November 2019

Dog Learns To Talk With Speech Device

Long before Dug in Pixar's Up could tell us that he hid under our porch because he loves us, humans have wondered what their dogs are thinking. It would be incredible to speak with our canine companions, and that's exactly what a speech pathologist is doing with her blue heeler mix. Since my dogs are also blue heeler mixes this is incredibly cool for me to read!

Rats Driving Cars

Have you heard that rats are now driving cars? Rats in a research lab were taught to drive custom made cars in order to pick up their own food, something that, many have pointed out, many humans seem to struggle with today. It's leading scientists to believe that rats are much smarter than previously thought, which pretty much makes anyone who's been around rats say... duh.

Reading At Bedtime: A Healthy Habit

By now you already know that it's not great to read your phone or other device at bedtime. It's much healthier to shut down your devices at least half an hour or longer before you go to bed to get your brain ready for sleep and promote a good night's rest. But if you do choose to read before bed without a screen, such as a book of poetry, did you know that you'll likely have a better night's sleep?

Savory Crepes

I always laugh when I mention how good savory crepes are and people make a face. Sure, crepes are wonderful when they're sweet, and many people prefer them sweet over savory, but that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy both! Savory crepes are a delicious meal to enjoy, too.

Gifts Fit For A Frog Prince

Not every pet owner buys gifts for their creatures in crime, which is fine; pets don't know it's their birthday or the holidas (as far as we know!). But for those of us who love to spoil our critters with something special here and there, it can be really fun to pick out something we know they'll absolutely love. It's fun to watch them enjoy what we pick out for them, too.

The Blame Game

Adults like to blame violent video games for the decline of society, but we all know it's much more complex than that. There are a number of factors, from poverty to war, blaming the poor instead of the rich--playing the blame game at all instead of focusing on solutions--and the apathy that seems to grow. It's true that our tech definitely messes with our brains and can cause some damage, especially when the youngest members of our society are exposed to it on a regular basis, but to say that's the end all of it is just naive.

Big Book Releases in November

Is it just me, or are there always big book releases in November? Every year I seem to have several books that come out in November on my radar, which is always a highlight of the month. This month is especially exciting between The Starless Sea, which I still have yet to read, and Queen of Nothing, which will finish Holly Black's Folk of the Air series and will be released next week. 

Crafting Around the World

My teen and I loved doing the Around the World Stories program a couple of years ago, and I think it's one of the best gifts you can get any child for the holidays. Each month, you visit a new country through stories, recipes, videos and crafts, and they extend it to their Pinterest page, which features a bunch of crafts that you can enjoy with or without a subscription.

Grateful Dead... Scents

If I were to tell you that there are Grateful Dead scents that you could be enjoying at home, you'd probably guess one of two smells: general head shop or... something more specific. It makes perfect sense, too. But with so many indie sellers creating unique goodies to sell, designing scents that correspond to our favorite things, including bands, has become a bit of a novelty business. 

How To Make Sprinkles

Are you a sprinkles lover? I love the look of sprinkles, but when it comes to taste, I have to say that I'm a bit picky! I don't like those tiny beaded hard sprinkles, for example, but I like the softer, more elongated sprinkles, and I had no idea that they are so easy to make. If you've never made sprinkles, or if you need some but all you have is icing, you might want to check out this video.

No Buy List

In 2019, we have the chance to not only vote at the booth but with our dollars on a daily basis, hitting the companies whose policies and practices we disagree with hardest at the cash register. Boycotts work and policies get changed by citizen involvement, but you have to care enough to, say, skip that chicken sandwich to ensure the money you spent on it isn't funneled into, say, executing people for being gay.

Adventures in Boundary Setting

Adulting is hard, even on a good day, and there are so many things that we're not even talked to about as kids, let alone given the chance to practice, that end up biting us every now and then. These range from life skills to social skills, and recently I had a doozy with some friends that I still don't really know how to handle. They say they didn't mean to hurt me, and while I believe them, it's also hard to believe they didn't know I'd be hurt by their actions.

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