AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
1984
I have lived in large cities like Atlanta and Boston, medium cities like Wilmington and Harrisburg, and rural like Dillsburg and Daphne. Each place has its challenges as well as its good points. I actually felt safest in the cities where there were a lot more lights and people around. Open shops and businesses help, as well as familiarity of where to go if you need help.
I know a lot of misconceptions are fueled by hearsay and not actual experiences. My landscaper warned me not to go to a certain part of our city to a local restaurant but he has never been…just heard that it was dangerous, especially for white people…I told him my niece and her husband used to live in that area and I have been several times with no issues. You just have to be smart about it. I am definitely not going to purposely go to an area known for drug trafficking or drive by shootings!
I also hate not being able to see the stars, but we do see them late at night. We can drive further up the mountain where the houses are lit with low lights (seems the richer the people, the less intrusive their lighting is!). We can see stars and into the lighted valley at the same time.
The contractors doing our house have left very expensive equipment unlocked or even put away. I offered them to use my garage but they said they were not concerned.
We do have homeless people, but statistics show they are not the ones committing the crimes…they beg for food and money and try to stay under the radar…the professional criminals want to make money and are opportunists so we do try to remember to lock our doors and turn on the alarm system. No one wants to be a statistic or tempt fate.
Does organizing count in this thread? I’ve been slowly shifting some things around on my kallax to make them more functional. View from my desk this morning. I love having my 3d printed skull and head there, it’s really feeling like an art studio.
AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
1986
Sure it counts! It is “renovation” of your space to get it the way you want!
I think studios are always changing as you reconsider function and how you like to work. I try to organize as I am making something to see where I naturally go for my scissors or a ruler, etc. So far, I have moved my little clippers three times and decided the solution was to get two more pairs…ha…that is why we have duplicates…function!
I love reorganizing my art supplies. My husband is such a good sport, I take him on “field trips” down to my studio to show him my latest updates
2 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
1988
I am doing the same thing with our house renovations…he has been mostly out of the picture. I know what we both like and since I am in charge of all the finances, I pretty much do what I want and then drag him around to show him what our money was spent on!
So far, he has only balked at my purchase of the specialty Japanese maple (it comes with an insurance policy! ha)…I remind him that he is the one who wanted a Japanese maple but he never picked the kind so I did…ha.
Sounds like your hubby is so supportive and is glad you are happy with your art studio!
I live in a small town in Connecticut, butted up against another small town, whis is…etc. we had several years of frequent car thefts that moved from neighborhood to neighborhood. Everyone blamed the kids. Turns out it was the kids, run by a group of adults. We have come home to our faultu back door wide open, nothing taken. No thefts out of the yard. Amazingly safe neighboorhood for close to the more run down parts of town.
On a different safety note, I have recently signed up for a check-in app and am encouraging some friends who live alone to do so as well. Last month a friend died in her sleep and no one knew for a couple days. Her situation is more complicated, but I don’t want this to happen to my other loved ones who live alone! I don’t live alone, but sometimes TheMisterT goes somewhere over night(s) and I am “out here” by myself and I could get hurt and unable to get help. I definitely don’t do the more “dangerous” things when here alone, but anyone could trip and be injured just doing life stuff.
4 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
1991
The recent deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife really brought this into public focus. The police will do a wellness check but someone has to contact them!
I don’t live alone either, but you do need to think of those who do and you might need help even if you don’t live alone. Our security system is tied in to my phone so I can hit a panic button to alert police, but what if I can’t reach my phone?
I do check in on my friends and family often enough. The police here will do a wellness check for anyone who signs up with our senior citizen agency as well as if you call in to check on someone because you are concerned.
Good idea to do this…I hate to think of anyone dying because no one checked on them.
That reminds me of a recent news story…a bigger city, somewhere down South, found that a ridiculous percentage (I want to say it was in the 80% range) of the violent crime in their area was being committed by a relatively small number of individuals. I wonder how many towns that might be true for.
We’ve had a series of break-ins in nearby areas the last year or two, so we added a couple security cameras. I think DH will probably add a few more, as the weather gets nicer (and working outside isn’t so miserable). I doubt anything will happen, but I’m hoping for some funny shots of squirrels, skunks, and the neighbor’s dog (who likes to pee on my garbage can).
Some of the apps have a setting/level where it will contact the appropriate agencies for a welfare check should the user miss a check in. The one I am using has that as a paid feature, but I am using the free version so far. You set the check in time, get reminders at 3 hours, 1 hour, and 10 minutes prior. 10 mins after the check in time if you haven’t, it will send a text to your assigned numbers. You can check in early. Mine is on vacation mode, but I will get to see how it works soon as TheMisterT will be away for a couple of days.
That’s really smart! Also the “not doing dangerous things when you’re alone” part. I’ve seen that go wrong a few times, and typically those people were still young and fit and hadn’t even considered that they might fall of a ladder and break something.
The deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife were so sad. I’m sure that his wife thought all was well because she was much younger and healthy, and he was going to go first. But everyone can become unwell or have an accident. It’s so sad that his Alzheimer’s was so advanced that he was unable to get help for her or even get that poor dog out of his crate. It sounds like they didn’t have any carers or cleaners or regular contact with friends or family.
@AIMR my mother, who lives alone, and is still active and fit, has bought a smartwatch for this reason. The smartwatch has a panic button, automatic fall detection and you can also use it to make phone calls. A watch is attached so you’d usually be able to reach it when something happens.
@tendstowardschaos I would not be surprised at all if that figure was 80% or more! I think that goes for several types of crime, but especially for theft and certain violent crimes.
I am slowly unboxing all my supplies and putting them where they belong. When all the furniture and the ladder are in place, I can start hanging things on the wall. I still need to find the right spot for my mirror, a printer’s tray and for all of the crafty decor.
You’ll see I have stolen many of your ideas I’ve bought the Alex unit, a small rolling cart and I’m also adding a back panel to my old Kallax.
3 Likes
AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
1997
I am going to take your advice and get a smart watch. I wear a watch anyway. Since I am Jim’s primary caregiver, I don’t want to take any chances at all.
@tendstowardschaos I bet that is true in my most areas. I think there are more good people than bad but the bad ones commit a lot of the crimes against property.
Confession time: I hate keeping plants alive. With the number of things that I have to do everyday, I just don’t have spare time or headspace to go water them. So I just made real pots full of faux flowers for my porch. I’m hoping to make a few smaller ones to go on the other end, near the wicker chair, but this is a good start for Spring.
Also the painters were finally able to come back and finish the house. They had to stop for the season late last fall, as the weather got too cold and wet for the stain to work. Now I just need to redo the front door to a nice shade of green to go with their hard work.
I’ve bought the Alex unit, a small rolling cart and I’m also adding a back panel to my old Kallax.
