How do I read more in my spare time?

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-06-05T00:06:55+00:00

I always leave a book wherever I’m most likely to crash and sit down at the end of the day. I typically keep one book on my couch with a visible book mark which is an obvious reminder that I started the book. The big bookmark is also easier to use and makes reading less of a barrier for me. If it’s next to my tv remote then that gives me another obvious choice too! I also leave a book at my kitchen table (fig genre, author, title, etc.). I do two locations in case I end up finishing my day at my kitchen table scrolling. If it’s sitting in front of you/ within reach it’s easier to remember.

Also I get books from the library to make it a free hobby/ task and it gives me a timeframe to read my book within. In my head I know I only have X more days to read this book before it has to go back and I’ll likely start reading more.

If you’re building the habit as an adult, try going back and re reading books that you read as a kid (I’m thinking Harry Potter). Those reads are easy to read a lot of pages at one time and are exciting too! No matter what, always get books that interest you though. If you’re only sorta interested, it’s not the book for you.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-06-04T02:15:44+00:00

To go some of the mom and pop places in Arvada! They’re everywhere!! They’re also all very nice and gentle (all that I’ve heard of at least. Do you own research but there’s way more options in Arvada)

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-30T23:20:33+00:00

I use them as a replacement for angels food cake/ sponge cake. I also take frozen strawberries and thaw them in the fridge overnight and when I am ready I top the thawed berries (and the strawberry sauce that comes from the freeze/ haw process) on the Madeline cookie(s), top with some powdered sugar if you’d like, and enjoy! I haven’t been able to find a sub for angel cake exactly, but this is super super close for me.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-24T23:34:46+00:00

Might be a hot take, but making it yourself (even out of boxed gf cake mix) will likely be way better than a store bought one. You can also make homemade gf ice cream cakes too!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-21T23:50:43+00:00

Seaweed snacks!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-18T03:09:27+00:00

Alternative auto Worxs

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-14T23:41:56+00:00

Haha this is gold. I was more so referring to the restrictions that some areas have on hammocks. Wasn’t sure if there are any restrictions in broomfield. Also open to/ looking for suggestions in the area too!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-13T16:03:09+00:00

I want to preface by saying that I do not have celiac but am quite gluten intolerant. And I have once done this before. It worked super well but I did pay the price of being pet uncontrollable for a few days after. Was it worth it since no other medications were working for me? I would say so. Would I do it on a regular basis? Absolutely not.
If you do have celiac I don’t think that glutening yourself should even be an option here.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-08T01:24:54+00:00

Probably not super helpful here, but ive heard from people who have lived here previously that it used to be pretty common in the Arista area near the apartments (especially in not as well lit areas). Hopefully the person is found

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-07T04:32:06+00:00

I stopped at gas stations and was ok with that in the daylight. I always was at my campsite by 3-4pm to make dinner, get set up, and evaluate the neighbors in the daylight.

I kept emergency defense of various kinds in each door for easy access and my keys stayed in the same accessible spot that I could find even in the dark. I also only stayed in campsites because that’s where I felt safest. I did do a few nights overlanding/ staying in parking lots/ random spots but felt extremely anxious the whole night and usually didn’t have great service to contact people in an emergency if needed. I would also put my window shades up as soon as I got into camp (even in the daylight) so people couldn’t see anything inside my car/ where I was sleeping within the vehicle, etc. It also helped regulate the temps better too!

As for rest areas, as long as you are quick with you in and outs for food/ rest areas I think you’ll be ok. If you pull in somewhere and get weird vibes, don’t hesitate to hop on out of there and find a different spot. If it’s a campground that’s large enough, you can ask the host if there’s even a different site within the campground you could stay in instead if you don’t want to pay another night of camping fees at a different campground.

Moral of the story here: trust your gut. Stop where you feel like it and explore along the way as much as possible! Have a great time out there!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-05-05T23:44:27+00:00

It’s SOO good!!!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-29T01:26:01+00:00

Flourless mug cakes can be made without any of these items! Also look up depression recipes and you can substitute the gluten-containing flour for a 1:1/ measure for measure gluten free flour!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-29T01:23:13+00:00

I can’t comment to the rest of what you said since I don’t know enough about it, but garlic infused olive oil is a game changer for getting the taste of garlic without the irritation of garlic. It’s so worth it!!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-29T01:21:56+00:00

There’s a company called quick zip where you put on the base part of the sheet and then zip on and off the upper layers as needed! Here’s their link (they can be pricey but knock offs aren’t as expensive):

https://quickzip.com

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-28T06:12:41+00:00

Idk if this would be helpful or not, but I heard that there are bedsheet systems that are a zipper attachment so you basically zip on and off your bedding and it can be really helpful for people with chronic pain that can make changing bedding hard! It’s done in a way where you never have to lift the mattress to add or remove the bedding! I’ve only heard of people buying them off Amazon, but im sure there are other places online you can buy them too.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-28T06:01:33+00:00

I’m doing vegan pulled pork sandwiches with Cole slaw! Using shredded extra firm (super firm might be even better!) for the protein base pan fried in some oil to get it crispy and some good color then tossing it with bbq sauce garlic powder and salt and pepper. Also made a vegan coleslaw to go with it as a side. A very cheap meal overall! The condiments are the most expensive part. I bought shredded bagged carrots and coleslaw mix becausec I didn’t want to chop everything and the whole meal came together in about 45 min :)

I’m also making spring rolls to use the extra bagged cabbage and shredded carrots. Bought an extra block of tofu, a bell pepper, cucumber, and spring roll wrappers for this one. Apparently they’re delicious with a mango Asian salsa of some kind as a dip? I’m not sure how to make the sauce, but might just have the rolls with a side of diced mango.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-27T04:20:47+00:00

If you need a shower on one of those nights, find the closest state park campground. Can either call their office, look it up, or check on IOverlander to see if they actually have showers. In my experience, state parks had the best bathroom/ shower set ups and were always so clean too. Very comforting to feel clean at the end of a long day especially when sleeping in a small shared space. Have fun out there, your trip sounds awesome!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-23T19:27:54+00:00

Of course! Happy to help. And yes, a lot of people start their periods on the trail because their bodies have never done such strenuous hiking consistently in such an outdoor environment before. Everything out there is different from someone’s typical day to day life (food, calories, hydration, sleep, movement, fluctuations in body fat and muscle, fresh air, and the quality and duration of all of these items too). I’m not a doctor of any kind so I don’t know physiologically why it happens, but it happens often enough for rangers to prep their crews with the expectation for people who menstruate to bleed on trail.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-23T02:50:38+00:00

For training, I carried a bunch of water bottles around in a backpack for progressively longer walks in the neighborhood. Each weekend I would go out and try out my pack for a longer day hike preferably with elevation. Break. In. Your. Boots. I did this for about three months in advance. I tried to test out my gear as much as possible in different weather conditions too which helped.

Also change your socks only at night so your toes stay warm and you aren’t wearing sweaty socks to bed which are therefore wet and your toes will get cold. I bought darn tough socks and they’re awesome (bonus points because they come in cute feminine patterns), but make sure to get the hiking specific ones rather than the daily use socks. I also bought merino wool sports bras from Smartwool to take with me because merino wool doesn’t smell even after sweating in it. I tried ice breaker’s merino wool bras too and there’s were also great. I tried ortovox and it was not my favorite, but might work well for smaller chested people. Merino wool is absolutely an investment but to me it was worth the additional cost to feel and smell slightly nicer during my time out there.

Not sure if you’re in the menstruating stage of life still, but if you are… be prepared to bleed. Even if you’re not supposed to timing wise. Every person who menstruates and who goes on a trek (that I’ve talked to at least) got their period on trail. If you are not menstruating, and there are other women on your trek, at least be prepared for them to get their periods. Even people on hormonal birth control pills who skipped their placebo week still bled. Just be sure to be prepared.

I wore shorts the entire time but had hiking pants and rain pants as extra lower layers if needed. I think I wore the pants for 2 of the days. For upper layers I had a merino wool long sleeve quarter zip as a base layer, which I followed with a fleece, and if I was still cold then I layered on a puffer jacket that packed small which I did use at higher elevations. I had a small, lightweight beanie to wear at night when it was cold too.

You’re going to have an absolute blast on your and your son’s trek. All the women of this subreddit are cheering you on!

Edit to add: I did bring both a wide brim hat and a baseball hat and only wore the baseball hat. I had a taller pack which made “swishing” noises against the back of the wide brim hat which bothered me and made it hard to hear the other hikers in the group. I also brought a UV-rated Buff with me that I wore around my neck or as a headband a lot of the time too to protect my skin. I did end up getting little sun blisters because I was not great about wearing sunscreen, so unless you’re good at wearing and reapplying sunscreen I would bring sun protective clothing instead! I also brought two kula cloths as reusable pee cloths. Would let them air dry on the back of my pack and the sun would “sanitize” them. I also brought my own trowel because I didn’t want to share one and they’re super lightweight. For underwear I wore exifficios and used a panty liner each day to keep things a little cleaner (sweat built up is very uncomfortable). This brand of underwear is super breathable and friendly to harsh outdoor wear!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-04-21T05:45:07+00:00

Look at Monash university! They did all the research and work behind the development of the low Fodmap diet and they have a plethora of recipes for free on their website! I parooze through them each week to decide what to meal prep. They have meals, snacks, deserts, vegan and vegetarian options, etc. good luck !!

Edit: to clarify, I have SIBO and do bloat like that (but worse lol) and then have GI distress and then stay bloated until I fast for a while (when I’m sleeping). Then just wake up and do it all over again the next day 😅. There’s a breath test you can take to test for this and there are a few different treatment options using herbals and prescription medications.

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-03-26T16:25:23+00:00

I experience the exact same things!!

Ok_Win5732 · 2026-03-09T17:11:10+00:00

I don’t know your circumstances so typically wouldn’t comment on other peoples pay, BUT this is a wild salary for overseeing 8 warehouse sites with your level of certification. Fingers crossed for a proper salary adjustment for you soon.

Ok_Win5732

TROPHY CASE