A sleeper sofa! I'm converting a room into my office and a guest room. That's going to be the biggest purchase for the space...and the one that will defined the room, I think.

That comment of Monkey's to his friends?

You've done it. He's got a great self-image and you're right. He's going to be fine. I've got a few AS students in my classes, and though my school is quite lacking in many, many ways, every single student is accepted as him or herself and supported by his or her peers. That's so...so...counterculture, I guess...that I'll probably keep swallowing all the bs just to stay at a school that promotes that culture in teenagers. Man.

Composting, make our own cleaning supplies, we live out of town so we consolidate and plan trips into town to conserve gas. Recycle, freecycle, cloth napkins and towels instead of paper, glass instead of plastic, newspapers used as mulch...lots of little things.

I think anything cutesy can be manageable as long as it's age appropriate...puppies, kittens, pink...if you're in college, sure. If you're older, then it has to be somewhat ironic to not be overwhelming.