LIST Birmingham - August 2020

LIST Birmingham - August 2020

M E L V I N ’ S M O N T H L Y M O M E N T S

AUGUST 2020

205-223-6192

WWW.MELVIN.LISTBIRMINGHAM.COM

THINGS I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT MY ADVANTAGED LIFE

My mom and dad grew up in rural Mississippi during the Great Depression. My father grew up as a sharecropper, and I cannot imagine a more miserable existence. Dad then served in World War II and came home thankful to get a job in a factory. By today’s standards, I grew up poor, but we considered ourselves middle class at the time. The home I grew up in was 913 square feet (pretty snug for a family of six) with two bedrooms, one bathroom, and no central heat or air conditioning. We did, however, have a gigantic garden that I loathed and my father loved. Despite the fact that we never had any extra money, I was raised with so many advantages denied to today’s poor. For instance, when they say the floor was so clean you could eat off it, that pretty much describes my house. When I enlisted in the Air Force, they told us to clean the barracks and to make sure there were no dust bunnies. Since I had never seen a dust bunny, I had no idea what they were talking about. Growing up, I did not know dishes could remain in a sink because when we finished eating, we cleaned the dishes — immediately. I did not know clothes could hit a floor. Our clothes went in the hamper, I never saw clothes on a floor in my life. I never knew a bed could be unmade unless you were sleeping in it. We made the beds the moment we got up. And I never knew you could respond to an adult without saying sir or ma’am at the end. When I turned 10, I told my dad that all the other kids my age had bikes. I thought he would take the hint and buy me one. He just said, “Well, you can use our mower to mow lawns in the neighborhood,”which I did for one entire hot, miserable summer. I paid $35 at the Western Auto for the best bike in town. I never knew I could love something so much as I did that gold Murray banana seat bike. When I turned 16, all my friends had cars. So, you guessed it: I worked at a gas station on nights and weekends to pay $200 for a 1964 Rambler. I never knew you could love an old clunker so much. When I graduated from high school, all my friends were going to college. Yep, it was up to me to pay my way. I went into the military, and they paid for my college. I never knew anyone could take their education for granted.

My dad was a pretty simple man. After the Army, he attended college classes at night, but ultimately, the responsibilities of a family made him stop. His advice to me was simple: Never expect anything to be given to you, and the world does not owe you anything. You owe yourself an education. Your dignity comes from what you are on the inside. He never knew anyone who actually worked themselves to death, but he saw lots of men die from giving up on themselves. To my shame, the truth is I spent much of my youth griping about all the things I did not have. I took for granted and overlooked the wonderful things I did have: a hardworking father, strict parents with high expectations of me, and the satisfaction that can only come from having worked hard for something instead of having it handed to you.

As I write this, our country is in absolute chaos and it is very clear to me: I never knew howmany advantages I had!

-Melvin Upchurch

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Upgrading the Backsplash THE OVERWORKED PART OF THE KITCHEN

TINY DESK TROUBLES? Create More Space With DIY Clip-On Desk Organizers

When people think about remodeling rooms in their homes, kitchens are often at the top of the list. After all, people spend a lot of time in their kitchens, making them one of the most used rooms. With that use comes the need to update the space and bring in new trends. One of the most important aspects of remodeling your kitchen is the backsplash. As the name implies, the backsplash takes quite a bit of abuse, from hot oil splashes to dirty dishwater. Over the years, it will become worn, chipped, cracked, stained, or broken, and the more wear it shows, the more unappealing your kitchen will look. If your backsplash is in need of an upgrade, there are a few popular trends to help you decide the perfect look for your kitchen.

Have you outgrown your desk? Here’s a hint: If you have to write notes on your lap because there’s no space on your desk, then you’ve outgrown your desk. But getting a new desk can be expensive or just plain unfeasible if your current desk barely fits in the space you have. If you don’t have the budget or space for a bigger desk, then give yourself some extra organization space with this simple DIY project!

New ChangesWith Paint

Supplies

When deciding how you want to change your backsplash, consider if you want to change the material or put on a new coat of paint. Painting gives you a chance to see which variety of colors and styles fits the look you’re going after and is far less expensive than replacing the whole thing. Use a stencil to create your own design and try out different textures to match, like high gloss, satin, or matte.

4 grip clips 4 sets of washers, nuts, and bolts

1 loaf pan 1 coffee can 1 soup can

1 sheet of self-stick furniture felt Spray paints in preferred colors

New ChangesWith Materials

Tools

Power drill

Screwdriver

Rubber gloves

If you prefer to use materials, such as glass, stone, or even metal as a backsplash, then there are a number of options open to you depending on your personal preference, budget, and needs. These materials can be a little more expensive, but they’re also very popular for modern remodels. Homeowners can enjoy piecing together a tiled or patterned look, creating a mirror effect, or adding a single slab to create a unique look for their home. However, unlike painting, these different materials often require a professional touch. A backsplash is meant to catch the backsplash from your cooking and cleaning, but it also makes your kitchen pop. It’s an important statement piece, so be sure to put some thought into how you want it to look!

Directions

1. Line up clips on your containers and mark where you will need to drill the holes. The loaf pan will need two clips while the coffee can and the soup can need just one each. You’ll want each container to sit level with each other, so align clips accordingly.

2. Use a power drill to carefully drill holes in each container.

3. Put on rubber gloves to keep your hands clean. In a well-ventilated area, spray-paint the interior of each container with bold, complementary colors. Once the interior paint dries, flip the containers over and spray paint the exteriors. Use neutral colors on the exterior, like white or black, to make the interior colors really pop. Spray paint your clips the same color as the exterior of the containers. Let everything dry fully.

4. Use the screwdriver to attach clips to the containers with washers, nuts, and bolts.

5. Measure and cut out felt pads and attach them to the underside of the top of each clip. This will help prevent your desk from getting scratched.

6. Carefully attach the containers to your desk and enjoy a new age of organization.

Your new organizers are a great way to clear up space on your desk. Fill them with spare pens, cables, sticky notes, and even desk plants!

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‘DAD, HOW DO I?’ How 1 Father Is Passing Along Life Lessons

Being abandoned by a parent is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a child. Rob Kenney experienced this trauma firsthand when his father said he no longer wanted any of his eight children. Kenney was only 12 years old when his father walked out of his life. In an interview with Q13 News in Seattle, Kenney explained that after that experience, he decided that when he had children of his own, he would raise them into good adults and make sure they didn’t have a fractured childhood. But he didn’t stop there.

Now 50, Kenney has a 29-year-old daughter and 27-year-old son who are living successful lives thanks to that decision he made many years before. However, even with an empty nest, Kenney realized he still had life lessons to pass on. After thinking about other young people in the world who have gone through the same unfortunate experience as he did, he decided to do something about it. In early April 2020, Kenney created a YouTube channel called “Dad, how do I?” and uploaded his first video, titled “How to tie a tie.” In the video, he gives a helpful hint for choosing a tie. Then he talks viewers through the process of how to tie a tie while demonstrating it on himself. As April progressed, Kenney uploaded a number of videos on other seemingly simple tasks, including how to unclog a sink, check the oil in a car, install a shelf, and even how to shave. As he continued uploading videos, he started to include dad jokes along the way. “So today I’m going to show you how to use a stud finder,” Kenney begins in one video. “If you came here looking for help finding a boyfriend, that would be a different stud finder.”

Kenney hopes that, by uploading these videos, he can be there for someone who doesn’t have a parent around to teach them these things. And in the course of just two months, it looks like he is already doing just that. At the end of May, Kenney’s channel had over 2 million subscribers and thousands of people

have reached out to Kenney to share their own similar experiences and express their gratitude and appreciation for everything he’s doing. HAVE A LAUGH

RESTAURANT-STYLE FETTUCCINE ALFREDO Inspired by The New York Times

Ingredients

•

1 lb fresh fettuccine

•

Salt

•

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

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2 tbsp butter

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Freshly ground pepper, to taste

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1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

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Fresh parsley, chopped, to taste

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1 1/2 cups heavy cream

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1 lemon wedge

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1 large egg yolk

Directions

5.

In the large pot, cook pasta until al dente. (The pasta will float once it’s done.) Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Pour hot pasta into creammixture and toss to coat on low heat. Add Parmigiano-Reggiano and keep tossing gently until cream is mostly absorbed. If the sauce is absorbed too much, toss with extra pasta water. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

1.

In a large pot, bring 6 quarts of generously salted water to a boil. In a large, deep skillet, while the water heats, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and sizzling (about 2 minutes). In a bowl, whisk heavy cream and egg yolk until blended and pour into garlic butter. Reduce heat tomedium-low. Stir until hot, not boiling. Keep warmon low heat.

2.

6.

3.

4.

7.

Serve with parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

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205-223-6192 WWW.MELVIN.LISTBIRMINGHAM.COM 300 UNION HILL DR. STE 200 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209

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INSIDE

1

Things I Did Not Know About My Advantaged Life

2

Giving Attention to Your Backsplash

A Simple DIY Solution for More Desk Space

3

Rob Kenney Is a Father to Many

Restaurant-Style Fettuccine Alfredo

4

3 Tips to Upgrade Your Outdoor Space

3 TRENDS TO SPRUCE UP YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE!

Outdoor spaces are the perfect spot for reading or hosting your next barbecue. Use these tips from our friends at Wayfair and Living Spaces to turn your outdoor space into your own oasis for any season.

Bright and Colorful: Accent your drab outdoor space with accent chairs, bright pillows or rugs, or colorful outdoor utensils. With designs trending toward coastal and natural styles, greens, blues, and yellows are going to become the go-to colors.

Turn It Inside Out: With a greater emphasis on staying home, you’ll want to bring the indoor conveniences you enjoy outside. Look to outdoor kitchens, daybeds, and even movie setups to create the ultimate gathering space.

Embrace Plants: One of the easiest ways to add style to any space is to embrace greenery. Whether this means fixing up your landscaping or adding houseplants, this could be just what your patio needs.

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Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.newsletterpro.com