My eight-year-old has attended many birthday parties at a bowling alley or similar venue where guests are served pizza (with white-flour crust), chips, soda pop, frosted cake, ice cream, more soda pop, and sometimes candy too. That's a lot of simple carbohydrates! It's the kind of meal that may be enjoyable while you're eating it … Continue reading Prevent the Post-Party Sugar Crash!
Wisdom
My grandmother is blogging from beyond the grave!!
My paternal grandmother wrote a lot of poetry in her twenties, some of which was published in a poetry column in her local newspaper and some of which she read on a local radio program. After she passed away in 1991, my dad compiled her published poetry into a little booklet which he printed and … Continue reading My grandmother is blogging from beyond the grave!!
You do not know what you are asking.
This fall, our church has launched a new Bible study session, on Sundays between the two church services, to discuss the portion of the Gospel that will be read in church that day. As Episcopalians, we follow a lectionary that tells us which scriptures to read each day, and this fall the Gospel readings for … Continue reading You do not know what you are asking.
Sing a New Song!
I've had a busy few weeks with very little time for writing! But when I saw that today's Works-for-Me Wednesday headline post is about finding balance in your life, I thought of something I've been doing on my way to work many mornings that helps me to feel balanced within this vast and complex world. … Continue reading Sing a New Song!
Things Not To Do: Song in Your Head Edition
THIS IS A THOUGHT YOU MUST NEVER THINK: Hey, it's really great how I am focusing on my work, not like last Friday when I got "Total Eclipse of the Heart" stuck in my head and couldn't get rid of it and it was driving me nuts. Forever's gonna start tonight! has taken on a … Continue reading Things Not To Do: Song in Your Head Edition
Our Favorite Publisher of Affordable Books
I recently had a birthday and was very pleased to be given three books from Dover Publications. Daniel knows that I can never get enough floor-plan books, and Dover prints gobs of great ones! They also have a wide selection of nonfiction, classic fiction, children's books, coloring books, how-to-draw books, clip-art collections, puzzle books, nature … Continue reading Our Favorite Publisher of Affordable Books
Saint Maybe
This week, Modern Mrs. Darcy is hosting a carnival in which writers link to their articles about The Book That Changed My Life. Check it out to find some great new things to read! I, of course, can't pick just one book but linked to my list of Books That Blew My Mind. However, there's … Continue reading Saint Maybe
The e-book That Works For Me!
If you've ever clicked on one of the links that say, "It works for me!" in many of my posts, you've found the wonderful blog carnival Works-for-Me Wednesday, where every week about 200 writers each link an article about something that works for them. (Here are the instructions for participating in Works-for-Me Wednesday.) This delightfully … Continue reading The e-book That Works For Me!
Thrifty Tips
Today is the Frugal Tips Edition of Works-for-Me Wednesday, so check out the money-saving ideas there! I happen to prefer the word "thrifty" myself. This is my big anthology of ways to save money! I have to start off by responding to Kristen (hostess of Works-for-Me Wednesday)'s first tip, which is to print your own … Continue reading Thrifty Tips
Holy Recycling!
It's Works-for-Me Wednesday, and it's also Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. If you don't belong to a religion that observes Ash Wednesday--or even if you do--you may never have thought about where churches get the ashes that are used to draw a cross on each person's forehead to remind us that our physical … Continue reading Holy Recycling!
Staying On the Ball at Work
This is an historic moment for The Earthling's Handbook. Almost 15 years after we started this Website, almost 5 years after we set up blog software so that I could write articles on my lunch break and post them easily, we have never posted any photographs. I've explained my reservations about photos but also said … Continue reading Staying On the Ball at Work
Things Not To Do: Electronic Fund Transfer Edition
First, here is a good thing to do if you use credit cards: Arrange for an automatic payment, equal to the minimum amount you charge to that card in a typical month, to be electronically transferred from your bank account on a day before the payment is due. That way, if the e-mail reminding you … Continue reading Things Not To Do: Electronic Fund Transfer Edition
7 More Product Recommendations
Here are the previous 7. These are things I really like. I am not affiliated with any of the companies, and I was not asked to write these reviews or compensated in any way. 1. Pentel Clic Eraser. This handy desk accessory, which I use every day both at home and at work, solves the … Continue reading 7 More Product Recommendations
How to get more out of Communion
I feel kind of silly posting a tip for religious fulfillment as if it were just another tip for better living, but I did learn this from a bishop (so it's sort of official!) and it really has made a big difference in the way I experience Communion and maybe even in the way God … Continue reading How to get more out of Communion
The Power of Moose
This is a strategy for crossing the street safely in situations where vehicular traffic is reluctant to yield to pedestrians. A friend of my brother's explained it to me years ago. It is based on a simple principle: Nobody will risk crashing a car into a moose. Hitting a moose obviously would damage the car … Continue reading The Power of Moose
A family trip to Wheeling, West Virginia
Today is the backwards edition of Works-for-Me Wednesday, when writers get to ask for help, so I'll start with a question: We are planning to visit New York City this summer. Our son is six years old. What are some things we should be sure to see, do, eat, etc.? I visited my grandparents in … Continue reading A family trip to Wheeling, West Virginia
A Half-Fast Lent
Happy Easter! Despite my positive past experiences with changing my behavior for Lent, this year I didn't give up anything for those six weeks. Frankly, I kind of felt like I couldn't handle any more self-discipline, since my schedule was so packed with work, meetings, household errands and projects, and trying to be some kind … Continue reading A Half-Fast Lent
7 Things You Oughta Be Able to Do at Your Age
The idea for this article came from a friend of ours who is fifty-one years old and is becoming increasingly disgusted with twentysomething guys who are in worse physical condition than he is and, when he comments on it, mumble about how they can't afford to join a gym. They seem to be totally blind … Continue reading 7 Things You Oughta Be Able to Do at Your Age
Vain is the Deep of Man
About 14 years ago, when I was new to the church where I'm now a well-established member and new to living with my boyfriend, I walked into church on the first Sunday of Lent with the dry mouth and raw eyes and heavy heart of a person whose Saturday night had involved too many tears … Continue reading Vain is the Deep of Man
Things Not To Do: Credit Card Edition
There is a piece of advice missing from my article on credit card sanity. That's because, at the time I wrote it, I had never allowed myself to be talked into applying for a store's credit card at the cash register. I have now had this experience and learned why it is a Thing Not … Continue reading Things Not To Do: Credit Card Edition
The Earthling's Handbook 