- Angela L. Waderker Blog

July 13, 2021July 14, 2021

Me and My Bright Ideas, or 2021 DIY Project #1

Being in the house and working from home full time for over a year has led me to want to make some changes. Full disclosure, I want to move out of state, but I don’t know if we’ll (I’ll) be allowed to continue to work from home permanently. So in the meantime, I decided I’ve got a DIY project (or two?) in me. Project #1: paint and stencil my vinyl bathroom floor.

Preparation

Research – I read up on a lot of other people’s experiences, including people who updated their postings with how the floor held up after an extended period of time. The max time frame I found was about two years. Not that the floors didn’t last beyond two years, I just didn’t find any post updates older than two years.

Knee protection – I found it odd that no one bothered to mention this in their how to posts. If this project is something you’re considering, hear me when I say this. If you weigh a buck ‘o five soaking wet and are in your twenties, you can probably get away with some folded up towels. But if your knees are a day over 30, invest in some good knee protection, and try it out before you begin your project. While I don’t have knee (or back) problems, I am half a century old and I’m carrying more weigh than I care to talk about. I started out looking for contractor knee pads, but settled on these kneeling pads instead. I figured I’d get more use out of these in the future than actual knee pads. If I’d finished this project in a couple of days, these probably would’ve been fine. But after two weekends of using these, they started to feel a little too firm, so I incorporated an old memory foam pillow into the mix.

Supplies

Floor repair kit – If you have any imperfections in your floor, you’ll need to fix them or they’ll show right through and ruin your hard work.

Zinsser Bulls Eye 123 Primer

Behr paint. It’s the only paint I use in my home. I love the wall paint because it only takes one coat and eliminates the need for primer. It’s more expensive, but worth every penny. To paint my floor, I went with their interior chalk decorative paint in coastal beige and taupe. This is the type of paint I chose based on my research, but there are many other types available. There is literal “porch and patio floor paint” made by several companies including Behr. I think the chalk paint probably makes the stenciling easier, but that’s just a guess since I don’t have any other experience to compare it to.

Minwax polycrylic protective finish – Just a quick note about this finish. If you read the back, it says not for use on floors or high traffic areas. You don’t want to use a finish specifically made for floors because they usually contain an orange or yellow tint. And that’s because they’re designed to be used on wood floors. I chose this finish based on my research and looking at other people’s long term results. It seems to hold up pretty well and doesn’t yellow over time.

Choose your stencil (see Step 5 for more info). I bought mine from Amazon, but there are some great stencil specific websites like this one or this one.

Other supplies: A four inch high density foam roller with extra heads, a couple of disposable trays (for easier cleanup), a couple of foam brushes (I bought a multi-size pack because they come in handy for any paint job), a short handled, angled synthetic brush (Wooster’s is a good one but there are others), painter’s tape (my personal favorite is Frog Tape, the wider kind), and other painting basics like a drop cloth, paint rags, paint stirrers, and a paint can opener. **For this small bathroom, a one quart container of the primer and each paint color were more than enough.

The Process

I want to point out this project took me two weekends to complete. Reason being, I didn’t want to spend my entire three day 4th of July holiday weekend working on a home improvement project, so I completed a little bit each day.

Step 1 – I cleaned the floor like I was going to eat off of it. I got on my hands and knees and scrubbed like I was Cinderella, to include using an old toothbrush to get into the corners. Next, I wiped the floor down with a clean damp cloth to make sure there was no residual cleanser, then wiped it dry with a clean cloth.

Step 2 – I had a couple of small gouges in my vinyl flooring so I used the floor kit to fill them in. Honestly, I probably could’ve skipped this step because the largest cut was probably about an inch long. Next, I sanded the spots smooth with a sanding block sponge (sorry, I’m not sure of the grit, I had it on hand from a previous project), then wiped the areas with a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth. This took all of five minutes, maybe less.

Step 3 – I taped off the baseboards and around the tub, toilet, and bottom of the vanity with painter’s tape.

The pattern on the vinyl is made to look like tile, with actual indentations to mimic caulk lines. If it was laid correctly (and straight), you could use a feature like that to help you line up your stencil.

Step 4 – Next, I put down three coats of primer, allowing plenty of drying time between coats. Here’s what I found to be annoying though. No matter what I did, there was always hair on the floor. I vacuumed, I swept, I used a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth to clean the floor, I wore a bonnet, I was minimally clothed (underwear and t-shirt if you must know), and I wore socks. Still, I would blink and there’d be a hair in the floor right where I was about to roll on some paint. Also, to be clear, this wasn’t cat hair (my cat is short haired and doesn’t shed), it was hair from my head (so get your mind out of the gutter). **TIP: What I ended up doing was putting a piece of painter’s tape on the back of my hand to get it up quickly and keep moving. I know I missed a few though, so if anyone is ever murdered in this bathroom after I sell my home, I will be suspect number one based on any DNA results. Seriously though, you want to avoid getting anything in the paint because it will cause the paint to eventually crack or chip when it’s walked on over time.

Step 5 – You can skip this step if you’ve already decided on a stencil. I bought a variety of eight and twelve inch stencils to choose from by doing a search on Amazon. I would probably suggest using one of the stencil websites I listed in the supplies section though, and I explain why in my final thoughts at the end of this post. I was leaning more towards the larger stencils because it would move things along a little quicker, but I was open to both sizes. I taped the ones I thought I might like to some cardboard so I could see what each of them would look like. I used primer to do this in between waiting for the coats to dry.

Here are a couple of the eight inch stencils, taped to cardboard with painter’s tape.

Here are a couple of the twelve inch stencils.

Here’s what the twelve inch patterns look like using primer.

Step 6 – This wouldn’t be a true Angela DIY project if I didn’t screw something up. I won’t go into detail about how 90% of my first can of primer ended up in the carpet in my living room in a freak accident. I’m just thankful for quick reflexes and my Bissell Little Green portable carpet cleaner. Anyway, the plan was to use the coastal beige color on the floor and the taupe would be used for the stenciling. I somehow managed to get it backwards, but I decided to keep going and see how it looked. I figured worse come to worse I could paint over everything and start over. I put three coats of the taupe on the floor and let them dry for at least an hour between coats, using a fan to help. Both the primer and the paints dried to the touch fairly quickly, but I would suggest following the directions on the containers.

Here’s what the floor looks like after three coats of the taupe chalk paint.

Step 7 – Here’s where the rubber meets the road. I wanted to start in the corner near the tub (upper left corner in the picture above), because in my mind, that’s where your eye is naturally drawn when you look at the floor. But here’s what I did before I made the final decision. I had a 9 pack of 12 inch stencils, so I laid them out several different ways on the floor to see if there was a better place to start that would give me the maximum number of full stencil spaces, versus places where I’d have to do a partial stencil (which would be more work). I hope that makes sense, I do not have a picture of it. To be clear, the package was of nine different stencil designs, I was simply using the size of the stencils as a pattern on the floor to find the best starting point. I only had one stencil of the design I used on my floor. I ultimately decided that starting in the corner near the tub was the best choice. Also, while the vinyl had a fake tile pattern on it, it was laid crookedly so I didn’t want to use the fake grout lines as guidelines for my stencil design.

I used painter’s tape to make two tabs to use as handles to pull the stencil up (on the upper and lower right-hand corners), and I taped the stencil to the floor on all four sides in the center to keep it in place for painting. I was able to easily use those same four pieces of tape many times before replacing them with fresh pieces of tape. I also kept one wet and one dry painter’s cloth handy at all times to clean up any accidents or mistakes.

A quick note about the stenciling process – You. Will. Need. Patience. Be sure you have the patience to finish this project because there isn’t a way to speed it up once you get started. If you put too much paint on the roller, the stencil will bleed (I posted a picture further down). It took me two coats to properly complete the stencil. The only way to speed up this part of the process is to use a hair dryer to dry the paint in between the two coats. I suggest doing one or two practice runs with a stencil on some cardboard or poster board to get a good feel for how to do it, and also keep a paper towel or some cardboard nearby to roll any extra paint off of the roller if you get too heavy handed. You could use a spray adhesive to hold the stencil to the floor, which supposedly helps with bleeding, but it sounded like too much additional work to me. Also, if you do this over a day or two, you shouldn’t need to clean the stencil until you’re completely finished. But if you allow longer periods of time between starting and finishing your stenciling like I did, I would suggest cleaning it. A soak in hot soapy water and a scrub with the scrubby side of a typical dish sponge should do it.

Here is where I had to make the decision if I wanted to repaint the floor the beige color like I originally planned, or leave it as it was. Understand, there will be some touch-up required, which is why I suggested the foam paint brushes. In this picture you can see where some touch up will be needed where the two stenciled areas come together.

Step 8 – Stencil all the areas that you can fit the full stencil flat. Depending on the size and layout of your floor, you might want to take a break and let some of the areas dry, so as not to smudge them while you’re kneeling on them trying to get to other areas.

This was a stopping point for me. I wanted to give the completed areas time to dry before finishing the stenciling near the doorway. *The space in front of the toilet wouldn’t fit the full stencil lying flat so I left it for later.*

Here’s what happens if you have too much paint on the roller. You can see how the paint bleeds under the stencil causing this messy effect.

Step 9 – Completing those areas where the stencil does not lie flat. **SIGH** Here’s my suggestion. If you can, buy several stencils so you can methodically cut them to fit the areas where the full stencil won’t fit. Unfortunately this wasn’t an option for me, because my stencil came in a pack of nine different stencil styles. To get to those (pain in the @ss) awkward spots, you’ll need to bend the stencil (it’s very flexible) and tape it down with the painter’s tape. Next, use the roller to get what you can, and use the foam brush to fill in what you can’t reach with the roller. I posted a picture below, but here’s a video (starting at the 3:05 mark) that demonstrates the process. In the video, she’s using a stencil brush for the touch up. I chose to buy foam brushes instead because they’re multi-purpose, versus a more expensive and very specific stencil brush that I may or may not use in the future. You can also see the woman in the video cut her stencil to finish other areas of the floor.

Here is an area next to the vanity where I had to bend the stencil and tape it down to fit the space.

Here’s the finished stenciling, before any touch up.

Step 10 – Make sure the floor is clean and dry before applying the poly finish. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for drying time. I allowed mine to dry (with a fan) for a little over an hour for each coat. This part of the process, which should have been super quick and easy, ended up being SUPER annoying because I felt like I had a Bigfoot standing over my shoulder. WHERE DOES ALL THIS HAIR COME FROM? I feel like I should be almost bald at this point! The poly is very sticky so the painter’s tape trick wasn’t helping! This time I had to just dig the hair out with my fingernail, which was very tedious. Imagine getting hair out of a thin layer of honey. There’s at least 8-10 pieces of DNA in this floor, just in case you want to buy my home and plan a murder in my bathroom and possibly get away with it by blaming it on me. Seriously though, I know it might sound kind of gross but I want to make sure I’ve giving you the full download of my experience so you know what you might be able to expect.

Step 11 – Once the poly is dry, remove the painter’s tape. You’ll want to pull it slowly and at an angle. If you pull too fast, you could remove some paint and ruin your project. I rarely have this issue with Frog tape, which is why I suggested it. Be sure to give the floor a few days to fully cure before putting anything back on it. Especially if the weather is hot and humid. It may feel dry to the touch, but you want to make sure it’s good and dry so nothing gets stuck to it.

Here’s a picture of the finish on the floor. It’s not too shiny and gives the floor a nice, finished feel under bare feet. It has decent grip and doesn’t feel slippery for anyone wondering.

Here’s a side by side of the before and after of the finished product.

Just a few final thoughts

I asked myself if I would do this again. I would, but I might’ve done a few things differently.

I like it. It’s a nice change after looking at that same old yellowing vinyl for twenty years.
Was it easier than laying tile? Good question. Maybe slightly, maybe not. I’m guessing since I’ve never laid tile before, but I understand the process and even briefly considered it.
I might have chosen a stencil with a stencil register (guide) to help me line the pattern up better. Click here and click on the images of the actual stencil (to the left of the stencil description) to see what a stencil register looks like and how it helps with alignment.
I’m glad I went with a larger stencil. I originally wanted to go with an eight inch stencil but a.) I couldn’t find a larger version of it and b.) I read somewhere that a larger pattern will make a small space feel larger. And besides, I wasn’t 100% sure I had the patience for this project to begin with, so if I had used a smaller stencil, my floor might still be sitting unfinished.
I had to let go of perfection. Your floor will not turn out 100% perfect. But the good thing is the pattern will help hide any mistakes. Your eye tends to focus on the overall pattern and not the little areas where you feel like you didn’t get it just right. Here’s a tip: if your eye doesn’t naturally flow across the floor, but instead stops at a particular area, you need to touch it up. This will make sense when you’ve finished stenciling.
I wish I’d have finished it over the long holiday weekend and took an additional vacation day (or two) to compensate for working over the weekend. There’s more work involved if you don’t complete it in a couple of days, unless you use another bathroom in the meantime. You’ll have to make sure your floor is clean before you begin again, try not to drip water on an unfinished floor when you get out of the shower, etc. Nothing major but still an inconvenience. Also, it got a little tedious being on the floor and on my knees over two weekends instead of one, even with the knee protection.

Up next, an update to my kitchen (I hope!). I’ll post about it when I’m done, but it may be a few weeks because I’d like to replace the sink and faucet and get some work done on the pipes before I complete my DIY plan.

A DIY Gone (mostly) Right,

Angela

November 23, 2019

Make Gift Giving Easy!

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a list when you’re trying to buy gifts for your friends, family, and/or loved ones? There’s nothing sadder than a gift given from the heart that will never be used by the recipient. I know I prefer to give (and receive) gifts that I know will be appreciated and used! I want to show you an easy way to give (and receive) wanted gifts using the Amazon website.

First off, you need to have an Amazon account, and, be logged into the website. Hover your mouse (don’t click) over the area at the top of the page where it says “Hello <your name>/Account &Lists” and click on the “Your Lists” link.

In the upper right hand corner, click the “Create a List” link.

The list should default to “You” at the top of the pop up box. Make sure you select the “Wish List” option.

Give your list a name, like “Christmas Wish List.” Be sure to select “Public” so others can see it (more on this later). Recipient name will default to the person the account belongs to (which should be you). Click “Create List.”

The page will refresh and go back to the main Your Lists page. You should see your newly created list, with a Public designation next to it.

Next comes the fun part, adding gifts to the list! Browse Amazon like you normally would when you’re shopping, and when you see something you’d like to put on your list, just do the following. On the right, just below the option to add the item to your cart, there is a box that says “Add to list.” NOTE: If you only have one list created, simply click the box and your item will be added. If you have more than one list, click the little arrow to the right to select the correct list to add the item to.

I have several lists created, so I have to click on the arrow to the right to select my Christmas Wish List.

If you’ve successfully added the item to your list, the page will refresh and you’ll receive a confirmation message. From that page, you can either view your list (to confirm all items were added, or you can delete items if needed), or continue shopping to add more items to your list.

Once you’ve got your list created, and you’ve reviewed it to make sure it has the items you want on it, you can now let people know it exists. There are two ways to do that. First, you’ll have to go back to the Your Lists page (go back to the first screenshot if you forgot how to do that). NOTE: If you have more than one list, make sure the correct list is selected on the left. It may be hard to see in this screenshot but when a list is selected it will have a light gray box around it. Also, the list name will be bolded.

With the correct list selected, over to the right you will see a link to “Send the list to others.” Click it so see your options.

Click on the View Only option. This means the people you send it to can only view your list, not add or remove items.

When you select the View Only option, you will see two options for sharing your list. If you’re pretty tech savvy, you can click “Copy Link” and then paste it in a text message on your phone, or maybe Facebook Messenger, just to name two options. If you don’t care and want errrybody to see your list, you could paste it in a Facebook post on your Timeline. If you’re not very “tech savvy,” you can select Invite by email. IMPORTANT NOTE: If you use an internet email account, meaning you get your email to your through Gmail (Google), Comcast, Yahoo, or whatever application you use to send and receive email, open that application, open a new email, then click the copy link option and paste the link into the email. If you don’t have email set up directly on your pc, when you click on the “Invite by email” option, one of two things will happen. Either nothing will happen, or you’ll receive an error message.

How to find someone else’s Wish List

If you’re not new to wish lists, or maybe you were familiar with them in the past, there used to be an option to search for someone else’s wish list using their name or email address. It looks like that option no longer exists, probably for privacy reasons if I had to guess. If you would like someone else to send you their wish list, there is an option. Go back to Your Lists (go back to the first screenshot if you forgot how to get there), then click on the Your Friends tab. The same note applies for the two options for sending your list to others. Do not select “Email this message” unless you know you have email set up directly on your pc. If you access your email through Comcast, Gmail (Google), Yahoo, etc, use the Copy Message option and paste it into a new email.

Amazon Lists Help

If you want to know more about Amazon lists, simply click the List Help link. There’s so much more you can do with lists, like creating a personal shopping list. The List Help page also explains the “Surprise Spoiler” setting, how to purchase items from someone else’s list (it’s pretty easy), and, how to add items to Your Lists or registries from other websites! The Help page also explains Idea lists, which can be helpful too.

I know some people may not care for Amazon-based gift giving but it’s so convenient for me. I’m a Prime member, so I get free same day or two day shipping on many items. Also, I don’t live near my family, so being able to pop something in my shopping cart and have it shipped directly to them is so much easier than finding boxes and standing in line at the post office trying to send a bunch of gifts to different addresses in several other states.

Here are a few tips for your wish list:

Don’t be obnoxious. Only provide the link to people who are actually asking you “what do you want for Christmas.” Because I’m telling you right now, if you send me your wish list unsolicited, it will gather dust in my possession. Trust and believe.

Along those same lines, DO NOT put high dollar items on your wish list. If you can’t or won’t buy a $500 item for yourself, don’t put it out there hoping someone else will. That’s just tacky. Yes, I said it.

Consider naming your list Gift Wish List and keep it updated, that way people can continue to use it for other special occasions like your birthday or even ‘just because.’

I said it before and I’ll say it again. Keep the list updated. Otherwise it defeats the purpose of not getting gifts that you don’t want or need. If you use Amazon a lot, this shouldn’t be hard to do. Another option is to delete the list after Christmas and create a new one every year.

Consider creating several lists by price range. For example: Gift Wish List $10 and under, Gift Wish List $10-$20, etc. This gives people options based on their budget.

Consider putting things on the list that you use all the time, like lotion, batteries, makeup, essential oils, cleaning or pet supplies, etc. I know I for one am always happy to receive something that I already use on a regular basis.

Creating wish lists is a great option if you have children! It prevents duplicate gifts, guarantees that your child will receive something they actually want, and it allows people to purchase items within their price range. Also, depending on the age of the child, and with a little supervision, you can show the child how to add items to the list.

Now go forth and give, but don’t over extend yourself doing it!

Santa Angela

June 13, 2019June 16, 2019

Float, float on

Keeping in line with my 2019 promise to myself, I took a vacation day and decided to engage in a float session. In case you missed it, the promise was to do something positive for myself on any singular vacation day, instead of just sleeping in or running errands.

What’s a float session?

The act of floating takes place in a shallow flotation tank filled with sterile salt water that’s the same temperature as your skin. Ideally, you should float butt naked in complete darkness and silence, to deprive your senses of stimulation so you can relax.

Some of you old heads might remember a movie from 1980 called Altered States, where the main character combined the sensory deprivation tank experience with powerful hallucinogenic drugs. It didn’t turn out well in the movie, and I wouldn’t recommend it in real life either. 🙂

But why?

The point is to float, unencumbered, in complete darkness and silence, and RELAX for anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes. Your goal should be to let yourself go to the point where you achieve a feeling of weightlessness.

The ‘why’ is because we live in a world of CONSTANT STIMULATION. We’ve become a society with short attention spans, a pack of Pavlov’s Dogs, constantly reacting to bleeps from our phones, computers, televisions, and gadgets in our cars. If you’re the type of person who never unplugs, and is uncomfortable with silence, then this probably isn’t the experience for you. But if you’re open to unplugging, and trying new experiences, then keep reading.

Preparation

Have no doubt that I’ve done my research. Floating has been around for a long time, and these are some of the purported benefits. If you’re interested in a particular benefit, I suggest you do some digging of your own. There have been a lot of float studies.

Stress relief
Pain relief
Insomnia
Improved concentration/focus
Muscle recovery (athletes)
Depression
Anxiety
An overall sense of well being

Here are a few common questions, some of which I also had.

Is this sanitary?
Will it be like sitting in someone else’s bath water?
How, and how often, is the water cleaned?
How big are these tanks?
Will this make me feel claustrophobic?
Can I wear a swimsuit if I don’t want to float naked?
What if I can’t swim?
If I fall asleep, could I drown?

I’m a visual person, so my primary method for learning and taking in new information is by observation (you can learn more about learning styles here). I’m like Missouri, the show me state, so the first thing I did was Google to see what float tanks look like. There are many types of tanks, but the following three kept coming up consistently.

Disclaimer: the following images are posted for informational purposes only. I am not affiliated with, being paid by, or endorsing any of these websites or companies.

First up is the old school tank. It looks kind of like a freezer to me.

Related image — Photo courtesy of floattank.net

Then there’s the float pod, or what I like to call the clam shell.

Image result for float pod companies — Photo courtesy of superiorfloattanks.com

The third type is an open concept. This is for the claustrophobic, and the looks can vary. Here’s one type, what I call the kiddie pool, and typically looks like this:

Couple in Tank — Image courtesy of floatawayusa.com

Here’s another open concept type, what I call the mini swimming pool. Some are open with no walls, and some have walls like a shower like the one pictured below.

After satisfying my initial curiosity with internet pictures, I took a field trip on a lunch break to a place called Float Horizen so I could put my eyes on some tanks in their natural habitat.

The staff was friendly, and after answering some preliminary questions, they offered a tour. They have four tanks, one clam shell and three of the mini swimming pools. I was surprised how roomy they are, even the clam shell type. Each room has a shower, mood lighting, and the option to have music. They also have all the additional accessories you might need (toiletries, towels, ear plugs, etc). After putting eyes on some actual rooms, I was convinced I wanted to give it a try. I just wasn’t sure about the when or where. Float Horizen is in the city, and I needed to look into options closer to home.

Spontaneity

I was at work on a Thursday, feeling like I wanted to take Friday off. So I submitted the request last minute and wrangled a friend of mine into joining me for a float session. I did a quick Google search and came across a place called Float Alchemy in Murfreesboro, TN. My friend made the appointments and we were on our way first thing the next morning.

First Impressions (and another disclaimer)

For those who don’t know me, I’m going to preface everything I’m about to say with this. This is my personal opinion about my experience (it is my blog after all). Unless the situation calls for it, it’s never my intention to bad mouth or demean anyone else’s hustle. However, I’m not the sugar coatin’ type. And if I ever intentionally throw shade at someone or something, I will always tell you why. Having said that, here’s what I thought about my experience.

I arrived early and received a warm welcome from one of the founders, an easy going guy named Mark. We chatted for a minute before he handed me an electronic tablet to complete a waiver, which was a quick and easy process. My friend showed up shortly afterwards and as she was completing her waiver, the other founder, a woman named Amy entered the area. She gave us a cordial greeting, then joined Mark behind the counter to have a conversation with him. I quickly tuned them out as they began talking about someone’s whereabouts, perhaps an employee. Whatever the conversation, it was none of my business, however I had no choice but to tune back in when her tone changed and she raised her voice slightly, complaining about having a lot to do and not much time to do it in as she walked away.

While the exchange wasn’t a huge deal, it stuck with me because I’m a first time visitor seeking a relaxing experience. As a new customer, first impressions matter. The situation felt slightly uncomfortable and awkward. Here’s the thing though. Whether new or repeat customer, if I wanted to hear people complain about working, I could’ve just went to work and saved my vacation day. While I can give the benefit of the doubt (we all have our moments), I’m HUGE on customer service. So much so that, for example, I have no qualms with going with the second best product or service if they provide better customer service than the number one product or service. Kudos to Mark for continuing to treat us like valued customers as if nothing ever happened.

A Tour of the Facility

Next up Mark gave us a tour. After showing us what I’ll call a “chill room,” a place with comfy seating (including hammocks) and blackout curtains, I noticed a kind of beverage station as we were about to round a corner towards the tank rooms. It caught my eye because there was tea on it, and I love tea. As I leaned in to get a closer look, I noticed ants. The ants were drawn to a bottle of honey, and a bottle of agave sweetener on the counter. Now I’m going to try to be fair here. Ants happen, and this wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Maybe we caught them on a bad day, and maybe someone forgot to put the bottles up the night before. Because if the bottles aren’t put up and the counter cleaned on a regular basis, you will have ants. I politely brought them to Mark’s attention, and he assured us that he had something with which to dispose of them very quickly. Put a pin in that cause we’re coming back to it.

The facility has three float rooms and he showed us all of them. The first room we went into was an open float room, where a round tank was embedded in the center of the room. My friend booked this room specifically for herself. As soon as we stepped inside the room the humidity was almost overwhelming, and I caught a slight whiff of mold. And I know mold when I smell it because I’m allergic. He explained that all of the rooms have a switch within easy reach to turn off the lights, if darkness was our preference. They also provide a spray bottle of regular water, in case you get salt water in your eyes. There was also a little kit with silicon ear plugs, makeup remover, and vaseline for any small open cuts. There’s a shower in each room and they provide shampoo, conditioner, washcloths, towels, shower shoes, and a robe.

Next he took us into the room I would use, and explained that he’d built both tanks himself. And while I’m all for ingenuity and DYI, I admit this brought up a different concern for me. I researched commercial tanks, so this was taking me into a territory that I was unprepared for and had no knowledge of. Commercial tanks have a built in system for cleaning the water. So, how do you clean and manage a non-commercial tank?

Now I understand there isn’t much that can survive in water filled with 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt, but a.) I’m a kind of a germ-a-phobe, and b.) salt water doesn’t eliminate hair. But again, this wasn’t a deal breaker for me. Also, in all fairness, I didn’t ask Mark how they cleaned the tanks. But I DID do some research after the fact. My understanding is that maintenance, cleaning, AND state inspections in Tennessee are about the same as a public swimming pool.

Mark explained that due to a cancellation, the third room, his personal favorite, was available if we wanted to use it. It had the old school style tank in it, and he said for him it gave him the best weightlessness experience.

The Experience

Here’s are a few pics of the tank I used. It was similar to your every day residential home tub/shower combo, with the exception of a door for full enclosure.

The experience started with some spa music, which was the signal to shower to remove any lotion or oils from your body and and styling products from your hair. I showered before I left the house, and didn’t apply any lotion, deodorant, or hair product, so I was already feeling like a piece of chalk, but I was obedient to the process and took a quick rinse anyway. I want to take a moment here to suggest if you’ve recently colored your hair or shaved any part of your body, you should wait a few days before floating. Freshly shaved skin will be on fire in all that salt water, and if your hair color isn’t set, you will be embarrassed when the water turns murky.

I smushed the silicon ear plugs in my ears to form a seal and keep the water out, then I stepped in, butt naked, and eased down into a sitting position. And my backside immediately popped right back up to the surface of the water. And if you know me, you know that’s a lot of bootay. I say that to say this. If you’ve ever had problems floating in a pool or other body of water, I guarantee you won’t have any trouble in a float tank. If you can’t float in a float tank, then find another facility because they’re doing something wrong. Also, to answer a question from earlier, the chances of you falling asleep, flipping onto your stomach, and drowning are minimal. You’d have to be some kind of special to do that.

Once I got my bearings in the water, I reached over and turned the lights off, plunging the entire room into complete darkness. Not long afterwards, the spa music faded out and I was left in complete silence. And my initial thought was I cannot sit here and listen to myself breathe for an hour. If you like to pray or meditate, this experience is perfect for that. It was so annoying to me, hearing myself breathe AND listening to my heartbeat, that I started concentrating on slowing my breathing. And while I was doing that, I kept brushing up against the sides of the tank. Which I couldn’t figure out why because it’s not like there are jets in the tank. I kept thinking why am I moving around so much? Each brush against the sides interrupted my concentration, so finally I stretched myself out like a starfish, then pulled my limbs in slightly so I was centered in the space.

As I lay there alone with my thoughts, my noisy breathing, and my bass drum like heartbeat, I was struggling with completely relaxing my neck and shoulders. Which wasn’t a surprise because that’s where I carry ALL of my stress. I started out with my hands down by my sides, like in all the online pictures, but for some reason that wasn’t working for me. So I switched it up and bent my arms at the elbow and pulled my hands up by my shoulders, palms up. That wasn’t working either so I finally put my hands above my head, like a jumping jack, and eventually I was able to fully relax.

FINALLY, my breathing controlled, and centered in the tank, I began to experience the so called weightlessness affect. Being naked and having zero pressure points against my body, I couldn’t tell where my body ended and the water began. In fact, I had no idea how far down in the water my head was resting until I pulled my arm in slightly to avoid brushing the side of the tank. Had it not been for the swim lessons I took a few years back (shout out to Lauren Worden at Worden Aquatics) I would’ve completely panicked when I realized how far up the water was around my face.

For my non-swimmers, this particular facility had styrofoam float rings that you can rest your head on. So if you aren’t comfortable with having your face surrounded with water, give your local facility a call and ask if they have something similar. They kind of look like little toilet seats with a notch for your neck.

Although it’s hard to have a good sense of time in darkness and silence, I don’t think I got settled enough to have the total “float experience” until there was about 10-15 minutes left of my session. But I will say, despite what it took to finally get there, I did find it be to relaxing and I enjoyed it.

After the Float

The spa music faded back in, signaling it was time to shower and end the session. I brought a small bag of toiletries and hair products, however they had a nice room set up with a large mirrors, bright lighting, hair dryers, diffusers, and a nice array of hair care products. I was surprised to see the Shea Moisture brand, which I like to use, along with Lubriderm, both of which are pretty pricey. Having these types of products available would make it easy for someone to float, say on a lunch break, and be able to go back to work refreshed and looking put together.

Getting back to the pin in the ant situation, when I came out of my float room I was super thirsty. I went over to the beverage area and sure enough, the ants were gone. My thing is this though. I would love to know what he did to get rid of those ants so quickly. Hoping the cups weren’t covered in chemical bug spray, I said a quick prayer and got me a cold cup of water. My friend was already waiting for me in the chill room. She didn’t have the best experience, her imagination ran a little too wild, so she chose to end her session early.

Amy checked my friend out first, and when she got to me, she asked what I thought. I was sure I wanted to float again, however I hadn’t decided whether or not I’d return to this location. So I gave her a polite “I’m still processing.” She then told me not to let my first experience form my opinion, to which I responded with “ok.” Then she said, “that’s why most places offer a three float deal for new folks, so you can try it a few times before you make up your mind. We’ve got a package if you’re interested.” I nodded and told her I wasn’t interested, and she launched into some statistics about the benefits of floating.

I raised my hand like a stop sign and said “I read your website,” my way of politely letting her know I’d done my homework. Even though she was very nice about providing me with more information, it felt too much like a hard sell and was a complete turn off. The thing is, they already had a special going for the entire month. She should’ve just kept it at “well as I mentioned we’ve got these discounted rates all month long, I hope you decide to come back and visit us.”

Quite frankly the main reason I wouldn’t return is because of the extremely high humidity in both rooms. We never actually stepped into the third room, but I think I’d feel a little claustrophobic in the traditional style tank. While I’m not an expert by any means, I understand that the climate in the room has to be just right to experience the weightlessness effect. But had I not visited the Float Horizen facility, I wouldn’t have known that an overwhelmingly humid room is not a requirement. By the time I was finished my sinuses felt a bit stuffy and I couldn’t wait to get out of the room so I could get a breath of fresh, cool air.

The Verdict

I would definitely go again, just not at the same place as I already mentioned. Also, I would prefer to have music, which Float Horizen does offer the option. You can listen to their spa music or bring your own playlist. I understand the point of sensory deprivation, but for me, music relaxes me. It’s ingrained into every aspect of my life. I even dream about music. I also like the idea of a commercial tank, with it’s own filtration and sanitation system. Let me be clear, I am not calling Float Alchemy’s tanks nasty, I’m just saying for my own personal germ-a-phobic peace of mind, I’d rather go commercial next time, rather than home made.

Weightlessly yours,

Angela

March 12, 2019June 18, 2019

A Tale of Two Salt Rooms

I’ve made a promise to myself that in 2019, if I take a single day off, I’m going to do something good for myself. Something other than what I normally do which is sleep in, or run errands. I’ve vowed to proactively seek out experiences that will hopefully benefit me in a positive way. So on this particular day off, I decided to visit a salt cave. But before I get into the details, first things first.

What’s a salt cave?

A salt cave is where you indulge in halotherapy, an alternative form of western medicine that involves breathing salty air. The purported benefits run the gamut from improving respiratory ailments (asthma, bronchitis), allergies, depression, anxiety, and even some types of skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Research, research, research

The first thing I do when I try anything new is research, research, research. I started with reviews of salt rooms in the local area, then I moved on to actual websites because I’m a visual person and I needed to see what they looked like. I also wanted to know what to expect from an unbiased source, and I Googled general information on halotherapy and salt rooms overall. I did all of that to try and set realistic expectations for myself when it comes to new experiences that I’m not immediately no-questions-asked on board with (I can be spontaneous sometimes).

Some of the reviews about one location in particular complained about it being too cold. I don’t like the cold. And even though a lot of these places use the phrase “salt cave,” it never occurred to me that the temperate might literally mimic that of an actual cave. I didn’t let that deter me, however I had to dig deeper. I Googled and found out that a salt room should be somewhat cool in order for the results to be effective, specifically in the range of upper 60s to low 70s (fahrenheit).

I finally settled on a place in Murfreesboro, about 30 minutes away, called Breathe Easy Salt Rooms, where the reviews were consistently positive. I went to the website, which was easy to navigate and included great photos, and their online booking system allowed me to easily book an appointment for the next day.

First Impressions

I was welcomed warmly by a petite woman named Cara, who is the owner. She gave us a quick tour, then asked if we’d ever been to a salt room (my son, my ride or die, decided to join me). When we replied no, she took a moment to explain what to expect. After pointing out the restrooms and a small area to store any personal items, she asked if we were still interested. I’d like to take a moment to point out no money had exchanged hands yet, and there was zero pressure to go through with our appointment. With a resounding yes, we took a seat to remove our shoes, and she let us know we could go barefoot or she could provide foot covers. We chose to keep our socks on and use the covers.

She chatted us up while we took off our shoes, and we discovered not only were she and I from the same hometown, we’d also attended the same high school. I’m pretty sure I graduated years before her, but even if we were there at the same time, it wouldn’t at all be weird if we didn’t know each other. My high school was huge, our graduating class was approximately 500 people. Her demeanor and customer service had already won me over, but this amazing coincidence served as confirmation that I’d chosen the right place for my first experience.

The room

She handed us buttery soft blankets and we carefully made our way across the finely ground salt covering the floor, to claim a zero gravity chair. It felt as if we were walking on the beach. The room was dim, and the temperature was cool but comfortable. It was the kind of cool that makes me want to snuggle under a blanket and take a nap. The focal point of the room is a framed rectangle of backlit Himalayan salt blocks, which provided just the right amount of mood lighting. The sounds were a mixture of spa music, trickling water, and white noise generated by the halogenerator. It’s kind of like a humidifier, but instead of moisture it sprays super fine, dry salt into the air. No you are not pelted with salt for an hour, you can’t actually see it, it’s crushed up into micro particles.

The experience

My son sat on the end of the room nearest the halogenator, and told me immediately that he could taste salt on his lips. And within minutes he was asleep. And while I didn’t sleep, I felt very relaxed and comfortable. That is until I had to empty my bladder about 10 minutes in. But it was the trip to the bathroom where I discovered her wonderful body scrubs that she makes in house. She had a few open samples for use.

When our hour was up, we put our shoes back on and I took a moment to browse around her retail area where she sells ‘all things salt.’ She has everything from lamps to essential oils to soaps and everything in between. I paid for our session and bought a container of Florida Citrus body scrub. The smell, kind of citrusy and fresh, really does reminder me of repeated trips to Orlando. It was a lovely experience and I felt completely relaxed afterwards.

The after effects

I suffer horribly from allergies and sinus problems. I acquired this affliction 18 years ago when I moved to Nashville, and it’s common for this area. It took five years of allergen immunotherapy (weekly/monthly shots) just to be able to exist indoors and outdoors without breaking out in hives. Seriously. I say that to say this. My hope was that the salt room experience would help with my most annoying chronic symptoms; sinus pressure which results in horrible headaches, or drainage so severe that I sometimes suffer from bouts of uncontrollable, annoying coughing. But honestly, I went in with the mindset of if I get nothing else from this but some rest and relaxation I’m ok with that too.

Although my sinuses felt pretty good when I left, I noticed that I started to feel even better as the day went on. By morning, my head was as clear as it had ever been before I moved to Tennessee. It was like experiencing all the benefits of taking allergy decongestant medication without any of the side effects.

I was so impressed that I went back a few weeks later with a friend. This time I opted to go barefoot. The feeling of burying my feet in the finely ground salt covering the floor was the next best thing to being at the beach. Not only did we experience the same great customer service from her husband (he happened to be giving Cara a break), he offered to let us stay an additional hour at no cost. His appointments that were to follow us were a no show, probably due to the extremely rainy weather, and he had to stay till closing anyway, he reasoned, so why not? We thanked him and took him up on his generous offer. Careful to not overstay our welcome though, we only stayed an additional 30 minutes. It was an awesome end to a very stressful, hectic work week.

The verdict

I really enjoyed the Breathe Easy experience, and would easily become a regular customer if it weren’t for the location. It’s just not convenient. My job and Breathe Easy both fall in a nice, straight, southerly line, as far as driving is concerned. But where I live falls smack dab in between the two. And while I’m on board with a little inconvenience for quality products and service, once I fight traffic to get home, the last thing I want to do is get back in my car (or stay in my car) for another 30-45 minutes. That won’t keep me from the occasional visit though.

A Groupon Opportunity

I was so impressed by the experience, with both the customer service and the after effects of the session, that I decided to check out a salt room that’s closer to my home. Now you may be asking why I didn’t try this place from the beginning, and I can tell you it was because many of the reviews complained that it was way too cold. The only reason I decided to give i a try is because I came across a Groupon. I also talked a co-worker into giving it a try with me. She suffers from sinus problems too and became interested after I shared my first experience at Breathe Easy with her.

Not all salt rooms are the same

This experience was definitely different. Now I understand these are two independently owned businesses that are only related in the services they provide, however, I’d hoped the overall session would be similar. I was wrong.

I thought long and hard about whether or not to name this business, but I’ve decided against it. While I’m entitled to my opinion, and would not purposely bad mouth a business, the only reason I’m not naming it is because I don’t think it’s fair to compare a customer service experience with a business owner and their “baby” so to speak (Cara and Breathe Easy) with the experience of what was probably ‘hired help.’ If you own a business, you should be vested in your customer’s experiences. If you just need a paycheck to pay the bills (hired help), your actions might differ from an owner. Having said that, let’s get into it.

First Impressions

I fully admit I arrived 5 minutes into the recommended 10 minute arrival window prior to the session. This is not normal for me by any means, anyone who knows me knows I HATE being late. I apologized to the young woman working the front desk, who couldn’t have been older than my own daughter, and she said it was ok. I waited for her to give me further direction. When she didn’t, I mentioned I had a Groupon. She asked me for my name, marked it as ‘redeemed,’ then directed me to the back area where a second employee would show me to the room. I want to be clear here, she didn’t have an attitude, however her demeanor wasn’t what I would consider welcoming or inviting. I didn’t feel as if it was because I was a little late, but if it was, fair enough I guess.

The second employee directed us to remove our shoes, and told us we were welcome to leave our belongings in the lockers directly across from the bench we were sitting on. She then handed us foot covers, showed us into the room, and told us to watch our step as she explained how to recline the zero gravity chairs. She explained we’d be in the room for 45 minutes and she’d be back to get us at that time. And with that, she closed the door and our session started. I don’t know if I was prejudiced because of my experience with Cara but I thought it was odd that she didn’t give us a ‘what to expect’ spiel. One could probably safely assume that as Groupon customers it was our first experience. Maybe my expectations were too high, I don’t know.

The room

My first impression of the room was the salt on the floor. It was large rock salt, which made it feel as if I was walking across a gravel driveway. I was not happy about this because I have sensitive feet. I used to go barefoot all the time when I was kid, until the day I stepped on a piece of curved glass, which immediately and deeply embedded itself in the arch of my foot. Because of that, with the exception of the beach and some carpeted floors, it’s a rare occasion for me to go barefoot.

The room itself was nice, aesthetically speaking. It looked like a cave, with all of the walls and ceiling covered in salt. There were small, color changing twinkle lights embedded in the ceiling, and the flow of water from a water feature in the corner complimented the the spa music being piped in over the speakers.

The experience

I don’t know what was different from Breathe Easy but I had a hard time getting the zero gravity chair to recline. I felt as if my legs were too short, but at 5′ 6″ I don’t consider myself that short. I eventually had to literally, forcefully thrust all of this bootay of mine backwards to get the chair to start reclining. I noticed right off that we weren’t offered blankets, but the temperature of the room didn’t dictate the need for one. In fact, I was so comfortable that I was almost bordering on being too warm.

About 15 minutes in, I brought my chair back into the sitting position and found myself waiting impatiently for the experience to end. Now I know I’m not a salt room expert by any means, but I am a long term sufferer of sinusitis, and frankly the air in the room wasn’t doing much of anything for me. It was almost as if maybe the machine they were using wasn’t big enough for the room? And we were sitting in the same corner as the machine.

The after effects

When the 45 minutes were up, they turned the lights up to signal the end of our session and they were incredibly bright. As we exited the room, I realized why we weren’t offered blankets. There were blankets on some of the chairs, so I guess I just happened to sit in a chair that didn’t have one. I guess I didn’t notice initially because I was too busy trying to ignore the subtle pain of walking across the floor. The temperature in the room was so warm I didn’t need one anyway. As for my sinuses, not only did I not feel much going on during the session, I felt nothing anytime afterwards. I was disappointed to say the least.

When we exited the room we weren’t greeted, there was no “how was it,” not even a “have a good day.” Again, not rude per se but we weren’t made to feel like valued customers. For me, it really doesn’t take much, just simple home training, common courtesy really. Because of this I didn’t bother to browse their retail area or ask about their other services. I simply made a beeline for the exit. The thing is, I have another Groupon for a float session with this place, which will be my next blog topic. I’m not sure yet if I’ll return to redeem it, because I’m not completely against giving them a second chance because it’s a different service.

The verdict

If this local facility salt room session had been my first experience, I wouldn’t have wanted to go again. Not just to this place, I mean any other salt room. Not because of the staff, but because of the minimal affects. And quite frankly even though it looked more “cave” like, it wasn’t as relaxing to me either.

Breathe Easy Pros and Cons

Breathe Easy Pros	Breath Easy Cons
Customer Service!	Location (for ME)
Floor feels like sand
Adults only room
EASY online booking
Ability to bring your own device to listen to music/ebook/etc (with earbuds/headphones)
A good sushi spot nearby 🙂
Session truly is an hour long

Local facility who shall remain nameless Pros and Cons

Local facility Pros	Local Facility Cons
It’s local/close to home	Staff seemed indifferent
Lots of salt/salt related products for sale	Rock salt floor is uncomfortable
Salt room has a nice aesthetic	Personal devices not allowed
Facility overall has a cute theme/vibe	No adult only room/hours. I have nothing against kids but I want to relax.
	Felt zero affect on sinuses after session
	Room could’ve been slightly cooler.
	Session is only 45 minutes

Overall I say if you have the opportunity to experience one at a reasonable price, give it a try. But also keep in mind, not all salt rooms are equal.

Next up I’ll talk about my float session experience, also known as sensory deprivation. 🙂

May the salt be with you,

Angela

November 9, 2018December 16, 2018

Why does it always have to be about race?

When I hear someone ask “why does it always have to be about race,” it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me. It’s usually followed by something like “we’re all human / I don’t see color / we’re all the same on the inside” or some other well-meaning phrase. Seeing as I have a platform (this blog), and I have friends from ALL walks of life, I feel like I might be able to bridge the gap of (mis)understanding.

I’m going to tell you a story to help explain my annoyance. The names have been changed to protect the innocent, and, because I haven’t asked their permission to share it. It’s all for a greater good though, so I’m sure they’ll understand. 🙂

I have a good friend who I’ll call Pete. If someone would’ve told me 15 years ago that Pete and I would become close friends, I would’ve laughed in their face. On the surface, you’d think Pete and I have very little in common, but it didn’t take us long to see we actually have a lot in common. So much so that I proudly call him my brother (and his mother ‘mom’).

Pete is married to Sharon, and they’re both as white as the day is long. They are salt of the earth, genuinely good people, who would both give me the shirt off their backs if I needed one. I can actually see Sharon, shirtless, standing tall, shoulders back, shamelessly shouting “stop staring, I’m helping a friend!”

We’ve spent a lot of time together, Pete, Sharon, and a few others, doing everything from watching movies, enjoying a meal, shopping, exercising, and even traveling, They have been there for me more times than I can say, and I have been very thankful for their friendship over the years.

One day I was sharing a story with Pete about an experience I’d had visiting a winery here in Tennessee. This visit, which I was SUPER excited about because I LOVED their wines, was less than stellar. The racism that my family and a good friend of ours experienced was so blatantly obvious, my kids picked up on it before I did. And I haven’t bought their wine since. After I shared the details of the story with Pete, he looked me in the eye and asked, “are you sure you weren’t looking for it?” ‘It’ being racism.

Not only was I taken aback, I was hurt and pissed off, all at the same time. Pete and I have known each other for YEARS, and for him to question me like that almost made me question our entire friendship. I wanted to scream ‘dude, you know me, why would you even ask me that?’ Instead, I calmly assured him I was not. And, with what I felt was a hint of disbelief, he shook his head, told me it wasn’t right, and we left the conversation there.

That wasn’t the first time I’ve gotten that kind of reaction from a person who isn’t of color, to a story about racism or discrimination. And it’s the reason why I rarely share those kinds of stories with people who aren’t of color. I shouldn’t have to justify myself to someone who knows me, because they should already know I don’t go looking for it. But I also have enough emotional intelligence to understand that when people react this way, it’s usually out of genuine ignorance. I’d like to try to teach those folks something today.

Fast forward a few years. I’d planned a trip to New Orleans with some friends, to include Pete and Sharon, and another good friend of mine who lives in a different state. I’ll call her Pam. Pam is black. None of them had ever been to New Orleans, so I took great pleasure in planning the trip and showing them around the city.

On this day, we were strolling down Royal Street, ducking in and out shops as we’d spot things of interest through the display windows. We were hanging out together, but from the outside looking in, you wouldn’t think we were together because we weren’t walking together as a group. There are SO many great shops on Royal Street that it’s easy for a group to separate and seem, well, less group-y. Yes I just made that word up, roll with it please.

We’d all stopped in one store, and then split into pairs as Pam and I decided to cross the street to an art gallery, where a painting had caught Pam’s eye. We let Pete and Sharon know we were leaving, and they responded that they were almost finished looking around and they’d be over shortly. And sure enough, they did come along right behind us. Not close enough to appear as if we were all together, but close enough to make the following observation.

When Pam and I walked into the gallery, we were not greeted. Even after we said hello. In fact, the clerk, who was white, didn’t even bother to acknowledge our existence. She continued to do exactly what she’d been doing, which was nothing. Let me make this as clear as I can. There weren’t any other customers in the store, she wasn’t on the phone, on a computer, reading, or completing paperwork.

Her lack of hospitality didn’t deter us though, as we continued to browse while Pam contemplated whether she wanted to spend the cash for the painting she’d seen. It had a sizable price tag on it, and even though it was beautiful and well within her means, she’s cheap.

Pete and Sharon, who’d been hovering in the doorway, briefly chatting about something, finally came inside. And the clerk immediately perked up and gave them one of the warmest, grandest New Orleans welcomes I’ve ever seen. She asked them if they needed any help, and if they were looking for anything specific. And it was at that moment that it clicked for Pete. He noticed the difference in how he and Sharon were treated, and how Pam and I were treated. The woman chatted up Pete and Sharon the entire time they were in the store, and still had not said one word to me or Pam. She never even bothered to look our way.

After we finished browsing, Pam and I left, continuing on to the next store. We were unaffected, because this is a typical experience for us. We run across these types of exchanges, together and individually, on a regular. But instead of reacting and getting all in our feelings, we simply find other places to spend our money.

Once Pete caught up with us, he blew up. “What the hell was that? That woman acted like you guys didn’t even exist! What kind of crap is that?” In that moment, he felt the same type of rage that people of color have had to manage all of their lives. He’d just gotten a mere glimpse of the type of experiences we have all the time. Finally, my good friend of many years got it.

The beauty in this story, if there’s any to be found, is that I didn’t have to point out what was happening. Pete picked up on it all on his own, through the power of observation. He saw firsthand that we weren’t “looking for it,” and there was nothing about us or our actions that triggered the woman’s behavior. In that moment, I felt validated. He’s since developed a better understanding of what it’s like for me and the skin I’m in.

The less obvious problem with this situation is this. The pieces in that gallery are on consignment. The clerk’s actions not only affected us, they affected the artist, who missed out on a sale. The asking price for that painting, I can assure you, would’ve covered someone’s rent, or car payment, or a few bills. The actions of one can affect many.

When people ask why it always has to be about race, sometimes as if they’re seemingly exasperated by it, I want to shout because that is my experience. If you’re tired of hearing about it, imagine how tired we are of experiencing it. I’m not wearing a costume that I can remove when I get tired of being mistreated for something I have no control over. I’m black 24/7/365.

I don’t walk around with a chip on my shoulder, like a stereotypical ‘angry black woman,’ looking for racism everywhere I go. How exhausting would that be! However, I do encounter racism all the time. Most of the time, like Pam and I did that day, I ignore it and go about my business. If I reacted every time I encountered racism, I’d be extremely tired.

As much as you may believe in the golden rule of treat other people as you would like to be treated, as much as you may insist that you see people as people and not what race, color, creed, or religion they are, not all people do. Not all people are like you.

Until you see it for yourself, like Pete, you cannot comprehend what it feels like to go through what we go through. You cannot possibly know what it’s like to be a person of color. So please, stop asking people of color why it always has to be about race. When you do this, it’s as if you’re discounting our experiences.

Attempting to bridge the gap,

Angela

**In case you’re wondering, Pam found another painting at a different gallery, where we were treated as valued customers. Also, this clerk is not representative of New Orleans as a whole. The city is a melting pot full of weird, wonderful, fun, friendly people. And if you’ve never been, I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list.**