Tempeh Breakfast Sausages

Tempeh is my all-time favorite meat substitute. You can easily transform tempeh to suit your needs and recreate almost any type of meat dish. I love to crumble it up and use it as a ground meat substitute in tacos, meatloaf, and this amazing tempeh breakfast sausage!

Tempeh, if you are unfamiliar, is a fermented soy bean patty that is healthy in all the ways tofu is not. Tempeh is a lot less processed and is abundant with probiotics (since it’s fermented)! I buy my tempeh from a local business called The Hearty Vegan. Their tempeh is honestly the best I’ve ever had!!! And I can find it much cheaper at my local producer’s market than at the grocery store!

To make this ‘sausage,’ you want to first gather your ingredients:

• 1-2 packages organic tempeh (thawed and crumbled)
• vital wheat gluten
• balsamic vinegar
• liquid smoke
• grapeseed oil
• organic tamari
• maple syrup or honey
• yellow or brown mustard
• spices – salt, pepper, oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, thyme, poultry seasoning, ect. (You can mix and match – whatever tastes best to you!)

First things first, let me warn you that this is one of those recipes where absolutely no measuring is involved. It’s sorta ‘feel as you go.’ If you’re a previous carnivore, however, this shouldn’t be too difficult. Even if you’ve never had meat, it’s pretty easy to determine the texture you will need. It needs to be firm enough to shape into patties, yet not so firm that it’ll cook up hard.

For this recipe, I run my tempeh crumbles through the food processor and then add the other ingredients. You’ll want to add the liquids first and then the spices and vital wheat gluten to firm up the ‘ground meat.’ As far as proportions, you’ll want to start with about 1tbs of each liquid and then add more as you see fit (taste/texture wise). Use your best judgement. When the ingredients come together to form a sort of ‘meat dough,’ you are ready to form them into patties and get to cooking! (You can always form the patties now and wrap them up for later, too! Or freeze them if you wish!!)

Lightly fry the patties in grapeseed oil until they are browned and heated through. They start to really look like breakfast sausage at this point, and smell even better! Serve alongside pancakes and hash, or crumble these tasty patties into your own vegan biscuits and gravy!!!

Breakfast is BACK! Enjoy.

Namaste!

Beginner’s Guide to Kombucha – Day 14, Flavor and Bottle the Brew… Then Wait Some More!

The fermentation process for Kombucha varies on how tart or sweet you personally want the beverage. I wanted mine mostly tart, so I waited until day 14 to bottle my brew. After hours of Googling pictures of healthy SCOBY formation, I determined my Kombucha fermentation went perfectly – no mold in sight and a healthy new baby!!! (I’m always a bit leery of fermentation projects at first…I have this secret fear I’ll one day poison someone. I have to always remind myself that people have been fermenting beverages and foods for – well – ever pretty much. And in worse conditions than my kitchen. So, I think I’m good.) I did move my brewing jar to a different location than my original plan, however. I read that keeping the container near garbage and plants can increase chances of mold growth… YUCK! While my storage area wasn’t super close to the trash, it was still too close for comfort, and there are plants in my kitchen, so I had moved my ‘fermentation station’ to the top shelf in my pantry. Far away from trash and plants. Just FYI..

On day 14, I scooted the new SCOBY to the side and dipped in my wooden spoon. The taste was tart, yet still pleasant. My first batch of Kombucha was a success! I couldn’t believe how easy that was! Now, I prepared my bottles. I decided to put the plethora of beer bottles accumulating in the ‘recycle corner’ of my kitchen to good use. I ran them through the dishwasher first, which actually made removing the labels SUPER quick and easy. I followed that with a vinegar rinse. Kombucha LOVES vinegar (they’re actually close cousins!). Just something to keep in mind when sterilizing your tools… Also, I forgot to mention this in the first post, but always keep anything metal, aluminum, or steel far away from your Kombucha, as it will weaken the flavor and possibly damage your SCOBY. Glass, wood, and bamboo utensils and storage are ideal.

Once your bottles are washed, sterilized, and dry, you can add your flavorings. This was the part I was really looking forward to! For my first batch, I decided to use one of my all-time favorite ingredients – fresh ginger. I thought a bit of local honey would be a wonderful complement as well. Right now, you’ll want to remove your now 2 SCOBYs and place them in a glass bowl or jar (I’ll tell you how to deal w/ them later). Strain your Kombucha, again, avoiding anything metal.

I cut the ginger into small pieces and added about a tablespoon’s worth or so to each bottle. Using a butter knife, I drizzled a small amount of honey on top. You don’t want to over-do the flavorings because the Kombucha will continue to ferment during this 2nd stage. During the process, your Kombucha continously feeds on the sugars of the fruits or other add-ins, building up carbon dioxide. Add too much and your bottles will burst!!! You have been warned!

After you have included all desired flavorings, you’ll want to use a funnel or bottling wand to pour in your brew. (I used a funnel and spilled about half a bottle’s worth. Definitely investing in a bottling wand, SOON!) Bubbles, our tiny boy pup, really enjoyed the spill, though. I have the healthiest dogs in the world. Seriously, they also eat kale and turnips.. And rose petals… I digress…

I left some head room at the top of my bottles because I wasn’t sure how much carbonation would build up. I filled them to about the neck and then used a bottle capper to seal them closed.

Once your bottles are all filled and capped, place them in a safe spot to sit for another few days. I chose to leave them out for 4 days before moving them to cold storage. My beer brewing friend suggested I place the bottles in a plastic bag or other safe container, in case they burst. You just never know… And it’s always better to be prepared! Exploding glass doesn’t sound like fun to clean.

After your beverages have been chilled thoroughly, place a towel over the bottle and slowly remove the cap! Enjoy your homebrewed Kombucha!!! I can’t wait to experiment with all kinds of flavor combinations. My next batch I want to do some Lavender-Vanilla Bean and Ginger-Mango-Lime… And whatever else I have lying around that sounds delicious! I’d also like to try some herbal blends, utilizing my favorite calming/stress-relieving herbs like catnip, lemon balm, and gotu kola!

I’ve got 2 more batches underway, however, maybe you don’t want to brew continuously as I am. In that case, you can always store your SCOBY’s in a “SCOBY HOTEL” with a few cups of your first brew. Leave at room temperature and ‘feed’ sweet tea as needed.

Have fun fermentin’!

Namaste!

*Missed the first post? Learn how to start your brew here!!

**This post has been shared on Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways & Wildcrafting Wednesday!

I HAVE AN ETSY SHOP! :)

Goooood evening, folks. I just wanted to inform you that my Etsy Shop is NOW LIVE!

This is something I’ve been working on for some time, and I am proud to say, it’s finally open to the public. I don’t have a lot of product yet. I will be gradually adding as I can. I appreciate your patience and support. I have BIG dreams and literally pages of ideas for products, packaging, flavors, scents, heck, even entire product lines!!!! I will post periodically to inform you when new items are available!

Currently in the shop:

A delicious, super hydrating clove lip balm featuring unrefined, organic coconut oil, organic shea butter, clove essential oil, and vitamin e. I seriously cannot get enough of this balm!

Also availble:

This lavender salve is available in both 2 oz and 4 oz tins. The organic coconut oil has been infused with organically grown lavender flowers, then blended with beeswax and vitamin e. Lavender essential oil adds to the healing properties and delightful scent. I use this stuff daily for all kinds of ailments. Perfect for kitchen burns, cuts, bug bites, acne, headaches, stress, and anointing your Third Eye to aid in Chakra activation! Can also be used as skin or lip balm. This is all over amazing!

I’ll be listing items as I can afford to. Please feel free to email me if you have any requests or questions! Just send your thoughts to: ((( ascensionhouseorganics @ gmail dot com ))).

That’s it for tonight! Goodnight you beautiful universe! All is LOVE!!! XOXO

Namaste!

Epic Goat Cheese Cheesecake with a Cookie-Nut Crust & Chocolate Coconut Creme!

It occurred to me the other evening that I only have one dessert recipe on the blog so far. (And it’s NO BAKE!) That is almost blasphemous, considering the pedestal on which desserts are placed in my house. To make up for this, I present to you the following KICK ASS recipe for…

Epic Goat Cheese Cheesecake w/ Cookie-Nut Crust & Chocolate Coconut Creme

For the crust:

• 1/2 c Organic Macadamia Vanilla Wafer Cookies (or another quality cookie!)
• 1/2 c (each) Pecans, Cashews, & Almonds (any combination of nuts will work!)
• a few tbs Melted, Organic Butter

Place all dry ingredients in the food processor and pulverize. Add melted butter. Pat into dish and freeze. (I actually did this step backwards and built the crust on top after I baked the cake about half an hour. I used an Angel Food cake pan – as it was the only pan large enough for the height of this cake. If you have a Springform pan, that would be ideal! If you go backwards like me, just sprinkle the dry ingredients and top with melted butter before baking the rest of the time!)

For the filling:

• 10.5 oz Softened Goat Cheese
• 16 oz (2 packages) Organic Cream Cheese
• 16 oz Organic Sour Cream
• 2 tsp Organic Vanilla Extract
• 2 tsp Organic Lemon Juice
• 1.5 C Raw, Organic Sugar
• 5 Local, Organic Eggs (Typically, I don’t use eggs – but I wanted this recipe to be perfect. I plan on trying this exact recipe again with Chia ‘eggs’ and see how it does!!!)

Allow all ingredients to sit at room temperature before you begin. Whip the cheeses and sour cream, slowly adding the sugar. Next, add the lemon and vanilla. Taste test thoroughly. Finally, mix in the eggs, one at a time. Pour the filling into the crust or pan. Place pan in a casserole dish or cookie sheet w/ about 1/2 inch of water. Place in the oven, preheated to 425 degrees F.  Bake for 10 minutes and then lower the heat to 350. Bake for an hour, until your cake is firm to the touch and lightly browned on top (or bottom lol ). Remove from oven and let sit for an hour at room temperature to cool. Next, refrigerate overnight (or at least 4 hours!).

For the coconut creme:

• 1 can Full Fat Organic Coconut Milk (open the can & place in the fridge overnight to thicken)
• a few tbs Cocoa Powder
• a few tbs Powdered Sugar

Whip all ingredients until thick and blended well! Place in a pastry bag (or a makeshift one made from a sandwich bag!) and draw pretty things on your cake! (Since the pan I used left a large hole in the center, I filled it w/ some sugared strawberries. Feel free to get creative!) Now enjoy a slice!!

Be careful, though. If I were this rich, I would quit my full-time job…

Namaste!

This post has been shared on Frugally Sustainable’s Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways and Wildcrafting Wednesday!

DIY Laundry Detergent – Easy As 1, 2, 3!!!!

I strive to keep my house as chemical-free as possible. Vinegar, baking soda, and Dr. Bronner’s abound. Today, I’d like to show you how simple it is to make your own laundry detergent. You probably have most of the ingredients already. If not, there are only 3, so it is not pricey nor complicated at all!!!! Okay, let’s get started…!

You will need:

1 bar Dr. Bronner’s (I LOVE lavender!)

1.5 cups washing soda

1.5 cups baking soda

Step 1: Grate the bar of soap. You can use a food processor to make this step a breeze. Mine pooped out on me several months ago, so I have been grating by hand. It takes a little arm work, but it’s worth it!

Step 2: Put soap in a container (I use a quart-sized canning jar). Add the baking/washing sodas.

Step 3: Shake VIGOROUSLY!!!! (You’ll also want to shake prior to use, otherwise the ingredients will settle!) *If using the food processor method – Add the sodas to the processor and use the chopping blade to pulse into a fine powder, THEN put in a container !

There you have it! Super easy, right? Now, how to use this lovely stuff – Add 2 tbs to your wash, and that’s it!!!! I add about 1/4 cup white vinegar to the rinse as a fabric softener/refresher. In lieu of dryer sheets, I use a balled up sock with a few drops of essential oils!!!

I hope this inspires you to quit the chemicals and try your hand at some of your own green cleaning supplies!

Also – I wanted to update you on the KOMBUCHA brewin’! These pics are from Day 11! I will be bottling this tonight (Day 14), allowing a second fermentation with ginger and local honey to flavor!

Mmmmmm! I can hardly wait! Namaste for now!!!! <3

This post has been shared on Frugally Sustainable’s Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways and Wildcrafting Wednesday!

Spring is in the Air – A Love/Hate Story.

Spring has sprung, and today I am positively pissed at pollen. I haven’t been sick in two years, and today I actually contemplated leaving work early. I didn’t. But I thought about it more than once.

To remind myself WHY I’m vehemently mouth-breathing, I am posting some pictures from around the yard here at The Ascension House. Enjoy.. XOXO!

Nasturtium, The Empress of India – The flowers and leaves are edible!

Jasmine! This vine has taken over 1/4 of the patio. I’ve patiently been waiting all winter for this!

Organic cherry tomatoes!!!

Petunias from a few weeks ago. There’s about 3 times the blooms now!!

Gorgeous yellow Iris! (Please ignore the weeds.. I’m getting to them. Lol) <3

Organic early girls.

Goodwin Creek Grey Lavender! Crazy, awesome plant!

Baby strawberries last week. They are much larger now and there are 6!!!

I also found a vibrant pink rose bush the other day, right after mentioning to my friend that I wanted one. This house is always surprising me with things.

Now, I’m off to consume copious amounts of local honey and honeycomb…

Namaste!

Beginner’s Guide to Kombucha – Day 1, Start the Brew

Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea beverage that has been widespread in the health community for a few years now. If you haven’t heard of Kombucha, you’re probably living under a rock.

Fermented foods and beverages are a great addition to a healthy diet. They contain essential probiotics that are crucial for a stellar digestive system. They also restore proper balance to your gut flora and even help your body to absorb other nutrients better! Fermented foods are rich in beneficial enzymes, taste great, and are cheap and easy to make at home!

Kombucha is a simple, delicious beverage to brew and perfect for beginners (like myself!). The first thing you will need to procure is a SCOBY. I got mine at the Bastrop Producer’s Market, sold by a local lady called the hippy chick! She sells the SCOBY with a bag of tea for only $6! I’ve heard SCOBY selling for $20-50, so I was extremely grateful to see the price was SO reasonable!

You will need:

• 1 SCOBY + about 1-2 cup(s) of leftover Kombucha
• 12 cups water (boiled for 15 minutes to dechlorinate)
• 2 tbs premium tea blend (Usually black but you can mix and match. Just don’t use herbal tea.)
• 1 cup organic sugar
• large gallon sized jar (Sterilize in a hot vinegar bath.)
• cheesecloth or nut-milk bag & a rubber band

The first thing you want to do is boil the 12 cups of water in a stock pot for 15 minutes. This will dechlorinate the water and make it prime for brewing! Next, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Place the tea in a tea bag, close tightly, and steep. Bring the tea to room temperature. I was impatient, so I placed mine in an ice bath. Once the tea is room temp, add the SCOBY and leftover Kombucha (should also be room temperature). Cover with cheesecloth or a nut-milk bag (or both for extra protection ) and secure with your rubber band.

Now you want to place your Kombucha in a dark place, where it will be undisturbed for a week or more. I found the perfect spot, in a little cabinet off on it’s own in the kitchen. I placed it in a box and then wrapped a towel around it, leaving the top uncovered, so air can still get in.

I’ll start tasting the Kombucha around day 5. According to my research, it will be ready in anywhere from 7-14 days. I’ll be sure to continue to document the process!

As you can see, brewing Kombucha is SUPER easy! This recipe will make approximately 1 gallon of homemade Kombucha. With prices ranging from $3-5 a bottle in most areas, the savings are as outstanding as the health benefits! I hope you try this out soon!

Namaste!

*Ready for the fun stuff? (AKA bottling and flavoring your brew!)

This blog has been shared on Frugally Sustainable’s Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways and Wildcrafting Wednesday! Please like if you enjoyed this post!

Homegrown Smudge Sticks

The burning of herbs for ritual purposes has been standard in many religions and cultures since ancient times. When you burn certain herbs, they release negative ions into the air, promoting positivity and cleansing the space (or the person, ect). Water also contains negative ions, which is why you feel so clean and refreshed after a shower or a swim in the ocean or pool. It is ideal to smudge your home when you first move in, to release any unwanted energy from previous tenants. It’s also advised to smudge an area after an argument or other such negative event. You can also smudge yourself if you’ve been feeling down, anxious, or unmotivated!

The most common herbs for smudging are white and garden sage. Other herbs can be used, however, you want to take care and do your research before burning just anything. Some herbs are not meant to be burned, and their smoke can be noxious.

You can buy ready bundled smudge sticks at most head shops or New-Age type stores. In my area, they are not hard to find at all. However, they can become quite costly. I am an avid DIY-er, and typically make things from scratch anyways, so why not these? After seeing this amazing DIY illustration, I knew I had to pick some herbs right away!

 source

I chose some garden, purple, and pineapple sages, along with lavender and rosemary. Bundled them up and bound them with 100% cotton yarn. It’s now hanging in my office, patiently drying.

I can’t wait to use my homemade smudge stick in a spring cleansing ritual of my own! Namaste!

Vegan Brisket.

The title alone might have you doing a double take. Did she really just say that in the same sentence…? No freaking way that’s possible. Well, my dears, it’s quite possible. Behold:

Brisket. And I promise you, that baby’s 100% vegan.

Have you ever realized how sometimes the best recipes come from mistakes? One afternoon, about a year ago, I was wanting to create a jerky type substitute for my boyfriend and I to take to an upcoming music festival. While I really enjoy Primal Strips jerky, I am always looking for ways to recreate processed foods. My food philosophy is one of “Don’t eat foods your great-great-grandma wouldn’t have eaten.” AKA all of this processed garbage that people call food. Based on the research I’ve done over the years, I’ve concluded that the main cause of obesity and most diseases is the processed foods in our diet. I have eliminated almost all processed foods, give or take a few indulgences on holidays, and few other exceptions. For the most part, I cook all of our meals from scratch, using foods that were processed the least amount possible. I am also a lacto-vegetarian, meaning, I still consume some dairy in the form of quality, organic cheese and butter. Since I stopped eating processed foods, I have not gotten sick once! I have not been to a doctor in over 2 years and I have not had any sickness that wasn’t self-induced.

While the ingredients in Primal Strips aren’t the worst, there are a couple that I don’t typically include in my diet. Offender #1: Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil. I also don’t trust soy products that aren’t certified organic. While they can write “Non-GMO” on the label all day, often times food manufacturers add labels like that without the ingredient actually qualifying for it in any way. Therefore, if it’s not certified organic soy, there’s just no way to be sure. And I won’t consume it.

Now, I’ve said all that to say.. The jerky experiment didn’t come out as expected. It came out better. It came out… Brisket.

I made this brisket in the oven, however, I am positive you can finish it up on the grill. (In fact, now I can’t wait until the next time I make this, since grilling season is upon us!) Unfortunately, I don’t have absolute measurements, so you will have to bear with me. Please feel free to adjust the seasonings and amount of liquid/gluten as needed.

Vegan Brisket

You will need:

• 1-2 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast
• Organic Vegetable Broth
• Liquid Smoke
• Organic Soy Sauce or Tamari
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Mustard (Powder or Prepared)
• Garlic & Onion Powders
• Smoked Paprika
• Poultry Seasoning (Yes, that’s vegan! LOL)
• Dash of Chili Powder or Cayenne (Optional)
• Salt & Pepper
• Any other seasonings you prefer! This recipe is very flexible!!!
• LOTS of BBQ Sauce! (Look for sauces with minimal ingredients and definitely NO HFCS! Or you can make your own.)

Combine the vital wheat gluten with the nutritional yeast and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. You’ll want to make about 1 cup of liquid ‘meat broth.’ (Make sure you taste the seasoning here to make sure you have the flavor you like!) Now, add the liquid to the VWG mixture a tiny bit at a time. You want enough liquid to form a firm dough ball, very similar to bread dough. Knead briefly and let rest for about 10 minutes or so. While you are waiting, oil a casserole dish lightly with either grapeseed or coconut oil. Now, knead the gluten dough again, this time massaging in a little BBQ sauce. Pour some BBQ sauce into the bottom of the sauce pan and then begin to spread your dough into the dish. This might time some time, as gluten is not the easiest, nor most pliable, dough to work with. Be patient, and your reward will be great!

After what might seem like an endless game of tug-of-war with the gluten, it will finally yield to your demand and take the shape of the casserole dish. Pour a good layer of BBQ sauce on top and spread evenly with a pastry brush. Cook the brisket in a preheated oven @ 250 degree Fahrenheit for several hours. You will want to continue to (carefully) flip and baste the brisket with BBQ sauce while it cooks. I did this about every 20-30 minutes. The cooking time will vary on the thickness of your brisket, and honestly, all the times I’ve made this, I didn’t keep track. I would say it takes somewhere around 4-5 hours to get it right. You can always increase the heat if you are in a hurry, however, just like real brisket, the slower you cook it (and the more you baste it with yummy BBQ sauce) the thicker the outside crust gets and the more tender and moist on the inside…. When grilling this, I would let it cook about halfway in the oven before basting completely with BBQ sauce, wrapping in foil, and transferring to a hot grill for the duration. It will be nice and firm when it’s finished! I hope you give this recipe a shot and maybe freak some carnivore friends out!

Happy (meatless) BBQ-ing!

Please ‘like’ my post on Frugally Sustainable’s Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #67!

Pros & Cons of Working From Home

I’ve been a work from home customer service representative for a year and a half now. While I do enjoy working in my own environment, it’s not ALWAYS all it’s cracked up to be. There are some pitfalls to the enviable work from home position. Allow me to enlighten you…

I’ll begin with the Pro’s:

1. Yoga pants, literally, every day. Yes, THIS is one of the best reasons to work from home. You don’t have to worry about what to wear, how you look, or how long it takes you to get ready. I usually wear my PJs until my lunch break, and THEN I’ll get dressed (meaning yoga pants and a tee-shirt). Most days….
2. You can wake up 5 minutes before work and not be late. Sometimes less, depending on where your home office is set up. And whether or not you have dogs. I have to let my boogers out in the mañana, so I typically wake up 15 minutes or so before work.
3. Unlimited access to fresh, healthy food. I tend to keep my pantry and fridge well stocked with lots of good-for-you goodies. It’s easy to prepare a quick snack like apple slices with almond butter or a simple salad. I also have a full hour to prepare pretty much anything I’d like for lunch! So much better than driving around looking for healthy options or having to plan and prepare my meals ahead of time, like I did when I worked in the city!
4. Tea, all day long. This is a big one for me personally. Maybe you are more of a coffee connoisseur, either way, it’s nice to be able to prepare your favorite beverage at any given moment and have a fresh cup. Much better than microwaving some bottled water and waiting for a teabag to steep in the break room, like I did once upon a time..
5. Yoga in between calls without wandering eyes. I used to work in your average call center doing technical support. Tech support draws A LOT of nerdy guys. Nerdy guys don’t have much interaction with girls. This made my simple asanas seem like porn to some of these kids. I would have to hide in the dark corners of the office just to stretch out a bit. And when it’s your job to sit in front of a computer ALL DAY, you NEED to stretch! Working from home, I have the freedom to bend ass-backwards whenever I feel like it without the discomfort of peeping, geeky Toms.
6. I get to enjoy my surroundings and have lunch in my own backyard. An hour lunch break seems so much more fulfilling when you get to enjoy it outside, in your own space. I like to go outside (when the weather permits), water my plants, and eat something fresh! You also have time to tidy up outside or in the house if need be!
7. You get to spend the day with your animals! This is another HUGE one for me! Nothing makes me happier than walking to the bathroom and getting bombarded by my puppies! Kitty also likes to spend a large portion of her day in my lap while I am taking calls. There’s nothing better, and more relaxing to me, than being surrounded by my beloved pets!
8. No boring cubicle! Same spot every day! This used to be an issue for me, and if you’ve ever worked in a call center, I’m sure you can relate. You found the PERFECT spot! It’s the only cubical that has partial window access. You sit there every day. Until that one day you walk in, and, BAM… Some asshole is in YOUR seat! So, naturally, you start to come to work a little earlier. But then HE starts to come to work even earlier.. You get my drift. LOL I know, it’s a petty little problem, just sit somewhere else, right? Yeah, yeah. Still, I thoroughly enjoy having my own workspace with notes, pictures, and drawings from my nephew on the walls.
9. No contact with people means no germs means no getting sick! I haven’t been sick in ages. A lot of that has to do with my diet. However, another part goes to the fact that I have very limited contact with co-workers and other people that would normally pass on sick-germs. I also rarely deal with money (germs galore!) and I am only around my boyfriend and roommate most days.
10. NO DRIVING!!!! When you work from home, your total commute is about 15 feet. Maybe. And I don’t know about you, but I am not the biggest fan of driving. I’ve had bad ‘car-ma’ in the past, and I am just way too anxious to handle a dangerous, death-trap on wheels! LOL So no commute and no driving for me is a god-send. Especially since reliability isn’t my car’s #1 area of expertise. Que Adam Sandler’s “I’ve got a piece of shit car…”

Now that you’ve seen some of the best reasons to work from home, let me fill you in on some of the less thrilling… Con’s:

1. You forgot how to dress because you wear yoga pants every day. Yup, it happens. I’ve totally forgotten how to best accessorize and match my clothes. Now, I stick to the same “going out” outfits and rarely wear anything but. I have closets full of clothes, yet, I always feel like I have nothing to wear!!!
2. You don’t shower as often. It’s true. When you don’t have to leave the house, what is the point, really? Unless you smell awful, of course. However, sitting at a computer for 8 hours isn’t the most strenuous job in the world… So generally speaking, it takes a long while before I start to stink.
3. Sometimes you forget to brush your teeth, every day. Remember how I said I usually wake up with little time before having to log in to work? Yeah, that doesn’t leave much time for grooming in the morning. So that means, most days, I am too rushed to brush. Gross but true! I usually get to it around noon…. Bless my bf for still kissing me good-bye every morning!
4. It’s super hard to wake up early! When you know that you can be logged in and ready to go in 2 minutes flat, it’s REALLY hard to get your butt outta bed in the AM. I’ve been trying to get out of bed an hour early for as long as I’ve been working at home, it seems. And for some reason, I still snooze until the very last minute. It’s annoying and I hate it!
5. That feeling of dread when you have to go to your ‘work’ room. This has definitely happened to me a time or two. You hear the alarm go off and you think, “NOT AGAIN!!! I CANNOT DRAG MY ASS INTO THAT ROOM ANOTHER DAY!” But you do, because you get paid to. It’s not all bad. At least this slave job has been more decent than the last few….
6. Other people (roommates especially) confuse ‘work at home’ with ‘homemaker.’ I work from home. What that means is instead of driving into town to sit in a cubicle all day, I get to sit at my own computer to work. I am ACTUALLY working. I am still taking calls, answering emails, and doing other work-related things while on the clock. I am basically attached to my computer for those 8 hours. Some people tend to forget this. They hear ‘work from home’ and think, “Oh, this chick works from home…She must have plenty of time to clean and take care of the house. She doesn’t really work.” Yes, yes I do. And washing your dirty dishes ISN’T on my list of job requirements.
7. People think you don’t have a real job. While ‘work from home’ generally entails a phone/computer type position that WOULD require you to sit on your ass all day, again, it’s still a job. I am really working for 8 full hours a day with a one hour lunch break… Just like most other full-time positions.
8. Sometimes it’s hard to keep work and personal stuff separated. I work on a laptop provided by my company. Right next to it, I have my home PC setup, on which I do my ‘personal’ stuff during the day (Facebook, Pinterest, Gmail, ect…). Most times, I would muuuuch rather be dealing with the screen on my left (the home PC), but there’s a call coming in on my right. Alas, I always go with the one that pays me… Though I can’t say I don’t get somewhat distracted at times…
9. No contact with co-workers, management, or people in general. While some people would probably praise the fact that they don’t have to meet face-to-face with their boss or deal with annoying co-workers, it’s something I rather miss. Working from home means all your contact is via a text-based instant message program or emails. Sometimes, there’s a group or personal phone call.. But those are very rare. Mostly, all contact is via the internet and makes you feel quite disconnected from reality. I’ve only met one person at my current company face-to-face and that was during our interview. My supervisor and all management are just faces on a website to me. It’s a bit disconcerting, however, I have a feeling that this is where most of these types of jobs are going.. And lastly…
10. You become a hermit. Okay, maybe this one is just me? Still, I have a very hard time leaving my house these days. I pretty much only go out when I need groceries once a week, or on very special occasions and holidays. I know I should probably socialize more, but the fact is, I’m drained after the whirlwind of texts, emails, and phone calls with customers 8 hours a day for 5 days straight. I’m just not made for these types of jobs. Or maybe I just need to get out more.

So there you have it. Work from home jobs are not all the same, of course, and this is just my personal experience thus far. I have a feeling when I am working on my own business from home, things will be quite different.

Until then….. Namaste for now!

XOXO