Is she also a Swiftie??
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I save the big rubber bands from broccoli, etc. and out that around the lid.
Another option is to use a bottle opener to break the vacuum seal by slightly prying under the lip of the ld.
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Neat! I feel like getting hands on experience (literally…) with these kinds of aids is often the hardest part for finding something that works. Hopefully the OT will have helpful stuff!
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Dishwashing gloves lets me open a lot of things.
Weirdly, my hands are not that great but I am the best jar opener in the house because I am persistent.
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I could do pull-ups for only a few years of my mid to late 30s. That was the intersection of being strong enough while having developed the determination. It takes gumption. Like opening jars. You have to mean it.
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I tap jar lids on a counter and havaar opener thngy. I may need some of this advice soon, so thanks to the thread starter!
I have a dilemma. I’m a bore, even to myself these days. “Beating” the PTSD and its effects was my 24/7 job/focus for almost my whole life. Done.
Great! But I have nothing else to talk about. I want to be free as much as possible of the choices, etc. based on being wounded. Ok, assuming Im not, then what? I’m still closer to 70 than 50… late date to decide what I want to do when I grow up, right?
Almost anything I know anything about started from being wounded.
Ideas I’ve considered:
cake decorating
hand made paper
Both of the above have been not seriously considered because I dont want to have to buy or make stuff or sell physical thngs.
I’ve considered places or aspects of history.
Nothing, learn instead to get others to do all the talking.
Weird place to be. I really have no idea wtf I’m interested in or would hold my attention.
???
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I feel similarly! I’m much younger but I have no enthusiasm for buying supplies for a new hobby that I might not like.
A couple ideas that I have yet to implement:
- See what hobby supplies are available on buy nothing (I use the buy nothing app instead of Facebook) and try them out even if they aren’t something you’ve previously considered
- put an ask on buy nothing for cake decorating or paper craft supplies
- sign up for a one night class on paper flower making just for fun. No further commitment needed
- sign up for a community college class to learn a new language, or a new sport (tennis or pickleball?), A writing class, or a musical instrument
- Join the local YMCA for swimming and aerobics classes
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When I don’t know what to do next I go to the library. That’s it, that’s my whole advice 
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Ha, literally the first thing that popped into my head was volunteer at the library. They can always use help and you see so many aspects of the community and can find something to plug into that way.
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This is also my advice 
. NewGIg, my library has maker spaces and also holds different types of events - does yours offer anything like that?
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The other possibility is the local COA to meet people/take or teach classes etc. I used to be quite involved via a relative of mine, but that was pre-covid, so admittedly things may have changed since I was there.
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Ha, My local library is something I can’t do… can’t work around kids, I’m “mentlly ill,” and probably wouldn’t pass the background check, or at least that was what our librarian and I got to last time we talked about it.
Also, our library, although a great resource because most of the libraries here share materials, is tiny. The first time I walked into it, I almost cried. It’s three rooms, maybe as big as 1500 square feet, maybe less?
Theres a media room with the one patron computer in it, a copy machine, 2? chairs, a loveseat,DVDs, books on tape,etc. The main room has all the young adult and adult fiction/nonfiction books, the checkout desk, and librarian’s desk in it. The 3rd room is the kids room.
(The grade school in town does not have a library, they use the town library.)
I can and will ask our librarian, but materials available there are severely limited. There are other libraries nearby and in fact a friend and neighbor works in one; I’ll talk to her.
Thanks for the ideas!
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There’s a makerspace nearby, but not part of our library. That’s an interesting notion…
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Senior center? Rec department?
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How do you feel about podcasts? I like listening to general interest interview shows like Fresh Air, and it will generate new ideas for me, like reminding me I’m interested in X topic or should watch a movie that I haven’t heard of. An offhand comment on a history podcast sent me down a rabbit hole of reading a bunch of books about Polynesian seafaring.
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I dont really know, dont listen to many… but that’s a good idea. Thanks!
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No rec depertment, we have a committee that sponsors 1 event yearly. When I tried to volunteer a few years ago, they called me back, told me my idea wouldnt work as I proposed it and said theyd call and let me know when I could come help with the event.
They never called.
The local senior center is a room in a church. They play cards, chess, and checkers and drink bad coffee. Local college town or county seat both have bigger, more active groups though!
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If I sound discouraged or like a wet blanket, it’s because I am. From my answers, you can tell I’ve considered various ideas, and the easy response hasnt worked.
What all of you have reminded me is that I may need to dig deeper, go further, work harder, etc. and it’s on me.
Okay, game on…
Thank you everyone!!!
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If cake decorating is a REAL interest, you can make a dummy cake from paper or decorate upside down bowls or whatever, and learn/post your work on youtube, instagram or tiktok. My mum always had us decorate cakes the right way- but it is actually really cool and creative to decorate wrong ways. Like ziplocs instead of oastry bags, or rolling a sheet of parchment. What textures can you make without buying stuff?
And if you were still loving it when your next birthday rolled around you would have ideas for dh to give you
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Instead of commiting to a single hobby, what if 2023 was about sampling 5 or 15 or 25 new experiences/events? Could be birding, volunteering, language class, hikes, mushroom hunting, cake. Meetup.com, local recreation center or library events, community college catalogues might be good places to start. Maybe that can help cast a very wide net for you to figure out what piques your interest the most.
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