Any job that we do is worthy of respect and support as it sustains us through life, but a job where you can live your values, make a difference and find meaning every day is an incredibly wonderful find. Black and Pink, a national prison abolition organization that fights for the rights of incarcerated queer folks and people living with HIV/AIDS, is looking for an intern right now, and while the job is short-term, the experience is sure to be life-changing.
There are enough strange and unusual animals in the world to never have to create a new one, but some toy makers have indeed done that. There are so many weird animal toys and stuffed animals all over the world. Some are cute, some are creepy and others are just plain weird, but all of them are strange in their own unique way.
NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge is trying to bring innovative food solutions to the issue of what people can eat while living on Mars. Obviously space ice cream and its cousins are fun novelties, but they aren't that great for day to day living. NASA is putting chefs across the world to the task of finding better ways to eat in space.
Back when my teen was the only young person at our family game nights (and a young kid at the time), we would play some kid's games first, then pop a couple of movies in so my kiddo would get a chance to play before watching TV. It worked pretty well most of the time and I still think that might be the best way to handle a game night with a lot of mixed ages.
If you're an 80s kid, you remember not being able to ever listen to your favorite music unless you had A. plenty of money to buy each album or B. time to poise over your radio, ready to click "record" anytime your song came on. Today's music is more accessible than ever and it's even easy to get bored listening to your favorite songs over and over again! There's more music to enjoy that ever, though, so you can always explore more music if that happens.
Do you ever drink whatever you've got handy with your medicine? Lots of people drink orange juice, soda, coffee, energy drinks and yes, even booze with their meds. Studies now show that doing so isn't a great idea if you want your meds to work! Many medicine bottles instruct people to take them with a full glass of water, but how many people actually do that, and is it even that important?
There's a lot of poetry news going on this week. The saddest piece of news is that Jack Hirschman, the social justice poet known for his Marxist views and dozens of volumes of poetry, passed away at age 87. The UCLA professor, who was fired for his anti-war views, will forever be remembered by poets and activists.
Fellow Halloween lovers (and crafters), the holiday is approaching! For weeks it's been closing in on the Midwest. In my Halloween Facebook groups people have been finding all sorts of great Halloween craft supplies and decor in craft stores while we waited patiently for it to arrive. It's finally here!
While strawberry picking season is over at most of the pick-your-own farms we visit, it's still peak strawberry season right now and perfect for making strawberry shakes, shortcake and other yummy berry treats. Did you know you can make a no-bake icebox cake with strawberries, too?
As a lifelong fisherman, my dad has always enjoyed fishing any time of day. That said, he also swears by certain fishing holes and certain times--most notably early morning or in the evening, although that does differ according to the season. Many fisherman have their own little tricks and tips for getting the most or best catch, and a good catch also varies depending on climate and location.
Bees are freakily phenomenal on their own. They are so productive, unique and inspiring that it's hard to not admire them as they go about their days. It's also hard to not shake a fist at all the misconceptions about bees spread by unknowing people and cartoon movie writers. Tsk, tsk.
Last week I joked that possible poisoning was the reason I didn't want to make my own kombcha from home, but plenty of people do brew their own fermented tea from scratch (well, from someone else's scoby, at least!). It's definitely a cheaper way to access the tangy beverage, and you can always flavor it afterward if that's how you prefer it. But could you do it?
Self-watering planters are so wonderful because they deliver the perfect amount of water without making you stress over it each week. When I shop for plants I sometimes say, "Who wants to come die at my house?" It's morbid but true--sometimes I kill my houseplants!
Western University in Canada has just been awarded a three million three hundred-thousand-dollar research grant. Two million dollars came from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC ), and one million three hundred thousand dollars came Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization.