I don't know what's up with me or what's next for it, if anything, at least I know I am not a ticking time bomb and that things can get better! That's sort of huge.
About Running
As mentioned in the previous post, last week I got inspired by a carpet of grass and ran a few yards. I was elated. Cautiously so, but really happy that I could do that at all. Then I got totally scared by the thought of getting back to it.
Big props to my pal Lara, who I've mentioned here a few times. We met soon after I started running in 2007 and she figuratively held my hand at my first race, the Clean Air 5K. We used to run together sometimes until I got my sea legs and she went her cycling freak way. But in a kooky "Life's Full Circle" thing, she recently had a baby and has been out of the fitness loop and said she'd be up for some run/walking. So last Thursday, she once again figuratively held my hand while I did my first official run/walk return. Bless that girl, it helped tremendously to have her there.
Since then, I've been out for a run/walk by myself once and did an exercise DVD on another day (yes, the same Walk Your Way Slim stupidity as on the "white numb toes" day, but this time with no ill effects save for mind-numbing "kill me now" boredom.)
I feel like I should admit though, that there's a likelihood I'll never be the same gung-ho runner I once was. Of course, it's too early to predict and I might find that as I get in the groove, the passion returns, but right now I'm still scared of it. I'm not waking up thinking "Oh goodie, I can't wait to get out there!" But that's A-OK. It's a new phase and the runner in me will reveal itself in time, or not.
No matter what happens, this whole mess ended up being a gift. My life has changed for the better, all because I had to think of a Plan B for Life: What I was going to do IF. But even without the IF, the Plan B remains sensible, fun and exciting. In Plan B, I've got a whole new business model that is already making great moolah (shocking, actually) and I get to grow that business in Richmond! To that end, I've got an Airbnb reserved for the last week in June for apartment hunting – I can't wait to meet up with my new Richmond friends, Emily and Ingrid!
But the icing on Plan B's cake was something I never expected…I get to run, too! It's not the end-all be-all of my life, it's a too, but it's a glorious, joyful, back in flight, I can run! Too.
The Girl, she's back in motion.
29 Responses to "Girl In Motion Once Again"
Nice to read such positivity – I fully expect you to find a Yellow Submarine now to live in when you move to Richmond.
This made my day. Love you Flo.
Flo there were really 5 Beatles – before Ringo there was a drummer who had a unique sense of beat for banging(supposedly none)on a drum kit. Although legend goes he suffered early balding syndrome for his headboard banging quantity and quality and the other boys were a bit jelly of his pulling powers in the Hamburg days so they dumped him. Name escapes me so lets just just give him the quintessential British moniker James(Jimmy)Eckford.
Yes it was rough getting dumped by the band, but as they pointed out I was a bit young and unskilled (and had trouble sounding Liverpudlian)
Great to hear the positive news Flo. Richmond, eh?
You were meant to be in motion Flo — so happy to see it happening for you, both with running and the business. And go Lara! Good on you!
This made me cry happy tears. I love not only the way you think, but the way you write when you share what you think. Go Girl!
What a nice surprise post to read this morning. You've got my day off to a great start!
This is all so positive to hear! I'm glad you are getting good care, with a doctor who understands you, and glad to see you can get out there a bit again. Maybe never at the level you were at before, but that's ok – it's a different phase of life, but can be just as much enjoyable (a lesson I've had to learn over the years as long-term injury pulled me out of the competitive racing world). I saw a great quote – if plan A doesn't work, don't worry, there's still 25 more letters…
so happy to read this, flo. injury and illness suck, but they make us really appreciate what we CAN do. if this is the beginning of the end of this, you'll never take it for granted ever again…i'm coming off a torn achilles from december, and i never thought i'd take such pride and comfort in a 2-mile walk run, ever. but that's what happens.
and the fear – hoo, boy, yes. i tweaked my (good) knee my very first run back, and it's impossible not to feel a little gun-shy. the lesson, as always, is that i have to listen to my body. it tells me when it's ready, even when i think it's not.
congratulations, etc. hoping that the upward trend continues ;-)
Flo, love love love for this post and for you! I love how this experience is causing you to reevaluate everything, every day that you are coasting through. This makes me teary: "and change this life that I've been thoughtlessly coasting through for far too long" because I'm happy for you but it speaks to me as well.
It's a good thing to think about this stuff and get choked up – that means you've hit an untapped well. :-)
Thanks again and SO HAPPY!
Flo, this is wonderful news. I am happy to hear it. Can't wait to read about this next chapter. Love you girl! Also happy to hear about the continued success.
Wow, GIM, such a positive spirit. Hope the good news continues for you! And by the way, the exchange between you, RDR, and Jim was hilarious!


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What is VoIP wholesale business?
VoIP wholesale is becoming an increasingly popular business model nowadays. It supposes
tra_c aggregation and exchange between VoIP operators. In other words, wholesale VoIP
providers receive tra_c from one carrier and transmit it to another one acting as a 'man in the
middle' between them.
VoIP wholesale usually doesn't require huge initial costs and might be highly lucrative if done
right. This means that all peculiarities of the business must be taken into consideration.
VoIP wholesale components
To deploy wholesale VoIP services it is required:
Hardware equipment
Tra_c suppliers
Clients – tra_c consumers or other resellers
Required equipment for VoIP wholesale.
VoIP for small business bundles phone, data, and video into one unified service so you can do more with less.
Now you can enjoy the speed, flexibility, and security of unified communications on your own network. Cisco offers VoIP for small business solutions that are just your size.
VoIP for small business is an important part of your unified communications solution - VoIP for small business helps you keep it simple while saving cash
Major VoIP developers provide a huge variety of different encryption protocols in order to make your calls safer by voip solutions. And there are free and payed programs and protocols. The most simple VoIP business encryption application is Zfone. It is totally free, but it is necessary that both talkers installed that application. All the other calls will not be protected.
Another way of protection is to organize a separate, protected LAN, and connect all the VoIP services phones to it, but that's suitable only for local level. Even closed payed encryption protocols protect your personal information only while the protocol is unknown, but it is a rather short period of time. Due to hack attempts or information leaks those protocols become insecure really fast on voip services..


text:
Fluff Piece
THE RECIPE: Molly's Homemade Marshmallows Brandon and I had been dating for only a handful of months when I came home from work to find him in my kitchen, making a batch of marshmallows. He was standing at the counter, a chef's knife in hand, cutting an enormous slab of marshmallow into squares. He looked... View Article


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Hi all,I'm Bonita, Love life, i see myself as a scene chick, love facebook, add me ;) http://www.facebook.com/bonita.langeberg also manage a scene/emo page if use want to check that out that would be amazing! LOVE music, art, hair, makeup. im down to earth, if u wana chat, im up for it :)
Bronze eyeshadow and black liquid eyeliner


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Penetration Testing
mailing list archives
Hi Pete
I can tell you how *I* approach similar cases.
I'll go to Mr. Director and say "pay me now, or pay me later" (you can use
"hire me now, or hire me later"). This wonderful piece of wisdom was told
to me aeons ago by Mr. Mike Harris, of Linux fame (Mike, if you're reading
this: HI!).
The meaning of later is "after you've been cracked" ;-)
If they're willing to hire and pay you now, you will detect and solve
problems now, when it's easier and cheaper to do that.
If they call you after a successful crack, they'll be in an emergency,
they'll be willing to pay a lot more money, and you'll be in the position
to be paid for your 2am work in their NOC ;-)
Business are business... doing pen-tests can be wonderful, but if I'm not
going to be paid for that, I prefer to practice in my lab or in some other
people's honeynet.
aka Nekromancer
"Pete" <pen_test_list () petesmithcomputers com>
19/06/2003 10:53
To: <pen-test () securityfocus com>
Subject: "Free" pen-test
Well. Fred is keen to keep going. But I reckon that someone who is
"not worried" that his web server could have been taken down in about
4 hours is not worth wasting time on. Needless to say, the cunning
plan was to sell him a pile of stuff once he was scared enough.
My question is this: how do white-hatters usually approach these
Grateful for any tips (and thanks for reading if you got to here)
Latest attack techniques.
You're a pen tester, but is google.com still your R&D team? Now you can get
trustworthy commercial-grade exploits and the latest techniques from a
world-class research group.
Visit us at: www.coresecurity.com/promos/sf_ept1
or call 617-399-6980
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"Nefarious actors" were making moves to exploit the Heartbleed OpenSSL flaw in the first few days after the problem was discovered, according to a Department of Homeland Security memo.
In an advisory issued by DHS' National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center on April 10 just as the Heartbleed flaw was uncovered, the department warned that a trusted third party had seen exploit code written in Python script on publicly available online outlets. A number of underground forums were also discussing the vulnerability, "which indicated interest from nefarious actors," the memo states.
Heartbleed is a vulnerability in the popular OpenSSL library that provides cryptographic services such as Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security to applications and services. Computer security experts have said the resulting damage is difficult to gauge because the error leaves no log files or other traces of access gained via the exploit.
DHS: Heartbleed not a threat to federal websites
Agencies react to 'Heartbleed' security hole
The DHS memo posted on the Public Intelligence open-source website says the security flaw has potentially enormous reach, and that although the initial code to take advantage of Heartbleed was potent, but there was no evidence it was being used.
"Internal trusted third-party assessments reveal that the code is 100 percent effective against the specific versions of SSL protocol noted above," the memo states. "However, at this time it has not been observed having the capability to compromise all SSL protocols. It is also important to note that at this time there have been no reported malicious attacks that exploit this vulnerability."
The memo contains an extensive list of vendors and products that could include vulnerable versions of OpenSSL within their product distributions but added that most have already begun issuing patches and have posted information on their websites with plans for addressing the vulnerability.
About the Author
Mark Rockwell is a staff writer covering acquisition, procurement and homeland security. Contact him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter at @MRockwell4.
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Nominations are now open for the 2015 Federal 100 awards. Get the details and submit your picks!
Make a nomination today
A key contributor to Clinger-Cohen argues that federal IT has failed to take advantage of the tools that law provided.
A new report surveys the many different approaches to launching a dedicated innovation shop in government.
Nominations for 2015 are being accepted now through Dec. 23.
The flip side of default data encryption on mobile devices is that a lost or stolen device won't yield up its secrets -- an important feature for many federal employees.
A decade after the 9/11 Commission identified agencies' reluctance to share information as a dangerous shortcoming, the government is moving in the right direction.
The latest offering is intended to help agencies speed the process of deploying authorized cloud solutions.
Cartoonist John Klossner on the telltale indicators that not everything is running through the CIO.
SBA's innovation office invests in solutions to problems that don't yet exist – like the 2007 seed funding for research into an effective Ebola treatment.
The government-wide IT contract's final awards were put off a month as NASA waded through 233 proposals.
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News For AON From The Last 14 Days
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October 31, 2014
Aon plc reports Q3 adjusted EPS $1.29, consensus $1.12
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October 30, 2014
Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's open
Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's market open, with earnings consensus, include Exxon Mobil (XOM), consensus $1.73; Chevron (CVX), consensus $2.56; AbbVie (ABBV), consensus 77c; NextEra Energy (NEE), consensus $1.55; Dominion Resources (D), consensus 96c; Aon plc (AON), consensus $1.12; Weyerhaeuser (WY), consensus 30c; Clorox (CLX), consensus $1.03; Rockwell Collins (COL), consensus $1.27; Newell Rubbermaid (NWL), consensus 55c; Pinnacle West (PNW), consensus $2.15; Legg Mason (LM), consensus 0c; TECO Energy (TE), consensus 32c; Oshkosh (OSK), consensus 82c; Hilton Worldwide (HLT), consensus 17c; Genesee & Wyoming (GWR), consensus $1.17; Spirit AeroSystems (SPR), consensus 74c; Madison Square Garden (MSG), consensus 32c; Magellan Midstream (MMP), consensus 66c.
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mailing list archives
On Wednesday, December 14, 2011 02:36:49 PM Don Gould wrote:
I've been researching solutions with NAT and double NAT
in mind because it's obvious that v4 space is going to
become a growing problem.
We've started playing with Stateful NAT64 on a couple of
Cisco ASR1006's.
In general, it works okay, save for issues with applications
that have no IPv6 support, e.g., Skype, e.t.c. We hope to
find more issues as more customers sign up to be guinea
The only thing that is really clear is the lack of
Indeed. We're doing what we can to be part of the solution,
by picking technologies we think will be useful for us and
going out and testing them at scale, with a goal to start
rolling out v6 in droves as well provide usable operator
feedback re: our deployment to vendors and other operators
As much as we'd like to see how the market unravels re: v4,
e.t.c., the fact remains that v6 is the inevitable solution.
So best to get cracking now with real deployments.
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Devil's Due
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Originally released as a motion picture in 2014.
Bonus features: Deleted scenes including extended ending; Theatrical trailer; Sneak peek.
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Please don't waste your time.Soooo disappointing. Leaves too many unanswered questions at the end of the movie. Not the kind where you would expect a part 2.
Easily summed up in one sentence. Rosemary's Baby meets Paranormal Activity with a dash of The Believers added in for flavor... As far as liking it. You have a far better chance at enjoying this movie, late at night with the lights off.
Nothing new in this movie as far as special effects that we haven't seen 1000 times before. The movie was very cheaply made cheaply acted also in other words, it was a dumb movie.
This movie is so boring, it has no story line, no plot, its completely pointless. And worst of all its not even scary at all. I kept waiting for the "horror" scene, only to find it never comes. And the ending left me like "seriously?" Totally a waste of time
Movies like this will kill the "found footage" genre. It seems like 95% of found footage movies are bad, and this one is no exception. It's slow, boring, awkward, and unintentionally funny at times. There is one, maybe two slight scares in the movie, but that's all. The characters weren't compelling in any way. Maybe some horror fanatics might like something about this film, but I personally hated it.
one word....terrible
Yet another terrible Blair Witch Project/Paranormal Activity wanna be. But not nearly as good. It's not at all like Rosemary's Baby.
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Just plain stupid can sum up this movie!
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"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." ― Martin Luther King, Jr
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"Few things are exact. You either have more than you need or need more than you have.
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text: Moon Taxi "Mercury" Moon Taxi played for us in the CPR Performance Studio on January 15, just before their show at the Bluebird Theater in Denver. Hide Your guide to the November elections Explore coverage from CPR News "Thank you for keeping me focused, engaged, and thinking on my drives to and from work everyday." ~Mary in Broomfield Support CPR Today


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Speaking of Savings…
This Sunday everyone in the U.S. (with the exception of the lucky souls in Hawaii and most of Arizona…) will "Spring forward." Yup, it's that time of year again when we set our clocks ahead one hour (before you go to sleep on Saturday night…) and wake up an hour earlier the next morning.
Ugh. This is not my favorite time of year and for all the perky morning people who chirp, "I love getting an extra hour of sunshine!," I want to scream: "You're not getting extra daylight! You're waking up an hour earlier!"
I mean, couldn't all these daylight-lovers just wake up earlier to enjoy the sunrise without inflicting it on the rest of us?
The practice of clock-changing originated in the U.S. in 1918 as an energy-saving measure after World War I. It wasn't consistently practiced across the country until 1966 with a federal act that officially set Daylight Saving Time to begin on the last Sunday of April and to end on the last Sunday of October.
Since then, Daylight Saving Time has been experiencing something akin to the infamous Christmas Creep, gradually moving up the time it starts and pushing back the time it ends over the years. Now, with a mid-March start date and beginning of November end date, DST is now officially longer than so-called "Standard Time."
What's up with THAT?!!!
As for the alleged energy savings–well, that may be just a myth. According to a recent post on Walletpop, Daylight Saving Time savings amount approximately $12 a year.
Not nearly enough to balance the cost of the extra Starbucks coffee you need to wake you up an hour earlier each day!
Over at Mainstreet, they enumerated a list of reasons Daylight Saving Time costs more than it saves: from increased accidents to decreased productivity, DST may have outlived its benefits. I've heard that the so-called "extra hour" was so that kids who lived on farms could help out after school with the aid of a longer day, but we're no longer an agricultural nation. I've also heard that the meat industry perpetuates the lingering light as it encourages people to barbecue more, but that sounds a bit conspiracy theorist…
Whatever the reasoning, I think the practice needs to be reviewed and revised. If it doesn't save energy, why the heck are we putting ourselves through this disorientation twice a year? Personally, I'd like the whole "Spring forward, fall back" thing to be eliminated. How do you feel about DST? Take the poll and/or vent your spleen in the comments below.