November 2018

Cohen Pleads GUILTY

Lock him up!

Michael Cohen, famously Trumps top lawyer, had this to say about lying to congress about the Trump Moscow Project - which he also admitted was in the works up to the middle of 2017 "I made these statements to be consistent with Individual-1's political messaging and out of loyalty to Individual-1,"... Individual-1 is understood to be President Donald Trump. Cohen is the 33rd person Mueller has charged in this "witch hunt" (thats A LOT of witches!).

Amandine Bakeshop

Doesn't it drive you crazy when you get a craving for something sweet and it just won't go away? Usually mine will fade after a while but sometimes you just really want that cupcake or ice cream. In the case of Amandine Bakeshop, if you're visiting, I bet you've got macarons on your mind! The shop is famous for their delectable macarons, and they have just about every flavor you could want, from brownie to pistachio, buckwheat and honey to juniper lemon... yep, I'm craving one right now!

Baggy Frogs

Aren't animal adaptations remarkable? I'm always amazed to see a critter whose eyes have simply evolved to not work in a dark environment, or something venomous that lives with poison in it, making it deadly to everything but itself. The water frog of Titicaca has adapted to the lake's high altitudes with flaps of super baggy skin in order to help it take in the oxygen it needs to survive.

Bernie Says He Could Run

Four years ago, I was a big supporter of Bernie Sanders. I tried really hard to see him in person (and was almost close enough in line to do it!), donated to his campaign, volunteered for him and still have his sticker on my car. I believe in Bernie and I think he's done a lot of great things for this nation, but I'm not longer sure that Bernie is the candidate America needs.

Calendar Embroidery Kits

If you love to embroider or know someone who does, these cute calendar kits are the perfect holiday gift! They're only $20 (on sale now) and come in themes like astronomy, animals and foods. Every month, you get a new pattern to embroider, not only giving you the relaxing practice but also a fun decoration once you're finished! My daughter has asked for some interesting colors of thread for the holidays this year and I'm thinking about throwing this in as well for her to practice some pretty stitching.

Writing Impossible Poems

Writing exercises have always been great fun for me. Not only do they strengthen your writing, but they challenge you in a fun way that you can't get anywhere else. I miss the days when my old writing communities would issue word challenges or word banks for stories, and while I know that other communities still exist, it's still sad when the ones you belong to fizzle out or an admin quits and the group just falls apart.

Warm Drink Recipes

It's not yet the first of December, so I'm trying to keep "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" out of my head. That said, all things holiday are on my peripheral radar, including warming drinks, and I am starting to feel the excitement! We actually have heat this year after it being broken for a few years, so I'm not hankering for a hot toddy to keep my fingers warm this time around (woohoo!), but I still love a warm drink to help get me cozy and I'm sure many of you do, too.

Animals with Albinism

Albinism really isn't freaky. Most of us have seen an animal or even know someone in our lives with the melanin deficiency, which causes a striking lack of color that is often otherworldly in its beauty. It's unfortunate that so many people with albinism have been targeted with hatred, and even violence, for something they can't control, but the Internet has helped to demonstrate, at least to those willing to learn, that there's nothing scary or harmful about albinism. 

Is Family Guy Even Funny?

For a show that's meant to cause laughter and poke fun at everything from pop culture to social commentary, Family Guy isn't always as funny as it's supposed to be. Plenty of jokes, like the ongoing feud with Ernie the giant chicken, grow stale quickly, and in our current culture of #metoo confessions and nasty men you wouldn't want on the subway with your daughter being elected or appointed into powerful positions where they could regulate said daughter's vagina, jokes about perverts just aren't as funny as they used to be.

Grateful Dead Home Goods

A teacher of mine used to have an entire wall decorated with a Grateful Dead tapestry and it was probably his favorite home good in his entire house. It's these simple, functional items in our homes that really demonstrate our love for our favorite bands and make where we live more of a sanctuary at the same time. The fun thing about home good fan items is that they're often unexpected treasures that people would never see coming as gifts, too!

Yummy Thai Recipes

Pad Thai is currently my favorite food. I could pretty much nom it all day long if it were carb-free and in my budget, but since it's not, I tend to stick to enjoying it on holidays or special days alone. That said, there are all kinds of Thai recipes to try at home that might cost a bit less, or that might be great in a pinch if you can't get to your favorite restaurant.

How to Make Your Garden Work For You

Have you ever heard of putting your garden to work, or making your garden work for you? Experts say there are many ways to do this, from growing your own food to implementing a great rain garden to help you manage both water as well as water issues, like flooding or pooling. A good retaining wall alone can help protect your property, and bushes planted in a garden can help prevent erosion from occuring while adding to the look of your garden overall. 

How Well Do You Know the 80s?

Whether you're from the 80s or just really interested in 80s culture, you may consider yourself pretty well-versed on all things 80s. Maybe you were mad for Madonna and Michael Jackson, rocking the fingerless gloves. Maybe you had leg warmers to die for. Whatever memories from the 1980s that you carry, you can put them to use in these fun 80s trivia games to test your knowledge!

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is My Hero

If you haven't been following newly-elected Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez yet, now is the time. This action-oriented activist's record-breaking upset wasn't her only crowning moment. She's been walking her talk since day one, from challenging opponents on social media and educating people while she cooks on Instagram to participating in global warming protests to make our leaders finally focus on something important. Ocasio-Cortez is the voice of the new generation and we need 100 more Congresspeople like her. 

Ugly Sweater Deals

If you're like me, you're really tired of deals being thrown at you from every angle. My inbox has been nothing but sales pitches all week! While the deals are great, it's just too much, and I just deleted most of it. That said, I've always wanted an ugly sweater for all of the ugly sweater events we've been invited to over the years, so I thought I'd pass this geeky deal along. There's a deadpool sweater, as well as a Darth Vader one, and some geeky animal sweaters, too.

Cinder

I may be a bit late to the game when it comes to the Lunar Chronicles, but I'm completely hooked after the first book. Cinder, which has been dubbed a cross between a fairy tale and Star Wars, is the story of a cyborg teenager who has a complicated history, to say the least. In her world, cyborgs are second class citizens and don't have rights of their own, which is where her wicked stepmother comes in. It takes place on a futuristic Earth that has to contend with leaders on other planets, interplanetary politics and troubles with things like hovers and portscreens.

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