The same wristwatch has measured all my time as a mother.
technology
A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 4
See Chapter 1 for explanation of this unusual recipe collection. SPECULOOS: Add Brussels sprouts, not the bechamel sauce, and very little cayenne. Baste often with a few raisins or two dessertspoonfuls of an edge and dip them quickly with thick consistency in the flour you have sprinkled with vinegar. Then roll in sherry and a … Continue reading A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 4
How to Reduce Your Home’s Carbon Footprint
This is a guest post by Justin Havre, a Calgary native and owner of Justin Havre & Associates. A home's carbon footprint is its impact on the environment, measured in the amount of carbon dioxide released in the process of operating that home. Excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere traps heat, accelerating the process of global climate … Continue reading How to Reduce Your Home’s Carbon Footprint
Streamlined Task Juggling: Getting things done when working from home
This is a guest post by Ben Stallings (Becca's brother), a Web developer and permaculture designer in Emporia, Kansas. “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and - snap! The job's a game!” --Mary Poppins I work from home, and my wife doesn't, so I … Continue reading Streamlined Task Juggling: Getting things done when working from home
A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 3
See Chapter 1 for explanation of this unusual recipe collection. HAM WITH EGGS: Take a few pickled walnuts, flattening through the mutton the same weight of buttered paper through a quart of herbs. In a Belgian manner, take the liquor; mix the pan, adding pepper torn apart from the paste and all the threads. Cut the … Continue reading A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 3
Why My Toddler Doesn’t Watch Sesame Street
I remember, when I was 3 or 4 years old, sitting in front of the television watching the test pattern waiting for my local public television station to begin its broadcast day. I liked the pretty colored stripes. Finally they would disappear, the station information would be displayed along with a drawing of a scissor-tailed … Continue reading Why My Toddler Doesn’t Watch Sesame Street
National Drive Electric Week: Events Around the Country!
This is a guest post by Maria Ramos. Maria is a freelance writer currently living in Chicago. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Communication. She blogs about environmentally friendly tips, technological advancements, and healthy active lifestyles. National Drive Electric Week is … Continue reading National Drive Electric Week: Events Around the Country!
Cutting Food Waste at Home and Worldwide (70+ recipes and tips!)
This is a guest post by Maria Ramos. Maria is a freelance writer currently living in Chicago. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a minor in Communication. She blogs about environmentally friendly tips, technological advancements, and healthy active lifestyles. (The recipe section of this … Continue reading Cutting Food Waste at Home and Worldwide (70+ recipes and tips!)
Technology to Help You Be Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly This Summer
This is a guest post by Maria Ramos, who offered to share her research on these new technologies with my readers. I'm not a smartphone user myself and don't carry any other high-tech device routinely, which is one way to conserve energy...but if you're already carrying a device or you're considering getting one for other … Continue reading Technology to Help You Be Energy Efficient and Environmentally Friendly This Summer
A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 2
See Chapter 1 for explanation of this unusual recipe collection. BELGIAN CARROTS: Cut your croquettes by the whole solar system to futurity, resolve into the different shapes, and cut in cold before serving it. Mix till it simmers in the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, sliced carrots, and chocolate for five minutes, while a few Brussels sprouts … Continue reading A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 2
Will a household products subscription help YOU save the earth?
A household products subscription is an arrangement by which a company mails you certain items--like soap, toilet paper, and laundry detergent--on a regular basis. A number of companies have started offering this service recently. Some of them only sell environmentally preferable products like plant-based detergents and recycled paper. Others offer these items among a wide … Continue reading Will a household products subscription help YOU save the earth?
The Power of Purple Is Real!!!
I am putting this post in a variety of categories because it's kind of silly but I'm kind of serious, too. I would like to believe that in this very complicated world, my actions truly do make a difference, even in unexpected metaphysical ways. Purple is my favorite color. At this point in my life, … Continue reading The Power of Purple Is Real!!!
A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 1
I decided that this text requires its own post to really do it justice. It started as an extremely lengthy spam email received by my ten-year-old Nicholas, who immediately turned it into a bizarre modern entertainment experience by having the computer read it aloud. Then he wanted to post it as a comment to one … Continue reading A Robot’s Cookbook, Chapter 1
Oh, all right. But they didn’t Book my Face!
More than three years ago, I explained why I was boycotting Facebook. Yesterday, I joined Facebook. My intention was to join as The Earthling's Handbook, but Facebook immediately responded, "You have to join with your real name! I'm the only book allowed here!" so I joined with my own name but used The Earthling's Handbook … Continue reading Oh, all right. But they didn’t Book my Face!
What Earthlings Want to Know
As a professional data manager, I still don't get enough information to pore over, so I sometimes spend my lunch break delving into the WordPress stats page that tells me how people find The Earthling's Handbook. One of the more interesting features is the list of phrases typed into search engines that brought people here, … Continue reading What Earthlings Want to Know
Is email better for the environment?
Paperless systems are very popular these days. Paper is made from trees, and although trees are a renewable resource, they take a long time to grow compared to the amount of time we might use a sheet of paper. Recycling paper uses a lot of chemicals, energy, and water, although it is still less wasteful … Continue reading Is email better for the environment?
My 9-Year-Old Architect
I love drawing floor plans--even though I failed to become an architect--so I looked forward to illustrating my article about how we rearranged our home to make space for our new baby Lydia. I thought this also would be a great opportunity to learn to use TouchDraw, a drafting app I'd bought for my iPad … Continue reading My 9-Year-Old Architect
The Internet of 20 Years Ago
I just happened upon this article from Wired magazine, which is undated but appears to be from right around 1994--the era when the World Wide Web existed but many major corporations still had no clue about what this Internet thing was, and when most people who did use the Internet still knew what a "shell … Continue reading The Internet of 20 Years Ago
The Best Alarm Clock-Radio to Buy Used
...is a Sony Dream Machine with EZ Alarm, made around 1988. You do not want a recent Dream Machine as it is a completely different product. This is an excellent clock: My dad gave it to me for Christmas when I was 15. Its radio reception was far superior to my previous clock-radio; no more … Continue reading The Best Alarm Clock-Radio to Buy Used
Pocket: A Handy Tool for Web Browsing
This is a guest post by Ben Stallings (brother of ‘Becca) , who is a permaculture gardener, home energy efficiency auditor, and owner of a curbside recycling business in Kansas. I got an email a few days ago informing me that I'm in the top 5% of users of a service called Pocket -- I've used … Continue reading Pocket: A Handy Tool for Web Browsing
The Earthling's Handbook 