About

The idea for this blog came to me when I spilled an entire Tupperware of vegetable soup in my designer handbag.

“Why would you ever put soup in a purse?” my co-worker asked me when she saw me mopping up the inside of my tote in the bathroom. “You should never do that.”

I didn’t much like this woman, even before that particular moment because she always talks very loudly on the phone and she acts like conference calls are great fun. They are not – we all know that. In fact, they are about as much fun as a handbag full of soup. Maybe even less.

I mumbled, “Thanks. That’s advice I could have used yesterday.”

And then I thought to myself, “If I had a nickle for every time I said that.” Which led me to believe that I may have stumbled on a good enough gimmick for a blog: Advice I Needed Yesterday.

I pitched the idea to my friend. “All the headlines are like teasers and the entry is the full story. You know, like ‘Don’t feed ham to the cat!’ or ‘Don’t put soup in a handbag.'”

“Oh tell me about the soup,” she said to me. “I lost a purse and an umbrella that way. I didn’t realize the soup got all in the creases of the umbrella and the next time I opened it, it was full of mold.”

So I took that to mean two things: 1. I bet the woman in the bathroom was speaking from experience; and 2. This blog could have mass appeal. I mean, who doesn’t want to hear stories about the mundane with a little bit of unsolicited advice from a totally unreliable source?

“And you could be serious sometimes too,” my friend told me. “You know get real and show people how human you are.”

Sure. That too, I guess. But mostly just anecdotes about why it’s not a good idea to do your online banking at a Panera Bread or why you should leave dry cleaning to the professionals.

And with that, enjoy!

UPDATE: In February 2016, Advice I Needed went on the road. I quit my day job and accepted a role as a writer that allows me to work remotely from anywhere in the world. I’ve been fumbling my way through Africa, Europe and Asia ever since. My mistakes are many, but I’m pleased to report that I haven’t had any problems with soup. Not yet, at least.

UPDATE: The eagle has landed! In February 2018, my employer transferred me to Munich. I’m currently living in Germany, where I am taking full advantage of day trips, beer halls and universal healthcare.

29 comments to “About”
  1. Love this idea. All I can hear is Adam Sandler doing his angry retort where he starts softly but then gets louder angrier, “that advice would’ve been helpful to know yesterday!”

  2. Or the always helpful, “be careful,” after you’ve already tripped. Yes thank you, I know I should have been careful, because I tripped. Too little too late my friend.

    Looking forward to reading more!

  3. You are so talented and hilarious that it made me need to leave you a comment! What a refreshing and fun blog! It definitely is giving me motivation to keep up with mine no matter what people say or even if they like it or not. Wishing you much continued success and cannot wait to read all your posts!

    • Hi! Thank you so much for stopping by. Your comment made my day :) Definitely keep up your blog… who cares if other people like it. If you enjoy it, then that’s reason enough. xo

  4. Hey, I was having a pretty boring day and wanted to cheer up. Had just finished Jenny’s Lawson furiously happy book and was checking out her blog for more when I saw that she had advertised some blogs. I checked out a few and they were entertaining but something about your blog made me feel better. I cannot point what exactly. I just feel better, so thank you. I’ll keep reading your blog. And good luck on your journey. ;)

    • Hi – thanks so much for stopping by. Your comment makes ME feel better! So thank you! There might be some kind of cosmic connection going on because my dad wanted to name me Aurora. My mom vetoed and they settled on Nova. But I sort of think that Novas and Auroras go together :)

  5. Hello! I found your blog linked on the bloggess website. I LOVE travelling, but have never had the courage to travel anywhere by myself. With a recent painful divorce behind me, reading about your adventures (with such an adult and reflective attitude) is both refreshing and inspiring! I am definitely subscribing (something I have actually never done) and look forward to reading more of your stories!

    • Hi! Thanks so much for reading! Glad you enjoyed it. I can’t say enough good things about traveling solo, but I know it’s not for everyone. But I think everyone should at least try it, because a lot of good comes from just being by yourself and having time to think. Take a weekend and see how it goes. If it’s not for you, no harm done! Good luck! xx

  6. Hello my name is Alisha .My high school buddy Samantha Porter told me about your blog. I find your passion project absolutely intriguing . I am considering embarking on a similar journey . I recently quit my coporAte America job in Washington DC. I have recently started a vlog on YouTube and I am interesting at taking my journey of self discovery on the road and travel the road. My vlog will document the journey. Any advice you can provide would be greatly appreciated esp some ways to make income during my travels. Many thanks AlishA

    • Hey there – thanks for stopping by and good luck on your adventure! I actually don’t have anything to share about monetizing your vlog because I never tried to that. And I do my job remotely, so I never really tried to find work along the way. But I’ve met a few people who find odd jobs as they go, or stay in places where they trade work for housing… it seems pretty common, though I don’t have any specific advice to share. I’ll say this though – if you’re thinking you want to travel, you should definitely do it! Never know unless you try. Good luck!!

  7. Oh em gee … I think I have found my soul sister and a fellow Canucklehead to boot. Perhaps we were separated at birth?

    I am so happy that I have stumbled upon your blog. I write a humorous blog about my mundane life and the many (mis)adventures and awkward situations I somehow manage to find myself in. I started mine on a dare from my son who conned me into promising that I would try something new every day or, at least, once a week. It ended up being a blessing in disguise because it has taught me to think outside the box and look at experiences differently while blogging about them.

    Writing with humour also takes me outside of myself and outside of the chronic illnesses I live with on a daily basis. It is also why I search out other humorous blogs. They, like yours, help me maintain a positive attitude.

    I measure the success of my day by whether or not I have made at least one person laugh or smile. I am thrilled to have found someone who also ascribes to that same philosophy.

    Thank you for being you; I look forward to following you and your journey, all the while picking up some good advice along the way. Goodness knows, I need all the help I can get ;).

    • wow – this is such a nice comment. thanks so much! i’ll have to check out your blog as well… because yes, we kooks need to stick together! thanks again :)

  8. Hello Nova,
    I have been reading your blog for years and thoroughly enjoy it. You have a wonderful spark and positive attitude to all around you. Today I spilt vegetable soup in my handbag coming to work and I thought of you ! I read a few of your stories again and cheered myself up – thank you ☺️
    Happy travels
    Alison

    • First of all, thank you for reading… but I’m sorry you now know the pain of storing soup in a handbag. If it makes you feel any better, a lot of people have admitted to doing so, to similarly disastrous results. (Hearing that people ruin their purses and then immediately think of me is my favourite backhanded compliment :) While we’re on the subject, other things you should not put in your purse: tapioca pudding, a Frappucino, salad, Tupperware of any kind!!! All of these are based on personal experience or reader submissions.

      Anyway – thanks for reading and thanks for thinking of me. Hope you were able to save the bag.

  9. What a great concept for a blog. Can’t wait to read on.

    Wait, did I just read another commenter also filled her purse with soup? I’ve done a lot in my life, and yet somehow I’ve avoided this. The closest I’ve come is when my toddler filled my purse with cooked spaghetti.

    Anyway, excited to have found you.

    • Girl… you have NO IDEA how many people have ruined their handbags with soup. the best part about that story is that whenever it happens, I now get a confession-style email. back in December one of my closest friends ruined a tory burch tote with a cup of rice pudding. I was like, “have you learned nothing from my mistakes?”

      anyway. thanks for stopping by. will check out your blog as well.

  10. What you have described in this and other health care related posts sounds nice but there is the other side to the coin.

    I know of someone in the UK who was denied cancer treatment in her early 60s. She was “too old” and only offered palliative care. Her family begged her to come to the US for treatment. Sadly, she did not and passed away. ( I will add these was some years ago and it is possible things have changed.)

    As nice as lower medical costs sound I would hate to see a family member or anyone else in this situation. Is there a better answer? Probably, but it has to be open to everyone not just those selected by youth.

    • I’m sorry to hear about your family friend. I understand that there are some issues like what you describe in the UK system, and probably others as well. But a private system doesn’t address problems like accessibility or affordability… nor ensure quality or equality of care.

  11. I’ve been reading a new blog from an old blogger for the last half hour, and I keep thinking how much you would like her. Her writing style is similar to yours (witty, entertaining and observant), so I thought I’d introduce you! Her name is Jenn, she used to blog at Much to My Delight but has a new blog now that I love: Midlife Modern. https://www.midlifemodern.com/
    I just had to introduce you.

  12. I think we all end up in that situation a few times in our lives, where it would have been simpler if we only knew a few facts before we attempted something.
    great idea for a site, I look forward to reading some of the posts.
    I’m sure I have been here before, but I can’t find any traces. Either way, a good find or refind.

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