Washing sheepskin rug in washing machine

I love my medical-grade sheepskin. I got mine for $100 and it’s a gift that keeps on giving. It’s a very simple pleasure but it makes me so happy. I take it with me on trips, do yoga and stretching exercises on it, and sleep with it every night. It stops me from being clammy during summer and keeps me warm during winter. However, even though it doesn’t really get “dirty” in my experience, it gets matted a lot due to use.

My washing method is probably not the most pristine, but it gets the job done without compromising the quality and usability of the sheepskin. Does it shorten the life of the sheepskin? We’ll see. Humans have had sheepskin since forever without all these special methods like dry cleaning and taking it to a furrier. It’ll be fine.

Preparing the sheepskin for wash

Brush with pet brush and vacuum, shake outside to release as much dust as possible.

Washing the sheepskin

What you will wash the sheepskin with: A cheap shampoo and conditioner, like for hair.

I like to use a cheap dollar-store moisturizing shampoo to wash sheepskin. Some shampoos have lanolin in it but it’s probably expensive. I like to add a tablespoon to a load.

I mix the shampoo with a rich conditioner about 1:4, then dilute this mix with water in a separate bottle so when I add it to the washing machine, the cleanser distributes more evenly. The conditioner can also be from a dollar store, or something with lanolin in it. Wash in lukewarm/warm water at the gentlest setting. Enable the fabric softener option. I prefer warm water to cold because I noticed it helps cleanse the sheepskin better while letting the conditioner really penetrate into the skin.

The conditioner helps the skin part of the sheepskin from shrinking, and also has its own cleansing power (think of co-washing for hair). It’s much gentler on the sheepskin to wash with conditioner with a bit of boost from shampoo. You may think the shampoo and conditioner cancel eachother out, but not really. Think of it as a 2-in-1 shampoo, or a cowashing conditioner. With the amount of water in the washing machine and enough time, this cowash formula gives the sheepskin a thorough, gentle wash while moisturizing it at the same time. I like the water to have a slightly slick feel to it.

Conditioner (without shampoo) can also be added as a fabric softener at the rinse cycle. I use just enough to make the water slippery. I too dilute the conditioner with water before adding it so it distributes more evenly. It helps keep the sheepskin supple, like lotion for the skin.

Drying the sheepskin

Tumble dry sheepskin in dryer (no heat or low heat) with a bunch of towels, and dryer balls if you have it. I think sheepskin comes out better this way than if you air dry it. In my experience, airdrying leaves the sheepskin stiff, shrunk, and crusty. I think it’s the extra agitation and pulling in the dryer that keeps the sheepskin stretched out and pliable.

Once dry, brush again if it looks like it can use it. Mine turns out fine.

That’s it! I wash mine about twice a year, but washing it more should be fine as long as you keep the sheepskin conditioned.

These are some instructions on washing sheepskin that I like, and you may prefer this if you are more careful than I am.

Ideal Beauty Routine as of Jul 4, 2020

My planned workout routine: Run every other day, increase mileage safely every week. Crosstrain with yoga twice a week and pilates to help with muscle strength and flexibility.

Beauty treatment, health, and fitness	Cost	Frequency
Brow threading/tinting, and Lash lifting/tinting	$185 including tip ($125 for lashes and $32 for brows)	2 months
Massage (90 minutes)	$150 per session including tip	Weekly
Chiropractic subscription	$60 for 4 sessions	monthly
Pilates private training	$300 for 5 sessions	Monthly
Yoga classes	$100 for 2x a week	Monthly
Botox for TMJ and face slimming	$400 including tips for 30cc	3 months
Running shoes and proper inserts	$400	yearly
Supplements: Prenatals (insurance), liquid fish oil, primrose oil, whey, collagen, hyaluronic acid	$30	monthly

Total monthly: 92.5 + 150*4.4 + 60 + 300 + 100 + 400/3 + 30 = $1345

A huge part of the budget is the massage and botox, then the private training. I am probably not going to be spending like this forever, but I am investing in private classes for pilates and yoga because I want to have a good foundation and the right posture to prevent any injuries from working out.

I take The Very Finest Fish Oil by Carlson Labs.

Next plan: After getting the basics of yoga and pilates, I want to get a personal trainer for a few weeks for weightlifting. Then, I want to invest in facials and chemical peels again, just one series. The last time I had them was almost 5 years ago.

Wigs vs Dyeing Hair, Comparison of Upkeep and Cost

I was debating between dyeing my hair or getting a wig. I  don’t want to dye my hair and deal with the upkeep, but I want to change my hair once in a style. Hence, wigs!

Yet, the decent wigs cost like $500+and I was wondering if I would cough up the money for it. Are they really worth it compared to just getting my hair colored? Would I even like wearing wigs, especially daily?

I wrote out a dyed hair vs wigs list for myself. I don’t change my style very often and stick to certain colors (natural hair colors) for years, so the pro/con list is different for everyone but for me, this is what it is:

Dyed Hair

Wigs

More comfortable Affordable upfront, especially just for temporary coloring Good for summer and hot weather Don’t have to worry about wig falling off Natural hairline unless you buy those delicate, expensive wigs Usually more natural looking

No root touch ups Don’t have to style hair/wig as often Don’t have to invest special hair products every month or two for colored hair Less damaged/faded/oxidized hair color thanks to not washing/styling as often as your real hair Don’t need to redye/retone faded hair as frequently thanks to less washing If wig is unprocessed hair, no worry about oxidized/faded color Cheaper in the long run if you maintain your wig for years Warm during winter Environmentally friendly, especially real hair wigs More hair color/style options (you can wear your natural hair, or your wigs) Less bodily exposure to PPD and other chemicals in hair dye

Speaking of cost, the wig will be cheaper in the long run. Let’s say I do a root touchup 8 times a year, for $100 a pop. In 5 years, that would be $100 * 8 sessions * 5 years = $4000

On the other hand, if I get a decent human hair wig for $1000 and maintain it for 5 years, I would be saving $3000 in five years. If you buy three wigs, you’re still saving $1000. Some wigs go even longer for like 10 years!

I think wigs would also be environmentally friendly as one does not have to dye and process it as much as touchups. Wigs also hold up better than your own processed hair because you don’t have to wash it every couple days like you do with your real hair, hence it will be better looking and healthier. You also don’t have to constantly buy color-safe shampoos and hair masks.

I have dark, thick hair down to my tailbone. When I want to be blonde, I wear my Freeda wig, even daily for a couple weeks straight. People can’t tell this is not my real hair. I can  both retain my natural long dark hair and wear blonde whenever I want. If I want to be a redhead for a day, I pull out my ___ wig. Wigs give me more freedom without having to constantly dye my hair.

If you can tolerate wearing a wig, it doesn’t make sense finance wise, environmentally, and appearance wise to keep processing your own hair.

Dating a nonbeliever

I am in the process of converting to Catholicism. Last Saturday, I was advised not to marry a non-Catholic, which is understandable. My current boyfriend is not Catholic, and I wasn’t Catholic when I met him either. I told him about my catechumanism, and he was surprised and asking me why I had to do it. He was wary, asking me not to become “overzealous”.

What is “overzealous”? Where is the line between being overzealous and being devout? Is standing up for what you know to be true, even when others may not understand at the moment, being overzealous or devout? How could you explain this to someone with a different world view?

All my life, I feared that I will become a monster like my father. I never worried about becoming like my mother because I did not really relate to her or see her as similar to me. However, this is one part where I fear I will become like my mother – that I might become a nagging, pushy woman who tries to convert her unbelieving spouse. It was already bad that she believed in such vapid bullshit, but now she was harassing my father and trying to make him taste and swallow the same turd and proclaim that it’s delicious. My father then would insult her and be extremely rude, and my parents would berate eachother in front of us children. No wonder none of my older siblings are married yet, though reaching their mid 30’s now, and never brought home any of their dates (if they had any). My brother never told us about any of his girlfriends, let alone brought anyone home, and my sister was never in a relationship (unless she was keeping it from the family which is understandable). I think all of us were afraid to end up with a marriage like our parents’.

Of course, my hope is that if me and my boyfriend were meant to be, then he will also see the truth and convert with me. He is not stupid. He is a curious and driven person who is searching for something higher than what is offered to us at face value. Even when we were both nonbelieving, he was more Christian than I was. Morally stronger and an exemplar of a noble human being, which is why he won my admiration and I am so proud of him. I don’t find traditional Catholicism to be cringy and weak as modern faiths. I won’t be embarrassed at the thought of my boyfriend watching how I worship at the traditional mass, because it is reverent and genuine unlike the Pottery Barn garbage that is preferred by the last men. My boyfriend too may find the philosophy and tradition of Catholicism enriching and deeply satisfying, because he recognizes and hungers for the excellent, not the comfortable.

I know that my boyfriend will understand why I am doing this and trust my decision, but I won’t bring it up until he is back home so we can have an uninterrupted conversation.

From Ketchup Soup to Ketchup Minestrone

No matter how much or how little one has, the outcome can be maximized by a bit of resourcefulness. This is a trait that I aspire to, and admire in others.

Ketchup soup is a trope for making do, doing without. It’s water with a bit of condiments added to it, back in the days when condiment packets were available at fast food places for the grabs (not anymore though). It could be jazzed up with a bit of mayo or dry biscuits as well.

An old trick which I was taught (and had to utilize) was the collecting of kitchen scraps – the leftover bones of chicken, beef, pork, lamb, anything else that moves and breaths. The skins, stems, and stalk of vegetables like celery, onions, and carrots.

With these scraps from the kitchen, the base for your soup gets more versatile and nourishing. With a deep chicken stock base with the sweetness and depth of vegetables, what was once merely ketchup soup is now ketchup minestrone.

Now on top of that, get any accessible frozen or canned vegetables you may get from pantries or at discount, such as vegetable medleys, beans, diced and pureed tomatoes, potatoes, and you begin to have something cheap, filling, and delicious.

The irony of wanting very different things at once

I have (probably romanticized) fantasies about happy little kids running around the house, floors messy with toys and misplaced books. Bickering with the husband about what to put on the meal plan. I would wake up every morning to physically labor on a homestead and show my kids what it is to be hard working and responsible. We’d raise goats and chickens, and have a veggie garden that keeps the children in touch with their food and the circle of life. To truly nurture their souls and minds, we would homeschool them at their own pace about math and philosophy and whatever else.

My parents would disapprove. My culture would see me as barbaric for having so many kids and, god forbid, homeschooling them!

The funny part is that I never even lived extensively in the rural area nor ever had that lifestyle. I was born to white collar parents in a city, and people of my background were often dual-income, white collared, marrying in their 30’s, and only have a kid or two whom they would then send to prestigious kindergartens, K-12, and universities. I didn’t grow up being someone who dreamed about kids or marriage (though I wasn’t averse to it). I was that weirdo who wanted to be a mad scientist when I grew up, and eventually majored in engineering and now dream of running my own robotics laboratory. I am on a 20-year career track, and would be fine if I ended up a powerful and wealthy benefactor to the humanities and sciences.

Is it that ironic to want very different things at once? Don’t we all?

I miss my boyfriend’s voice.

It’s been over 6 months since my boyfriend has left for work (and he has limited access to a phone or any other communication device in this work). Once every couple months he’d be able to drop me a few messages but after he was moved to another base, I have not heard from him since.

One thing I really miss is hearing his voice. It’s a deep voice that I associate with comfort and safety. The voice of a kindred spirit and companion.

I don’t know how to pray or, to be honest, quite believe in it yet but I still go through the motions. I pray for him because that is all I can do on my end at the moment. I don’t pray that he is protected from struggles, pain, and trials in his life and his military experience but that he becomes stronger and learns from them. I don’t pray that he becomes comfortable so he can become stale and sluggish, ignorant of the brutality of life, but that he transcends them despite it. I know this is ultimately what is best for him as a person and his soul, despite what our base animal instincts would want. I also know that this is ultimately what he would want for himself because he is a thinking human being who sees above the bullshit and desires for something higher, truer, and more wonderful. This is also why I love and admire him and it doesn’t fill me with dread to picture more people like him in this world, and I don’t laugh at the idea of handing the keys to myself to him.

Aspiring to be “self made”

A childhood friend of mine (of 10+ years) and I’ve been talking about this, as we both have parents who were doctors and working professionals: we likely won’t be as wealthy as our own parents, for one reason or another. My friend wants to be a hospital admin, and I want to be an established writer and scientist.

I come from a background of privilege, relative to the rest of the country. At my highschool, the parking lot was lined with BMWs, Mercedes, and Porsche. Students filled the manicured halls in designer clothes. The gym facility with bunch of brand new treading mills and other equipment were way better than Gold’s Gym (it almost looked like Equinox). We had a ton of extracurricular activities and sports, including debate club and engineering club with actual faculty from NASA. The kids also worked hard in school, and their parents provided everything possible and beyond so their progeny can reach even higher echelons of wealth, power, and prestige.

I don’t consider my family “self made”, and I don’t think I would ever consider myself “self made” simply because of the privileges I have had. My grandfather however was a truly “self made” man, as he started from nothing. Our family heard his stories of escaping a communist country and crossing borders where his friend got shot while escaping with him. He supported himself through dental school while taking care of a wife and four children on top of that in a shitty country, and acquired a visa to immigrate to the US because he had useful skills as a dentist. My grandfather used to live off dog food while establishing residency and starting a dentistry as an immigrant with broken English, but he now lives comfortably in some of the best neighborhoods and senior communities (yes, he has multiple places he can go).

Now, my blood family is full of doctors, lawyers, and working professionals – my father, uncles and a couple aunts, and cousins both male and female. They went to Ivy tier schools, straight to private universities from high school, and live in million dollar homes in nice zip codes. If they were away from home, then in 4-5 star hotels, or dormitories in gated communities.

This is the background I come from. However, I am from it but not OF it. I now budget and don’t always eat three square meals a day. I can’t just buy things without looking at the price tag. I walk to work and when I had my used old truck, I fretted about the wheels popping off or the engine dying.

Even back when I was still a kid, I always knew that none of the trappings of wealth were actually “mine”, because the community was not at my side. I was not able to turn to the legal services for help because our parents can easily pay them off. A murder related to gang activity was paid off by the local mafia to protect the neighborhood reputation and estate value. Wealthy parents often put their children, usually daughters, in mental institutions in order to control them (because image matters to many wealthy families). My own immediate family had serious problems. My mother, from what I realize now, often begged my father for money. My parents didn’t allow me to have a job, and refused to let me dress myself (my mother picked my clothes out every morning by hand and set it at my bed as I returned from the bathroom). I didn’t have any of my own money growing up, and saved and hid money from my parents. I remember skipping lunch to save money since I didn’t have a job. There is a reason why I left that community.

When I left my family, I had a couple grands as an emergency fund (stashed in a bank account I opened in secret once I hit 18), but my assets were nowhere near the level that others of my generation from our neighborhood had. I didn’t have higher education, no skills, no professional work experience, no class, no culture. All I had was a decent high school education and the benefits of being immersed in an upper middle class neighborhood environment.

At the moment, my standard of living and finesse doesn’t hold a candle to the people of my background. This may be the opportunity to be “self made” (though not to the same degree as my grandfather of course as I had more advantages than he did) since I don’t have my blood family’s wealth and blessings.

Wearing a mantilla or chapel veil

I just ordered and received my first chapel veil from an etsy seller. I mostly got it so I can fit in with the general populace at the parish I go to.

I am currently in the process of converting to Catholicism and began my journey during tech school when I was virtually hostage for nearly a year. I was fortunate to meet a decent priest for my first meeting with one, and attended mass weekly since. Even when I may not feel like it or need to hurry.

At my new station, the base parish isn’t very good and honestly it felt weak and full of fluff (which is common among Protestant sects in my experience) so I never came back. I looked further out to see if there would be a worship service that wasn’t offensive or embarressing. To my pleasant surprise, there was a monastery in a nearby city that offered Traditional Latin Mass and after my first time going there, I realized that this is how an actual worship of a God should be. The music was beautiful and reverent, and there were families with many little children. I usually don’t see fathers with their families let alone carrying young children around, so I noticed it right away. To my surprise, there was a lot of altar boys, and even little girls wore mantillas.

I asked the Abbe about RCIA at their parish, and he said they offer one-on-one with a priest instead because everyone’s demeanor, learning style, and approach to faith is different, and the priest actually knows his thing and can answer questions that the convert has. Plus, in many people’s experience (and my own as well) the RCIA is usually not that good.

I use public transit for an hour and a half to get to the parish the mass, which then takes about an hour and a half. I am not used to the process but I prefer this to other services.

Sometimes I wonder that if there is a god, then everything happen for a reason – from having to skip town to start in a whole new place where I didn’t know anyone (but met my adopted grandmother who is a Catholic), struggling in the new town, being stuck in tech school and losing my previous job, and then being stationed in a place where I can be cathechized with a priest one-on-one. The journey so far was tough but I don’t know how I would’ve ended up here otherwise.

Going back to green smoothies

A PT test is coming up soon, and it has been a while since I’ve had fresh, decent vegetables. I am not really a salad person, but I knew I needed to get my fresh veggies somehow. So, I got back into green smoothies.

I got my Vitamix 4 years ago, and decided to pull the trigger and buy it when I realized how unsatisfactory the average blender was. I hated the chunky fiber bits of the vegetables, even a little bit. Making green juices seemed like a hassle as well, plus I heard that the fiber in smoothies was better anyway. Once I got my Vitamix, which is still going strong even after regular use, I was astonished at how smooth the texture was. Even kale and carrot were almost creamy.

The ingredients

It’s better to keep the ingredient ratio towards the greens than the fruits at about 2:1, and enough water to give it a smooth texture and to hydrate you. I use low-sugar fruits such as berries, melon, papaya, apple, and stone fruits (peaches, apricot) and then toss a banana at the end to really mask the bitterness of the greens. Carrots also add to the sweetness, but they’re not exactly “fruit”.

Some of my favorite greens include spinach, dinosaur/lacinato kale, sprouts, and herbs such as italian parsley and cilantro. I make sure to rotate them.

It’s also a good idea to add protein sources to your smoothie, such as seeds, nuts, protein powder, or gelatin/collagen. The seeds such as chia helps lower the amount of foam when using a high-speed blender.

Routine

I take green smoothies in the morning, about 2 cups, and it really perks me up. Maybe it’s the sugar or the natural caffeine inside the leaves, but it even keeps me awake if I drink it at night (and I am a coffee drinker). I chop up the vegetables and the fruits at night so I can just blend them in the morning and drink it for the rest of the day.

I’ll post more later about how the green smoothies are going.