Daniel is the lunchbox-packing parent in our family. He was in charge of grinding up leftovers for baby Nicholas to eat at childcare, and he has packed a lunch for Nicholas to take to school every day for the past three grades and to day camp every day for the past two summers. We love … Continue reading A Week of Vegetarian Lunchbox Lunches
11 Blogs Worth Reading
Back in February, I received my second Liebster Award and was supposed to nominate 11 other blogs for the award. At the time, I found this difficult, because I don't read all that many blogs, and many of the ones I do enjoy are so obviously popular that they don't qualify for this award, and … Continue reading 11 Blogs Worth Reading
Should Your Family Be Child-centered?
This is a controversial and confusing question. Some people go on and on about how parenthood melted their selfish hearts and made them realize the importance of devoting themselves fully to making their children's lives perfectly wonderful and completely safe. Other people go on and on about how children are hedonistic little leeches whose spirits … Continue reading Should Your Family Be Child-centered?
Can you scramble frozen eggs?
Apparently, yeah, if you let the eggs thaw a little, you can make totally normal scrambled eggs out of them. At least, I did. I guess I'd better clarify that I'm talking about chicken eggs. In our scary high-tech world, "frozen eggs" often means human egg cells that have been frozen for later attempts at … Continue reading Can you scramble frozen eggs?
Mammograms and Monthly Cycles: A Public Service Announcement
If you are a 40-year-old woman who has never had any symptoms of breast cancer, your doctor or your health insurance company probably will nudge you to get a "baseline mammogram" or "screening mammogram" done. This could detect any tumor that might be lurking, but most likely you won't have a tumor and this procedure … Continue reading Mammograms and Monthly Cycles: A Public Service Announcement
CONTEST: Name This Recipe!
I've developed a main dish that my family really likes, but we can't figure out what to call it! "That non-Mexican-flavored Mexican Pizza that fits in the toaster-oven" or "Beans and veggies and herbs baked on cornbread" is too cumbersome. Surely someone on the Internet will be able to think of the perfect, short, catchy … Continue reading CONTEST: Name This Recipe!
Where Robots Learn to Cook
Recently I've had several conversations about robots: how people keep making robots that can do new things, how robots are getting better and better, how someday maybe they'll take over. Yes, it is a bit daunting, but I believe there are some things that robots will never be able to do quite as well as … Continue reading Where Robots Learn to Cook
FREE Earth-friendly Party Decorations!
Want to decorate your home for a party? You could buy a bunch of bright-colored paper streamers or rubber balloons that you inflate with air. These things are inexpensive, but they're typically made in China by exploited workers in polluting factories and then shipped halfway around the world to you, wasting a bunch of fossil … Continue reading FREE Earth-friendly Party Decorations!
But why should your tax status be based on your sex life?
Last week, the United States Supreme Court decided that federal laws that apply to married people apply to same-sex couples who are married in a state where same-sex marriage is legal. As a liberal person who supports equal rights, I'm supposed to rejoice in this great victory for equality and diversity. In a way, I … Continue reading But why should your tax status be based on your sex life?
Prevent the Post-Party Sugar Crash!
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!
Buying Bulk Food in Reused Containers
Many of the foods my family eats most are purchased from the bulk section of the East End Food Co-op, our local health-food supermarket in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You do not have to buy a membership to shop at this co-op, but members get a discount in exchange for a one-time payment, which is a pretty … Continue reading Buying Bulk Food in Reused Containers
6 Unnecessary Types of Cell Phone Call
Three years after I explained how I survive everyday life without a cell phone, I'm still doing fine without one. I recently took a three-day vacation by myself, and as I often do when traveling alone, I borrowed my partner Daniel's cell phone for the trip. However, I found that none of the times I … Continue reading 6 Unnecessary Types of Cell Phone Call
Cucumber Salad
My family has been loving this salad since we invented it a couple of months ago by adding ingredients to a recipe from The Frugal Gourmet for a "Jewish cucumber salad". It's sort of pickle-like yet without dill. It's sort of coleslaw-like yet with a very different texture. It goes well with sandwiches or burgers. … Continue reading Cucumber Salad
Why I Don’t Drop Acid
From the time I first learned what LSD is until just a few days ago, I had thought of it as one of the many interesting experiences Earth has to offer and put it in the category, "Things that aren't a high priority for me to try but that I might get around to, someday, … Continue reading Why I Don’t Drop Acid
How to Wash Your Hair with Vinegar
I wrote a guest post for The Greenbacks Gal on the natural, money-saving method of washing my hair that I have been using for the past nine years! This is an updated version of my vinegar hairwashing article from a few years ago, with some new tips...and a photo of me. I decided it makes … Continue reading How to Wash Your Hair with Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar as Facial Toner
You may have heard the old saying, "You'll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I know I've heard it, and many clever variations on it, many times since I started using both honey and vinegar in my beauty routines! First I started washing my hair with white vinegar, then I started washing my … Continue reading Apple Cider Vinegar as Facial Toner
Cloth Wipes for Bedroom, Bathroom, and More!
I am excited to be a contributing writer in the Green in 365 series at Live Renewed! Check out my article on how to use cloth wipes instead of paper tissues to save trees, reduce pollution, save money, and just have a better experience in so many ways. I mean, look, aren't they pretty? I've … Continue reading Cloth Wipes for Bedroom, Bathroom, and More!
Freezing Cheese
We love cheese! However, with only three of us in the family, a block of cheese in the refrigerator can get moldy before we finish eating it. We came up with a cheese storage method that reduces the risk of mold, but it wasn't good enough for those times when we have either a large … Continue reading Freezing Cheese
Easter: Is it just a believing?
Huh, why am I still talking about Easter on May fifteenth? Everybody knows Easter was way back in March this year! Well, yes, Easter Sunday, the commemoration of the day when Jesus rose from the dead, was on March 31, but Easter actually is a season that lasts seven weeks in the Episcopal Church and … Continue reading Easter: Is it just a believing?
Healthy Alternative to French Onion Dip for Veggies or Chips
I served this dip at coffee hour last Sunday and got many questions about the ingredients and requests for the recipe, so here it is! I actually developed this recipe for a coffee hour not long after I joined my church in 1996, when I was not as much into healthy eating as I am … Continue reading Healthy Alternative to French Onion Dip for Veggies or Chips
The Earthling's Handbook 