Life is pretty expensive right now. I’m fortunate in that I work from home and don’t pay a lot for gas but there’s still the cost of groceries and utilities. It makes me think about my needs versus my wants and how easy it is to blur the line between those two categories. I may…
I’m leaving this week for a vacation, and this trip is going to be different from others in one way: I’m going to drive a car in a foreign country. Picture a medium-size SUV and tiny, winding little roads with questionable smartphone service. (What blows my mind is that I think this was actually my…
I’m hoping to travel overseas in the future, and I’m ready to go! I’ve been watching travel news like a hawk, hoping that long distance air travel will be allowed and that attractions will be open once we get to our destination. So I’m going to put some good travel vibes out there with free…
April 5 is Read a Road Map Day! It’s a random “holiday,” to be sure, but even with today’s GPS technology, map reading is still an important skill to have. We all should take a moment though to give thanks that we rarely need to unfold a state road map anymore. (I never could refold…
Happy Labor Day, teacher friends! This day is set aside to celebrate workers and their contributions to the United States. Since all careers rely on teachers and their knowledge, you’re one of the most important workers around! I think you should treat yourself today, even if the treat is just a glass of wine and…
So, when is it reasonable to use the words lanterns and rats in the same sentence? When you’re talkin’ about Chinese New Year 2020, that’s when! This year Chinese New Year begins January 25th. The holiday is based on the Lunar calendar, which means the dates change from year to year. On a Lunar calendar,…
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just a few days away. So just for fun, I’ve prepared a little quiz in honor of Dr. King. Which statement below is false? He was born Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin had a younger brother and an older sister. At the age of ten, Martin sang with his…
Hip, hip hooray! It’s Flag Day. Did you know our current flag was designed by a 17-year-old high school student? I sure didn’t. And to beat all, this kid didn’t simply draw his design, he sewed an actual flag! The student was Robert G. Heft. In 1958 Robert and his classmates were asked by their…
• never wore a powdered white wig? • wore what would today be considered a size 13 shoe? • stood at six feet two inches tall? • ran unopposed for the first President of the United States? • was 57 years old when he took office? • didn’t have a middle name? • was the…
I have a friend who encouraged her children’s map-reading skills in an interesting way: If they could direct the parents to a desirable location, they would get to go. It makes sense really. Do you want to go to the movies, the toy store, or the museum? Well, then tell me how to get there….