Scratch that. We're well into the age of robots, aren't we? From our Alexas and smart fridges to our Roombas and cars, there are bots touching so many aspects of our daily life. It's no wonder why we have to do so many, as John Mulaney dubs them, "robot tests" to look at our own stuff online every day. Bots are everywhere and now they're delivering food on college campuses and even door-to-door.
Hozier is fantastic, and who doesn't love Dolly Parton? I have playlists featuring both artists, and Dolly has a heart of gold and should probably be leader of this country. I'm not sure how much the two have in common outside of being performers, but someone discovered that they sound awfully alike when Dolly's performance of "Jolene" is slowed down.
It's finally here--vaccine for kids! Oh, my fellow parents, I'm so sorry for how long you've had to wait. I'm so sorry you've had to watch teens and adults get theirs, many of them returning to almost "normal" lives, while you keep your kids home, make difficult choices between school and homeschooling, and suffer from further isolation, in many cases.
Every year I design multiple countdown calendars for the holidays for my loved ones, but each year I also find myself using more and more commercialized versions rather than my own designs. Last year I even bought a sock version for one of my favorite people! There is nothing wrong with that, and he definitely liked the socks, but it sure wasn't the homemade calendar filled with personal touches I normally make, and I'd like to return to that if possible.
Telling the time really doesn't seem like an activity I'd ever associate with the Dead, to be honest. A band that totally disregarded their time at Woodstock, shoving CCR to the next spot well after nighttime, on a timepiece? It makes me laugh more than anything. But now that I've seen the designs that the new Nison watch featuring the Grateful Dead look like, I can't not love them. They are SO cute.
The soup dumplings at Trader Joe's are one of my all-time favorite foods. Every year I get some to microwave for my birthday and taste their warm comfort, savoring their flavor as well as the feeling they bring. Oh, they are good. If you haven't tried them, please do! And if you don't have a TJ's around (it's a trek for me), you can actually try them at Target this year!
Folks, we are in desperate need of a whole new American model. The model we're using isn't working. It's failing the majority of people, and if we don't make sweeping changes quickly, scientists say we're going to start seeing our own demise within the next few decades. This is terrifying. Yet it's also not new. We've been warned for many decades already, and most of us want these changes while a few of us hold them hostage at the expense of profits over people.
All of the fall candles, oils and scents are now heading to the clearance aisle as the winter ones creep in long before Thanksgiving is even here. Most years are ripe with complaining when this happens but this year, we honestly just need to get what we can get. Between shortages, shipping issues and supply delays, I think everyone could use even more grace than usual.
While I didn't finish the spooky reads that I checked out from the library within the hecticness of fall, I did manage to read a few romances from my Kindle that I enjoyed quite a bit. Fall and winter are my romantic seasons, so I do tend to read a few romances--now more than ever--and this past week's selections were good ones. Don't you hate a bad romance?
While I'm not very knowledgeable about fall cover crops, I love the idea of them. They are planted in the fall months, but it may even be too late to sow right now, depending on where you live. I think in my zone, the best time is between August and October, but that may differ where you live.
A team of former SpaceX engineers is working on the development of the “world's first portable, zero-emissions power source” that can be utilized to bring power to remote areas and also permits quick installation of new units in populated areas.