Goodbye Nalgenes

Since Thermo Fisher announced that their popular Nalgene Outdoor bottle contains BPA, I have felt a deep sense of loss. I have been a long time user of Nalgenes--I currently own 10. Those Nalgenes and I have been through a lot together: up to the Living Room, Big Cottonwood, Grand Canyon. I use them at work. They're more than just a means to carry liquid--they are friends, companions. We hike together, road trip together, share our experiences together. They have provided me life-giving waters. They have given me Gatorade. I've even used them to make chocolate pudding out on the trail. They're not just bottles--they are a part of me.

I'm less worried about the biological effects of the BPA I have consumed than the lifestyle change of using another bottle. It's like breaking up--you've been together so long, you don't know if you could ever be with someone else. And what do you do with all the pictures, the mementos? Just toss them? I'm not quite ready to do that. I'll just have to ease into a new path of life, a new social circle, a new outdoor bottle. Goodbye Nalgenes, I'll never forget our times together, and what you gave me!

New Sheets

I wore out my second pair of sheets last week. Have you ever done that? I woke up and there was a big tear down the middle. I didn't know sheets could wear out like that. I thought, "Maybe I can just sew it up." The surrounding area was too worn out for that--anywhere I would pull to test the strength "rippp!" another tear.

I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to look for a new set. Sheets are expensive! Eighty and 90 dollars a set! I found a set that was on sale for $62.99, still a lot money. "I wonder if I have any of those Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons that come in the mail," I thought. Do you get those? I checked the junk mail pile at home--nothing. I asked my parents. They had one but it had expired. Not to worry, two days later another one showed up.

So tonight I went to the store, armed with my 20% off coupon. I figured that with 20% off I could weigh the options and get something that I really liked. So I started pulling sets off the shelf to compare. My main criteria was color. I was leaning toward the greenish ones. I walked up and down the aisles looking for reasonably priced green ones (that is, less than $80 retail). And then I found the clearance section. Apparently, the Bed, Bath and Beyond brand is only $29.99 for a king set. But, they were on clearance for $19.97. Subtract 20%, and you get $15.98. $15.98! But they weren't my first choice of color. They were also on 250 thread count instead of 300. The 300 thread count was $64.99. I kept looking at the two: "this one is the color I like. . . but this one is only $15. But I like the color better on this one. . . but this one is only $15. Sixty-five dollars. . . or fifteen dollars." I deliberated for the better part of 40 minutes.

I bought the $15 set. I'm so proud of myself. They aren't wrinkle-free like the other ones, but they were only $15. I ironed the pillowcases so now there's only a hint of wrinkles on those, and I think after a few nights, I'll totally forget the other color. Good job, Spence. Way to live cheap.