Looking back at some of the things that captured my attention in February from gas prices, private chefs to manly IG videos. Find all eleven things below.
OUTSOURCE TASKS FOR PEOPLE AND BUSINESS
Airtasker is a fairly new online job board that I decided to give it a go. It was easy to create an account. Posting my first task was a bit disappointing, because the ones who made an offer did not live nearby. Providing a lot of detail is something I highly recommend in your post description as well as photos is helpful. I can see this has potential to be used for home tasks to professional freelance. There is a variety of categories from being a person to pick up groceries to be a remote executive assistant. Once the offer is accepted money that the poster budgeted will be transferred through the Airtasker website until the task is completed. You can leave reviews and read reviews from those who post an offer. People who make offers you can see their badges, experience, skills and even past posts they may have completed. Sometimes that will help you decide if they are a good fit.
GAS PRICES ARE $3.37!!!
Texas gas prices have skyrocketed 45% in the past year to over 99 cents more per gallon on average across the state. It was $2.32 in February 2021 and here we are at $3.37!!! This is beyond insane and how people are able to afford these changes will ultimately effect all of us. Regardless, if the crude oil prices are stable, gasoline prices fluctuate because of seasonal changes in demand and in gasoline specifications. How can this be regulated? I have made a number of calls to state officials and no one seemed to know the answer of who regulates consumer fuel prices in Texas? It started with the Railroad Commission then it used to be the Texas Agricultural Commission. However, in the 86th Legislation a new law passed that went into effect in September 2019 to be transferred to the Texas Department of License Regulation (TDLR).
Taxes add to the price of gasoline
Federal, state, and local government taxes also contribute to the retail price of gasoline. The federal tax on motor gasoline is 18.40 cents per gallon, which includes an excise tax of 18.30 cents per gallon and the federal Leaking Underground Storage Tank fee of 0.1 cents per gallon. As of January 1, 2021, total state taxes and fees on gasoline averaged 30.06 cents per gallon. Sales taxes along with taxes applied by local and municipal governments can have a significant impact on the price of gasoline in some locations.
Some retail outlets are owned and operated by refiners, while others are independent businesses that purchase gasoline from refiners and marketers for resale to the public. The price at the pump also reflects local market conditions and factors, such as the fueling location and the marketing strategy of the owner.
What can we do to stop it? To file a complaint about fuel quantity or fuel pump measurement, advertised price, or device registration, please file a complaint to TDLR, complain to the Texas Attorney General’s office and talk to your state legislators. This weekend I am presenting a resolution to regulate consumer fuel prices at my precinct convention. Hopefully, others will be in support of this and be enacted in the 88th Legislature to define excessive consumer fuel prices more than 10% above the price charged in connection of the sale or lease of fuel immediately prior to or during the proclamation of emergency. Just so that it has been said I would be in favor of a consumption tax for what we actually use. However, this is a mineral that has been exploited and it certainly effects so much of all of our lives from shipping to the price of doing business. We need to draw the line.
BACKYARD BIRDWATCHING
GARLAND, TEXAS. Years ago, I befriended David Cutts on Facebook and have enjoyed his wildlife posts that includes his nature photography. What I found interesting from his beautiful posts are the write-ups about the subject. I’m living vicariously through his lenses like one of those bird watching enthusiasts that would trek the globe. The above photo was taken right in his own backyard!!! A blue jay would fly to my property every blue moon or so, but I sure wouldn’t mind other birds visiting too regularly. Recently, I noticed that David shared, “The Beginners Guide to Backyard Birding: Learn the secret to having more birds in your backyard?”
His backyard birding blog can inspire anyone to transform theirs into a haven for local and migratory birds. He also enjoys helping other people learn to attract a wide variety of wildlife to their yards or land too!
READ THIS CHILDREN’S BOOK
Out of all of the books on our bookshelf, Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss is probably the most read lately before bed. It’s a combination of the rhymes and graphics that our children finding entertaining I suppose.
MY FAVORITE PIE CRUST RECIPE
As you know I’m still doing OMAD and I certainly am trying to improve my baking skills. I’m especially proud of the crust, because it was done 98% freehand. I used a plastic square kid plate to mark a target where to place the hole and some other decorative slits. If you are following me on my IG you would know that I have made peach, cherry and apple pie. Oh and mini fried cherry pies! But this is the first dessert I’m adding to my recipes on my website.
For the buttery flaky crust I am still using my favorite Perfect Pie Crust by Martha Stewart. The secret is the cold unsalted butter. Start this first and let it refrigerate for 60 minutes.
FACEBOOK INVITES
I don’t know if it is a FB algorithm or what but I happen to scroll down and noticed that I have 261 invites?!?! And I started thinking about what comes through my facebook newsfeed and I decided to check on the pages that I already have liked…which is a bunch already. I did notice that there was quite a number of pages that are no longer sharing posts since 2020 or early 2021. So I went ahead and unliked the page. I suppose it’s a way of spring cleaning. And hopefully other pages will start coming through my newsfeed.
COMMAND HOOK
My kids would drop towels on the floor every single time they would wash their hands. Until we installed the Command Hook. Finally the new towel style that has a loop are coming in handy and my kids are using the hooked towel. The cost is approximately $8.00 and the price varies. While I was at the At Home store I did have a bit of a struggle on going with this style or a much larger one that was fancier. After noticing the distance between the glass door when it opens I certainly made the best choice. The fancier hook would have been an accident waiting to happen.
WATCH
Ophelia. I’m not a big fan of William Shakespeare tragedies. I suppose it was the substance of his writing and there are the plays or adaptive screenplays that didn’t do much for me. However, I decided to watch this retelling from Ophelia’s point of view and I was immersed with the strong performances by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker), Naomi Watts, Clive Owen and Tom Felton (The blonde bully from Harry Potter). This is a different ending from the original Hamlet. As if one were to have a second chance to do things differently this is how they would do it. Upon reviewing the story of whom this lady in waiting was. I happen to read that Shakespeare may have been inspired by the drowning of a Jane Shaxspere in 1569. A four year research project by an Oxford historian, Dr. Steven Gunn found the record while searching through 16th century coroners reports. Just thought you might find that interesting!
Invention of Anna. A flabbergasted story that involves a concierge, credit card fraud, yachts, private jets and fooling quite a number of people with being a German Heiress. Ultimately, Anna Sorokin desired to be an influencer living the life to launch a business that could be her own claim to fame in making it in the concrete jungle of NYC. It’s certainly a story that I didn’t expect to watch all the way through. But I binged this one! Anna was played by actress Julia Garner, the journalist was played by Anna Chlumsky (My Girl, Veep). Afterwards, I read the original writing by Jessica Pressler which is now the basis of the Netflix limited series produced by Shonda Rhimes. In May 2018, New York Magazine published “Maybe She Had So Much Money She Just Lost Track of It,” which chronicles the unusual rise of Anna “Delvey” Sorokin. If you’re interested in reading similar stories, sign up for Reread: New York Hustlers, an upcoming newsletter miniseries that will resurface classic tales of scammers, grifters, and strivers from the New York archives.
The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. Kristen Bell plays a lonely woman who thinks she witnessed a murder. I had so many questions and side thoughts of who was it or did it and that woman is crazy! It was well worth watching and I’m ready for Season 2 on Netflix.
NABORLY PROVISIONS
I had the pleasure of attending a political event in Rockwall County Precinct 3D at the McLendon-Chisholm City Hall where I was introduced to this one-of-a-kind catering by Naborly Provisions. I expected water and maybe some Walmart cookies. This was like a top notch high tea deliciousness! The tasty high quality creative Primary Texas shaped cookies were catered by Laura. The sandwiches were flavorful which included avocado, cheeses and chicken. Sliced beef tenderloin and another had black forest ham. The Naborly founder Krista Nabors Dick has a gift in styling boutique menus. I was reviewing a number of her catered events that she offers Napa Valley Lobster Boil Catering, grazing displays, taco bars, classy hors d’oeuvres and desserts.
You Are Not A Dish. You Are A Man
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On Instagram I saw this advertisement by Dr. Squatch and I wanted to share that I’m interested in buying this soap just to see how it feels on my husband’s skin. I do wonder what the smells would be like? What are your thoughts on this soap? Does this commercial cause a reaction to take action to purchase?
