Non-Consumer Mish-Mash — Raccoons, Gender Equality, Radio and Thrift Store Rapping

by Katy on September 3, 2012 · 14 comments

It’s time again for Non-Consumer Mish-Mash, where I write a little bit about this and a little bit about that.

The Neighbors Love My Clothesline!

It’s no secret that I ♥ my clothesline. I love the energy savings, the love the routine of the chore, I love how my laundry smells after a warm afternoon in the sun. I love it all!

However, I am fully aware that just because I enjoy the sight of our underwear flapping in the breeze doesn’t mean everyone does. Luckily, I do not live in a neighborhood with a covenant that bans clotheslines, so I get to do pretty much whatever I want.

And I was pleased to find a lovely artisan made card in my mailbox the other day featuring an illustrated raccoon hanging her masks and gloves on the line. Inside was a sweet note from my “admiring neighbors” whom I adore.

Then again, their property does not overlook my clothesline. 😉

Gender Equality in the Home

Of all the designers on HGTV, Emily Henderson is my favorite. And no, it’s not just because she’s from Portland. (Although it doesn’t hurt!) She has her own personal style that relies on thrifting and repurposing, and that, my friends, is the way to my heart.

She wrote a blog piece recently about Design Compromise for Couples that’s actually quite insightful. She uses her and her husband’s decorating process as an example.

It’s hard for couples to decorate together for 1 million reasons.  He wants comfortable, she wants beautiful. He wants inexpensive, she wants realistic if not luxury.  Ultimately your space does need to reflect both of your tastes in order for both of you to be happy walking through that door at the end of a long day, so i’ll tell you how through the example of me and Brian, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson.”

It’s a great article, and I recommend it highly!

Click HERE to read the blog, and most importantly, see the pictures.

KWS on WGN

I got a large number of interview requests after my Today Show appearance, and although I turned a few of them down, I tried to accommodate as many as I could. Mostly the interviews were for print media, but one was for WGN Radio in Chicago. I agreed, as I like doing radio interviews because:

  1. I don’t have to wear makeup.
  2. The format is usually very informal, which I like.
  3. No one knows that I’m sitting on my couch wearing pajamas.

Unfortunately, this particular radio program started at 10:30 P.M., and I hadn’t thought about how I would still be on New York time. Which is why I start to ramble and ask for questions to be repeated towards the end.

Click HERE to listen to the interview. You can even download it as a podcast!

Rapping About Thrifting

First off, this video is not for everyone, as the singer refers to thrift stores as “F*@%ing Awesome.” So don’t click if you find that kind of language offensive. (Or if you’re at work.)

But for the rest of us, I highly recommend this f*@%ing awesome video from Mackelmore and Ryan, who appear to be from Seattle.


Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }

Katy September 3, 2012 at 9:16 am

I just finished listening to the radio interview, which I hadn’t done yet. It was remarkably less rambly than it seemed at the time.

🙂

Katy

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Jennifer September 3, 2012 at 12:51 pm

This video got my 16 year old son to actually want to go shopping at the thriftstore . Now that is f%#@ ing awesome! !

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Paula in the UP September 3, 2012 at 2:08 pm

Your radio interview was great. You are such a natural!! I must be to old for the rap, I can only understand about half of what’s being said, but I get the gist of it, pretty bad a$s!

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Katy September 3, 2012 at 2:14 pm

I think I got around 3/4 of it. 😀

Katy

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Leigh September 3, 2012 at 4:15 pm

Loved the card your neighbor sent you. That was so cool.
Glad I wasn’t the only one who could only understand half the words
in the video.

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Reese September 3, 2012 at 5:25 pm

You know… I thought this was a really nice gesture from the neighbors 😀 I thought of you, Katy, this weekend when I stayed at a budget-friendly B&B. My husband and I sat with a couple our age, and found we had tons in common. They were a real treat to speak with, even if we lived 14 hrs apart!

I wrote them a little note, tried to be as non-stalkerish as possible, and gave them our email addresses so we could connect via facebook after we went our separate ways.

Totally wish I would have had a handmade artisan card to give them… but maybe in the future 😉

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Katy September 3, 2012 at 6:14 pm

One thing I like about these particular neighbors is that they’re retirees, so it’s an intergenerational friendship.

Katy

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marianne September 3, 2012 at 5:04 pm

That was a nice long interview-was expecting it to be shorter on a radio show. 🙂 Kinda disappointed that while the website address was said correctly 3 times in the interview, they got it wrong on the website. Good thing it redirects!

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Katy September 3, 2012 at 6:13 pm

Worry not, as I own “Non-Consumer Advocate” without the “the” as well. Which always directs.

Katy

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AFS September 4, 2012 at 11:22 am

the raccoon cartoon is so cute.
I too love the routine of hanging my laundry out on the line. I have a clothes line attached to the support posts of my 55′ covered back porch. Being under cover I can use it year round, although in colder darker months laundry can’t dry completely before dew rewets it, so I tumble the clothes for a few additional minutes after I take it down.
Since childhood I have loved the fresh scent of line-dried clothes. The covered deck is a recent addition to my home, before that there was NOWHERE to hang a clothesline. One of the first things I did when the construction was complete was hang the retractable clothesline that I found NEW IN BOX at a second hand store for $5.
I use a drying rack indoors so that my neighbors don’t have to look at my unmentionables.

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Maryanne September 4, 2012 at 11:54 am

I’m gonna wear your granddad’s clothes… I look incredible! Hee hee!

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Liz September 4, 2012 at 6:15 pm

Love, love, love the video! Thanks for posting. Goin’ to put on some a grandad’s clothes.

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Kori September 6, 2012 at 8:54 pm

Ohmygosh, this video made my night! I just want to keep watching it over and over to see what ridiculousness I missed the first time 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

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Anne Poetry February 14, 2015 at 6:44 am

Have you drawn that raccoon doing it’s laundry? It’s so cute!

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