I want to cross-stitch this and hang it above my charging station! Can I credit “billytheked” at the bottom of the piece? It may take a few weeks but I’ll post a picture when it is done.

Well, the right one was created with mommy-help for my three year old. He colored some of the apps (I bet you can tell which ones) but he really wanted a few buttons that looked like his sister’s, so I obliged. My favorite is his “Go fast!” app at top left. He said it had to be a “fast purple arrow” (?).

Thanks for the review! The Long Walk is my favorite of King’s novellas so I am grateful to not ruin that by going to see the movie.

However, one of the haunting parts of the story may just not translate to the film per your critique of the main characters. (Side note: I am confused as how there can only be two notable characters as the antagonist in the novella is really integral bouncing off the two protagonists).

This lack of character backstory actually adds to the story and emphasizes the character development through the novella as the boys start almost as cogs formed as a result of the dystopian world in which the story is set. Individuals emerge from drones, opinions sprout from apathy, and hope is realized (for one) from suicidal despair.

It is a shortish read- I would recommend it to anyone who feels like they are witnessing the disintegration of the individual and the ability to succeed through hard working and proof of work… not as a call to action but as a warning.

If I had the capacity (time-wise), I’d do alterations and mending. I am blown away by how much dry cleaners charge in the US to sew on buttons or hem a garment… My sewing space is my happy place.

Fries are great! Thinly cut, fried in beef tallow. If you like smash burgers, they are pretty good. Milkshakes are fantastic!

(As a mom, I love that they have mini kid sized milkshakes too… they get a treat without the ridiculous serving sizes. Although, as we were headed there I lamented to my husband they the vegetable offerings are limited to the tomato, lettuce and onions on burgers… wish they offered a salad.)

All-in-all, decent “treat” meal made especially amazing because we paid in bitcoin. I love any chance we have to model making purchases in bitcoin for our kids.

My husband believes that all media should be watched or listened to in their original format. For example, to watch the original Star Wars, he 100% prefers and sometimes insists on watching the VHS (pre-edits and additions) on our tube TV and VCR… Yes. We own a tube TV and VCR. Along with phonographs and shellac records.

Ideal: A spa day followed by a nice dinner with the husband while someone else cleans the house… Reality: Being awakened an hour earlier than normal by children overly excited to give mommy presents, trying to keep the house reasonably clean while feeding and educating three kids, and then a dinner with the family.

I bet when the kids are grown and I get my “ideal,” I will really miss my current reality.

I got stuck overnight at a rural Italian train station traveling alone (female) and was curling up on a bench when the station manager took pity on me… He let me sleep under a desk in the office which he locked up when he went home until the morning train… Very kind man.

Also a parent trying to work in exercise around… kid-life.

Couple ideas I’ve implemented:

Super high-five to you for finding little ways to incorporate physical movement into your day. If you are already running 15 minutes to your subway stop, how much longer would it be if you ran to the next stop? Just a thought…

“This here is where we executed Timothy McVey!” -heard at 11pm on a long past New Years Eve from the tow truck driver when asked where in the world my car broke down…

As fall is coming in, we’ve doubled down on the indoor herb garden.

Ha! We have one who likes to sneak in and fall asleep next to me (lovely!) and another who runs in and jumps on any sleeping parent like a wrestler leaping from the top of the ring ropes (less lovely)…

The first premise I would suggest anyone investigate is whether or not one believes in absolute truth.

Absolute truth necessitates the understanding and logical follow through put forth by Ayn Rand and previously by Aristotle of fundamental identity or Rand’s phrase, “A is A.” She wrote, “By the essence and nature of existence, contradictions cannot exist.” (Rand’s Atlas Shrugged). This part of her Objectivist worldview is derived from Aristotle’s philosophy of non-contradiction which avers, “…the same attribute cannot at the same time belong and not belong to the same subject and in the same respect.” (Aristotle’s Metaphysics).

If one believes that there is objective truth (as opposed to a post-modern view that all truth is relative) then one must acknowledge that most major worldviews or “spiritual paths” directly contradict one another. Therefore there cannot be “many paths that climb the same mountain”…

For the sake of time, I’ll Include just three hard contradictions to illustrate the point:

Determining which worldview, spiritual or otherwise, holds the most evidence in reality is potentially the most important investigation one can pursue as it, if held with integrity, should shape one’s morals, values, and priorities. The most important question someone asked me was, “If I were wrong about my worldview, would I want to know?” I didn’t think I was wrong, but it was the catalyst to my own investigation and a dramatic change in my worldview. So, I might suggest spending some time considering how you would answer that question.

Re: Party Favors We wanted to establish a tone of generosity and hospitality with birthday parties for our kids… We started at age one requesting non-perishable food donations instead of gifts and my kids actually look forward to the trip to donate their “birthday haul” at the neighborhood food bank after which we get ice cream. We do give guest party favors but they are usually part of a craft or game that is part of the party… one year we did a rainbow party and kids made squirt gun art for their favor:

(I am of the opinion that my kids still have too many toys so I am glad we don’t get a bunch of new plastic things each year.)

As my kids are getting older or I am getting more of a handle on the juggle that parenting can be, I have started cooking meals from scratch instead of boxed options. One evening, I was very excited to make macaroni and cheese with all fresh ingredients and proudly served my kids this healthier meal. My 6 year old balks and says, “This isn’t real mac and cheese! You didn’t put any of that orange powder cheese in!” I think the ship has sailed for her appreciation of real, non-processed food. Mom fail.

My family watched an episode from The Tuttle Twins called “College Conundrum” (Season 3, Episode 1) to start talking with our kids about how not everyone needs a college degree to pursue meaningful work in a full and exciting life… Very helpful for parents to have the discussion of the value of college- both my husband and I came from families that insisted a college education was expected and vital for a career.