Diane Nivens
Bio
Just trying to find my place in this big world. I've got a lot to say if you've got the time to listen.
Twitter: @DianeNivens87
Stories (16/0)
How I quit the laundromat during a pandemic
Pre-pandemic life was so much simpler. You could lug your dirty clothes to a public place and wash them, standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers, yet chatting like friends, all the while folding your underwear and rolling your socks. Then, when covid-19 hit, suddenly, we became completely aware just how gross parts of our lives were. New protocols made simple tasks excruciating. Public places became a new threat because, well, people are gross. One thing that became the worst thing ever in my life was the laundromat.
By Diane Nivens4 years ago in Lifehack
Letter to my younger self...
Dear 23 year-old me, In ten years time, you won't recognize yourself or the world for reasons that are both good and bad. Reality will shift on a dime one day and everything in your world will be unstable. There are so many lessons I've had to learn the hard way. Here's some of the things I wish I wasn't so hard headed about.
By Diane Nivens4 years ago in Motivation
A Feminist Call to Arms
The news lately is rife with five states that are proposing anti-abortion laws dictating that abortions cannot be performed past the six week mark. These laws have been dubbed "Heartbeat Bills," because an embryo develops a heartbeat around the five-week mark. (Please note that I said embryo, and not fetus, or baby. In the stages of development, an embryo is considered a fetus around the eight-week mark.) Many women don't even know they're pregnant until after six weeks. Furthermore, Georgia is proposing laws that would criminalize women that plan to go out of state to get an abortion, and cause this act to be a punishable offense that could result in imprisonment. This also makes women that experience a miscarriage vulnerable to possible murder charges.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Viva
- Top Story - May 2019
My Terrible, No Good, Very Bad WeddingTop Story - May 2019
Wedding season is upon us. Pinterest is pinging. Registries are ringing. Seamstresses are... seaming. You see where I'm going with this. Myself, I'm helping plan my best friend in the whole wide world's wedding for June 2020, and my vow renewal for September 2020. It got me thinking about my wedding nine years ago. When we plan out weddings, we all want everything to go off perfectly, and we kill ourselves creating a perfect day. Not everything always ends up perfect, though. In the case of my wedding, only one thing actually went according to plan: I married my husband. Sit down, I'll tell you all about it.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Marriage
Surviving Valentine's on a Tight Budget
Many people say they hate Valentine's Day because it's so commercial, expensive, and forced. They're not wrong, but some people truly love it. What do you do when you're the person that hates the dreaded February 14th, but you're with a person that loves it? The answer is to make the most of it in a way that makes you both happy.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Lifehack
The Women of 'Star Wars'
What is a feminist character? Most people define it as a female character that doesn’t care about her looks or romance. A woman that kicks ass and takes names. That is not wholly true. As humans, we all care about our looks to a degree and we all care about romance. It is part of the human experience. So, a character that cares about these things is not automatically defined as anti-feminist. To counter this, a woman that kicks ass and is fearless may feel feminist at first, however, this is not entirely true either. Fighting for what’s right is also a universal human experience and desire.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Geeks
ASMR: What's This All About?
So, let's kick this off with the obvious question: what is ASMR? ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It's a strange name that doesn't really explain what the thing is, but the term is used to describe the sensation when a person has a specific physical response to hearing a specific type of noise. It is most often described as "head tingles." It's when your scalp perks up in goosebumps, which then causes a relaxing sensation with it. It's like getting a scalp massage without being touched. When the sensation gets stronger, the tingles can manifest in goosebumps down the neck and arms as well. Millions of people claim to experience this sensation, and while it all sounds like it's bullshit, the thousands of ASMR videos on YouTube would suggest that maybe it isn't a bunch of crap.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Longevity
- Top Story - November 2018
An Open Letter to Roseanne BarrTop Story - November 2018
Dear Roseanne, The new season of The Conners has spurred me to write to you. I've been so upset with you ever since the reboot of your self-titled show. You see, I grew up with you as a secondary mother. Your television family was a reflection of my family, and your parenting lessons echoed my mother's. You were the first feminist woman I saw blazing a path with no regard to those she upset. You were revolutionary to girls of my age.
By Diane Nivens5 years ago in Viva
Ain't No Shame to My Thrift Game
Once upon a time, it was shameful to shop in a thrift store. Having to wear other people's closet rejects after they wore them out to threadbare rags, or wearing the clothes of someone that had died, was embarrassing and a clear sign that you or your family was poor.
By Diane Nivens6 years ago in Lifehack
College Culture Shock
There's a huge culture shock for many new college students about the function of classrooms. In high school, you need permission for everything: to go to the bathroom, to get a drink, to use your computer, etc. High school has a rigid structure that does not allow for deviation. College is... a little bit different.
By Diane Nivens6 years ago in Education