My mother just read my article on shyness and suggested a couple of additions. One is an anecdote I'd never heard before: At the last parent/teacher meeting of each elementary school year, your teachers confided how pleased they were that "Rebecca has finally started to come out of her shell." Every year. They were so … Continue reading More about shyness
memories
How the Cabana Bench Got Its Name
A tale of my childhood, retold in celebration of Mother's Day. When I was in first grade, my mother became annoyed that she kept finding my shoes in the middle of the floor in various public rooms of the house. At first, she dealt with this the way most parents--trying to teach orderly living skills and … Continue reading How the Cabana Bench Got Its Name
Bagel! Bagel! Bagel!
Last winter, one of my Girl Scouts was singing this parody of the Dreidel song traditionally sung on Hanukkah: Bagel! Bagel! Bagel! I made it out of snow. I baked it in the oven. Where did my bagel go? My family found this song hilarious and sang it over and over again. Within a couple … Continue reading Bagel! Bagel! Bagel!
Breaking the shell of shyness
I was a shy child. I liked to be around people and was very interested in them, but for some reason I found it difficult to talk to unfamiliar people or even to feel that they were looking at me, and I was nervous that I might do something "wrong" that would make people yell at or laugh … Continue reading Breaking the shell of shyness
The origins of recycling at Origins
Origins is a huge game convention ("con") held annually at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio. We've attended every year since 1999. In addition to enjoying the exhibits and activities, we've helped our friends from Looney Labs sell their wonderful games and operate their "Lab", a large room where people can try out their … Continue reading The origins of recycling at Origins
Don’t take out the trash!
Here's an idea for reducing your garbage output: Don't take out the trash until the collection day. Store all of your trash inside your living space. Is it taking up too much room? That motivates you to throw away less stuff. Does it stink? That motivates you to think about better ways to dispose of … Continue reading Don’t take out the trash!
Things I Learned from My Mom
Mothers are people too. It's wonderful to be female. Speak up for what you believe. It's okay to be different from the natives. It's more important to have things that are enjoyable and useful than to be fashionable. Cooking is worthwhile. Plants are wonderful. Take a walk. The world is made up of interwoven stories.
Things I Learned from My Dad
Different people like different things. Divide your money as soon as you get it. Save money so you won't have to borrow. A good education is worth the price. Water is your active ingredient. Don't do that just because you can. Computers are fun and useful.
The Evolution of an Environmentalist
No matter how strongly you feel you should do your part to save the planet, it can be difficult to change your lifestyle. We recommend a gradual approach: Do one new environmentally-friendly thing every few months. This gives you time to get used to each change and incorporate it into your daily life. As an example, here's a list of changes I've made in my own life.
The Earthling's Handbook 