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Salad Spinner, Mint vs. Ting, and a symphony question!

Should I get a salad spinner the next time I see one at the thrift store? I’m thinking from how often Kristen mentions using hers, it would be worth it. I don’t like soggy lettuce and it never seems to dry thoroughly when I drain them dry on paper towel.

-Val

As you all know, I am not a big fan of kitchen unitaskers. I like items that can do many jobs! But a salad spinner is one of my few exceptions (that and a waffle maker).

lettuce in salad spinner.

I grew up using a salad spinner, so that’s maybe why my brain thinks it’s an important kitchen tool. In fact, when I left my salad spinner behind at my old house, I ordered one for my rental house.

Salad spinners are really, really good at what they do; you will end up with dry lettuce in just a minute or two, no paper towels required.

Also, since the strainer bowl sits off the floor of the salad spinner, the spinner itself makes a good lettuce storage tool if you have enough room in your fridge. Since there are just two of us here, I usually have enough space to just throw the whole thing in the fridge!

lettuce in a salad spinner.

I have this salad spinner, and since I owned the same model for a very long time at my old house, I can vouch for the longevity. But a thrift store salad spinner (or maybe off of a Buy Nothing group?) would be a cheaper option of course!

If you’re short on space, the one I have does come in a smaller size. But it’s only $5 cheaper (!!), so I’d suggest getting the larger one.

Way back when…You told us about TING. It has been perfect for my family until recently. We have been having problems lately with lack of signal where it used to be strong. Anyway…I was wondering if you are still using TING?? If not, who are you using, if you don’t mind saying. I recently noticed our bills had gone way up and learned that our data usage had really jumped. Maybe it’s time though, to change carriers.

-Alice

Oh my goodness yes! I switched from Ting a while back because their prices for data had gotten too high. I now use Mint Mobile, and I love it.

I pay $15 a month for unlimited texting and calling, plus 5GB of data. And even if I do use up the data, I still have data service, it’s just a little slower.

Mint mobile prices.

And if you want truly unlimited fast data, you can pay $30 a month, which is still a screaming deal compared to regular cell phone carriers.

I can give you a $15 discount through Mint Mobile’s referral program (like getting your first month free!) but they changed it so I can only refer four people per year. Zoe also has four $15 discounts she could share, so once she sends me hers, I can add it to this post.

I’m gonna put my link right here, first come, first served: Mint Mobile $15 discount link.

I have found their service to be very easy to use, and the customer service has been good as well. 10/10!

I went to the SF symphony recently to see Carmina Burana, and it was an amazing experience – the music was familiar and supertitles helped me follow what was going on. I definitely was moved and in tears by the end.
 
But before intermission was a contemporary piece by John Adams that gave me much less to grab onto (okay, I was bored) and I was kind of wondering, since I know you are a symphony goer, HOW you enjoy the symphony? Do your thoughts wander? Do you recognize musical allusions that go over my head? Do contemporary pieces, which often seem dissonant to me, work for you? What do you watch and what do you think about?
 
I hope my question makes some sort of sense, feel free to edit it down if you’d like to answer only a part of it. But I’m very curious how you experience the symphonies you attend!
 
Love the blog,
Monique 
(For those that are new here: I have been going to the symphony at a shocking rate this past year because I discovered I can go for almost nothing with my student discount. I’m being fancy on a budget. 😉 )
 
Kristen in a black dress.

My Target clearance dress has seen a lotta symphonies this year!

Kristen smiling.I love this question!

So, yes, just like you, I find the more familiar the piece, the more fun I have at the symphony. I have gotten to hear well-loved pieces like Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, Holst’s “The Planets” (I wanted them to play Jupiter over and over!), Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and even my very favorite Rachmaninoff piano concerto, which brought tears to my eyes.

(You can listen to it here…and I’ll tell you that as I let it play when I looked it up just, I got goosebumps again!)
 
I’ve also attended a fun concert full of popular movie themes, and one that was all Duke Ellington-themed. And I went to a Christmas pops symphony with Miss Style herself in December. 😉
 
Kristen and Sonia.

(photo shared with her permission!)

All that said, yes, sometimes there’s a piece or two in the lineup that is really not my jam, and like you said, it’s usually the very contemporary ones. I recognize those pieces take skill to write and perform, but they do not land pleasantly in my ears. I just wait for those ones to be over, mostly. 😉

And if I look at a concert program and see that it’s all pieces I know won’t like, I just skip that one.

Kristen in a blue dress.

My summer symphony dress, also from Target. Ha.

What I watch depends on what seats I happen to be able to snag; if I can, I love to pick a seat near the string basses. I also think it’s fascinating to watch the percussionists, and sometimes I think about how much fun it would be to be the one playing the timpani.Sometimes I just close my eyes and let the music wash over me (that’s what I did during Jupiter!). If it’s a piece I really love, I often feel it in my body…like a sensation up my spine or in my chest.

I realized recently that even once I have my RN, I should still be able to ride the student discount train at the symphony because I am going to be starting my BSN program in the fall.

Soooo, more symphonies are in my future. 🙂

Alright, readers! Feel free to share your thoughts on any of these questions.

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Ali

Friday 31st of January 2025

If Mint mobile doesn’t work for you, we have US mobile and have been pleased. You can choose to use Verizon or T mobile towers….verizon coverage for us is far better. I tried it for several months, then plunked down $220 for an annual plan which saved some $. That is unlimited talk and text and 10gb of fast data. After 10gb it slows down. If you don’t need that much data, you can get an even cheaper plan.

Lorin

Friday 31st of January 2025

We used to have season tickets for the SF Symphony Chamber series. While it was always enjoyable to hear a classic I know, I especially loved the contemporary pieces! There was one once that was only percussion and a piano and it was amazing. Just thought it was funny that our tastes are opposite.

Kristen

Friday 31st of January 2025

Well, if we attended the symphony together, we would be happy at exactly opposite times. lol

Julia

Wednesday 29th of January 2025

I'm no longer a student nor a teacher, but I loved the discounts I got in those days. Now I am looking to leverage my senior discount. I'm 62, so I'm not eligible everywhere, but I definitely take advantage whenever possible. Rock on, symphony sister!

Book Club Elaine

Wednesday 29th of January 2025

After years of being ripped off by AT&T, we switched to Cricket. It's not the cheapest, but it's been super reliable and totally effortless for 6 or 7 years now. Regarding classical music, years ago in an effort to expose my\\our teenagers to more musical options, we dragged them to a free event sponsored by a small university in which the soloist sang in one key and the pianist accompanied in an entirely different key. To say it was dissonant is a kindness. It was so sparsely attended, that we had to shake the hands of the musicians to exit. As I shook the hands of the soloist, a huge lie fell out of my mouth, "That was beautiful, thank you." Ever since then, I have vowed to not be such a bold-faced coward when it comes to the truth.

Anne

Wednesday 29th of January 2025

I have the same OXO salad spinner that Kristen does (actually the smaller size), and I got it at a thrift store in like new condition for about $5. I see them there all the time--this particular brand and other brands. I highly recommend checking at your local thrifts for a few weeks and holding out for an OXO, they are far better than others I've had in the past, if you have any decent thrifts in your area. I think it is indispensable if you like eating salads.

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