Evelyn Stewart 🥉

Right and that nightly signal drop is the worst, isn't it? Right when you're trying to catch some sleep. Could be the distance between the units stretching the signal thin, or perhaps walls and furniture blocking it. I suggest testing it in an open area first to see if that's the case, and if so, maybe add a signal booster if your model supports it. Or just ensure nothing's obstructing the path. Fixed mine that way, simple as that.

Oh man, jumping into watercolors at 28 after a stressful job sounds just like me a few years back. I was in the same boat, doodling as a kid and then nothing until I needed a break from work. For choosing paints, focus on affordability first since you're new; don't drop a ton of cash on pro stuff right away. Go for sets that mention good pigment quality and easy blending, because that's what makes those YouTube tutorials look so magical. Something with a variety of colors helps, but not too many or it'll be confusing. I tried starting with basics and it was perfect, you know, mixing my own shades and learning as I went. And hey, if it comes with extras like a palette, that's a bonus for your small apartment setup. You'll be painting those relaxing scenes before you know it, trust me.

From a preservation standpoint the layout matters as much as the cleaning. Stand books upright and keep them snug so there are no open gaps, and set the shelves so there is minimal space above the tops. Keep the case away from vents, heaters, and cooking areas, and out of direct sun to protect the materials. Make maintenance gentle and regular. Wipe shelves and spines weekly with a soft cloth. Close the book and brush from the spine toward the fore edge to keep grit out of the joints. don't use canned air or blow across the pages. Coated jackets can be wiped with a barely damp cloth followed immediately by a dry one. Uncoated paper should be dry cleaned only. Leather should get only a light application of a neutral leather cleaner and then be buffed dry. Skip alcohol, ammonia, vinegar, and aerosol polishes. Low drama.

I was in the same spot with dull colors from bargain craft paint and thought painting just was not for me. Switching to a basic student set made the difference because the pigment load is higher and the paint sits on the surface instead of shrinking and looking chalky. If animals are your goal you do not need a giant rainbow. A simple set that covers warm and cool primaries plus a couple of earths will carry you a long way and you can mix everything else and grab ultramarine and a phthalo type blue for depth in shadows and eyes, keep titanium white handy for fur highlights, and add raw umber or burnt sienna to nail those natural browns. In a tight space paint flat on a small pad or panels, use a dinner plate with a damp paper towel as a quick stay wet palette so your mixes do not skin over, and you will spend more time painting than fighting your materials.

I broke the habit by stacking small bits of friction rather than trying to quit outright. The biggest one was moving my charger to the dresser and using a cheap alarm clock, so I have to get out of bed if I really want the phone. Then I gave my brain a default alternative by keeping a Kindle and a boring paperback within reach. On iPhone, I went to Settings > Screen Time and set Downtime from 9:30 pm to 7 am, plus App Limits of 10 minutes for Reddit, news, and YouTube, and I hit Ignore Limit only if I physically stand up. I also enable Sleep Focus at bedtime which hides notifications, and in Accessibility I turn on Color Filters to grayscale after 9, which makes feeds look dull and not worth it. Shortcuts runs an automation at 9:25 pm that switches on Low Power Mode, opens Kindle, and turns Wi‑Fi off, so the first tap is reading not scrolling. If you are on Android, Digital Wellbeing has Bedtime mode to do grayscale and Do Not Disturb, plus App timers on your trigger apps, and you can put the phone in Focus mode with only maps and messages allowed. I also use the One Sec app which inserts a breath and a confirmation screen when I try to open social apps, and after two delays I usually back out. Last thing that helped was a hard stop with a timer, so I set a 10 minute countdown on my bedside Echo or watch, and when it goes off I close whatever is open and switch to the book.

Yeah, Perforated parchment is the secret weapon. Cut a piece to fit the basket with holes so that model still circulates, lay the bacon on that, and you will see the fat drip away rather than atomize and hit the heater. Do not cover the entire surface with solid paper since that traps heat. I go gentle for the first stretch around 325 until most of the fat is out, drain the pan, then a short hot blast to crisp. Thick cut takes longer and benefits the most from the two stage approach.