"I am the (wo)man in the box." (or clothes in a box, food in a box, make-up or ugly fruit in a box)

In the post-Covid world of remote learning and working, it has become easier than ever to do more from the comfort of your couch. The world has become much smaller and at the same time, much larger than before. I can reach out and chat with work, friends, and strangers anywhere in the world at any time. I can video chat with family in both Spain and next door. I can order a custom-made leather satchel from a village in Poland and have it delivered to my front door at the same time my dog is delivered when the groomer from down the street drops him off after a bath and trim. I haven't spoken to most of my next-door neighbors face-to-face more than twice this year, and as much as I love most people, it has become SOOOOO easy to just... stay... home. Whereas in the past, the extent of my "ordering in" amounted to some pizza or Chinese food now and then, now? Well, I will confess, if it is possible for me to "order it in", it's coming to me in a box thanks to the fabulous men and women at UPS, Fed Ex, or the beautiful USPS - God bless America and its postal service!

I think my first foray into the amazing world of anything-you-want-right-to-your-door was when I received a gift of a Stich Fix subscription as a Christmas gift. In a previous post, I mentioned that I cut and colored my own hair for years until a friend pulled me aside (well, actually not aside so much as in a group of people and in a public place) and told me to knock it off - I looked like I had placed a bale of hay on my head - both color and texture. I admitted my problem, got help, and have been beautifully coiffed for several years now (Sonni, you rock! )Apparently, my fashion sense was much like my hair - I needed to stop doing it myself via other people's hand-me-downs. So my first box came - not impressed; however, I am NOT a quitter, and they offered to send me a new box with 5 new pieces immediately, so I gave them a second chance...

My stylist nailed it.

I now have jeans and tops, sweaters, and jackets, shorts and purses and shoes, oh my! And best of all, I get a new box of surprise clothes every 3 months! Christmas all year long.

But like an addict, my tolerance increased, and I needed more.

Enter Every Plate. This is my meal delivery system. Oh! My! Gosh!!! No longer do I have to face the dreaded masses at the grocery store. I don't even have to get out of my pajamas or get into the car. Pull up the app, select 4 or 5 meals, and on Wednesday a box appears at my door with EVERYTHING I need to make meals I never dreamed of. Turkish spiced chickpea and basmati bowls; chicken, sweet potato, and pepper curry; spicy cumin lime steak tacos; honey ginger pork chops...every protein, pasta, sauce, and even the spices. No-brainer gourmet dinners. I am a culinary genius! But what about snacks and lunches? No way am I going out of the house to get things I don't really need...

Imperfect foods - here come all of my chocolates, chips, crunchy, salty, and sweet goodies. Plus fruits and vegetables (for when I am feeling guilty about eating the above mentioned goodies). And - bonus!- they deliver by zip code = fewer trucks and less CO2, and they save ugly, misshapen, barely out of date, and over stocked food from being thrown away! By using this service I am saving unwanted fruit and saving the planet!

Rochell Reberger...Eco Warrior!

Wow! I feel good about myself! I cook lovely meals, wearing lovely clothes, all while saving the world from wasted foods...It is time to treat myself, and though no one will ever see my face because I have started working remotely, and I never leave my house, Dollar Shave Club keeps my legs smooth, Scentbox brings new fragrances to me so I float about the house in a delightful floral aroma cloud - all by myself. Birchbox brings new makeup and beauty products to me to keep my pale-never-see-the-sun face moisturized, collagenated, wrinkle-free, and decorated so I am not afraid of my own reflection in the mirror.

Is that a mirror? Is that my reflection? NO!!!!!!

I have become Gollum! "My Precious" is a box on my doorstep. I am pale, anti-social, and my bloodshot eyes are popping out of my head from all of the computer scanning I am doing choosing the next selection for each box! This is insanity!

Who is this person? How did she usurp the outgoing social butterfly who was here 5 years ago? Where will I be 5 years from now? Gasp!!! I have seen the future; it is pale and it looks a lot like Howard Hughes!!!!

I would love to chat, but I am going to the grocery store to get something for dinner tonight after I stop by the farmer's market in the next town. I think I will pop into one of the several cute little boutiques around town and possibly head over to the mega-makeup store and browse for a bit.

However, that dog groomer that picks up and delivers my clean and trimmed-up doggie - yeah...that's gonna stay!