I completely disagree with the movie “Love Story” and say that apologizing/forgiving is a vital ingredient to a happy relationship.
Maybe another way to describe it is being gracious with each other and ourselves.

A touch of perseverance… I didn’t participate in the “lesson” but my husband was working with our eldest daughter to assemble a Christmas gift (a robotic lizard with which she will be learning simple coding to instruct it to move and stuff).

This was not a super easy project even though it was labeled as age appropriate, but they patiently persevered step-by-step. They took breaks and came back to it. It was very cool to see our often hot-tempered, impatient daughter quietly working next to her dad over a period of hours.

And then- disaster! Upon completing the build, the lizard didn’t work! Our daughter definitely had a bout of frustrated tears, but the amazing thing is that she calmed herself down (with an encouraging reminder that engineers face problems then push through to solutions- builders must have resilience).

I wish I could report that the lizard gift was a smashing success, but when they were trying to fix the leg that wouldn’t move, my wonderful husband accidentally broke a part and now we need to ask for a replacement… The success was that our daughter didn’t despair at the accident but is eagerly awaiting the part, ready to continue tackling the project.

Perseverance and resilience has been a long awaited character trait for us, so maybe this is my best Christmas present as Mom.

I thought I was familiar (and really enjoyed) Tex Mex cuisine based on our local “large plate Mexican restaurants”, but then the husband and I went to New Mexico and discovered actual Tex Mex food with the most amazing chili sauces (red and green!). Now trips for Mexican in Ohio just make me long for the food down SW way…

Is Australian big brekkie a specific type of meal or a dish?

I ask because my family likes hosting brunch, but my husband asks me to specify “American brunch” (i.e. casseroles, sausages, etc.) vs. “Jewish brunch” (bagels, smoked salmon, pastrami or corned beef, etc.).

He grew up with traditional American brunch, while my favorite big family event has always been brunch with more American Jewish fare…

I am curious what constitutes an Australian big brekkie.

Thank so much! I can’t say it was an easy trip, but it was truly a great experience. I miss the friends we made and hope to go back.

There were up’s and down’s… it took them longer than we would have liked to adjust but they definitely have now had experiences they will remember for a long time and they are also excited to go back and see friends they made again.
As with everyone, each kid had their own struggles from anxiety about being far from grandparents to sadness missing a best friend… each of them had bouts of homesickness for sure.
Overall, I am so glad we did the trip and look forward to more adventures and opportunities to cross cultural boundaries as a family.

My family has always a Pot Pie Night on the day after Thanksgiving. My sister (a baker by trade) rolls out a lot of pie dough and we fill as many casseroles as can be found with a varied mixture of leftovers (with cranberry sauce or without, vegetarian or mostly turkey, etc.). Throw them all in the oven and have a fantastic meal #2.

It is a fun way to include friends and family that couldn’t make the main holiday meal the night before.

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:

1. Found a gym with free childcare. The kids do crafts and play for up to 2 hours while I do strength training a couple times a week (group classes keep me motivated there).
2. Bring your kids when you run- I hit a nearby track and the kids bike and play in the middle while I circle them for speed work or even my “long” runs.
3. Want to involve your kids even more?! I volunteered to coach a “Run Club” at my kids’ school. We met once a week after school and did increasing distances until they were ready to do a little 3k after 6-8 weeks. (We sprung for snacks each week and then a party after the 3k.) full disclosure, my older daughter never got too into it, but she did walk/run with us. A good sport!

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:

1. Biblical Christianity holds that there is only one way to be justified for the wrong things each person does (hey, no one is perfect!) and that is by asking for the sacrifice of Jesus to pay for our moral debt. WHEREAS works/performance based spiritual world views believe humans must earn forgiveness through acts of devotion, rituals and rites, sacrifices, etc.
2. Judeo-Christian religions hold forth the identity of humans as image bearers of God who live an earthly life before continuing in an eternal existence (either with God in Heaven or without God in a place of judgement (I.e. Hell). WHEREAS Hinduism believes in a cycle of rebirth until one reaches enlightenment and is released from the cycle (moksha)
3. Zen Buddhism puts forth that there is no duality (evil/good) and suffering is caused by dualistic thinking. WHEREAS Judaism (and Judeo-Christian worldviews rooted therein) presents a very dualistic world view in which an ultimately moral, just, personally loving God stands contrasted to humanity and spiritual beings in rebellion against the good authority.

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.