by Daniel Efran Well, I figure if my girlfriend and my parents are discussing my penis on the Internet, I'd better chime in! The subject, specifically, is routine circumcision of infants--whether it should be routine, whether it should have been done to our son (which it wasn't), and whether it should have been done to … Continue reading Seven Reasons Not to Circumcise Your Son
Spam’s Spinach-ghetti
Don't worry, this recipe does not include that horrible canned meatlike product!! Way back in 2001 (whoa, I feel so old every time I say that!) when we bought a share in a CSA farm for the first time, we were baffled about what to do with so much spinach--the first few weeks, we received … Continue reading Spam’s Spinach-ghetti
Donating Dish Detergent
Do you ever want to help an organization, but feel like you can't spare enough money to make a real difference? Are you an environmentalist, wishing that everybody would switch to plant-based cleaners to help conserve our irreplaceable petroleum, but feeling like nobody ever listens to your ravings about how great these cleaners are? Buy a bottle of … Continue reading Donating Dish Detergent
Send campers home with a bag lunch!
One very useful idea I've learned from Linda May, Girl Scout leader and camp director extraordinaire, is to serve bag lunches as the final meal of an event. Linda does this at the annual winter camp she organizes for our service unit, and my troop has done it at several troop camping weekends. It's wonderful because … Continue reading Send campers home with a bag lunch!
Circumcision: The Earlier Generation
My article on why we didn't circumcise our son mentioned that when my partner Daniel learned more about circumcision, he felt "that he was mutilated without his consent simply because of tradition and ignorance" and was so upset that "he wouldn't speak to his parents because he feared he would yell at them." As I tried … Continue reading Circumcision: The Earlier Generation
The Guest Nest that was the Best Nest
I have a home-improvement book that poses an important, well-worded question in its section on one-room apartments: "Do you want to sleep in your living room or live in your bedroom?" In other words, do you want your one room to look and function primarily like a daytime living room but also have a place to sleep, or do … Continue reading The Guest Nest that was the Best Nest
Hammer Festival
Here's a funny story that I just found in my archives. One day when Nicholas was three years old, we passed an art center with a banner outside depicting silhouettes of movie cameras on tripods. Nicholas saw them as hammers. "Look, Mama, they're going to have a Hammer Festival! I want to go!" "Oh? What do … Continue reading Hammer Festival
Grape-nuts Smile
This is a simple, nutritious snack or breakfast that my four-year-old has been enjoying since he was two:Put some Grape-nuts cereal and milk in a bowl.Use healthy toppings to draw a face on the top surface.Eat!This started when I fixed him a bowl of Grape-nuts with sorghum syrup (huh?) and on impulse dribbled the syrup in … Continue reading Grape-nuts Smile
Circumcision
Our son is four-and-a-half years old and has his entire foreskin intact. We have never regretted for a moment our decision not to have him circumcised. I always was a bit skeptical of the idea of surgically removing healthy tissue from newborns. My father explained that the foreskin can't become infected or cancerous if it … Continue reading Circumcision
N.E.R.D.cast!
Daniel and I are featured in this podcast from Schell Studio, in which we discuss some of our favorite books, movies, and games, mostly the science fiction ones, with our good friend Jordu Schell and another friend, Mike. Note that this is 90 minutes long so you don't start listening when you don't have time.I … Continue reading N.E.R.D.cast!
Try my card game!
Many years ago, I came up with an idea for a game in which you build a map of a suburban area using cards/tiles depicting segments of street. I made a rough prototype, and then my friends the Looneys helped me make a better "alpha deck" on some extra blank cards they happened to have. The next … Continue reading Try my card game!
Favorite Summer Recipes
UPDATE: I added some more recipes before linking this to the 2013 Summer Recipe Round Up and the Hearth & Soul Blog Hop! This week's Works-for-Me Wednesday theme is favorite summer recipes, so my post about menstrual cups isn't my official WfMW contribution this week, but check it out because those sure do work for me! Here's … Continue reading Favorite Summer Recipes
Menstrual Cup Mania!!!
WARNING: People who are offended by graphic discussion of menstruation should go read something else. One of the very first things we put into The Earthling's Handbook was an article about alternatives to disposable pads and tampons. I've often been tempted to write a newer article with even more details about just how fabulous these … Continue reading Menstrual Cup Mania!!!
Treasuring Each Day
Last Thursday was a tough day for me. Yes, it was even harder than the previous Thursday. It was the day we were supposed to be on our way to Origins, a huge game convention where we see a bunch of our best friends, but instead I was sick in bed. That "coming down with … Continue reading Treasuring Each Day
Tie-dyed Socks!
My son, who is officially four-and-a-half years old today, loves colors and enjoys wearing a variety of colors. He was quite annoyed last fall when we went shopping for new socks and found that the choices offered were white, white with gray toes, black (but only thin dress socks), brown (same), and a variety pack of … Continue reading Tie-dyed Socks!
An unscheduled Take Your Child to Work Day
Wednesday night, we had several hours of heavy rain. Yesterday morning, Nicholas and I arrived at his pre-school and found that all the furniture in his classroom had been moved out or stacked in the reading loft, and large fans were blowing across the damp floor. Rainwater had leaked in under the door to the … Continue reading An unscheduled Take Your Child to Work Day
Starting with Something
Here's one of my secrets to financial solvency: I started my adult life with some money in the bank. Now, what kind of a tip is that?! Having money is not something a person can just decide to do! I'm just lucky! Well, yes, this isn't a money-management tip you can apply when you're already … Continue reading Starting with Something
a gem from the 1966 Sears catalog
Plastic Wall Tile Alabaster...resembles fine Italian marble 37c square foot Pastel Mist...exceeds government standards 22c square foot Wow. I have worked as an advertising copy writer, and I know how difficult it can be to find anything good to say about some dumb pathetic product. But, gosh, surely there's something about Pastel Mist that's more … Continue reading a gem from the 1966 Sears catalog
Ham Binge!
This is the fifth day in a row I've eaten the same lunch: a salad of lettuce, spinach, cheese, and ham. Wait a minute! HAM?! EnviroBecca is a pescatarian (eats no meat except occasional fish) for environmental and health reasons--ham should not be in her lunchbag, especially not five days in a row! Hang on. I … Continue reading Ham Binge!
Hand Towels for a Crowd
Here's a way to use washable cloth hand towels for a group too large and/or germy to share a towel hanging on a rack: Get a bunch of small cloth towels or terry washcloths. Stack the towels in a box or basket near the sink. Hang a laundry bag or place a laundry basket or hamper … Continue reading Hand Towels for a Crowd
The Earthling's Handbook 