The Eco Dad

Being Canadian, I'm bound to make hockey references. This blog will contain one of those references. Here it is: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky. What the heck am I talking about? If you want something, sometimes you just have to ask. I remember overhearing my friend say she wanted a particular mug that isn't available in stores any more and seems to be quite rare. I spent a couple months watching various sites hoping something would pop up. No such luck. As her birthday started to approach, I did't think I'd be able to find one of these mugs. I could have just let this gift idea go, but then what would I get her? If no one was listing one for sale, I'd have to find someone with this mug and see if they'd be willing to part with it. I found someone on a Facebook group who posted a picture of the mug approximately a year ago. Maybe this person wasn't as keen on it anymore, with a year gone by. Maybe they didn...

As the disposable razor supply in my house reaches what I'd consider a critical low point, I have, with great patience, found a honing stone. It's a tad dirty and needs a good lapping (flattening), but I have a means to sharpen my old straight razor. Victory! I was starting to give up and even saved a website on my browser for buying new stones and a lapping apparatus. Guess I won't be needing that! I've also found a guy who hones straight razors that works where some friends of mine live, so even without the stone, I'd have a way to sharpen my razor. Ta-da, an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable razors that also supports small business. Not bad. This is going to take some work ... thankfully there's YouTube! I also found a seamstress willing and able to fix my favorite shorts. Cost? $12 ... there was more than one hole that needed sewing. 😬 No matter. You'd be hard pressed to find a pair of shorts you'd consider your favorite f...

Well, I've been hit with a few clothing emergencies. Okay, so they aren't emergencies, but as life happens I'll need a couple things. I dodged a bullet with buying a suit because my son's daycare graduation was moved to a new date that clashed with a business outing. Given the choice I chose family. I always will. Yes, I know it's daycare and it's not a recognized diploma, but my son worked very hard on his Going to Kindergarten song and at four years old he knows if dad is, or isn't, there. Back to the suit though, this will likely require a consignment store. I don't see too many suits in a style I like on the thrift store racks. Consignment means paying more, but not everything second hand is going to be cheap or found in a store that relies solely on donations. It's sort of a negative connotation about second hand - that's it's cheap, beat up, useless stuff. Yes, you have to sift through the rough (and there's lots of rough), but you...

You know that whole " do one thing every day that scares you? " Yeah, not so sure that's the best advice. I'm sure it's got limitations and such. For instance, I took the plunge and registered for a Try-A-Tri ... an introduction, of sorts, to triathlons. Why is that a scary idea? Simply put: I suck at swimming. Seriously, I'm terrible at it. I can tread water for like 30 seconds before I need friggin' water wings. What's worse is I have less than 2 months to get some beginner level of proficiency under my belt. Pray for my swimming abilities. Know what else I suck at? Cycling. Didn't think that was possible? It is. Borrowed the wife's bike the other night and sweet Jesus those gears just slip in and out, to and fro. One second I'm struggling to push forward, the next second it's like peddling does nothing. I get it's different gears and such, but after close to 7kms I had zero figured out. At the half way point I just put it at th...

I've been slowly getting back into running, and I haven't decided whether I like it or not.  It's a weird sorta love/hate relationship. It impedes my ability to gain weight and ruins a weight lifting day, but I know it's good for my heart health, not to mention the runs I've been doing have been geared towards good causes. For instance, my upcoming 10k run is for Heart & Stroke. My grandmother suffered from a stroke that crippled her mobility, ended her independence and left her in a home. I'm glad to run and raise funds for research geared towards heart disease and stroke. That being said, you can donate to my run  here . SHAMELESS, I know! Besides spreading good in the world, all this running is taking a toll on my one pair of running shoes. Solution: buy shoes! Of course, I couldn't just walk into the nearest Nike/Reebok/Running Room/(insert good place to buy running shoes here) and pick something off the rack. Nope, this dad has been looking for ...

Over the past two days, little by little, I have endeavoured to make my best friend a trophy. Why? Because she deserves it. She has served her country for twenty years and I am fortunate to have been her partner (officially and unofficially, on and off) for almost the last four of them. I could go on and on about how awesome she is, but that's not the purpose of this blog. The trophy I made - that's why I'm writing today. So yeah, she's served her country for twenty years as an officer and there will be no pin, no plaque, no handshake, nothing. In fact she had to plan her own celebratory lunch. While I'm up for that, I wanted her to have something other than a full belly. My immediate thought was a gag gift - a used softball trophy from Value Village, likely a 1997 Pee Wee 'AA' Championship. It wasn't that I was looking for a softball trophy, I just figure that's the sorta trophy that gets thrown out. Having it used also keeps in step with my year ...

It's been busy around the Eco Dad house these days. The wife is off on a business trip. The inlaws are visiting from up north to continue the battle with cancer (I really hate cancer). I'm caught in the middle of all of it trying to make shit work. So far, so good. The kids have been fed, dressed and sent to school without issue. I've also managed to pick them up at the usual time, complete with little dad surprises. The first day they got dried mango slices (not a hit with either of them). The second day they got chocolate milk (always a hit with both of them). Not sure what to do today, but I'm sure they'll be expecting something. Not sure if that's a good thing, but I like the idea of them remembering when dad picked them up and how it was a bit of a treat. Speaking of treats, I received something new the other day! I'm okay with it because I believe it falls under the hygiene column. It's a hat. I equate it to a base layer of clothing. I mean it...

In the absence of purchasing anything new, I've found that thrift shopping or scouring used online ads has become a bit of a pastime, almost an addiction. There is something to be said about finding a great deal, but trying to keep in step with decluttering is becoming a bit of a battle. I've done well enough in terms of donating old clothes when I buy something 'new,' but I'm running out of clothes I'm willing to part with and I really enjoy finding something awesome at a second hand store. Just yesterday I found two used shirts I really liked, so I caved and purchased them. Coincidentally, it is Hockey Night in Canada! What else have I been scouring for? Well, I'd like a second iPad Mini 2 in order to minimize the fighting between my boys over the one iPad Mini 2 I have.  My Nexus 7, the one that allowed me to part ways with my Kobo in a previous post, is on it's last legs, so I started looking for a used Android tablet for me. Shoes. I ...

Temptation lurks all around us. We're inundated with the latest and greatest something or other. I got a phone for Christmas, liked the company's Instagram page and started following them. Problem with that is, aside from the cool pictures showcased by OnePlus owners, I've just recently been shown a really cool version of the phone I already have. The difference? It's limited edition black. Mine is charcoal. Now, I'm pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things, so I've never lined up for an iPhone when the latest one came out, but others do. I can almost guarantee that someone has gotten rid of their perfectly good charcoal OnePlus 3T in order to get the OnePlus 3T in Midnight Black. Just this week I've seen the same thing with the latest iPhone 7. Now there's a 'RED' version allegedly supporting a cause. Not satisfied with your black or silver Google Pixel? How about a 'Really Blue' Pixel? Companies don't even have to innovate anymore...

Kids grow up so fast - way too fast as it turns out. They outgrow their friggin' clothes and it's hard to keep up. If they aren't out growing the clothes, they are simply shredding them at the knees, elbows, collars, everywhere. The good thing is, in addition to my go to thrift store, there are kids only thrift stores called Once Upon a Child ! We managed a pretty sweet haul of clothes for the oldest boy. Unfortunately for the youngest, he will likely get second generation hand-me-downs that don't have holes in them. No one said life was fair. Green Lantern Meets Captain Thrift? My oldest son was pretty stoked about his new gear, as seen in the flexing pose above. You can't go wrong with a MEXX sweater for about $5.  We grabbed two other sweaters, three jeans and a pair of shorts. The Green Lantern glasses, pictured above, were already his from a Happy Meal.  Clothes aren't the most exciting thing for kids, but it seemed to make my little guy smile....

As I enter my third month of not buying anything new, I am amazed at some of the stuff people part with. I guess I shouldn't be, given what I parted with, in terms of clothes and items. Everything I donated, or sold as the case may be, was in perfect working/wearable condition. I don't know though, it still kinda floors me. I guess one man's junk really is another man's treasure. Regardless, I took my oldest son on a donation run to lessen the load of toys in our house. I managed an entire garbage bag, but still I barely see a difference. Even now, as I type this, my eyes wander over to a corner with 'stuffy' toys that neither of them has even looked at in over a year. Why is it still there? So. Much. Stuff. I guess it'd take a long time to empty the ocean one bucket at a time, and that's exactly how this feels. Oh well, I did get one bucket (or bag) out of the house. I should take some consolation in that. Wow, clutter really distracts me! Anyways, in...

Well, I've been on a bit of a writing hiatus, but it's been pretty productive. I've actually managed to donate some kids toys, though not nearly enough of 'em. My oldest son even got in the spirit of not buying things by wearing his Mountie costume for the fourth time.  That's two trick-or-treating expeditions, one school dress up and a school Mardi Gras parade. And this isn't the last time the costume will be used either. Nope, my youngest will likely wear it a couple more times too. What does this all have to do with my blog of not buying new? Aside from the obvious 'reuse' from the three R's, it reinforces the notion of quality over quantity. Had we bought a dumpy, cheapy costume it likely would not have survived the first Halloween, let alone the subsequent uses. This goes for a lot of life's purchases. You often times get what you pay for. Cheap sunglasses break or scratch easily. Cheap clothes tear or wear sooner than higher quality clothes...

I got a new shirt today, but I didn't pay for it, so I'm not counting it as 'purchased.' The streak continues at 47 days ... or so ... I'm terrible at math when it comes to the days in the months. Either way, I don't think free stuff should count towards getting new stuff, although it goes against the accumulation of stuff. Shit! How do I rectify this? I guess I could do one of a few things. First option: I could donate an old shirt to keep the new shirt. Option two: I could donate the new shirt. Option three: I could keep all the shirts as a reward for all the purging I've already done. Free shirt and creatine when you buy giant bags of protein powder. 😕 So, it's not like I got my free shirt for nothing. I only had to buy close to a metric ton of powder, although, in my defense, it wasn't my intention to get a free shirt. I just wanted a good deal on, well, close to a metric ton of powder, which I will use. Damn it! Ultimately, there are ...

I found myself with a few minutes to spare today so I decided to try and go thrift shopping at the nearby Salvation Army. I'm particularly fussy with what I wear. I like slim fit shirts and boot-cut jeans. I've had zero luck at the last two thrift shops I checked out, but this challenge wouldn't be a challenge if it was easy, right? If everyone could do it, they would. Wait, that's not true. Everyone can do it. We just choose not to. We opt for the most recent trend/style/whatever and buy seasonally or annually or whatever it is, but it's unnecessary. We prefer convenience over the hunt for a good bargain at a thrift store. Maybe there's a stigma, albeit much undeserved. Luckily I'm quite fine with the timeless look of jeans and a t-shirt and I'll buy used 'cause I just don't care. Honestly, the pictures you see of me today versus five to six years ago are almost identical. I'd wager my look ten years ago would be identical. I even wear many ...

With my last entry I gave a little spiel about giving back. I chose to support a friend of mine in her efforts to raise funds for the World Wildlife Foundation. Good friend. Good cause. Money well spent. I've donated a good amount of my clothes, my wife's clothes and, tomorrow, I'm donating my kids' old sleep sacks to a friend with a baby. These are actions I can feel good about. But rather than wait for the Karma express to come rolling my way, I'm being proactive and doing good by me as well. If I don't invest in me, who will?  I think I already made mention that I joined a gym that carries a minimal cost of $4.99/bi-weekly.  Not bad. I made the decision to join that gym rather than source out used gym equipment for a home gym, because a home gym is generally never used. I'd end up with an oversized, overpriced set of clothes racks. How do I know? I had a treadmill, but sold it for roughly $100 before I started this journey. I had adjustable barbells, a...

With all the cost cutting and selling stuff around the house, I've mentioned before about supporting a friend who has undertaken a charitable endeavour. The cause I've chosen to support is the World Wildlife Foundation, and the friend I'm supporting is Lindsay. She climbs the CN Tower every year to support this worthwhile initiative. And really, why wouldn't I support her? I like animals. I like Lindsay. It seems a no brainer. That said, I'm going to post the link to her fundraising efforts right here ,  Who knows, maybe I can push a couple extra bucks in her (WWF's) direction. I feel this shark would totally high five me for donating to Lindsay and the WWF! I once read that no one has ever gone poor by giving to charity. I believe it. Now, I'm not saying to throw all your money at a charitable cause, but try giving a bit if you haven't already. You'll feel better for it. If you do give, you know it's true. Know who else feels good? The fr...

I've sorta fallen off the blogging wagon, but I've had a pretty sweet weekend in terms of family, decluttering and continuing the 'not buying anything new' streak. The problem with the blogging wagon is that Blogger won't let me post pictures from my phone and if I try it just fails to post. I couldn't use my Chromebook either because, well, I left it at home while the family and I spent the weekend at the mountains. Decluttering, however, was pretty profitable. I just sold my old snowboard for $100 and used a gift card for booze. Scratch that, I used two gift cards for booze.  Now, I hadn't planned on buying any liquor until I drank what I have (and I have a small collection), but most of it wasn't even for me. I grabbed myself a couple ciders and a seasonal beer. Not exactly partying it up, but I suppose parenthood puts a bit of a damper on drinking like a freshman at a frat house. I'm surprised sometimes how many gift cards people carry a...

Not only have I refrained from purchasing stuff since I gave up stuff, I also sold my old Kobo eReader. That's $50 in my pocket and one more electronic device out of the house. I can comfortably sell my Kobo because all my Android devices (all two of them) have the Kobo app on them. I don't need a dedicated device when I have a Nexus 7" tablet (albeit, old and on it's last legs) that does the same thing, minus the amazing battery life. Looking around the house it's easy to start identifying duplicates. That little point and click camera? Easily replaced by my phone. My four spatulas? Who needs four spatulas? No really, I have four and each one seems to be specialized. I have one for eggs in the little pan, one for pancakes on the griddle ... I wish I was kidding. Sad as my spatula situation is, the point is that duplication exists and only adds to clutter. Perhaps it'd make a good starting point for someone who wants to start minimizing. I imagine it'd b...

I said I wasn't going to do second hand food, but I suppose if it's my second hand food, that's okay. Just before I started to try batch cooking / meal prepping I had some amazing (and healthy) taco bowls. The benefit of making taco bowls is the inevitable taco meat leftovers. Seriously, that shit is amazing! I thought I had a problem when I ran out of wraps and was low on toppings, but you know what doesn't require wraps and toppings? Scrambled eggs infused with leftover taco meat. Sweet Jesus they were delicious. I think I even threw in the last of the sliced jalapenos, you know the ones, the butts no one wants to eat. Diced those bad boys up and tossed them in too. Know what else I saw in the fridge? Half a sausage that no one was going to eat. Guess what happened to that? Diced, pan friend and added to my eggs-trodinary creation. What? You thought there'd be no lame ass dad puns? I'm a dad ... of two ... I'm surprised it's taken this long. I as...

I've been playing hockey as a goalie for, good Christ, going on 24 years. Man, that makes me feel old. Playing goalie has likely aged me prematurely, too. My knees. My back. I feel like I'm thirty-something going on eighty. Despite my love of the position, something I've always wanted to try was playing out of the net. The problem is I don't have any player equipment. I have my lacrosse helmet and gloves which can pull double duty, but I lack everything else. So, how am I to realize my dream at the weekly beer league shitshow? Borrow. Luckily I live in Canada. My brother-in-law had equipment to lend me for this week's game. Two of my co-workers are pitching in some used, beater equipment for me to continue pursuing my awesomeness in the weeks to come. I can finally play outside the crease and I don't have to buy a single piece of equipment. I also get an absolutely killer cardio workout at least once a week. Not sure how I feel about that with the whole feeling...