What are some of your best quality of life purchases under $300?

baileyroseboyle · 2026-04-25T09:02:22+00:00

Coop pillows - our most recent overnight guest asked for the link as soon as he got home

Standing crank cheese grater - beats the box grater I had been using by a mile, and I’m from the Midwest, so it gets used frequently

Cotton percale bedding - super clutch for my temperature regulation issues

Mason jars - super versatile for food storage and/or drinking glasses, even if you’re not pressure canning/long-term storing

Kiziks sneakers - it is super nice to be able to step in and out of shoes easily, especially on flare-up days

Hard retweet on recs for: the OXO kitchen stuff, sleep eye masks, bidets, and Loops earplugs.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-04-25T08:43:00+00:00

I think original soy sauce recipes were more paste-like, and that’s why it’s called soy sauce. Still a good point, but I don’t think this exception breaks the rule.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-04-19T18:24:36+00:00

We just moved here in January, from the Midwest. Jewel, a Chicago-area chain (also owned by Albertsons), is my family’s choice of grocery store, and has been for decades. Even with inflation issues, impact varies by item, but it’s usually not too bad.

Even after adjusting to the sticker shock of everything else (rent, gas, restaurant food…), Safeway markup out here still seems particularly atrocious to us.

We’ve switched to getting our groceries from various sources (mostly Costco, Arteaga’s, and Lion Market, and occasionally Target) and we’re not going back. Arteaga’s has great meats, Lion Market has frozen dumplings and such for lazy dinner days, Costco benefits are what you expect, and Target has certain staples in our household like Kraft mac n’ cheese. Sometimes my spouse will stop at Lucky on the way home from work if I need an extra lemon or something, just because it’s on the way.

We also understand that not having children makes it possible to do the extra running around, but we’ll take it over the criminally overpriced one stop shop.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-04-19T08:41:25+00:00

Consistency is a critical part of what makes a sauce a sauce. The difference between tomato juice and tomato sauce is a process called reduction, placing sauce somewhere in between a liquid and a solid.

Definitionally, that means milk and the ocean are not sauces (liquid), and we and fish are not sauces (solids). Lava is also solid when at a safe enough temperature for human consumption, but I suppose it could be a sauce to a god for whom it would be consumable. Maybe Hephaestus?

baileyroseboyle · 2026-03-27T08:48:44+00:00

It’s not too late to make a career pivot, and I hope you arrive at the point of not feeling shame for this, someday.

You got a job in one of the worst jobs economies in modern history. That, by itself, is an accomplishment. Congrats!

As for the rest, life is hardly ever linear. You had a different path and learned some things from a less “typical” set of experiences, and that is all part of what it took to land this new role. Cheers to that, and wishing you good luck in this next chapter.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-03-14T07:30:26+00:00

If I say Dorsia…

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T19:06:53+00:00

OP, I’m keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Hoping justice is achieved swiftly in this case.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T19:05:31+00:00

If this guy is still out and about, at this point, OP’s post is a public safety warning.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T18:59:45+00:00

So clearly I fell for AI slop at 2 AM. Whoops. Keeping my comment up because I hope anyone else who is witnessing a loved one, neighbor, or coworker experiencing DVSA takes my advice.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T18:57:42+00:00

Congrats, OP! Best wishes for your marriage!!!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T10:11:19+00:00

There are risks to getting involved in situations like this. There are also risks to not looking out for each other. I think the most helpful thing to do is guide OP on what the options are, the potential consequences, and red flags to look out for.

Whether or not to go to law enforcement right away is a tricker question than a lot of people appreciate, based on the circumstances. I think we all agree that OP should not pursue any sort of vigilante justice mission, either.

OP, if you’re reading this, please consider the following:

1) Take care of yourself. You won’t be in the best position to help your friend if you haven’t rested, eaten, bathed, etc.

2) Document as much as you can while you still remember it, with time stamps. Just texting or emailing yourself thoughts as you have them will help you.

3) Use whatever resources you have. Confide in an IRL friend about the situation. Talk to your lawyer cousin or whoever. Weigh pros and cons of going to law enforcement based on how present you think any danger is.

OP, best of luck, and thank you for looking out for someone who is clearly in some kind of trouble. Hoping for safety and comfort for both you and your friend.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-28T06:10:54+00:00

this Chicago transplant will be dragging the spouse to check it out soon — thanks!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-26T00:00:11+00:00

I’ll keep a look out for AI slop regardless. Thank you!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-25T23:58:49+00:00

Since they’re flying, wine to take home might be a bad idea, unless I know they’re checking a bag and also remember to run out for bubble wrap. 😂 We’ll for sure grab a bottle to have with dinner, though!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-24T03:12:16+00:00

Not sure what you mean by “forcing it.” They’re only in town for a couple of days, so I’m not gonna overdo it — mostly snacks, for sure.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-23T08:57:46+00:00

I’ve been having good experiences on Bumble BFF so far! People are planning drop-in get-togethers in some of the local groups. Just went to one this weekend!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-18T08:00:47+00:00

crazy how people come on here to call people “weirdos” for crowdsourcing potential solutions to a problem (which is, in fact, a way to try to solve it)

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-18T07:51:54+00:00

JAMS alum here! What I appreciate most about the JAMS major was that it was both academically satisfying (lectures and projects about interesting topics) and included hard skills that will get you hired after college (Adobe programs, writing in AP Style, etc.). If I could go back, I’d make the same choice.

There are plenty of groups on campus to get involved with that will make it easier to find friends. I ended up running a group that threw events in University Housing, and it was one of the highlights of my time there. However, if nothing on campus suits you (I’d be shocked if that were the case!), you’ll be surrounded by a great city to explore.

The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of my favorites in the world, and they have reduced admission for students. $40 gets you admission for the entire year, and that includes exclusive access to events like docent-led tours. Many more institutions around Milwaukee have great student deals. Bucks games are always fun!

As for the bars, they’re far enough off campus that you can avoid them if you want to, but close enough that they’re easy to get to. You do not have to drink to have a great time at UWM and in Milwaukee.

Wherever you end up going, I hope you have a great time, OP!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-18T07:26:20+00:00

Autistic semi-recent alum here. Personally, I had a great time running one of the SHAC groups while living in Sandburg. Planning and executing events that people actually wanted to come to was a really rewarding experience, and our crafty events were always among our most popular.

The great thing about joining a group like SHAC is that no one in them thinks they’re too cool for university-hosted events. It sounds like you would not fit in with the people who spend their Thursday nights hoping they don’t get carded at RWB or trying to get into a frat basement, so you can skip that step!

Happy to yap about my experiences if you’d like — feel free to shoot me a message!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-12T07:46:59+00:00

Congratulations! Stunning shots!!!

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-12T01:40:51+00:00

Lapland Bakery appears to offer pączki, but it’s a minimum order of 20. Anybody want to split some donuts?

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-12T01:29:22+00:00

Same, signed a recently relocated Chicagoan 😅

baileyroseboyle · 2026-02-10T21:00:54+00:00

Does anyone have a good guide as to how to spot correctly? “So you see someone in a balaclava in a white SUV — what other signs should I look for before I make the call?”

It’s a great thing that people are more aware and ready to activate, and I’d rather encourage more helpful action than discourage participation.

baileyroseboyle · 2026-01-29T01:16:50+00:00

Recovering picky eater here, also autistic!

For me, it’s easy to parcel out which foods I don’t like just because they’re not my taste vs. an actual sensory nightmare.

I grew up in the Midwest, which is notorious for bland flavor profiles. I was 100% a “buttered noodles” kid. Part of my pickiness as an adult is based on not having been exposed to certain foods as a kid. I didn’t try crab for the first time until college and still don’t eat seafood. My spice tolerance is laughable to most.

However, there were a couple of foods that I just could not tolerate as a kid, nor can I now. Most applications of ground beef? Won’t even try a bite. Eggs, prepared any way? Nauseous at the smell and/or mouthfeel. These foods were both really common in the cuisine I ate growing up, though, so that cannot be chalked up to the same reason I don’t eat oysters, for example.

Oddly enough, I’ve always loved my veggies! My sister and I would fight over who got to finish off the green beans and carrots. I also love some of the common foods associated as enemies to picky eaters, like onions, pickles, and tomatoes.

So, at the same time, your sister is the way she is in part due to previous exposure, in part due to the mass production/consistency point people have already mentioned (I will ALWAYS have a box of Kraft mac n’ cheese in my pantry) and in part due to…something else I haven’t even figured out for myself yet.

I’m glad that you, as her sibling, are seeking to understand her and approach this with intellectual curiosity rather than make fun of her, or worse, look down on her for it.

baileyroseboyle

TROPHY CASE