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I had a boss who took exquisite care of his leather shoes. I’m talking dusted, brushed, and moisturized them after every single wear. They softened up and held their shape and luster for years and years. On a base level, leather is made of skin. And skin needs lotion. I know I moisturize daily, so why shouldn’t my shoes?
I’ve had these Blundstones for four years and moisturize them every few weeks depending on the amount of wear they’re getting. I’ve used the Blundstone bootcare products which are pretty lux ($$) but this Kiwi leather lotion works just as well. My dad swears by Venetian, which I’m trying next.
Bonus points for doing your partner or roommate’s boots if you’re feeling generous with your time and elbow grease.
2d ago
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Treating leather work boots with mink oil feels a little decadent, but it makes any leather good look better, so why not do it? (Conditioned left v unconditioned right.)
Feb 29, 2024
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I generally don’t spend a lot of money on shoes. I wear checkered vans like 90% because they are easy to throw on. I generally wear them until they are falling apart. But the winters can get cold and snowy so I needed a beefy shoe that would last me for a while. This winter I finally purchased some heavy duty blundstone boots and they are so worth it.
I am going to wear them to the ground and I love that it will be years before I have to retire them
Feb 12, 2025
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with whom I have a very close r’ship. Nothing chic-er than taking your worn-in leather boots to be re-soled! Look after your things and they’ll look after you.
Jan 11, 2024
Top Recs from @salad_valet
i canceled my Spotify account over the summer and have spent the last few months rebuilding my digital music library on a refurbished iPod Touch. reading critiques of the app (and it’s enshittification), i realized i wasn’t even sure of my own musical tastes and preferences. i had stopped picking for myself, stopped seeking out new music, ceasing to know how to choose what i wanted or articulate what i like.
breaking free from the algorithm has been such a joy! i’m borrowing gobs of music from the library, rebuilding my old playlists, and consuming more music than i have in years. and better yet, my data isn’t being tracked by Spotify and i own what’s in my personal library. further, my receptors are more open when i’m out in the world exposed to music, searching for recommendations in an organic way.
Jan 16, 2025
i’ve been trying to articulate why i enjoy this space so much. yes, the UX is reminiscent of Tumblr and the early days of the internet. and there’s genuine sincerity and vulnerability on here that makes it feel really cozy and real, which i haven’t felt online in at least a decade.
but i think what’s undergirding my love of this space is how anti-capitalist it feels. most of the recs everyone shares are vibe-checks, quality of life shifts, meditations and offers, music and movies, just plain good art. i don’t feel compelled to buy anything when i come here. i feel excited and pumped to be a cheerleader, find connection, find common ground. and FWIW the recs i’ve shared that have gotten the most traction are my suggestions for leading a less capitalistic / consumerist life (quitting Amazon, getting off of Spotify, building community to take care of you and your things).
all of this is to say, i love it here and i love you guys.
Feb 7, 2025
hear me out—this one might feel impossible, but i quit purchasing items on Amazon in 2018 and cancelled my GoodReads account shortly after.
i did some serious reflection and realized i’d become super reliant upon, and frankly, quite used to the instant gratification of purchasing something and knowing i’d have it within a day. that’s not normal. the labor practices, economics, and environmental impacts of getting what you want from the internet delivered quickly and right to your door are skewed. i was filling a void in myself with mindless purchases.
i’m aware that they service a huge swath of the internet (Amazon Web Services), own Whole Foods and Abe Books, and will likely take over more businesses we like and rely on. weaning off and avoiding entirely is very very hard, but it can also be a measured decision. that said, i know that it is a privilege to abstain from Amazon. i am able bodied, i don’t have kids, i have access to a car, i live in an urban environment with access to a lot of stuff at my fingertips. but making the choice to break out of the Amazon loop has ultimately been better for my pocketbook and better for my relationship to these mega-tech-companies that have their fingers in everything.
in contrast, i’m becoming more interested in alternate economies, like bartering and sharing. i love the idea of having commonly shared tools and items (tool libraries are very cool). we don’t need to own it all, we have each other.
interested in exploring more? the zine pictured below is a great start, and summarizes a much larger book by the same author on how to resist the leviathan that is Amazon.
Jan 22, 2025