Last month, I invented a new word for a future animal of my own imagining. Today, on an idle lunch-break whim, I did a Google search to see if anyone else has been talking about grildebeest yet . . . and I found that one of those wily robots has picked up the topic. Well, … Continue reading When Robots Write About Grildebeest
Thrifty All-natural Anti-bacterial Moisturizing Face Wash
A lot of skin care products contain scary ingredients and are pretty expensive. Totally organic facial cleansers are really expensive and sometimes go bad before you can use the whole package--and a surprising number of them ignore organic-ness in packaging and put the stuff in a vinyl tube that slowly saturates it with carcinogens and … Continue reading Thrifty All-natural Anti-bacterial Moisturizing Face Wash
How a kid can cook burgers indoors on a hot day
Last month, my brother commented on my article about the Grildebeest that a George Foreman grill is a handy way to cook things with minimal supervision and better energy efficiency than a stove. I hadn't considered buying one of those grills before. (We have a small kitchen, so we try to avoid owning a lot … Continue reading How a kid can cook burgers indoors on a hot day
Great lunch kit for school!
Nicholas will be starting first grade in three weeks, so we've got some shopping and organizing to do, but one thing we don't need to do is buy a new lunchbox! The one he used for full-day kindergarten is still in great shape for this year and likely for several years to come. [UPDATE: He … Continue reading Great lunch kit for school!
7 Novels of Other Worlds on Earth
I like science fiction, but one of my favorite kinds of books is the kind set on Earth, in the present or recent past, but in a subculture that is really vividly described and interesting. A good example is The Chosen by Chaim Potok, one of the Books That Blew My Mind. Here are 7 … Continue reading 7 Novels of Other Worlds on Earth
A Family Vacation by Public Transit
We took our six-year-old son to visit New York City; Montclair, New Jersey; and Philadelphia, leaving our car at home in Pittsburgh and traveling by train or bus the whole way. It was great! We felt it was more relaxing than driving, more pleasant than going by airplane, and generally pretty easy to do. I'm … Continue reading A Family Vacation by Public Transit
7 Quick Takes on visiting New York City again after 21 years
I grew up in Oklahoma, visiting my grandparents in New York City every summer from age 6 to 14. Then my grandma died, and my grandpa began spending most of his time in Arizona. I had two more brief visits in New York before he sold the house when I was 17. I had thought … Continue reading 7 Quick Takes on visiting New York City again after 21 years
Grildebeest
I've done it again--suddenly thought of a word that nobody else ever used or, at least, that Google says nobody else has written on the Internet. Scientists will breed the grildebeest especially for barbecuing. This raises the deep moral question of whether it is very sad for the grildebeest or the grildebeest ought to be … Continue reading Grildebeest
3 Fun New Games for All Ages!
Well, maybe not all ages, but children as young as 3 can play Seven Dragons. This card game with beautiful art includes modified rules for preschoolers. It's not just for kids, though; it's a great game for parties because it's easy to learn and involves some strategy without being stressfully competitive. Seven Dragons debuted at … Continue reading 3 Fun New Games for All Ages!
Where’s the Facebook “like” button?
This question was asked of me in a spam comment, but I thought it was worth addressing. As best I can tell, in order to have a "like this on Facebook" button on a WordPress site, I would have to have a Facebook account. I am boycotting Facebook. I tend to be skeptical of anything … Continue reading Where’s the Facebook “like” button?
How to use old tofu and turn ramen noodles into a full meal!
The trouble with tofu is, if you don't use the whole block in one meal, you're supposed to store it in a container of water and change the water every day. That is pretty annoying! It's easy to forget it for a couple of days. Then, when you remember, it doesn't smell so good. I … Continue reading How to use old tofu and turn ramen noodles into a full meal!
Watermelon is your ex-husband.
SCENE: The dining room, last night. Mama has a strangely terrible stomachache and is trying to eat a banana, hoping that it will absorb some of the acid. Nicholas, six years old, is babbling about many things that do not sink in to Mama's distracted mind. NICK: Babble! Babble! Watermelon is your ex-husband. MAMA: What? … Continue reading Watermelon is your ex-husband.
When Robots Write Novels in Your Comment Box
Mysterious robots sometimes comment on my articles. WordPress is much, much better at filtering spam than my old blog software, but it does sometimes put non-spam comments in the spam folder. That is where I found the text below, which I have edited a little bit to make it more entertaining, but I did not … Continue reading When Robots Write Novels in Your Comment Box
Homemade Frozen Shredded Vegetables
Like reusing glass jars, this is an idea I've mentioned before that has increased its importance in my day-to-day life to the point that it deserves its own article! When you have more of a vegetable than you can eat before it goes bad, clean and shred the extra all at once, put measured portions … Continue reading Homemade Frozen Shredded Vegetables
Our Neighborhood Public School Works for Us!
Today is my son's last day of kindergarten! This has been his first year in public school, and we are very pleased with our neighborhood public school, Pittsburgh Colfax. It's a great example of how an urban school can thrive when faculty encourage parent involvement. On "Take Your Special Person to School Day" last month, … Continue reading Our Neighborhood Public School Works for Us!
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 Nonviolent Strategy for Action Heroes
One day, when our son Nicholas was two-and-a-half years old, Daniel and I were talking about how we would do the Star Wars prequels better (a frequent topic of discussion) and I envisioned a scene in which someone is climbing a high, steep cliff by climbing the ivy growing on it, but as dusk falls … Continue reading A Nonviolent Strategy for Action Heroes
3-year-old shows consideration in a crisis
Here is a story I posted on a discussion board when Nicholas, now 6 years old, was 3. I still find it an encouraging reminder that in many ways he's a really good person. My 3-year-old has been demanding and rude and self-centered lately, and both parents and teachers have been struggling to get along … Continue reading 3-year-old shows consideration in a crisis
Glass Jars Galore!
Glass jars are much better for food storage than plastic containers! We save the jars from peanut butter, salsa, spaghetti sauce, etc., and use them over and over again.
Fruit Labels, Jar Labels, Six-Packs, Environment, and Health
You know those annoying little stickers that are on most fruits you can buy individually in supermarkets? The ones that are so thin and so well-glued that they're often impossible to remove without gouging a hole in your fruit? Yeah, I always knew they were evil. In addition to being annoying on edible-skinned fruits, if … Continue reading Fruit Labels, Jar Labels, Six-Packs, Environment, and Health
The Earthling's Handbook 